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diff --git a/old/13471-8.txt b/old/13471-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..51afd05 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/13471-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4437 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and +His Youngest Sister, 1857-78, by Ulysses S. Grant, Edited by Jesse Grant +Cramer + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister, +1857-78 + +Author: Ulysses S. Grant + +Release Date: September 15, 2004 [eBook #13471] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS OF ULYSSES S. GRANT TO HIS +FATHER AND HIS YOUNGEST SISTER, 1857-78*** + + +E-text prepared by Ted Garvin and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + + +Note: Older books often abbreviated words as contractions, and printed + them as superscripts; for example, Publi^ns for Publications. + This style is used in this text and the ^ symbol represents the + beginning of the contraction and superscript. + + + + + +LETTERS OF ULYSSES S. GRANT TO HIS FATHER AND HIS YOUNGEST SISTER, +1857-78 + +Edited by his Nephew + +JESSE GRANT CRAMER + +With Portraits + +1912 + + + + + + + +PREFACE + + +There has of late years been a tendency, as a result of the teachings +of certain historical authorities, to minimize the influence of the +leadership of the so-called Great Men, and to question the importance +of their work as a factor in shaping the history of the time. Great +events are referred to as brought about by such general influences as +"the spirit of the time" (Goethe's _Zeitgeist_), the "movement of +humanity," or "forces of society." If we accepted the theories of the +writers of this school, we should be forced to the conclusion that +generations of men move across the world's stage impelled by forces +entirely outside of themselves; and that as far as the opportunity of +individual action is concerned, that is for action initiated and +completed under his own will-power, man might almost as well be a +squirrel working in a revolving cage. The squirrel imagines that he +moves the cylinder, but the outsider knows that the movement is +predetermined, and that there is no change of position and no net +result from the exertion. + +A large number of people hold, notwithstanding, to the old-time +feeling expressed, and doubtless exaggerated and over-emphasized, in +such books as Carlyle's _Hero Worship_. They are unwilling, and in +fact they find it practically impossible, to get away from the belief +that the thought of the time is directed by the great thinkers, and +that the action of the community is influenced and largely shaped by +the power, whether this be utilized for good or for evil, of the great +men of action. + +In any case, men will continue to be interested in the personalities +of the leaders whose names are connected with the great events of +history. The citizens of each nation look back with legitimate pride +upon the patriotic work of those who have helped to found the state, +or to maintain its existence. + +Among the national leaders whose names will always hold an honorable +place in American history is Ulysses S. Grant, the simple-hearted man +and capable soldier, to whose patriotism, courage, persistence, and +skill was so largely due the successful termination of the war between +the States, the contest which assured the foundations of the Republic. +We are interested not only in learning what this man did, but in +coming to know, as far as may be practicable, what manner of man he +was. It is all-important in a study of development of character to +have placed within reach the utterances of the man himself. There is +no utterance that can give as faithful a picture of a man's method of +thought and principle of action as the personal letter written, with +no thought of later publication, to those who are near to him. + +The publishers deem themselves fortunate, therefore, in being able to +place before the fellow-citizens of General Grant who are appreciative +of the great service rendered by him to the country, and who are +interested also in the personality of the man, a series of letters +written to members of his family or to near friends. These letters, +dating back to the time of his youth, give a clear and trustworthy +impression of the nature of the man and of the development of +character and of force that made possible his all-valuable leadership. + +The plan for the publication of these letters had received the cordial +approval of General Grant's son, the late General Frederick D. Grant, +and it is only because of his sudden death, which has brought sorrow +upon a great circle of friends and upon the community at large, that +the publishers are prevented from including with the volume a letter +from the General as the head of the Grant family, giving formal +expression to his personal interest in the undertaking. + +This collection of letters will constitute a suitable companion volume +to Grant's _Personal Memoirs_ and to the accepted biographies of the +Great Commander whose memory is honored by his fellow-citizens not +only for the patience, persistence, and skill of the leader of armies, +as evidenced in the brilliant campaigns that culminated with +Vicksburg, Missionary Ridge, and Appomattox, but for the sturdy +integrity of character, modest bearing, and sweetness of nature of the +great citizen. + +GEO. HAVEN PUTNAM. + +NEW YORK, April 25, 1912. + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + + +ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT (Frontispiece) + From a photograph by W. Kurtz, New York. + +JESSE ROOT GRANT, ĘTAT. 69 + Father of Ulysses Simpson Grant. + From a photograph. + +MRS. HANNAH GRANT + Mother of Ulysses Simpson Grant. + From a photograph by Landy, taken in Cincinnati. + +FACSIMILE OF A LETTER WRITTEN BY ULYSSES + SIMPSON GRANT TO HIS FATHER + +FACSIMILE OF GENERAL GRANT'S PROCLAMATION TO + THE CITIZENS OF PADUCAH + +GENERAL ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT + From a photograph taken in 1865 by + Gutekunst, Philadelphia. + +ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT + From a photograph taken during his second + term as President. + + + + +Letters of Ulysses S. Grant + + +[In 1843, at the age of twenty-one, Ulysses S. Grant was graduated +from West Point with the rank of brevet second lieutenant. He was +appointed to the 4th Infantry, stationed at Jefferson Barracks near +St. Louis. In May, 1844, he was ordered to the frontier of Louisiana +with the army of observation, while the annexation of Texas was +pending. The bill for the annexation of Texas was passed March 1, +1845; the war with Mexico began in April, 1846. Grant was promoted to +a first-lieutenancy September, 1847. The Mexican War closed in 1848. +Both this war and the Civil War he characterizes in his _Memoirs_ as +"unholy." + +Soon after his return from Mexico he was married to Julia Dent. The +next six years were spent in military duty in Sacketts Harbor, New +York, Detroit, Michigan, and on the Pacific coast. He was promoted to +the captaincy of a company in 1853; but because of the inadequacy of a +captain's pay, he resigned from the army, July, 1854, and rejoined his +wife and children at St. Louis. In speaking of this period Grant says, +"I was now to commence at the age of thirty-two a new struggle for our +support." + +The first chapter in this new struggle was farming. The following +letter was written to his youngest sister Mary, then sixteen years +old, afterward Mrs. M.J. Cramer. "Jennie," afterward Mrs. A.R. Corbin, +was the second sister, Virginia.] + +St. Louis, Mo., +August 22nd, 1857. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Your letter was received on last Tuesday, the only day in the week on +which we get mail, and this is the earliest opportunity I have had of +posting a letter. + +I am glad to hear that mother and Jennie intend making us a visit. I +would advise them to come by the river if they prefer it. Write to me +beforehand about the time you will start, and from Louisville again, +what boat you will be on, direct to St. Louis,--not Sappington, +P.O.--and I will meet you at the river or Planter's House, or wherever +you direct. + +We are all very well. Julia contemplates visiting St. Charles next +Saturday to spend a few days. She has never been ten miles from home, +except to come to the city, since her visit to Covington. + +I have nothing in particular to write about. My hard work is now over +for the season with a fair prospect of being remunerated in everything +but the wheat. My wheat, which would have produced from four to five +hundred bushels with a good winter, has yielded only seventy-five. My +oats were good, and the corn, if not injured by frost this fall, will +be the best I ever raised. My potato crop bids fair to yield fifteen +hundred bushels or more. Sweet potatoes, melons and cabbages are the +only other articles I am raising for market. In fact, the oats and +corn I shall not sell. + +I see I have written a part of this letter as if I intended to direct +to one, and part as if to the other of you; but you will understand +it, so it makes no difference. + +Write to me soon and often. Julia wears black. I had forgotten to +answer that part of your letter. + +Your affectionate Brother, + +ULYSS. + +P.S. Tell father that I have this moment seen Mr. Ford, just from +Sacketts Harbor, who informs me that while there he enquired of Mr. +Bagley about my business with Camp, and learns from him that the +account should be acted upon immediately. Camp is now at Governor's +Island, N.Y., and intends sailing soon for Oregon. If he is stopped he +may be induced to disgorge. Tell father to forward the account +immediately. + +U. + + + + +[White Haven was the name of the Dent homestead near St. Louis. Grant +has rented out his own farm, and taken that of his father-in-law. + +Written to his sister Mary.] + +White Haven, +March 21st, 1858. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Your letter was received one week ago last Tuesday, and I would have +answered it by the next mail but it so happened that there was not a +sheet of paper about the house, and as Spring has now set in, I do not +leave the farm except in cases of urgent necessity. Father's letter, +enclosing Mr. Bagley's relative to the Camp business, was received one +or two weeks earlier, and promptly answered. My reply was long, giving +a detailed account of my whole transactions with Camp, and a copy of +which Father can have to peruse when he comes along this way next. + +Julia and her children are all well and talk of making you a visit +next fall,--but I hardly think they will go. But if any of you, except +Father, should visit us this spring, or early summer, Julia says that +Fred. may go home with you to spend a few months. She says she would +be afraid to let him travel with Father alone; she has an idea that he +is so absent-minded that if he were to arrive in Cincinnati at night +he would be just as apt as not to walk out of the cars and be gone for +an hour before he would recollect that he had a child with him. I have +no such fears however. Fred does not read yet, but he will, I think, +in a few weeks. We have no school within a mile and a half, and that +is too far to send him in the winter season. I shall commence sending +him soon however. In the meantime I have no doubt but that he is +learning faster at home. Little Ellen is growing very fast, and talks +now quite plainly. Jesse R. is growing very rapidly, is very healthy +and, they say, is the best looking child among the four. I don't think +however there is much difference between them in that respect. + +Emma Dent is talking of visiting her relatives in Ohio and Penn^a this +Summer, and if she does, she will stop a time with you. Any talk of +any of us visiting you, must not stop you from coming to see us. The +whole family here are fond of planning visits, but poor in the +execution of their plans. It may take two seasons yet before any of +these visits are made; in the meantime, we are anxious to see all of +you. For my part I do not know when I shall ever be able to leave home +long enough for a visit. I may possibly be able to go on a flying +visit next fall. I am anxious to make one more visit home before I get +old. + +This Spring has opened finely for farming and I hope to do well; but I +shall wait until the crops are gathered before I make any predictions. +I have now three negro men, two hired by the year and one of Mr. +Dent's, which, with my own help, I think, will enable me to do my +farming pretty well with assistance in harvest. I have however a large +farm. I shall have about twenty acres of potatoes, twenty of corn, +twenty-five of oats, fifty of wheat, twenty-five of meadow, some +clover, Hungarian grass and other smaller products, all of which +require labor before they are got into market, and the money realized +upon them. You are aware, I believe, that I have rented out my place +and have taken Mr. Dent's. There are about two hundred acres of +ploughed land on it and I shall have, in a few weeks, about two +hundred and fifty acres of woods pasture fenced up besides. Only one +side of it and a part of another has to be fenced to take the whole of +it in, and the rails are all ready. I must close with the wish that +some of you would visit us as early as possible. In your letter you +ask when my note in bank becomes due. The seventeenth of Apl. is the +last day of grace when it must be paid. + +Give Julia's, the children's, and my love to all at home and write +soon. + +Your Brother + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[When a boy Grant suffered severely from fever and ague. This attack +now lasted a year and was probably a factor in determining him to give +up farming. + +To his sister Mary.] + +St. Louis, Mo., +Sept. 7th, 1858. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Your letter was received in due time and I should have answered it +immediately, but that I had mailed a letter from Julia to Jennie the +morning of the receipt of yours. I thought then to wait for two or +three weeks; by that time there was so much sickness in my family, and +Freddy so dangerously ill, that I thought I would not write until his +fate was decided. He was nearly taken from us by the bilious, then by +the typhoid fever; but he is now convalescing. Some seven of the +negroes have been sick. Mrs. Sharp is here on a visit, and she and one +of her children are sick; and Julia and I are both sick with chills +and fever. If I had written to you earlier it would have been whilst +Fred's case was a doubtful one, and I did not want to distress you +when it could have done no good to anyone.--I have been thinking of +paying you a visit this fall, but I now think it extremely doubtful +whether I shall be able to. Not being able to even attend to my hands, +much less work myself, I am getting behindhand, so that I shall have +to stay here and attend to my business. Cannot some of you come and +pay us a visit? Jennie has not answered Julia's letter yet. Did she +receive it? I was coming to the city the day it was written to hear a +political speech, and it was too late to get it in the post office, so +I gave it to a young man to put in the next morning. It is for this +reason I asked the question. + +Write to me soon. I hope you have had none of the sickness we have +been troubled with. + +Your Brother, + +ULYSSES. + +To MARY F. GRANT, +Covington, Ky. + + + + +[Soon after the date of this letter Grant sold at auction his stock, +crops, and farming implements, and gave up farming. His father, Jesse +Root Grant, had founded a leather store in Galena with the expectation +of establishing his three sons in the business, and withdrawing from +all connection with it himself. It is this business opportunity that +is referred to here with characteristic independence, "I should prefer +your offer to any one of mere salary that could be offered." But it +was not until May, 1860, that he went to Galena, nominally as a clerk, +in reality as a future partner in the business.] + +St. Louis, +Oct. 1st, 1858. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I arrived at home on Tuesday evening, and, it being my "chill" day, of +course felt very badly. Julia had been much worse during my absence, +but had improved again so that I found her about as when I left home. +Fred, has improved steadily, and can now hear nearly as well as before +his sickness. The rest of the family are tolerably well, with the +exception of Mr. Dent whose health seems to be about as when I left. +Mr. Dent and myself will make a sale this fall and get clear of all +the stock on the place, and then rent out the cleared land and sell +about four hundred acres of the north end of the place. As I explained +to you, this will include my place. I shall plan to go to Covington +towards Spring, and would prefer your offer to any one of mere salary +that could be offered. I do not want any place for permanent +stipulated pay, but want the prospect of one day doing business for +myself. There is a pleasure in knowing that one's income depends +somewhat upon his own exertions and business capacity, that cannot be +felt when so much and no more is coming in, regardless of the success +of the business engaged in or the manner in which it is done. + +Mr. Dent thinks I had better take the boy he has given Julia along +with me, and let him learn the farrier's business. He is a very smart, +active boy, capable of making anything; but this matter I will leave +entirely to you. I can leave him here and get about three dollars per +month for him now, and more as he gets older. Give my love to all at +home. + +Yours truly, + +ULYSSES. + +To J.R. GRANT, ESQ., +Covington, Ky. + + + + +[After giving up farming Grant engaged in the real estate business in +St. Louis, with a Mr. Boggs as partner. The girls referred to are his +three sisters. Simpson is the brother next in age to himself.] + +St. Louis, Mo., +March 12th, 1859. + +DEAR FATHER: + +It has now been over a month, I believe, since I wrote to you last, +although I expected to have written again the next week. I can hardly +tell how the new business I am engaged in, is going to succeed, but I +believe it will be something more than a support. If I find an +opportunity next week I will send you some of our cards, which, if you +will distribute among such persons as may have business to attend to +in the city, such as buying or selling property, collecting either +rents or other liabilities, it may prove the means of giving us +additional commissions. Mr. Benton was here for some time and used to +call in to see me frequently. Whilst he was here I submitted to him +some property for sale, belonging to a Mr. Tucker. Since Mr. Benton's +departure, Mr. Tucker has called several times and wants me to submit +his propositions again, and say that if he is disposed to buy, and pay +considerable cash, he will make his prices such as to secure to him a +good investment. I enclose with this a list of the property, and +prices, as first asked, one third cash, balance one and two years. +Please tell Mr. Benton if he feels like making any proposition for any +part of this property to let me know, and I will submit it and give +him an answer. + +We are living now in the lower part of the city full two miles from my +office. The house is a comfortable little one, just suited to my +means. We have one spare room, and also a spare bed in the children's +room, so that we can accommodate any of our friends that are likely to +come to see us. I want two of the girls, or all of them for that +matter, to come and pay us a long visit soon. + +Julia and the children are well. They will not make a visit to +Kentucky now. I was anxious to have them go before I rented, but with +four children she could not go without a servant, and she was afraid +that landing so often as she would have to do in free states, she +might have some trouble. Tell one of the girls to write soon. Has +Simpson gone South? Are you going to the city to live? + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + +To J.R. GRANT, ESQ., +Covington, Ky. + + + + +[Orvil is the youngest brother. The appointment referred to was one +for the position of County Engineer. + +Free-Soilers: "The Whig party had ceased to exist ... ; the Know +Nothing party had taken its place but was on the wane; the Republican +party was in a chaotic state and had not yet received a name. It had +no existence in the Slave States except at points on the borders next +to Free States. In St. Louis city and county what afterwards became +the Republican party was known as the Free Soil Democracy."--_Memoirs_. + +Professorship of mathematics: When Grant left the Military Academy he +had no intention of remaining in the army. He then expected to teach +mathematics, and had already applied for such a position at West +Point. At Jefferson Barracks his chief interest was the study of +higher mathematics with the view of obtaining a professorship. The +Mexican War, however, soon drew him into active military life. + +The real estate venture was unsuccessful; it was a business even then +much overcrowded. Necessity, not instability, dictated the various +experiments.] + +St. Louis, +Aug. 20th, 1859. + +DEAR FATHER: + +On last Wednesday I received your letter, and on the Monday before one +from Mr. Burk, from both of which I much regretted to learn of +Simpson's continued ill health. I at once wrote to Orvil, whose +arrival at Galena I learned from Burk's letter, to urge Simpson to +come by steamer to St. Louis and spend some time with me, and if it +should prove necessary for anyone to accompany him, I would take him +home. Cannot Jennie and Orvil's wife come this way when they start for +Galena? We would like very much to see them. + +I am not over sanguine of getting the appointment mentioned in my last +letter. The Board of Commissioners, who make the appointment, are +divided,--three free soilers to two opposed,--and although friends who +are recommending me are the very first citizens of this place, and +members of all parties, I fear they will make strictly party +nominations for all the offices under their control. As to the +professorship you speak of, that was filled some time ago. And were it +not, I would stand no earthly chance. The Washington University, where +the vacancy was to be filled, is one of the best endowed institutions +in the United States, and all the professorships are sought after by +persons whose early advantages were the same as mine, but who have +been engaged in teaching all their mature years. Quimby, who was the +best mathematician in my class, and who was for several years an +assistant at West Point, and for nine years a professor in an +institution in New York, was an unsuccessful applicant. The +appointment was given to the most distinguished man in his department +in the country, and an author. His name is Shorano. Since putting in +my application for the appointment of County Engineer, I have learned +that the place is not likely to be filled before February next. What I +shall do will depend entirely upon what I can get to do. Our present +business is entirely overdone in this city, at least a dozen new +houses having started about the same time I commenced. I do not want +to fly from one thing to another, nor would I, but I am compelled to +make a living from the start for which I am willing to give all my +time and all my energy. + +Julia and the children are well and send love to you. On your way to +Galena can you not come by here? Write to me soon. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[In regard to voting for Buchanan for President, Grant says in his +_Memoirs_ that he believed that the election of a Republican President +in 1856 would mean the secession of all the slave States and +inevitable rebellion. Accordingly, he preferred the success of a +candidate whose election would prevent or postpone secession, to +seeing the country plunged into a war the end of which no man could +foretell. "With a Democrat elected by the unanimous vote of the Slave +States, there would be no pretext for secession for four years. I very +much hoped that the passions of the people would subside in that time, +and the catastrophe be averted altogether; if it were not, I believed +the country would be better prepared to receive the shock and to +resist it. I therefore voted for James Buchanan for President."] + +St. Louis, +Sept. 23d, 1859. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I have waited for some time to write you the result of the action of +the County Commissioners upon the appointment of a County Engineer. +The question has at length been settled, and I am sorry to say, +adversely to me. The two Democratic Commissioners voted for me, and +the Free Soilers against me. What I shall now go at I have not +determined, but I hope something before a great while. Next month I +get possession of my own house, when my expenses will be reduced so +much that a very moderate salary will support me. If I could get the +$3000 note cashed, which I got as the difference in the exchange of +property, I could put up with the proceeds two houses that would pay +me, at least, $40 per month rent. The note has five years to run, with +interest notes given separately and payable annually. + +We are looking for some of you here next week to go to the fair. I +wrote to Simpson to come down and see me but as I have had no answer +from him nor from Orvil to a letter written some time before, I do not +know whether he will come or not. I should like very much to have some +of you come and see us this fall. Julia and the children are all very +well. Fred and Buck go to school every day. They never think of asking +to stay at home. + +You may judge from the result of the action of the County +Commissioners that I am strongly identified with the Democratic party. +Such is not the case. I never voted an out and out Democratic ticket +in my life. I voted for Buchanan for President to defeat Fremont, but +not because he was my first choice. In all other elections I have +universally selected the candidates that, in my estimation, were the +best fitted for the different offices, and it never happens that such +men are all arrayed on one side. The strongest friend I had in the +Board of Commissioners is a Free Soiler but opposition between parties +is so strong that he would not vote for any one, no matter how +friendly, unless at least one of his own party would go with him. The +Free Soil party felt themselves bound to provide for one of their own +party who was defeated for the office of County Engineer; a German who +came to the West as an assistant surveyor upon the public lands, and +who has held an office ever since. + +There is, I believe, but one paying office in the county held by an +American, unless you except the office of Sheriff which is held by a +Frenchman who speaks broken English, but was born here. + +Write to me soon. Julia and the children join me in sending love to +all of you. + +Yours truly, + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[To his brother Simpson. This letter is a naive expression of a +fundamental trait in Grant's character, belief in the essential +honesty of every man.] + +St. Louis, +Oct. 24th, 1859. + +DEAR BROTHER: + +I have been postponing writing to you hoping to make a return for your +horse, but as yet I have received nothing for him. About two weeks ago +a man spoke to me for him and said that he would try him the next day, +and if he suited, give me $100 for him. I have not seen the man since; +but one week ago last Saturday he went to the stable and got the +horse, saddle and bridle, since which I have seen neither man nor +horse. From this I presume he must like him. The man, I understand, +lives in Florisant, about twelve miles from the city. + +My family are all well and living in our own house. It is much more +pleasant than where we lived when you were here, and contains +practically about as much room. I am still unemployed, but expect to +have a place in the Custom House from the first of next month. My name +has been forwarded for the appointment of Superintendent, which, if I +do not get, will not probably be filled at all. In that case there is +a vacant desk which I may get that pays $1200 per annum. The other +will be worth from $1500 to $1800 and will occupy but little time. + +Remember me to all at home. There is a gentleman here who has lands in +San Antonio de Bexar County, Texas, that would like to get you, should +you go there this winter, to look after them. If you go, and will +attend to his business, drop me a line and he will furnish me all the +papers, and instructions, to forward to you. + +Yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + +P.S. The man that has your horse is the owner of a row of six three +story brick houses in this city, and the probabilities are that he +intends to give me an order on his agent for the money on the first of +the month when the rents are paid. At all events I imagine the horse +is perfectly safe. + +U.S.G. + + + + +[Grant had given up the real estate business and had come to Galena in +May, 1860, as has been said, nominally as a clerk in his father's +store, but really as a prospective partner in the business. + +In March, 1861, Lincoln was inaugurated President. The Confederates +proclaimed themselves aliens; South Carolina seceded; other Southern +States followed; Fort Sumter was fired upon, and President Lincoln +issued his first call for troops, 75,000 volunteers. The quota for +Illinois had been fixed at six regiments. Galena immediately raised a +company. Grant declined the captaincy but promised his aid in every +way possible.] + +Galena, +April 21st, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +We are now in the midst of trying times when every one must be for or +against his country, and show his colors too, by his every act. Having +been educated for such an emergency, at the expense of the Government, +I feel that it has upon me superior claims, such claims as no ordinary +motives of self-interest can surmount. I do not wish to act hastily or +unadvisedly in the matter, and as there are more than enough to +respond to the first call of the President, I have not yet offered +myself. I have promised, and am giving all the assistance I can in +organizing the company whose services have been accepted from this +place. I have promised further to go with them to the State capital, +and if I can be of service to the Governor in organizing his state +troops to do so. What I ask now is your approval of the course I am +taking, or advice in the matter. A letter written this week will reach +me in Springfield. I have not time to write to you but a hasty line, +for, though Sunday as it is, we are all busy here. In a few minutes I +shall be engaged in directing tailors in the style and trim of uniform +for our men. + +Whatever may have been my political opinions before, I have but one +sentiment now. That is, we have a Government, and laws and a flag, and +they must all be sustained. There are but two parties now, traitors +and patriots and I want hereafter to be ranked with the latter, and I +trust, the stronger party. I do not know but you may be placed in an +awkward position, and a dangerous one pecuniarily, but costs cannot +now be counted. My advice would be to leave where you are if you are +not safe with the views you entertain. I would never stultify my +opinion for the sake of a little security. + +I will say nothing about our business. Orvil and Lank will keep you +posted as to that. + +Write soon and direct as above. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[To his sister Mary. Grant organized and drilled the Galena company, +then went with it to Springfield, the State capital, and mustered it +into the State service. Governor Yates then requested him to remain +and assist in the adjutant-general's office, because he realized the +value of Grant's former military experience. Shortly after this the +Legislature authorized the State to accept the services of ten +additional regiments. Governor Yates requested Grant to muster these +new troops into the service. + +The Aunt Rachel mentioned was a sister of Jesse R. Grant, who lived in +Virginia. She had a large plantation and owned many slaves, and was +naturally an ardent secessionist. A heated partisan correspondence was +carried on during this time between the aunt and the niece Clara, +Grant's oldest sister. In the letter referred to, the aunt writes, "If +you are with the accursed Lincolnites, the ties of consanguinity shall +be forever severed."] + +Springfield, +April 29th, 1861. + +DEAR SISTER: + +I came to this place several days ago, fully expecting to find a +letter here for me from father. As yet I have received none. It was my +intention to have returned to Galena last evening, but the Governor +detained me, and I presume will want me to remain with him until all +the troops are called into service, or those to be so called, are +fully mustered in and completely organized. The enthusiasm throughout +this state surpasses anything that could have been imagined three +weeks ago. Only six regiments are called for here, while at least +thirty could be promptly raised. The Governor, and all others in +authority, are harassed from morning until night with patriotic men, +and such political influence as they can bring, to obtain first +promises of acceptance of their companies, if there should be another +call for troops. The eagerness to enter companies that were accepted +by the Governor, was so great that it has been impossible for +Commanders of companies to keep their numbers within the limits of the +law, consequently companies that have arrived here have all had from +ten to sixty men more than can be accepted. The Legislature on +Saturday last passed a bill providing for the maintenance and +discipline of these surplus troops for one month, unless sooner +mustered into service of the United States under a second call.--I am +convinced that if the South knew the entire unanimity of the North for +the Union and maintenance of Law, and how freely men and money are +offered to the cause, they would lay down their arms at once in humble +submission. There is no disposition to compromise now. Nearly every +one is anxious to see the Government fully tested as to its strength, +and see if it is not worth preserving. The conduct of eastern Virginia +has been so abominable through the whole contest that there would be a +great deal of disappointment here if matters should be settled before +she is thoroughly punished. This is my feeling, and I believe it +universal. Great allowance should be made for South Carolinians, for +the last generation have been educated, from their infancy, to look +upon their Government as oppressive and tyrannical and only to be +endured till such time as they might have sufficient strength to +strike it down. Virginia, and other border states, have no such excuse +and are therefore traitors at heart as well as in act. I should like +very much to see the letter Aunt Rachel wrote Clara! or a copy of it. +Can't you send it? + +When I left Galena, Julia and the children were very well. Jesse had +been very sick for a few days but was getting much better. I have been +very anxious that you should spend the summer with us. You have never +visited us and I don't see why you can't. Two of you often travel +together, and you might do so again, and come out with Clara. I do not +like to urge anything of the kind, lest you should think that I +ignored entirely the question of economy, but I do not do so. The fact +is I have had my doubts whether or not it would not be more prudent +for all of you to lock up and leave, until the present excitement +subsides. If father were younger and Simpson strong and healthy, I +would not advise such a course. On the contrary, I would like to see +every Union man in the border slave states remain firm at his post. +Every such man is equal to an armed volunteer at this time in defence +of his country. There is very little that I can tell you that you do +not get from the papers. Remember me to all at home and write to me at +once, to this place. + +BROTHER ULYSSES. + + + + +[Grant is now assisting in the adjutant-general's office, as requested +by Governor Yates. In connection with the call for troops and the +enthusiastic response, he says elsewhere, "There was not a State in +the North of a million inhabitants that would not have furnished the +entire number faster than arms would have been supplied to them, if it +had been necessary."] + +GENERAL HEAD-QUARTERS, STATE OF ILLINOIS, +ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE + +Springfield, +May 2nd, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your letter of the 24th inst was received the same evening one I had +written to Mary was mailed. I would have answered earlier but for the +fact I had just written. + +I am not a volunteer, and indeed could not be, now that I did not go +into the first Company raised in Galena. The call of the President was +so promptly responded to that only those companies that organized at +once, and telegraphed their application to come in, were received. All +other applications were filed, and there are enough of them to furnish +Illinois quota if the Army should be raised to 300,000 men. I am +serving on the Governor's staff at present at his request, but suppose +I shall not be here long. + +I should have offered myself for the Colonelcy of one of the +Regiments, but I find all those places are wanted by politicians who +are up to log-rolling, and I do not care to be under such persons. + +The war feeling is not abating here much, although hostilities appear +more remote than they did a few days ago. Three of the six Regiments +mustered in from this state are now at Cairo, and probably will be +reinforced with two others within a few days. + +Galena has several more companies organized but only one of them will +be able to come in under a new call for ten regiments. Chicago has +raised companies enough nearly to fill all the first call. The +Northern feeling is so fully aroused that they will stop at no expense +of money and men to insure the success of their cause. + +I presume the feeling is just as strong on the other side, but they +are infinitely in the minority in resources. + +I have not heard from Galena since coming down here, but presume all +is moving along smoothly. My advice was not to urge collections from +such men as we knew to be good, and to make no efforts to sell in the +present distracted state of our currency. The money will not buy +Eastern exchange and is liable to become worse; I think that thirty +days from this we shall have specie, and the bills of good foreign +banks to do business on, and then will be the time to collect. + +If Mary writes to me any time next week she may direct here to + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[E.B. Washburn was member of Congress representing Galena. Pillow was +a Confederate general. He had served in the Mexican War, where Grant +had learned to know him. + +Grant expresses in this letter the opinion that the war will be of +short duration. Many believed with him that the war would be over in +thirty days. He continued to think this until the battle of Shiloh. He +believed that there would have been no more battles in the West after +the capture of Fort Donelson if all the troops in that region had been +under a single commander who would have followed up that victory.] + +Camp Yates, near Springfield, +May 6th, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your second letter, dated the first of May has just come to hand. I +commenced writing you a letter three or four days ago but was +interrupted so often that I did not finish it. I wrote one to Mary +which no doubt was duly received, but do not remember whether it +answers your questions or not. + +At the time our first Galena company was raised I did not feel at +liberty to engage in hot haste, but took an active interest in +drilling them, and imparting all the instruction I could, and at the +request of the members of the company, and of Mr. Washburn, I came +here for the purpose of assisting for a short time in camp, and of +offering, if necessary, my services for the war. The next two days +after my arrival it was rainy and muddy so that the troops could not +drill and I concluded to go home. Governor Yates heard it and +requested me to remain. Since that I have been acting in that +capacity, and for the last few days have been in command of this camp. +The last of the six regiments called for from this State, will +probably leave by to-morrow, or the day following, and then I shall be +relieved from this command. + +The Legislature of this State provided for the raising of eleven +additional regiments and a battalion of artillery; a portion of these +the Governor will appoint me to muster into the service of the State, +when I presume my services may end. I might have obtained the +colonelcy of a regiment possibly, but I was perfectly sickened at the +political wire-pulling for all these commissions, and would not engage +in it. I shall be in no ways backward in offering my services when and +where they are required, but I feel that I have done more now than I +could do serving as a captain under a green colonel, and if this thing +continues they will want more men at a later day. + +There have been fully 30,000 more volunteers who have offered their +services, than can be accepted under the present call, without +including the call made by the State; but I can go back to Galena and +drill the three or four companies there, and render them efficient for +any future call. My own opinion is that this war will be but of short +duration. The Administration has acted most prudently and sagaciously +so far in not bringing on a conflict before it had its forces fully +marshalled. When they do strike, our thoroughly loyal states will be +fully protected, and a few decisive victories in some of the southern +ports will send the secession army howling, and the leaders in the +rebellion will flee the country. All the states will then be loyal for +a generation to come. Negroes will depreciate so rapidly in value that +nobody will want to own them, and their masters will be the loudest in +their declamation against the institution from a political and +economic point of view. The negro will never disturb this country +again. The worst that is to be apprehended from him is now: he may +revolt and cause more destruction than any Northern man, except it be +the ultra-abolitionist, wants to see. A Northern army may be required +in the next ninety days to go South to suppress a negro insurrection. +As much as the South have vilified the North, that army would go on +such a mission and with the purest motives. + +I have just received a letter from Julia. All are well. Julia takes a +very sensible view of our present difficulties. She would be sorry to +have me go, but thinks the circumstances may warrant it and will not +throw a single obstacle in the way. + +There is no doubt but the _valiant_ Pillow has been planning an attack +on Cairo; but as he will learn that that point is well garrisoned and +that they have their ditch on the outside, filled with water, he will +probably desist. As, however, he would find it necessary to receive a +wound, on the first discharge of firearms, he would not be a +formidable enemy. I do not say he would shoot himself, ah no! I am not +so uncharitable as many who served under him in Mexico. I think, +however, he might report himself wounded on the receipt of a very +slight scratch, received hastily in any way, and might irritate the +sore until he convinced himself that he had been wounded by the enemy. + +Tell Simpson that I hope he will be able to visit us this summer. I +should like very much to have him stay with us and I want him to make +my house his home. + +Remember me to all. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[Grant has just finished mustering into State service the ten +additional regiments authorized by the Legislature. He then returned +to Galena whence he wrote to Washington, May 24, 1861, to the +adjutant-general, tendering "his services until the close of the war +in such capacity as may be offered." He adds, "I would say in view of +my present age and length of service, I feel myself competent to +command a regiment, if the President in his judgment should see fit to +intrust one to me." He never received an answer to this letter; long +after, it was found not properly filed. Grant's own comment is, that +it was probably barely read by the adjutant-general and certainly +could not have been submitted to higher authority. + +The day he wrote this letter he returned to Springfield to find that +Governor Yates had already appointed him colonel of one of the +regiments that he himself had recently mustered into the State +service, the 22d Illinois infantry.] + +Galena, +May 30th, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I have now been home nearly a week, but return to Springfield to-day. +I have tendered my services to the Government and go to-day to make +myself useful, if possible, from this until all our National +difficulties are ended. During the six days I have been at home I +have felt all the time as if a duty were being neglected that was +paramount to any other duty I ever owed. I have every reason to be +well satisfied with myself for the services already rendered, but to +stop now would not do. + +All here are well. Orvil or Lank will write to you in a day or two and +tell you how business matters stand. Write to me at Springfield. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[After taking charge of his new regiment, Grant was encamped a short +time near Springfield. A month was spent in drill and discipline; when +the time came for the mustering into the national service of those who +were willing to enter, the regiment went in as a body. July 3d he was +ordered to Quincy, Mo. While here he was ordered to move against +Colonel Tom Harris, a Confederate, who was encamped on a creek with +high hills on both sides. Grant approached the place with much +uneasiness, expecting to find Harris and his men drawn up ready to +meet him. Instead, they had fled. He realized then that Harris had had +quite as much fear of him as he had had of Harris. This experience was +a valuable lesson to him; remembering it, he never again felt +trepidation before encountering an enemy.] + +East Quincy, Mo., +July 13th, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I have just received yours and Mary's letters and really did not know +that I had been so negligent as not to have written to you before. I +did write from Camp Yates, but since receiving yours remember that I +did not get to finish it at the time, and have neglected it since. The +fact is that since I took command of this regiment I have had no spare +time, and flatter myself, and believe I am sustained in my judgment by +my officers and men, that I have done as much for the improvement and +efficiency of this regiment as was ever done for a command in the same +length of time.--You will see that I am in Missouri. Yesterday I went +out as far as Palmyra and stationed my regiment along the railroad for +the protection of the bridges, trestle work, etc. The day before I +sent a small command, all I could spare, to relieve Colonel Smith who +was surrounded by secessionists. He effected his relief, however, +before they got there. To-morrow I start for Monroe, where I shall fall +in with Colonel Palmer and one company of horse and two pieces of +artillery. One regiment and a battalion of infantry will move on to +Mexico, North Missouri road, and all of us together will try to nab +the notorious Tom Harris with his 1200 secessionists. His men are +mounted, and I have but little faith in getting many of them. The +notorious Jim Green who was let off on his parole of honor but a few +days ago, has gone towards them with a strong company well armed. If +he is caught it will prove bad work for him. + +You no doubt saw from the papers that I started to march across the +country for Quincy. My men behaved admirably, and the lesson has been +a good one for them. They can now go into camp after a day's march +with as much promptness as veteran troops; they can strike their tents +and be on the march with equal celerity. At the Illinois River, I +received a dispatch at eleven o'clock at night that a train of cars +would arrive at half past eleven to move my regiment. All the men were +of course asleep, but I had the drum beaten, and in forty minutes +every tent and all the baggage was at the water's edge ready to put +aboard the ferry to cross the river. + +I will try to keep you posted from time to time, by writing either to +you or to Mary, of my whereabouts and what I am doing. I hope you will +have only a good account of me and the command under my charge. I +assure you my heart is in the cause I have espoused, and however I may +have disliked party Republicanism there has never been a day that I +would not have taken up arms for a Constitutional Administration. + +You ask if I should not like to go in the regular army. I should not. +I want to bring my children up to useful employment, and in the army +the chance is poor. There is at least the same objection that you find +where slavery exists. Fred. has been with me until yesterday; I sent +him home on a boat. + +Yours &c. + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[Shortly after the date of the last letter, Grant was ordered to +Mexico, Mo. General Pope then commanded the district between the +Mississippi and Missouri Rivers with headquarters at Mexico. Grant was +assigned to command a sub-district embracing the troops of the +immediate neighborhood. In regard to the hospitality which Grant +mentions receiving in this secessionist district, we may note that the +regiments before his accession to this command had visited houses +without invitation and had helped themselves to food or had demanded +it. Grant at once published orders forbidding soldiers to go into +private houses unless invited, or to appropriate private property.] + +Mexico, Mo., +Aug. 3d, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I have written to you once from this place and received no answer, but +as Orvil writes to me that you express great anxiety to hear from me +often, I will try to find time to drop you a line twice a month, and +oftener when anything of special interest occurs. + +The papers keep you posted as to army movements, and as you are +already in possession of my notions on secession nothing more is +wanted on that point. I find here however a different state of feeling +from what I expected existed in any part of the South. The majority in +this part of the State are secessionists, as we would term them, but +deplore the present state of affairs. They would make almost any +sacrifice to have the Union restored, but regard it as dissolved, and +nothing is left for them but to choose between two evils. Many, too, +seem to be entirely ignorant of the object of present hostilities. You +cannot convince them but that the ultimate object is to extinguish +slavery by force. Then, too, they feel that the Southern Confederacy +will never consent to give up their State, and as they, the South, are +the strong party, it is prudent to favor them from the start. There is +never a movement of troops made, that the secession journals through +the country do not give a startling account of their almost +annihilation at the hands of the State troops, whilst the facts are, +there are no engagements. My regiment has been reported cut to pieces +once that I know of, and I don't know but oftener, whilst a gun has +not been fired at us. These reports go uncontradicted here and give +confirmation to the conviction already entertained that one Southron +is equal to five Northerners. We believe they are deluded, and know +that if they are not, we are. + +Since I have been in command of this military district, (two weeks), I +have received the greatest hospitality and attention from the citizens +about here. I have had every opportunity of conversing with them +freely and learning their sentiments, and although I have confined +myself strictly to the truth as to what has been the result of the +different engagements, the relative strength, the objects of the +Administration, and the North generally, yet I think they don't +believe a word. + +I see from the papers that my name has been sent in for Brigadier +General. This is certainly very complimentary to me, particularly as I +have never asked a friend to intercede in my behalf. My only +acquaintance with men of influence in the State was whilst on duty at +Springfield, and I then saw so much pulling and hauling for favors +that I determined never to ask for anything, and never have, not even +a colonelcy. I wrote a letter to Washington tendering my services, but +then declined Governor Yates' and Mr. Trumbull's endorsement. + +My services with the regiment with which I now am have been highly +satisfactory to me. I took it in a very disorganized, demoralized and +insubordinate condition, and have worked it up to a reputation equal +to the best, and, I believe, with the good will of all the officers +and all the men. Hearing that I was likely to be promoted, the +officers, with great unanimity, have requested to be attached to my +command. This I don't want you to read to others for I very much +dislike speaking of myself. + +We are now breaking up camp here gradually. In a few days the last of +us will be on our way for the Missouri River, at what point cannot be +definitely determined, wood and water being a consideration, as well +as a healthy, fine site for a large encampment. A letter addressed to +me at Galena will probably find me there. If I get my promotion I +shall expect to go there for a few days. + +Remember me to all at home and write to me. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[President Lincoln asked the Illinois delegation in Congress to +recommend some citizens of the State for the position of +brigadier-general. They unanimously recommended Grant first on a list +of seven. + +Since the date of the last letter he has been promoted to the rank of +brigadier-general. He was then ordered to Ironton, Mo., seventy miles +south of St. Louis. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Ironton, Mo., +August 12th, 1861. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Your letter directed to me at Mexico, Missouri came to hand yesterday +at this place. + +A glance at the map will show you where I am. When I came here it was +reported that this place was to be attacked by 8000 secessionists, +under General Hardee, within a day or two. Now Hardee's force seems to +have reduced, and his distance from here to have increased. Scouting +parties however are constantly seen within a few miles of our pickets. +I have here about 3000 volunteers nearly all infantry, but our +position being strong, and our cause a good one, it would trouble a +much larger force of the enemy to dislodge us. You ask my views about +the continuance of the war, and so forth. Well I have changed my mind +so much that I don't know what to think. That the rebels will be so +badly whipped by April next that they cannot make a stand anywhere, I +don't doubt. But they are so dogged that there is no telling when they +may be subdued. Send Union troops among them and respect all their +rights, pay for everything you get, and they become desperate and +reckless because their state sovereignty is invaded. Troops of the +opposite side march through and take everything they want, leaving no +pay but scrip, and they become desperate secession partisans because +they have nothing more to lose. Every change makes them more +desperate. I should like to be sent to Western Virginia, but my lot +seems to be cast in this part of the world. + +I wanted to remain in St. Louis a day or two to get some books to read +that might help me in my profession, and have my uniform made. Mine +has been a busy life from the beginning, and my new-made friends in +Illinois seem to give me great credit. I hope to deserve it, and shall +spare no pains on my part to do so. + +It is precious little time I shall have for writing letters, but I +have subscribed for the _Daily St. Louis Democrat_ to be sent to you, +through which you may occasionally hear from me. + +Write to me often even though your letters are not answered. As I told +father in my last I will try to have you hear from me twice a month if +I have to write you after midnight. + +I told Julia she might go to Covington and board whilst I am away but +I don't know but that she had better stay where she is. The people of +Galena have always shown the greatest friendship for me and I would +prefer keeping my home there. I would like very much though, if you +would go and stay with Julia. + +If I get a uniform and get where I can have my daguerreotype taken, +your wish in that respect shall be gratified. + +Your Brother + +ULYS. + + + + +[From Ironton, Grant was next ordered to Jefferson City, Mo., to take +command there. There were much confusion and lack of discipline here. +"There was no system existing as to recruiting and the city was filled +with fugitives. These, driven by guerilla bands to take refuge with +the national troops, were in a deplorable condition." In a week or two +order was restored. He was then recalled to St. Louis, to receive +important instructions.] + +Jefferson City, Mo., +August 27th, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your letter requesting me to appoint Mr. Foley on my staff was only +received last Friday night, of course too late to give Mr. Foley the +appointment even if I could do so. I remember to have been introduced +to Mr. Foley Sr. several years ago, and if the son is anything like +the impression I then formed of the father, the appointment would be +one that I could well congratulate myself upon. I have filled all the +places on my staff and, I flatter myself, with deserving men: Mr. J.A. +Rawlins of Galena is to be my Adjutant General, Mr. Lagow of the +regiment I was formerly colonel of, and Mr. Hillyer of St. Louis, +aides. They are all able men, from five to ten years younger than +myself, without military experience but very capable of learning. I +only have one of them with me yet, and having nothing but raw troops, +and but little assistance, it keeps me busy from the time I get up in +the morning until from 12 to 2 o'clock at night, or morning. + +I subscribed for the _Daily Democrat_, a staunch Union paper, for you +so that you might hear from me often. + +There is a good deal of alarm felt by the citizens of an early attack +upon this place, and if anything of the kind should take place we are +ill prepared. All the troops are very raw, and about one half of them +Missouri Home Guards without discipline. No artillery and but little +cavalry here. + +I do not anticipate an attack here myself, certainly not until we have +attacked the enemy first. A defeat might induce the rebels to follow +up their success to this point, but that we expect to prevent. My +means of information are certainly as good as those of any one else, +and I cannot learn that there is an organized body of men North of the +Osage River, or any such body moving. There are numerous encampments +throughout all the counties bordering on the Missouri River, but the +object seems to be to gather supplies, forces, transportation and so +forth, for a fall and winter campaign. + +The country west of here will be left in a starving condition for next +winter. Families are being driven away in great numbers for their +Union sentiments, leaving behind farms, crops, stock and all. A sad +state of affairs must exist under the most favorable circumstances +that can take place. There will be no money in the country, and the +entire crop will be carried off together with all stock of any value. + +I am interrupted so often while writing that my letters must +necessarily be very meagre and disconnected. + +I hope you will let Mary go to Galena when Mother returns home. She +has never paid us a visit and I would like to have her make a long +one. I think it doubtful whether I will go home at all. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[The special instructions which Grant came from Jefferson City to +receive, assigned him to the command of southeastern Missouri and +southern Illinois. He was to have temporary headquarters at Cape +Girardeau during an expedition ordered for the capture of Colonel Jeff +Thompson, who was disputing with them the possession of southeastern +Missouri. This expedition was broken up on account of General Prentiss +leaving his command at Jackson and returning to St. Louis, offended at +being placed under a brigadier-general whom he believed to be his +junior. Grant says Prentiss' action was a great mistake. "He was a +very brave and earnest soldier," he writes long after. "No man in the +service was more sincere in his devotion to the cause for which we +were battling, none more ready to make sacrifices or risk life in +it."] + +Cape Girardeau, Mo., +August 31st, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your letter of the 26th is just received. As to the relative rank of +officers (brigadiers) you are right but in all the rest you are +laboring under an erroneous impression. There has been no move made +affecting me which has not been complimentary rather than otherwise, +though calculated to keep me laboriously employed. I was sent to +Ironton when the place was weak and threatened with a superior force, +and as soon as it was rendered secure I was ordered to Jefferson +City, another point threatened. I was left there but a week when +orders were sent ordering me to this point, putting me in command +of all the forces in S.E. Missouri, South Illinois and everything +that can operate here. All I fear is that too much may be expected +of me. My duties will absorb my entire attention, and I shall try +not to disappoint the good people of Illinois, who, I learn from +every quarter, express an enthusiasm for me that was wholly +unexpected.--General Prentiss is not a particular favorite as you +suspect, nor is there a prejudice against him. + +I think all the brigadiers are satisfied with the rank assigned them +by the President. + +The brigadiers are not all up north as you suspect. I know of but one, +Hurlbut, who is there. General McClernand is at Cairo, Prentiss at +Ironton, and I presume Curtis will be with the command under me. + +General Hunter is at Chicago, but I look upon that as temporary. I +have not heard of any command being assigned him as yet, and do not +know that he has sufficiently recovered from wounds received in the +late engagements in Virginia to take the field. Hunter will prove +himself a fine officer. + +The letters spoken of by you have not all been received. One sent to +Galena I got and answered. My promise to write to you every two weeks +has been complied with, and however busy I may be I shall continue to +write if it is but a line. + +I am now probably done shifting commands so often, this being the +fourth in as many weeks. + +Your suspicions as to my being neglected are entirely unfounded, for I +know it was the intention to give me a brigade if I had not been +promoted. Application would have been made to have me assigned +arbitrarily as senior colonel from Illinois for the purpose. + +I want to hear from you or Mary often. I sent you the _Daily +Democrat_, thinking that would keep you better posted in this section +than I could, and it is a cheap correspondent. + +I wrote to you that I should like to have Mary go out to Galena and +stay some time. I do not want Julia to leave Galena, being anxious to +retain my residence after the many kindnesses received from the people +there. + +I only arrived at this place last night and cannot tell you much about +things here. The people however are generally reported to be +secessionists. + +ULYS. + + + + +[September 4th, Grant had removed headquarters from Cape Girardeau to +Cairo, Ill. Hearing that the Confederates were about to seize Paducah, +Ky., he went there immediately, arriving there a few hours before the +enemy, who returned to Columbus. Before leaving Grant addressed a +short proclamation to the citizens promising them protection. Troops +were left to guard the city. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Cairo, +September 11th, 1861. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Your letter with a short one from Father was received yesterday, and +having a little time I answer it. + +The troops under me and the rebel forces are getting so close together +however that I have to watch all points. Since taking command I have +taken possession of the Kentucky bank opposite here, fortified it and +placed four large pieces in position. Have occupied Norfolk, Missouri, +and taken possession of Paducah. My troops are so close to the enemy +as to occasionally exchange shots with the pickets. To day, or rather +last night, sixty or seventy rebels came upon seventeen of our men and +were repulsed with a loss of two men killed on their side, none hurt +on ours. Yesterday there was skirmishing all day. We had but two +wounded however, whilst the loss must have been considerable on the +other. + +What future operations will be, of course I don't know. I could not +write about it in advance if I did. The rebel force numerically is +much stronger than ours, but the difference is more than made up by +having truth and justice on our side, whilst on the other they are +cheered on by falsehood and deception. This war however is formidable +and I regret to say cannot end so soon as I anticipated at first. + +Father asks for a position for Albert Griffith. I have no place to +give and at best could use only my influence. I receive letters from +all over the country for such places, but do not answer them. I never +asked for my present position, but now that I have it I intend to +perform the duties as rigidly as I know how without looking out for +places for others. I should be very glad if I had a position within my +own gift for Al. but I have not. + +My duties are very laborious and have been from the start. It is a +rare thing that I get to bed before two or three o'clock in the +morning and am usually wakened in the morning before getting awake in +a natural way. Now, however, my staff are getting a little in the way +of this kind of business and can help me. + +I have been stopped so often already in writing this that I have +forgotten what I was going to write about. + +Are you talking of paying Julia a visit? I wrote to you and father +about it several times but have failed to elicit an answer on that +point. I intended to have Julia, Miss and Jess come down here to pay +me a visit but I hardly think it would be prudent at this time. +Hearing artillery within a few miles it might embarrass my movements +to have them about. I am afraid they would make poor soldiers. + +Write to me again soon. + +Good night. + +ULYS. + + + + +[Simpson: the brother next in age to General Grant. To his sister +Mary.] + +Cairo, +September 25th, 1861. + +DEAR SISTER: + +I have just received your last letter, also another written by you +about one month ago, which has followed me around until at length it +reached this place. I am very well, but have no news to communicate. + +I had extended my lines nearly half way to Columbus and made +reconnoissances frequently to within sight of the rebel camps, but my +force has to be so reduced that it would be imprudent to make an +attack now until I am reinforced. + +I hope some day, if I am allowed to retain this command, to give a +good account of ourselves. Simpson's death, though looked for for the +last two years, causes me a great deal of sadness. The day I heard of +it, I received a number of letters from Galena. In two or three of +them his arrival at St. Paul was noted, and it was stated that he was +no better. Our family has been peculiarly blessed up to this time. But +few families of the same number have gone so many years without the +loss of a single member. + +I expect Father here as soon as Orvil returns to Galena. + +BROTHER ULYS. + + + + +[Grant felt sure that Columbus could easily have been taken soon after +the occupation of Paducah, and had asked more than once to be allowed +to move against it. As time went on it was so strongly fortified that +it would have required a large force and a long siege to capture it. +General Fremont was in charge of the Department of Missouri.] + +Cairo, +October 25th, 1861. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Have gone longer this time without writing to you than I intended and +have no good excuse for it. I have received two letters, at least, +from you and father since my last, one of which wanted special answer. +As I have not that letter before me I may fail to answer some points. + +As to my not taking Columbus there are several reasons for it which I +understand perfectly and could make plain to any one else, but do not +feel disposed to commit the reasons to paper. As to the needlessness +of the movements of troops I am a better judge than the newspaper +reporters who write about it. My whole administration of affairs seems +to have given entire satisfaction to those who have the right to +judge, and who should have the ability to judge correctly. I find by a +little absence for the few last days (under orders) that my whole +course has received marked approbation from citizens and soldiers, so +much so that many who are comparative strangers to me are already +claiming for me promotion. This is highly gratifying but I do not +think any promotions should be made for the present. Let service tell +who are the deserving ones and give them the promotion. Father also +wrote about a Mr. Reed. He is now here and will probably be able to +secure a position. I do not want to be importuned for places. I have +none to give and want to be placed under no obligation to any one. My +influence no doubt would secure places with those under me, but I +become directly responsible for the suitableness of the appointee, and +then there is no telling what moment I may have to put my hand upon +the very person who has conferred the favor, or the one recommended by +me. I want always to be in a condition to do my duty without +partiality, favor, or affection.--In the matter of making harness I +know that a very large amount is wanted. Maj. Robert Allen, Chief +Quartermaster for the Western Department, stationed in St. Louis, has +the letting of a great deal. Father remembers his father well. He is a +son of old Irish Jimmy, as he used to be called about Georgetown to +distinguish him from the other two Jimmy Allens. He is a friend of +mine also.--This letter has proven so far more one to Father than to +yourself, but I direct it to you that you may reply. I write in great +haste having been engaged all the evening in writing orders, and still +having more to do.--I send you with this the likeness of myself and +staff. N^o 1 you will have no difficulty in recognizing. N^o 2 is +Capt. J.A. Rawlins, A.A. Gen. N^os 3 & 4 Capts. Lagow & Hillyer, +Aides-de-Camps, N^o 5 Dr. Simons Medical Director. + +A good looking set aren't they? I expect Julia here the latter part of +next week. I wish you could come at the same time and stay a week or +two. I think it would pay you well. Won't you try to come? If it were +at all necessary I would pay the expense myself to have you come. Give +my love to all at home. I think I will send you several more of my +photographs, one for Uncle Samuel, one for Aunt Margaret, one for Aunt +Rachel and one for Mrs. Bailey. + +Your Brother, + +ULYS. + + + + +[The battle of Belmont is the first event of importance after the +occupation of Paducah. This was the first time the men and officers +were under fire; they behaved like veterans. Here they gained a +confidence in themselves that they did not lose throughout the war.] + +Cairo, +November 8th, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +It is late at night and I want to get a letter into the mail for you +before it closes. As I have just finished a very hasty letter to Julia +that contains about what I would write, and having something else to +do myself, I will have my clerk copy it. + +Day before yesterday, I left here with about 3000 men in five +steamers, convoyed by two gun boats, and proceeded down the river to +within twelve miles of Columbus. The next morning the boats were +dropped down just out of range of the enemy's batteries and the troops +debarked. + +During this operation our gun boats exercised the rebels by throwing +shells into their camps and batteries. + +When all ready we proceeded about one mile towards Belmont opposite +Columbus; then I formed the troops into line, and ordered two +companies from each regiment to deploy as skirmishers, and push on +through the woods and discover the position of the enemy. They had +gone but a little way when they were fired upon, and the _ball_ may be +said to have fairly opened. + +The whole command with the exception of a small reserve, was then +deployed in like manner with the first, and ordered forward. The order +was obeyed with great alacrity, the men all showing great courage. I +can say with gratification that every Colonel without a single +exception, set an example to his command that inspired a confidence +that will always insure victory when there is the slightest +possibility of gaining one. I feel truly proud to command such men. +From here we fought our way from tree to tree through the woods to +Belmont, about two and a half miles, the enemy contesting every foot +of ground. Here the enemy had strengthened their position by felling +the trees for two or three hundred yards and sharpening the limbs, +making a sort of abattis. Our men charged through making the victory +complete, giving us possession of their camp and garrison equipage, +artillery and everything else. + +We got a great many prisoners. The majority however succeeded in +getting aboard their steamer and pushing across the river. + +We burned everything possible and started back, having accomplished +all that we went for and even more. Belmont is entirely covered by the +batteries from Columbus and is worth nothing as a military position. +It cannot be held without Columbus. + +The object of the expedition was to prevent the enemy from sending a +force into Missouri to cut off troops I had sent there for a special +purpose, and to prevent reinforcing Price. + +Besides being well fortified at Columbus their numbers far exceed +ours, and it would have been folly to have attacked them. We found the +Confederates well-armed and brave. On our return, stragglers that had +been left in our rear, _now front_, fired into us, and more recrossed +the river and gave us battle for fully a mile and afterwards at the +boats when we were embarking. There was no hasty retreating or running +away. Taking into account the object of the expedition the victory was +most complete. It has given me a confidence in the officers and men of +this command, that will enable me to lead them in any future +engagement without fear of the result. General McClernand--(who by the +way acted with great coolness throughout, and proved that he is a +soldier as well as statesman)--and myself each had our horses shot +under us. Most of the field-officers met with the same loss, besides +nearly one third of them being killed or wounded themselves. As nearly +as I can ascertain our loss was about 250 killed, wounded, and +missing. + +I write in great haste to get this in the office tonight. + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[Two days after the battle of Belmont, November 9th, General Halleck +supersedes General Fremont in command of the Department of Missouri. +General Grant's command is now changed from the District of +Southeastern Missouri to the District of Cairo and that of the mouths +of the Cumberland and the Tennessee. This is the command he refers to +here as the most important one in the department.] + +Cairo, Illinois, +November 27th, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your letter enclosed with a shawl to Julia is just received. + +In regard to your stricture about my not writing I think that you have +no cause of complaint. My time is all taken up with public duties. + +Your statement of prices at which you proposed furnishing harness was +forwarded to Maj. Allen as soon as received and I directed Lagow, who +received the letter enclosing it, to inform you of the fact. He did so +at once. + +I cannot take an active part in securing contracts. If I were not in +the army I should do so, but situated as I am it is necessary both to +my efficiency for the public good and my own reputation that I should +keep clear of Government contracts. + +I do not write you about plans, or the necessity of what has been done +or what is doing because I am opposed to publicity in these matters. +Then too you are very much disposed to criticise unfavorably from +information received through the public press, a portion of which I am +sorry to see can look at nothing favorably that does not look to a war +upon slavery. My inclination is to whip the rebellion into submission, +preserving all constitutional rights. If it cannot be whipped in any +other way than through a war against slavery, let it come to that +legitimately. If it is necessary that slavery should fall that the +Republic may continue its existence, let slavery go. But that portion +of the press that advocates the beginning of such a war now, are as +great enemies to their country as if they were open and avowed +secessionists.[1] + +There is a desire upon the part of people who stay securely at home to +read in the morning papers, at their breakfast, startling reports of +battles fought. They cannot understand why troops are kept inactive +for weeks or even months. They do not understand that men have to be +disciplined, arms made, transportation and provisions provided. I am +very tired of the course pursued by a portion of the Union press. + +Julia left last Saturday for St. Louis where she will probably spend a +couple of weeks and return here should I still remain. It costs +nothing for her to go there, and it may be the last opportunity she +will have of visiting her father. From here she will go to Covington, +and spend a week or two before going back to Galena. + +It was my bay horse (cost me $140) that was shot. I also lost the +little pony, my fine saddle and bridle, and the common one. What I +lost cost about $250. My saddle cloth which was about half the cost of +the whole, I left at home. + +I try to write home about once in two weeks and think I keep it up +pretty well. I wrote to you directly after the battle of Belmont, and +Lagow and Julia have each written since. + +Give my love to all at home. I am very glad to get letters from home +and will write as often as I can. I am somewhat troubled lest I lose +my command here, though I believe my administration has given general +satisfaction not only to those over me but to all concerned. This is +the most important command within the department however, and will +probably be given to the senior officer next to General Halleck +himself. + +There are not so many brigadier generals in the army as there are +brigades, and as to divisions they are nearly all commanded by +brigadiers. + +Yours, + +ULYSSES. + + [Footnote 1: Grant's conviction that the essential purpose of the + war was not the abolition of slavery as an end in itself, but the + preservation of the Union at all costs was identical with that of + Lincoln. This letter can properly be compared with the well-known + letter written by Lincoln to Greeley on the third of August, + 1862, in which Lincoln says: "My paramount object in this + struggle is to save the Union, and it is not either to save or to + destroy slavery." Lincoln understood that the task accepted by + him as President as the leader in the contest for national + existence made the maintenance of the Union his chief, if not for + the time being his only responsibility. He had, however, placed + himself on record in many utterances to the effect that if the + republic were to be preserved, slavery must be, in the first + place, restricted, and finally destroyed. It is probable that in + this matter Grant did not go so far as Lincoln. In any case, in + common with the President, he devoted himself simply to the duty + immediately before him.] + + + + +[The battlefield referred to is Belmont. According to the _Memoirs_, +the loss of national troops, killed, wounded, and missing, was 485; +that of the Confederates, 642. Number of Union troops engaged was 2500 +men; that of Confederates, 7000.] + +Cairo, Illinois, +November 28th, 1861. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your letter asking if Mr. Leathers can be passed South, and also +enclosing two extracts from papers is received. + +It is entirely out of the question to pass persons South. We have many +Union Men sacrificing their lives now from exposure as well as battle, +in a cause brought about by secession, and it is necessary for the +security of the thousands still exposed that all communication should +be cut off between the two sections. + +As to that article in the _Hawk Eye_ it gives me no uneasiness +whatever. The Iowa regiment did its duty fully, and my report gives it +full credit. All who were on the battlefield know where General +McClernand and myself were, and there is no need of resort to the +public press for our vindication. The other extract gives our loss in +killed and wounded almost exactly correct. Our missing however is only +three or four over one hundred. Recent information received through +deserters shows that the rebel loss from killed, wounded, and missing +reaches about 2500. One thing is certain,--after the battle about one +third of Columbus was used for hospitals and many were removed to +houses in the country. There were also two steamboat loads sent to +Memphis and the largest hotel in the city taken as a hospital. The +city was put in mourning and all business suspended for a day: and the +citizens thrown into the greatest consternation lest they would be +attacked. + +I wrote to you two days ago, therefore it is not necessary to write a +long letter. + +I believe I told you that Julia had gone to St. Louis. She will pay +you a short visit before returning to Galena. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[General D.C. Buell commanded the Department of the Ohio with +headquarters at Louisville. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Cairo, +Dec. 18th, 1861. + +DEAR SISTER: + +I have been wanting to write you for some time and am not so +indifferent as you would make out. I wish you could be here for a day +or two to see what I have to go through from breakfast until twelve at +night, seven days in the week. I have now just got through with my +mail for to-night, and as it is not yet twelve and the mail does not +close until that time, I will devote the remainder of the time in +penning you a few lines. I have no war news to communicate, however. + +Julia and the children have returned from St. Louis. They will not +make you the promised visit whilst I remain here. + +Captain Foley arrived to-day and I showed him all the attention I +could but I regret to say it was not much. He will excuse it however. + +I am sorry you did not come with him. I believe I should have allowed +the children to go back with you. + +I have learned through private sources that an attack has been made +upon Fort Jackson, Louisiana, and that the place has been taken. That +is to say such is the report in Columbus, but I do not know whether to +credit the report. Something has taken place to call off many of their +troops. They still have a much larger force than I have. + +Whilst I am writing several Galena gentlemen are in talking. They will +remain until the office closes so you must excuse a disconnected +letter. + +I do not now see that the probabilities are so strong that I will +likely be removed. A full disposition seems to have been made of all +my seniors. + +Father seems to be very much inclined to criticise all our generals. +It may have been a little inexcusable in General Buell not to allow +troops to stop for a few hours when near their homes. But he should +recollect that General Buell was not on the spot to see the +circumstances fully, and he does not know what necessity may have +existed to have got the troops through by a certain time. + +At your request I send a small batch from my cranium. I doubt whether +it is big enough for the purpose you want it. + +If you will come out here you might spend a few weeks pleasantly and I +hope you will not lose such an opportunity as has just occurred. + +I will close this. My love to all at home. + +ULYS. + + + + +[The great expedition into Kentucky:--Early in January, Grant had been +directed to make a reconnoissance in favor of Brigadier-General Buell +who was confronting the Confederate General Buckner at Bowling Green. +One force under General Smith went up the west bank of the Tennessee +to threaten Forts Heiman and Henry. McClernand went into west +Kentucky, one column threatening Columbus, and another the Tennessee +River. Grant went with the latter. The object of the expedition was +attained; troops were not sent to reinforce Buckner. Grant was now +eager to move against the forts on the Tennessee. This is his errand +to St. Louis, to ask permission of General Halleck to move against +them. He had long been convinced that the true line of operations was +up the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers. Once these rivers were held by +the Union troops, the Confederates would be forced to evacuate +Kentucky altogether. But General Halleck opposed the plan. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Cairo, +Jan. 23d, 1862. + +DEAR SISTER: + +You have seen through the papers notice of my return from the great +expedition into Kentucky. My orders were such and the force with me +also so small that no attack was allowable. I made good use of the +time however, making a splendid reconnoissance of the country over +which an army may have to move. I have now a larger force than General +Scott ever commanded prior to our present difficulties. I do hope it +will be my good fortune to retain so important a command for at least +one battle. I believe there is no portion of our whole army better +prepared to contest a battle than there is within my district, and I +am very much mistaken if I have not got the confidence of officers and +men. This is all important, especially so with new troops. I go +tonight to St. Louis to see General Halleck; will be back on Sunday +morning. I expect but little quiet from this on and if you receive but +short, unsatisfactory letters hereafter you need not be surprised. + +Your letter asking me to intercede in behalf of Lieut. Jones was +received. I have no one of equal rank now to offer in exchange, unless +it should be some one of Jeff Thompson's command, but if it should +fall in my power to effect Lieutenant Jones' release, I shall be most +happy to do so. Write to me giving the first name, where he now is, +when taken and under what circumstances. + +I think you may look for Julia and the children about the 1st of +February. + +As I said before the three oldest will be left to go to school. Jess +is too small. You will like him the best of any of the children, +although he is the worst. I expect he will whip his Aunt Mary the +first day. Buck, though never really sick, is very delicate. He is the +best child I ever saw and is smart. + +Give my love to all at home. I must close. + +BROTHER ULYS. + + + + +[After repeated requests Grant secured permission, February 1st, to +undertake the campaign up the Tennessee. Fort Henry was captured on +the 6th; Fort Donelson, eleven miles away, fell on the 16th. Fort +Donelson was on high ground, one hundred feet above the Cumberland +River. It was an important position for the enemy. Generals Floyd and +Pillow, first and second in command at Port Donelson, escaped during +the night of the 15th. General Buckner, who was forced to surrender +the fort, said to Grant that if he, Buckner, had been in command Grant +would never have reached Donelson as easily as he did. Grant answered, +"In that case I should not have tried in the way I did; I relied upon +Pillow to allow me to come up within gunshot of any entrenchments he +was given to hold." Pillow had been in the Mexican War and he prided +himself upon that service. Grant speaks of his own service in the +Mexican War as being invaluable to him as he there came to know all +the men who, later on, held conspicuous positions in both the Northern +and Southern armies; he learned to know their strong points and their +weaknesses, and to infer how they would act under given conditions. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Fort Henry, Tenn., +Feb. 9th, 1862. + +DEAR SISTER: + +I take my pen in hand "away down in Dixie" to let you know that I am +still alive and well. What the next few days may bring forth, however, +I can't tell you. I intend to keep the ball moving as lively as +possible, and have only been detained here from the fact that the +Tennessee is very high and has been rising ever since we have been +here, overflowing the back land and making it necessary to bridge it +before we could move.--Before receiving this you will hear by +telegraph of Fort Donelson being attacked.--Yesterday I went up the +Tennessee River twenty odd miles, and to-day crossed over near the +Cumberland River at Fort Donelson.--Our men had a little engagement +with the enemy's pickets, killing five of them, wounding a number, +and, expressively speaking, "gobbling up" some twenty-four more. + +If I had your last letter at hand I would answer it. But I have not +and therefore write you a very hasty and random letter, simply to let +you know that I believe you still remember me. Whilst writing I am +carrying on a conversation with my Staff and others. + +Julia will be with you in a few days and possibly I may accompany her. +This is barely possible, depending upon having full possession of the +line from Fort Henry to Fort Donelson, and upon being able to quit for +a few days without retarding any contemplated movement. This would not +leave me free more than one day however. + +You have no conception of the amount of labor I have to perform. An +army of men all helpless, looking to the commanding officer for every +supply. Your plain brother, however, has as yet no reason to feel +himself unequal to the task, and fully believes that he will carry on +a successful campaign against our rebel enemy. I do not speak +boastfully but utter a presentiment. The scare and fright of the +rebels up here is beyond conception. Twenty three miles above here +some were drowned in their haste to retreat, thinking us such vandals +that neither life nor property would be respected. G.J. Pillow +commands at Fort Donelson. I hope to give him a tug before you receive +this. + +U.S.G. + + + + +[After the fall of Fort Donelson Grant was promoted to the grade of +major-general. Had this victory been immediately followed up, he +believed that the entire southwest would have offered little +resistance; and had there been one general who would have taken the +responsibility and been in command of all the troops west of the +Alleghanies, the duration of the war would have been far briefer than +it was. + +Corinth was the junction of the two most important railroads in the +Mississippi Valley. It was the great strategic position in the West +between the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers, and between Nashville +and Vicksburg. If the Union troops obtained possession of Corinth the +Confederates would have no railroad for transportation of armies or +supplies until that running east from Vicksburg was reached. + +The enemy was in force at Corinth, March 17th. He attacked Shiloh, +April 6th, was defeated April 7th, and evacuated Corinth May 30th. + +Up to this time, Grant had believed that the rebellion would suddenly +collapse if a decisive victory could be gained. Donelson and Henry +were such victories, but now that the Confederates had collected new +armies and assumed the offensive, he gave up all idea of saving the +Union except by complete conquest. Hitherto, he had protected the +property of both Federal and Confederate. Now he began a new policy; +he consumed everything that could be used to support armies, regarding +supplies within reach of the Confederates as contraband as arms or +ordnance stores. This policy, he says, exercised a material influence +in hastening the end. + +July 11th, Halleck is appointed to the command of all the armies, with +headquarters at Washington. Grant now has his headquarters at Corinth +in command of the District of West Tennessee. He is practically a +department commander.] + +Corinth, Mississippi, +August 3d, 1862. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your letter of the 25th of July is just received. I do not remember +receiving the letters, however, of which you speak. One came from Mary +speaking of the secessionist Holt who was said to be employed in the +Memphis post office. I at once wrote to General Sherman who is in +command there about it and he is no doubt turned out before this. + +You must not expect me to write in my own defence nor to permit it +from any one about me. I know that the feeling of the troops under my +command is favorable to me and so long as I continue to do my duty +faithfully it will remain so. Your uneasiness about the influences +surrounding the children here is unnecessary. On the contrary it is +good. They are not running around camp among all sorts of people, but +we are keeping house, on the property of a truly loyal secessionist +who has been furnished free lodging and board at Alton, Illinois; here +the children see nothing but the greatest propriety. + +They will not, however, remain here long. Julia will probably pay her +father a short visit and then go to Galena or Covington in time to +have the children commence school in September. + +I expect General Hitchcock to command the Department of the West. Have +no fears of General Pope or any one junior to me being sent. + +I do not expect nor want the support of the Cincinnati press on my +side. Their course has been so remarkable from the beginning that +should I be endorsed by them I should fear that the public would +mistrust my patriotism. I am sure that I have but one desire in this +war, and that is to put down the rebellion. I have no hobby of my own +with regard to the negro, either to effect his freedom or to continue +his bondage. If Congress pass any law and the President approves, I am +willing to execute it. Laws are certainly as binding on the minority +as the majority. I do not believe even in the discussion of the +propriety of laws and official orders by the army. One enemy at a time +is enough and when he is subdued it will be time enough to settle +personal differences. + +I do not want to command a department because I believe I can do +better service in the field. I do not expect to be overslaughed by a +junior and should feel exceedingly mortified should such a thing +occur, but would keep quiet as I have ever done heretofore. + +I have just received a letter from Captain Foley about this same Holt +said to be in the Memphis post office. You may say that I shall refer +it to General Sherman with the direction to expel him if it is not +already done. + +Julia and the children are well. I do not expect to remain here long +but when I will go I can't say now. + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[In referring to this period, Grant says that it was the most anxious +time of the war when the Army of the Tennessee was guarding the +territory acquired by Corinth and Memphis, and before he was +sufficiently reinforced to take the offensive. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Corinth, Mississippi, +August 19th, 1862. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Julia and the children left here on Saturday last for St. Louis where +they will remain on a visit until about the last of the month. At the +end of that time they must be some place where the children can go to +school.--Mrs. Hillyer has a nice house in the city and is all alone +whilst her husband is on my staff, and it may be that she and Julia +will keep house together. If they do she would be very much pleased to +have you make her a long visit. Julia says that she is satisfied that +the best place for the children is in Covington. But there are so many +of them that she sometimes feels as if they were not wanted. Their +visit down here in Dixie was very pleasant and they were very loth to +leave. Things however began to look so threatening that I thought it +was best for them to leave. I am now in a situation where it is +impossible for me to do more than to protect my long lines of defence. +I have the Mississippi to Memphis, the railroad from Columbus to +Corinth, from Jackson to Bolivar, from Corinth to Decatur, and the +Tennessee and Cumberland rivers to keep open. Guerillas are hovering +around in every direction, getting whipped every day some place by +some of my command, but keeping us busy. The war is evidently growing +oppressive to the Southern people. Their _institution_[2] are +beginning to have ideas of their own; every time an expedition goes +out many of them follow in the wake of the army and come into camp. I +am using them as teamsters, hospital attendants, company cooks and so +forth, thus saving soldiers to carry the musket. I don't know what is +to become of these poor people in the end, but it weakens the enemy to +take them from them. If the new levies are sent in soon the rebels +will have a good time getting in their crops this Fall. + +I have abandoned all hope of being able to make a visit home till the +close of the war. A few weeks' recreation would be very grateful +however. It is one constant strain now and has been for a year. If I +do get through I think I will take a few months of pure and undefiled +rest. I stand it well, however, having gained some fifteen pounds in +weight since leaving Cairo. Give my love to all at home. + +ULYS. + + [Footnote 2: Slaves.] + + + + +[During the two months just past there has been much fighting between +small bodies of the opposing armies.] + +Corinth, Mississippi, +September 17th, 1862. + +DEAR FATHER: + +A letter from you and one from Mary were received some time ago, which +I commenced to answer in a letter addressed to Mary, but being +frequently interrupted by matters of business it was laid aside for +some days, and finally torn up. I now have all my time taxed. Although +occupying a position attracting but little attention at this time +there is probably no garrison more threatened to-day than this. + +I expect to hold it and have never had any other feeling either here +or elsewhere but that of success. I would write you many particulars +but you are so imprudent that I dare not trust you with them; and +while on this subject let me say a word. I have not an enemy in the +world who has done me so much injury as you in your efforts in my +defence. I require no defenders and for my sake let me alone. I have +heard this from various sources and persons who have returned to this +Army and did not know that I had parents living near Cincinnati have +said that they found the best feeling existing towards me in every +place except there. + +You are constantly denouncing other general officers and the inference +with people naturally is that you get your impressions from me. Do +nothing to correct what you have already done but for the future keep +quiet on this subject. + +Mary wrote to me about an appointment for Mr. Nixon. I have nothing in +the world to do with any appointments, no power to make and nothing to +do with recommending except for my own staff. That is now already +full. + +If I can do anything in the shape of lending any influence I may +possess in Mr. Nixon's behalf I will be most happy to do so on the +strength of what Mary says in commendation, and should be most happy +if it could so be that our lot would cast us near each other. + +I do not know what Julia is going to do. I want her to go to Detroit +and board. She has many pleasant acquaintances there and she would +find good schools for the children. + +I have no time for writing and scarcely any for looking over the +telegraphic columns of the newspapers. + +My love to all at home. + +ULYS. + + + +[In late September, Grant went from Corinth to Jackson, Tennessee, "to +superintend the movements of the troops to whatever point a threatened +attack upon Bolivia might be made." Bolivia was then their most +advanced position on the Mississippi Central Railroad. The troops from +Corinth were brought up in time to repel the threatened movement +without a battle. + +Iuka was a town twenty miles east of Corinth. It was entered by +General Price of the Confederate army on September 13th. On the 19th +he was defeated by Generals Rosecrans and Ord. The battle of Corinth +was won October 4th; Van Dorn was the leader of the Confederate +forces, while Rosecrans commanded the Union troops. Grant was now +assured as to the safety of the territory that he had won. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Jackson, Tenn., +October 16th, 1862. + +DEAR SISTER: + +I received your letter by due course of mail and expected before this +to have answered one of your questions in the shape of an official +report; that is the one where you ask me the part I played at the +battle of Iuka. When the reports of subalterns come in I will make my +report which no doubt will be published and will be a full answer to +your question. I had no more to do with troops under General Ord than +I had with those under Rosecrans, but gave the orders to both. The +plan was admirably laid for catching Price and his whole army, but +owing to the nature of the ground, direction of the wind, and General +Rosecrans having been so far behind where he was expected to be on the +morning before the attack, it failed. In the late battles we have +gained such a moral advantage over them however, with Van Dorn and +Lovell added, that I do not know but it may have all been for the +best. + +I have written to Julia to come down here to spend a short time. It +will probably be but a short time that she can stay, but so long as I +remain here this will be a pleasant place for her.--If the children +have not already been sent to Covington I told her to bring them with +her. In the last letter I received she said she was about sending them +to Covington. + +I believe you have now got it all quiet on the Ohio. I hope it will +soon be so every place else. It does look to me that we now have such +an advantage over the rebels that there should be but little more hard +fighting. + +Give my love to all at home. Write often and without expecting either +very prompt or very long replies. + +ULYS. + + + + +[October 25th, Grant was placed in command of the Department of the +Tennessee and headquarters were established at Oxford, Miss. +Reinforcements continued to come from the North, and by November 2d, +he was prepared to take the initiative. This, he said, was a great +relief after two and a half months of continued defence over a large +district where every citizen was an enemy. On November 3d, Grant left +Jackson for the campaign against Vicksburg, which did not end until +July 4, 1863. + +Vicksburg was very important to the enemy on account of its position. +It was the only link connecting the parts of the Confederacy separated +by the Mississippi. While held by the enemy, free navigation of the +river was impossible. During the winter of '62 to '63 there were +exceptionally heavy rains and continuous high water on the +Mississippi. + +To his sister Mary.] + +Oxford, Mississippi, +Dec. 15th, 1862. + +DEAR SISTER: + +Yesterday I received a letter from you and the children and one from +Uncle Samuel. To day I learned by telegraph that Father is at Holly +Springs, thirty miles north of here. Julia is there and as I expect +the railroad to be completed to this point by to-morrow I look for them +down. I shall only remain here to-morrow, or next day at farthest; so +that Julia will go immediately back to Holly Springs. It is a pleasant +place and she may as well stay there as elsewhere. + +We are now having wet weather. I have a big army in front of me as +well as bad roads. I shall probably give a good account of myself +however notwithstanding all obstacles. My plans are all complete for +weeks to come and I hope to have them all work out just as planned. + +For a conscientious person, and I profess to be one, this is a most +slavish life. I may be envied by ambitious persons, but I in turn envy +the person who can transact his daily business and retire to a quiet +home without a feeling of responsibility for the morrow. Taking my +whole department, there are an immense number of lives staked upon my +judgment and acts. I am extended now like a peninsula into an enemy's +country, with a large army depending for their daily bread upon +keeping open a line of railroad running one hundred and ninety miles +through an enemy's country, or, at least, through territory occupied +by a people terribly embittered and hostile to us. With all this I +suffer the mortification of seeing myself attacked right and left by +people at home professing patriotism and love of country, who never +heard the whistle of a hostile bullet. I pity them and a nation +dependent upon such for its existence. I am thankful however that, +although such people make a great noise, the masses are not like them. + +To all the other trials that I have to contend against, is added that +of speculators whose patriotism is measured by dollars and cents. +Country has no value with them compared with money. To elucidate this +would take quires of paper. So I will reserve this for an evening's +conversation, if I should be so fortunate as to again get home where I +can have a day to myself. + +Tell the children to learn their lessons, mind their Grandma and be +good children. I should like very much to see them. To me they are all +obedient and good. I may be partial but they seem to me to be children +to be proud of. + +Remember me to all at home, + +Your brother + +ULYS. + + + + +[Walnut Hills is a little north of Vicksburg. The position of +Vicksburg on high bluffs overlooking the river was inaccessible. After +five months of exposure and labor Grant at last attained his +preliminary object, getting his troops to the rear of the city. During +this time he would not communicate his plans to the public--this +movement to a point below Vicksburg from which to operate. The North +was much discouraged over the situation; voluntary enlistment ceased. +It was important to gain a decisive victory. In January, he assumed +command himself of the expedition. The siege lasted from May 10th to +July 4th. Johnston was the commander-in-chief of the Confederate +forces and was east of the troops besieging Vicksburg. Pemberton was +in command at Vicksburg.] + +Walnut Hills, Miss., +June 15th, 1863. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I have received several letters from Mary and yourself, but as I have +to deal with nineteen-twentieths of those received, have neglected to +answer them. + +All I can say is that I am well. I have the enemy closely hemmed in +all round. My position is naturally strong and fortified against an +attack from outside. I have been so strongly reinforced that Johnston +will have to come with a mighty host to drive me away.--I do not look +upon the fall of Vicksburg as in the least doubtful. If, however, I +could have carried the place on the 22nd of last month, I could by +this time have made a campaign that would have made the State of +Mississippi almost safe for a solitary horseman to ride over. As it +is, the enemy have a large army in it, and the season has so far +advanced that water will be difficult to find for an army marching, +besides the dust and heat that must be encountered. The fall of +Vicksburg now will only result in the opening of the Mississippi River +and demoralization of the enemy. I intended more from it. I did my +best, however, and looking back can see no blunder committed. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[After Vicksburg, Grant began a tour of observation among the +important parts of his military rule. In October, 1863, the "Military +Division of the Mississippi" was created and Grant given the command. +This was composed of the Departments of the Ohio, the Cumberland, and +the Tennessee. Headquarters were established at Nashville, which was +the most central point from which to communicate with his entire +military division. The winter was quiet, preparing for the campaign +against Atlanta. He says in this letter, "I am not a candidate for any +office." This refers, doubtless, to a proposal that he become a +candidate for the Presidency.] + +Nashville, Tenn., +Feby. 20th, 1864. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I have received your letter and those accompanying, to wit, Mr. +Newton's and I.N. Morris'. I may write to Mr. Newton but it will be +different from what he expects. I am not a candidate for any office. +All I want is to be left alone to fight this war out; fight all rebel +opposition and restore a happy Union in the shortest possible time. +You know, or ought to know, that the public prints are not the proper +mediums through which to let a personal feeling pass. I know that I +feel that nothing personal to myself could ever induce me to accept a +political office. + +From your letter you seem to have taken an active feeling, to say the +least, in this matter, that I would like to talk to you about. I could +write, but do not want to do so. Why not come down here and see me? + +I did tell Julia to make a visit to Cincinnati, Batavia, Bethel and +Georgetown. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[The rank of Lieutenant-General had been conferred upon Washington in +1798 when our relations with France appeared threatening. In 1852, it +had been conferred upon General Scott, by brevet, as a recognition of +his great services in the Mexican War. The full rank was revived +February 26, 1864, for Grant, who received his commission March 3d. +After Grant this rank was held by Sherman and also Sheridan, by +promotion; since then the title has not been revived. By this rank +Grant was authorized to command all the armies of the United States. +Mr. Washburne, who introduced the bill into Congress for restoration +of the grade of Lieutenant-General, said that Grant wrote to him that +he did not ask or deserve anything more in the shape of honors or +promotion; that he only desired to hold such an influence over those +under his command as to use them to the best advantage to secure a +decisive victory. + +Grant's new policy was now to secure co-operative movements of all the +armies East and West--these had heretofore worked independently--and +to have a continuous and concentrated action against the chief armies +of the enemy. His first work was to reorganize the Army of the Potomac, +which in April began the campaign against Lee and Richmond. He +accompanied the army in person, having movable headquarters in the +field. From March to May his headquarters were at Culpeper Court-House, +Va. It was shortly after leaving these headquarters that he wrote from +the field, May 11, 1864, "I propose to fight it out on this line if it +takes all summer."] + + The Editor desires to make correction of an error in the reference + on page 102 to the rank of Lieutenant-General. The statement should + of course read that the rank of _General_ was conferred upon + Washington ... and had later been held by Grant, Sherman, and + Sheridan. The rank of Lieutenant-General has been held not only by + Washington, Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan, but also by Schofield, + Miles, Young, Chaffee, Bates, and MacArthur. + +HEAD-QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES + +Culpeper C.H., Va., +Apl. 16th, 1864. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your letter enclosing one from young Walker asking for duty on my staff +during his suspension is received. It is the third letter from him on +the same subject. Of course I cannot gratify him. It would not be +proper. It would be changing punishment into reward. + +Julia will start West in a few days and will stop at Covington on her +way. She will remain at the house I purchased from Judge Dent until +such time as she can join me more permanently. It is her particular +desire to have Jennie go to St. Louis with her to spend the summer. I +hope she can and will go. + +It has rained here almost every day since my arrival. It is still +raining. Of course I say nothing of when the army moves or how or +where. I am in most excellent health and well pleased with appearances +here. My love to all at home. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[City Point was an important strategic point on the James where this +river is joined by the Appomattox. Here General Grant had headquarters +until the end of the campaign against Lee. The campaign against Atlanta +under General Sherman lasted from May 6th to September 2d, 1864, when +the city was evacuated by Hood. The loss of Atlanta was a severe blow +to the South.] + +HEAD-QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES + +City Point, Va., +Sept. 5th, 1864. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Your last letter is just received. Before you receive this it is +probable Beverly Simpson will be in service if he comes in at all. If +he does enlist, however, after you receive this tell him to ask to be +assigned to a regiment now with the Army of the Potomac. If he is +already in service have him write to me and I will assign him to some +duty either with me or where it will be equally pleasant for him. + +Your theory about delays, either with Sherman or myself, was not +correct. Our movements were co-operative but after starting each one +has done all that he felt himself able to do. The country has been +deceived about the size of our armies and also as to the number of the +enemy. We have been contending against forces nearly equal to our own, +moreover always on the defensive and strongly intrenched.--Richmond +will fall as Atlanta has done and the rebellion will be suppressed in +spite of rebel resistance and Northern countenance and support. + +Julia and children are in Philadelphia. If I can get a house there, I +will make that my home. Julia is very desirous that Jennie should make +her home with us if she will, and if she will not do that, at least +spend the fall and winter with us. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[Clara was the oldest sister. + +The prophecy as to the end of the war proved true. Petersburg and +Richmond were both captured April 3d. Lee surrendered April 9th. By the +end of May all the rebel armies had surrendered and the Civil War was +over.] + +HEAD-QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES + +City Point, Va., +March 19th, 1865. + +DEAR FATHER: + +I received your two letters announcing the death of Clara. Although I +had known for some time that she was in a decline, yet I was not +expecting to bear of her death at this time.--I have had no heart to +write earlier. Your last letter made me feel very bad. I will not state +the reason and hope I may be wrong in my judgment of its meaning. + +We are now having fine weather and I think will be able to wind up +matters about Richmond soon. I am anxious to have Lee hold on where he +is a short time longer so that I can get him in a position where he +must lose a great portion of his army. The rebellion has lost its +vitality and if I am not much mistaken there will be no rebel army of +any great dimensions in a few weeks hence. Any great catastrophe to any +one of our armies would of course revive the enemy for a short time. +But I expect no such thing to happen. + +I do not know what I can do either for Will. Griffith's son or for +Belville Simpson. I sent orders last fall for John Simpson to come to +these Head-Quarters to run between here and Washington as a mail +messenger, but he has not come. I hope this service to end now soon. + +I am in excellent health but would enjoy a little respite from duty +wonderfully. I hope it will come soon. + +My kindest regards to all at home. I shall expect to make you a visit +the coming summer. + +Yours truly, + +ULYSSES. + + + + +[On the 7th of January, 1865, a number of the principal +citizens of Philadelphia presented General Grant with a +house.] + +HEAD-QUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES + +Washington, D.C., +May 6th, 1865. + +>DEAR FATHER: + +I have ordered a sixty days' furlough for Samuel A. He can be +discharged at any time after his return home. It will take probably +three weeks for my directions to reach him and for him to return. + +I have just returned from Philadelphia leaving Mr. Cramer there. He can +describe our new house to you when he returns. My health is good but I +find so much to do that I can scarcely keep up with public business, +let alone answering all the private letters I receive. My going to +Philadelphia and spending half my time there as I hope to do, will give +me some leisure. I attend to public business there by telegraph and +avoid numerous calls taking up much time, or hope to do so. + +My kind regards to all at home. I hope to hear of Mother's entire +recovery soon. + +ULYSSES. + + + + +HEAD-QUARTERS ARMY OF THE UNITED STATES + +Washington, D.C., +Feby. 10th, 1868. + +DEAR FATHER: + +The memorandums you left with me relative to bounty due two needy +persons in Covington I attended to soon after you left here. The answer +of the Paymaster General was that under no circumstances could he take +up claims for bounty out of turn; therefore, it was not satisfactory to +you. I neglected to answer at the time and the matter escaped my memory +until now. + +I spoke to Secretary McCulloch about giving Mrs. Porter a clerkship in +the Treasury and he promised me he would do it, but has not yet. Now, I +fancy, I would not have much influence, and if I had, would be very +careful about using it. + +The family are well and send much love to Mother, Jennie and yourself. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[March 4, 1869, General Grant was inaugurated President of the United +States. + +Written to his sister Virginia, Mrs. A.R. Corbin.] + +Long Branch, N.J., +Aug. 21st, 1870. + +DEAR SISTER: + +By arrangement of a year's standing Julia and I go to Newport on +Tuesday morning next, to be gone there, and at West Point, one week. + +But for that we would visit you and Mother this week. I shall go next +week however and if Julia is not too much fatigued, or too lazy, with +her travelling will take her along. You know I never give any one +credit with being fatigued; I always attribute the feeling to another +cause.--I hope you are all well. Give my kindest regards to Mother and +Mr. Corbin. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[Written to his sister Mary, Mrs. M.J. Cramer. Dr. Cramer was then +United States Minister to Denmark.] + +Washington, D.C., +Oct. 26th, 1871. + +DEAR SISTER: + +I have been intending to write you for some time; but the moment I get +into my office in the morning it is overwhelmed with visitors, and +continues so throughout the day. I now write of a rainy evening, after +having read the New York papers.--Jennie is with us, has been for some +days. Mr. Corbin also has been with us for a few days but left to-day. +Jennie will remain until she becomes homesick which I hope will not be +soon. + +I received your letter in which you gave me an extract from Mr. +Wolff's. I had no recollection or knowledge of the matter whatever. The +fact is I am followed wherever I go,--at Long Branch as well as here. I +sometimes shake off callers, not knowing their business, whom I would +be delighted to see. In the case of Mr. Wolff, however, I do not think +that I ever knew that he had called. For the first time in my life I +had arranged to go fishing at sea. To do so it was necessary to engage +fishermen, with boat, beforehand. General Porter did not know that I +had made the arrangement, and probably was not at my house when I +returned from riding the evening after Mr. W. called. You will see the +explanation. I will write it to Mr. Wolff. + +Fred. after graduating at West Point accepted a position as assistant +civil engineer, and gave up a good portion of his furlough to go to +work at his new profession. He has been in the Rocky Mountains since +August surveying, in pursuit of his new profession, but with leave of +absence as an army officer. But little or nothing can be done in the +winter by him, and I have therefore got him a leave of absence from his +engineer duties to accompany General Sherman abroad, until the latter +part of April. I expect him to sail about the middle of next month. +General Sherman goes on the flag-ship of the European Squadron which +will land at some of the Atlantic ports, then proceed to the +Mediterranean touching at points during the early winter on both sides +of the sea, and in the spring, probably in time to attend the Carnival +in Rome, will leave the ship and work across the Continent, in time to +be home at the time I have indicated. I will instruct Fred. to run up +to Copenhagen from a convenient point and spend a few days with you. +You will find him a well-grown and much improved boy. He is about the +height brother Simpson was and well developed physically. You will be +pleased with him I know. + +During the Harvard vacation, next year, I intend that Buck and Jesse +shall go to Europe also. It may be that in the short time they will +have to remain abroad they may not be able to get up to see you, but I +know they will be pleased to do so, and may spare time for that +purpose. + +I do not know but that I owe Mr. Cramer an apology for not answering +his letters. All have been received and I have been gratified with +them. But besides being a little negligent I am so constantly pressed +that it is almost impossible for me to get any time to devote to +private correspondence. + +All send our kindest regards to Mr. Cramer, and love to you and the +children. + +Yours affectionately, + +U.S. GRANT. + +P.S. I shall always be delighted to receive letters from you and Mr. +Cramer whether I answer them or not. + + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION + +Washington, D.C., +June 2nd, 1872. + +DEAR FATHER: + +Hearing from home frequently as I do through persons coming from there +and through occasional letters, I scarcely ever think of writing. +Hereafter, however, I will try to write oftener or have Jesse write. +The children might all write to you for that matter. We hear +occasionally from Fred. directly and very often through the papers. He +has enjoyed his European trip very much and I think will be much +improved by it. Nellie writes very often; she is a very much better +writer than either of the boys. Her composition is easy and fluent, and +she writes very correctly. She seems to have made a very good +impression where she has been.--Buck sails for Europe on the 6th of +July. He will travel but little however. He expects to study his third +year Harvard course in some quiet German village, and return in June +next in time for his examinations. In this way he expects to graduate +at the same time he would if he did not go abroad. The object is to +acquire a speaking knowledge of both the German and French languages, +in both of which he is now quite a good scholar. + +I received a letter from Mary a short time since. She said that she +would leave for home about the first of June. You may expect her home +by the twentieth no doubt. + +Julia and Jesse are well and send much love to you and Mother. + +Sincerely yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + +JESSE R. GRANT, ESQ., +Covington, Ky. + + + + +[To Mrs. A.R. Corbin.] + +Long Branch, N.J., +June 13th, 1872. + +DEAR SISTER: + +We got here Tuesday evening and are now pretty well settled. Can we not +expect Mr. Corbin, you, Mary and two children down to spend a few days +with us as soon as the latter arrives? If Mary does not come now, it is +not probable that she will get East again this summer. You can see just +as much of her here as you could at your own house; so I think the best +arrangement will be for you to come immediately here and all spend the +time together at the Branch. I will go up to meet you in the harbor if +informed in time. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + +P.S. I learned from a letter from St. Petersburg that Fred. hurried off +to Copenhagen to meet Mary before she left, which was to be the 1st day +of June. I infer from this that she should be here in two or three days +from now. + + + + +[To his brother-in-law, Mr. A.R. Corbin. "Nellie" is Mrs. Sartoris. Mr. +Borie is Secretary of the Navy.] + +EXECUTIVE MANSION + +Washington, D.C., +Oct. 16th, 1872. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +Your letter of the 14th is just received. Mrs. Grant and I go on to New +York City on Monday night to meet Nellie and bring her home. It is not +probable that the vessel in which she sailed will reach New York City +before Tuesday morning, so that we will be in the city from Monday +morning until Tuesday night. If Jennie were at home I do not know but +we might go as far as Elizabeth on Saturday and remain over Sunday.--I +am much obliged to you for the offer of your kind offices. Probably it +will be pleasant for you to meet us on Tuesday on the vessel that +brings Mr. Borie and party home. What arrangement will be made I do not +know; but in all probability a revenue cutter will be put at my service +and I will be allowed to meet the vessel in the harbor below the city. +In that case I would be glad of your company down the bay. + +My family are all very well. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[To his sister, Mrs. Cramer. March 4, 1873, Grant began his second term +as President.] + +Long Branch, N.J., +Sept. 9th, 1873. + +DEAR SISTER: + +On Monday next I start to take Jesse to school, and then for Pittsburgh +to attend the meeting of the "Society of the Army of the Cumberland." I +will be back about the last of the week. I would like you to make your +visit while I am at home, and want mother to come with you, as well as +Jennie and Mr. Corbin. If you have made no arrangements to start +earlier suppose you come say on Saturday week and bring the children +with you. + +I am just in receipt of a letter from Mr. Corbin, and one from Mr. +Clark, asking me to attend the Fair next week. Please say to Mr. +Corbin, and Mr. Clark too if you see him, that I had an invitation from +Senator Frelinghuysen to stay with him during the Fair which I had to +decline because I shall be absent during the week. The Army of the +Cumberland was the one commanded by General Thomas. They have their +reunions annually, to all of which I have been invited, but it has so +happened heretofore that I could not attend one of them. As I have +attended one or other of the Army Society meetings almost every year, I +feel it a duty to attend this one now and have informed them that I +will be present. + +My kindest regards to all. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + +MRS. MARY G. CRAMER. + + + + +[To his brother-in-law, Mr. A.R. Corbin, of Elizabeth, N.J. Mr. Dent +was Mrs. Grant's father.] + +EXECUTIVE MANSION + +Washington, D.C., +Dec. 16th, 1873. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +As I telegraphed you Mr. Dent breathed his last at 11.45 last night. +There was nothing during the day or evening to indicate his near +approach to death more than there has been almost every day for the +last five months. Indeed, and I believe for the first time since our +return from Long Branch, he had himself partially dressed yesterday, +ate a hearty breakfast, sitting up, and smoked his cigar with apparent +relish. In the evening Mrs. Grant, Fred. and I were out until after 11 +P.M., perfectly unconscious that his end was near. On our return we +found his attending physician with him, and he, Mr. Dent, apparently in +a quiet slumber. Not many minutes after he ceased to breathe and life +was gone without a struggle or movement of a limb or muscle. It was a +clear case of life worn out purely by time,--no disease, care or +anxiety hastening dissolution. + +On Thursday there will be funeral service at the house, by Dr. Tiffany, +and at 11.30 his remains will leave the B. & P. Depot for St. Louis. +The funeral there will be on Saturday next; and Mrs. Dent's remains +will be brought up from the farm at the same time, and the two interred +in Mr. Dent's lot in Bellefontaine. Dr. Sharp, Mr. Casey, Gen. Dent, +Fred. Grant and myself, will accompany them. + +During all the time Mr. Dent has been confined to his room, and at all +times before when he was in the least unwell since we have been in the +White House--Dr. Bazil Norris of the army has been most attentive. I +feel disposed to recognize my appreciation of his attention in some +way, and have thought if I could get about such a watch as was made for +me at the establishment near Jersey City I would get that. If it is not +asking too much of you to enquire I would like you to do so. If it can +be got before Christmas you might order it at once, with the Doctor's +monogram--_from his friend U.S. Grant_--. If it cannot be had by that +time I would not order it until further directed. + +My children will all be at home by Thursday, unless it may be Bucky. +The family are well, or as well as could be expected.--We would be very +glad to see you here on Thursday, as an old friend of Mr. Dent, but do +not ask that you should undergo the fatigue of the trip unless you feel +well enough to do so. + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +EXECUTIVE MANSION + +Washington, +Nov. 14th, '76. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +Jennie's and your letter is just received. I shall not be in New York, +nor away from Washington, until after the meeting of Congress. But I +will gladly give you the hour or two you speak of if you come to +Washington. If you and Jennie could come this week we could make a +spare room without inconvenience. Mrs. Smith--of Washington, Pa., with +her two children--are with us, but they can be put in the room with +their mother. + +The alarm about the removal of Holden as Collector of Internal Revenue +for the Covington district is premature. There was a _raid_ made upon +him by a person in whom I take no _stoc,_, and a statement made in +regard to him which I said--if proved true--would mean that he must go +out. But I think that rumor was entirely dispelled. + +My Message is not "blocked out," nor scarcely thought of. So many other +exciting matters preoccupy my time and thoughts that I do not bother +myself about the other. I shall trust to the inspiration of the moment +for what I shall say. Will be brief, but to the point if I can. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[Grant's second term of office expired March, 1877.] + +EXECUTIVE MANSION + +Washington, +Dec. 13th, '76. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +I wish you and Jennie would come down and make us a visit. We now have +room, and will have until Fred. returns with his family, which will +probably be a few days before Christmas.--Sometime before my term of +office expires I want Mother to make me a visit. If she would like to +come down during the holidays we could make room by sending one of the +boys out o' nights. The children will all be at home during that week; +possibly the last time we will have them all at home together. At all +events it may be the last opportunity mother may have of seeing them +together. + +I received your kind letter of the 11th this A.M. This year, owing to +election excitement, department reports only came in a few days before +the meeting of Congress. When they did come the situation in South +Carolina was so critical that dispatches were coming to me, or to +members of my cabinet, and brought from them to me in such rapid +succession that I do not think I had one single half hour without +interruption all the time I was preparing my message. I am sure I did +not have four hours in its preparation all told, exclusive of the time +consumed in reading the departmental reports. I left out necessarily +topics I should liked to have talked about, but would not mention +without being sure I was right. + +My love to all. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[General and Mrs. Grant spent the next two years in a tour around the +world.] + +Chicago, Ill., +April 12th, 1877. + +DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +To-morrow evening Mrs. Grant and I start for Washington, Pa., where we +will spend a few days, then go to Harrisburgh, Washington, D.C., and +toward the last of the month get around to Elizabeth to spend a few +days with you before taking our departure for Europe. We have not +entirely decided whether to take the American line from Philadelphia or +the Inman line from New York City. Both have tendered pressing +invitations, and both present good accommodations. If we take the +former we will sail on the 9th or 16th of May, if the latter on the +19th. + +We had a very pleasant trip West but a little hurried. There is much +complaint of dull times but really appearances do not justify it. +Kindest regards of Mrs. Grant and myself to Mother and Jennie. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +Ragatz, Switzerland, +August 13th, '77. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +Before leaving England I had accepted invitations to visit cities and +country houses in Scotland--and places in England not yet visited by +me--to take up all the month of September and part of October. I +thought there was time for me to visit this interesting country and to +make a run through Denmark, Sweden and Norway and get back to Scotland +in time to keep my engagements. But I have found so much of interest +here, and the modes of conveyance so slow in reaching the points of +greatest interest, that it is already too late to go even to Denmark, +leaving out Norway and Sweden. Already we have spent eight actual days +in carriages in getting from point to point, exclusive of other modes +of travel. We have visited most of the lakes and crossed the principal +passes in Switzerland and Northern Italy. It has all been exceedingly +interesting to me, the greatest regret being that I had not more time. + +I intend yet to visit Denmark, and the countries north of it, but +whether this fall or next season is not yet determined. Probably about +next June. I am sorry not to be able to see Mary before she returns to +America. I do not expect to return there before next July a year, and +possibly not so early. + +All send love to Mary and the children with kindest regards for +yourself. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + +DR. M.J. CRAMER, +United States Minister, +Copenhagen, Denmark. + + + + +BRISTOL HOTEL, +BURLINGTON GARDENS, +LONDON, W. + +Aug. 26, '77. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +We arrived here from the Continent yesterday, and found awaiting us +your very acceptable letter. On Wednesday we start again to visit +Scotland where I have had many invitations from both corporations and +from private gentlemen. We will take about three weeks for this trip, +after which we will visit some portions of England not yet visited, and +Nellie at her home, and get to Paris the latter part of October. The +papers no doubt will keep you advised of our movements in advance of +anything I could write to go by mail. Our visit has been most agreeable +in every particular. People everywhere, both travellers and residents, +did all they could to make everything pleasant for us. How long we will +remain abroad is not yet determined, but I think for two years yet if +the means to do so hold out. + +During my visit to the Continent I saw but few American papers so that +I am now somewhat behind in information as to what has been going on in +the United States. All the foreign papers however have been full of the +great strike which has taken place on our roads. It must have been +serious but probably not so serious as it seemed at a distance. My +judgment is that it should have been put down with a strong hand and so +summarily as to prevent a like occurrence for a generation. + +We have made a short visit to Nellie at her home. She lives in a +delightful part of the country. + +All join me in love to Mother and Jennie as well as yourself. I will be +glad to hear from you as often as you may feel like writing. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + +We met Mrs. Clark and Roberts in Switzerland. It was like being back +home to meet old acquaintances. Except Senator Conkling and some of our +Government officials they are the only Americans I have met that I felt +I knew very well. Please remember me to Senator Frelinghuysen and such +other friends as you meet. + +A.R. CORBIN, ESQ., +Elizabeth, N.J. + + + + +HOTEL BRISTOL +5 PLACE VENDŌME. + +Paris, +Oct. 25th, '77. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +Our trip has been a most agreeable one though the time seems long. I +can scarcely realize that but little more than five months have passed +since we sailed from Philadelphia. But we have received nothing but +kindness wherever we have been. In England, as you may have seen, our +reception has been as enthusiastic as anything in the States directly +after the war. We are now in Paris for the first time. As yet I have +seen but little of it, though enough to know that it is a most +beautiful city. We shall probably remain here over a month, and then +make a trip through Spain and Portugal, and up the Mediterranean, in a +naval vessel, stopping at all points of interest on both sides. Mrs. +Grant finds she has brought too much baggage with her and proposes to +send two or three trunks back, clothing brought from the States, and +wants to send them either to Jennie or Mrs. Sharp to keep until our +return. If they are sent to you I will advise you when they are +shipped. + +We were disappointed in not getting to Copenhagen while Mary was there. +But Switzerland was so agreeable, and there were so many points of +interest to visit that I found it impossible to get there and return to +Scotland at the time I had promised. It is now very doubtful whether we +will not have to abandon the idea of going there altogether. That will +depend however upon whether we remain over another year. This winter we +propose to go up the Nile, and may keep on east and return by San +Francisco. But if we return we will stop in Italy until the weather +begins to get warm in the Spring and then go north through Austria, +North Germany, Russia, Sweden, Norway and back by Denmark and Holland, +spend the latter part of the summer again in Switzerland, and go east +the following winter. Jesse will hardly go with us unless we go through +this winter. He does not wish to leave another year before beginning +the battle of life. + +Give Mrs. Grant's, Jesse's and my love to Mother and Jennie, and Mary +if she is with you. + +I keep very little track of political matters at home, knowing from +experience the trouble a "new hand at the bellows" has. I hope all will +be smooth and satisfactory before my return. I have not yet experienced +any discomfort from lack of employment after sixteen years of +continuous care and responsibilities. I may however feel it when I once +settle down, though I think not. + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + +P.S. Direct letters to the care of Drexel, Harjes, & Co., Bankers, +Paris, France. + + + + +Paris France, +Nov. 27th, '77. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +I am just in receipt of your letter of the 21st inst. enclosing one +from the Portuguese Minister to Denmark recounting the cause of his +brother-in-law's removal from the diplomatic service. I know Baron de +S----, and the Baroness very well and esteem them very highly. There +was never any difficulty with him and the State Department, or with any +official at Washington that I have any recollection of. I am very sure +that no cause of complaint could have existed on our part without my +knowing it. It would afford me the greatest pleasure to meet the Baron +and his wife during my European tour, but I fear I shall not be able to +do so. My trip through Spain and Portugal has been put off, or at least +postponed, for this year. On Saturday we leave here for the South of +France, from there to take a naval vessel to visit all points of +interest on the Mediterranean. We shall probably go up the Nile, and +spend the winter in a warm climate, to be ready for our northern tour +in the spring. It is barely possible that when we return from up the +Nile we may go on East, through China and Japan to San Francisco. But +this is not probable for another year. This will probably be the last +opportunity I shall ever have of visiting Europe, and there is much to +see that I have not seen, and cannot see this winter. + +I hear from home occasionally, but not as often, probably, as you do. +All were well by the last advices received two days ago from Orville. + +Please assure your colleague that I have no recollection of other than +the most pleasant relations between U.S. officials and the Baron de S. + +With kind regards of Mrs. Grant, Jesse and myself, I am, + +Very truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +Cairo, Egypt, +Jan'y 13th, '78. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +I am in receipt of your letter of December '77 at this remote, but +historically interesting quarter of the globe. We have been in Cairo +since last Tuesday. This is Sunday. I have seen the city very +thoroughly; visited the pyramids; the Virgin Mary's tree where she took +shelter some twenty centuries ago; the spring which became sweet from +being saline, on her quenching her thirst from it, and which remains +sweet to this day,--while I was there water was being pumped from it, +by ox power, with a revolving wheel, to irrigate the neighboring +ground--; Heliopolis, the great seat of learning in the days of Moses, +and where he was taught, and where the father-in-law of Joseph was a +teacher. The tree and the well are at Heliopolis, about six miles from +here. + +On Tuesday we start up the Nile on a special steamer provided by the +Khedive. We expect to go as far as to the first rapids stopping at all +the points of interest on the way. This will probably take three weeks. +On our return we expect to go to Suez, thence by Canal to Port Said, +and then take our steamer again. From Port Said we will go to Joppa and +out to Jerusalem. Returning to Joppa we will go to Beirout, and out to +Damascus--possibly diverging to visit Baalbec, thence to Smyrna from +which we will visit Ephesus, thence to Constantinople. Returning we +will stop a few days at Athens, thence to old Syracuse on the island of +Sicily, then to some convenient point on the Italian coast from which +to reach Rome. We will remain in Rome for several weeks. Should you +write me any time within six weeks from this directed to the care of +our Minister at Rome, the letter will reach me. + +Altogether we have had a most pleasant visit. Our return to America +during this year depends somewhat on circumstances, principally the +means to stay away longer. It is likely this will be the last +opportunity I shall ever have of travelling abroad and I am desirous of +making the most of the pleasant opportunity.--Give our love to Mother, +Jennie and Mary, and accept my thanks for your kind offers. + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +Constantinople, +March 5th, '78. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +On my arrival here I found your letter inquiring especially about the +time I expect to be in Copenhagen. My plan is to be in Sweden by the +middle of June, and after visiting that country and Norway, to return +by way of Copenhagen. It is not likely that I shall be there before the +fifth to the tenth of July, and it may be that I shall like the +northern country so well that my visit to Copenhagen will be postponed +even a month longer. + +We have had a delightful winter. Over a month was spent in Egypt, +visiting the old ruins of that country under the most favorable +circumstances. Leaving Cairo we visited Suez and passed through the +Suez Canal to Port Said. From the latter place we went to Joppa and out +to Jerusalem. Since then we visited Smyrna and Ephesus and are now +here. The Russians are outside of the city but do not come in. A +stranger would not detect from appearances that an enemy was so near. +In fact I think the Turks now regard the Russians as about the only +people in Europe from whom they can expect anything. + +When you write home give my love to Mother, Mary and children, and +Jennie. + +I will inform you later, when I know definitely, about the time to +expect me in Copenhagen. + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +Rome, Italy, +March 29th, '78. + +MY DEAR MR. CORBIN: + +Mr. Young, of the New York _Herald_, has been with us from the time we +went on shipboard until we arrived here. His letters published in the +papers are all good, and save me writing descriptive letters. Presuming +that you have read them I will say nothing further than that my winter +travels, in the Mediterranean, on the Nile, and in the Levant generally +have been the pleasantest of my life. I should enjoy doing it over +again next winter. We have been in Rome eight days. It is a city of +great interest. But one should visit it before making the Nile trip. +Here you see modern and comparatively insignificant ruins, not dating +back many centuries before the beginning of the Christian era. On the +Nile one sees grand ruins, with the inscriptions as plain and distinct +as when they were first made, that antedate Moses by many centuries. + +It was our plan on leaving Suez to go to Florence, Venice, Vienna, +Berlin, Dresden, St. Petersburgh, through Sweden, Norway, back to +Denmark, through Holland to Paris, reaching the latter place about the +middle of July, and to spend six or eight weeks there to see the +Exposition and the people that will fill the city. I think now I will +change my plan and go from Venice, by easy stages, to Paris, reaching +there early in May, and make my visit while the weather is pleasant. I +will then go north in the summer, taking Holland first, Denmark next, +and Sweden and Norway in August. I fear from present indications that +Mr. Cramer and Mary will not be there. + +It looks to me that unless the North rallies by 1880 the Government will +be in the hands of those who tried so hard fourteen--seventeen--years +ago to destroy it. B---- is evidently paving a way for re-organizing an +army favorable to such a change. + +I think now we will not return to the States until about a year from +May. I have no idea where we will live on our return, and if we should +go back in the fall we would have to determine the question without +delay. We can go back in May and occupy our Long Branch house and have +all summer to prepare for the winter. + +I was getting some little mosaics--specialties of Rome--to-day and I +bought, among other things, what I think a very pretty pin and earrings +for Jennie. I have also got bracelets for Clara Cramer and Jennie +Grant. If I see an opportunity of sending them home before going myself +I will send them. I have written to Buck to come over and spend his +vacation with us. I can send them with him. + +Give our love to Mother, Jennie, Mary and the children. + +Yours very truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + +P.S. It is very kind in Mr. Clark, and the gentlemen associated with +him, to send the message you convey from them; but they must recollect +that I had the harness on for sixteen years and feel no inclination to +wear it again. I sincerely hope that the North will so thoroughly rally +by next election as to bury the last remnant of secession proclivities, +and put in the Executive chair a firm and steady hand, free from +Utopian ideas purifying the party electing him out of existence. + + + + +Hotel Liverpool, Paris, +May 25th, '78. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +I am now for the first time able to fix approximately the time of my +visit to Copenhagen. We shall leave here on Saturday, three weeks from +to-day, or on the following Tuesday. We shall stop at The Hague three +or four days. Jesse leaves for home so as to take the steamer of the +fourth of June from Liverpool. Our party therefore will consist only of +Mrs. Grant with her maid and myself. If your arrangements are made to +be away from Copenhagen at the time mentioned above, I beg that you +will not change your plans. Should you be there, we shall probably +remain over about one week. Should you be away, we shall stop only a +couple of days. + +I have not heard directly from Elizabeth for some time; it is probably +my own fault, for Mr. Corbin is very prompt in answering every letter; +but Bucky writes regularly every week from New York, so I hear +indirectly. When you write home give my love to all of them at +Elizabeth. + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + +P.S. I go from Copenhagen directly to Stockholm. I am not personally +acquainted with our present Minister there, though I once appointed him +to a South American Mission. + +U.S.G. + + + + +Paris, France, +June 3d, '78. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +Your letter of the 31st of May is just received. I should have written +to you within a day or two to inform you of a slight change of plan, +which will bring me into Copenhagen from ten days to two weeks later +than I wrote you I should be there, even if I had not received your +letter. To save retracing my steps, as I should be obliged to do by the +routes laid out in my last letter, I now intend to go from The Hague to +Berlin and visit a few of the German cities before going to Denmark. +From Copenhagen I shall go by water to Norway, thence to Sweden, St. +Petersburg, Moscow, and to Vienna. + +I shall be very glad indeed to see Mary and the children and hope they +may be back by the time I reach Copenhagen, about from the fifth to the +tenth of July. + +Jesse sails from Liverpool to-morrow for home. He has been very +homesick for some time. + +With best regards of Mrs. Grant and myself, I am, + +Very truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +Hanover, Germany, +June 25th, '78. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +Mrs. Grant and I are now here on our way to the German capital. We +shall probably remain in Berlin until Monday, the first of July. We +shall stop over by the way from Berlin to Copenhagen, particularly at +Hamburg, so as to reach Copenhagen about the fifth of July. If you will +drop me a line to the Kissenhof Hotel, Berlin, to let me know if Mary +will be home at the time designated I shall be obliged. If she is not +to be at home I may change my plan and go direct to Sweden, thence to +Norway, and return thence by Denmark. + +Mrs. Grant and I are both well and send much love to Mary and the +children. + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +Paris, France. +Dec. 10th, '78. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +Since leaving Copenhagen Mrs. Grant and I have visited every capital in +Europe not previously visited by us. + +I can say with great earnestness that no part of our journeyings gave +us more pleasure than that through the Scandinavian countries, and no +public have impressed me more favorably. If I were going to remain over +another year I should go back to Norway at least and far enough north +to see the midnight sun. But we expect to leave Paris about the middle +of January, to return to the States by the way of India, China, and +Japan. The Secretary of the Navy has been kind enough to invite us to +go on a man-of-war which leaves the United States to-day for the +Chinese squadron, via the Mediterranean and Suez. I first declined but +since cabled my acceptance. This will probably bring us around home +about next October or November. + +I am sorry to say that I do not get favorable news from Orvil. He does +not seem to improve. + +Julia joins me in love to Mary and the children and in kindest regards +to yourself. + +I hope you did not forward the stones presented by the Consul.--Julia +says to tell Mary that she got a very rich fur cloak in Paris and hopes +she got one also. Is there anything we can do for you in Paris? + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +Rangoon, Burma, +March 20th, '79. + +MY DEAR MR. CRAMER: + +We have now been very well through India and are this far on our way to +the farther East. The weather has been pleasant until within the last +few days. But now it is becoming very warm, and as we have yet to go +through the Straits of Malacca near the equator before turning north, +we must expect some discomfort. I have been very much pleased with +English rule and English hospitality in India. With that rule two +hundred and fifty millions of uncivilized people are living at peace +with each other, and are not only drawing their subsistence from the +soil but are exporting a large excess over imports from it. It would be +a sad day for the people of India and for the commerce of the world if +the English should withdraw. We hope to be in Hong Kong by the middle +of April, and farther north in China as soon thereafter as possible. +When a good climate is reached we shall regulate our further movements +by the reports of weather on seas to be traversed, and climate of +places to be visited. At present, however, we expect to reach San +Francisco about the first half of July. Although homesick to be settled +down I dread getting back. The clamor of the partisan and so-called +independent press win be such as to make life there unpleasant for a +time. + +Mrs. Grant joins me in love to you, Mary, and the children. + +I have to-day written a letter to Mr. Corbin. + +Very truly yours, + +U.S. GRANT. + +P.S. Julia asks me to add, to tell Mary that the English speak in the +highest terms of the work being done all through this country by the +missionaries, especially in an educational way. They say they are doing +much good. + + + + +[To his niece, Clara Cramer.] + +New York City, +Sept. 27th, 1883. + +MY DEAR CLARA: + +On my return from the trip over the North Pacific Railroad to the +Pacific Coast last Friday, I found your excellent and welcome letter, +with enclosures. Your aunt was very much pleased with your letter and +poetry as well as with your essay. They all do you great credit, and I +think you can well sustain yourself as a writer with any young lady of +your age in this or any other land. + +My trip over the northern route to the Pacific about completes my +personal observation of every part of our country. I was not prepared +to see so rich a country or one so rapidly developing. Across the +continent where but a few years ago the Indian held undisputed sway, +there is now a continuous settlement, and every ten or fifteen miles a +town or city, each with spires of the school house and the church. The +soil for almost the entire distance is as fertile as that of Illinois. +I saw your Aunt Jennie yesterday. She is quite well. All my family are +well and join in love to you. I think neither your Aunt nor I will ever +visit Europe again. We may, however, change our minds. But we are +getting a little too old to enjoy travelling, and then we have such +pleasant homes for both summer and winter. + +Love to your father and mother. + +Yours truly, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +3 East 66th Street, +June 10th, '84. + +DEAR CLARA: + +Your letter, with one from your Aunt Jennie, reached me a few days +since. I regret that I have not more cheerful news to write you than I +have. Financially the Grant family is ruined for the present, and by +the most stupendous frauds ever perpetrated. But your Aunt Jennie must +not fret over it. I still have a home and as long as I live she shall +enjoy it as a matter of right; at least until she recovers what she has +lost. Fred is young, active, honest, and intelligent, and will work +with a vim to recuperate his losses. Of course his first effort will be +to repay his aunts.--We go to Long Branch this week. We expected to +live with Fred this summer in Morristown, N.J. But failing to rent our +cottage we will occupy it and Fred will live with us and rent his if he +can. + +All send love to you, your father and mother and Aunt Jennie. + +Yours affectionately, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +[To Mrs. Cramer. General Grant was then writing his _Memoirs_. Dr. +Cramer was United States Minister to Switzerland from 1881 to 1885. +Simpson is U.S. Grant, son of Orvil Grant. Reference is made to the +customary resignation of diplomatic officials of the party opposed to +the incoming political party. Cleveland became President in 1885.] + +New York City, +Jan'y 13th, 1885. + +DEAR SISTER: + +I am just in receipt of Jennie's letter of the 2nd of January. I am +busy on my book which Fred is copying for the press. I hope to have it +ready for the press by May next. But I may fail in this on account of +weakness. My mouth has been very sore, but not so bad I think as the +papers have made out. But it has been bad enough. The rest of the +family are all well. + +My advice is that Mr. Cramer does not resign until he is asked to. +Simpson I do not suppose will be disturbed in his position. He is very +competent, and the soul of honor, both qualities wanted in the +Sub-treasury. + +All send love. + +Yours affectionately, + +U.S. GRANT. + + + + +PROCLAMATION TO THE CITIZENS OF PADUCAH! + +I have come among you, not as an enemy, but as your friend and +fellow-citizen, not to injure or annoy you, but to respect the rights, +and to defend and enforce the rights of all loyal citizens. An enemy, +in rebellion against our common Government, has taken possession of, +and planted its guns upon the soil of Kentucky and fired upon our flag. +Hickman and Columbus are in his hands. He is moving upon your city. I +am here to defend you against this enemy and to assert and maintain the +authority and sovereignty of your Government and mine. I have nothing +to do with opinions. I shall deal only with armed rebellion and its +aiders and abettors. + +You can pursue your usual avocations without fear or hindrance. The +strong arm of the Government is here to protect its friends, and to +punish only its enemies. Whenever it is manifest that you are able to +defend yourselves, to maintain the authority of your Government, and +protect the rights of all its loyal citizens, I shall withdraw the +forces under my command from your city. + +U.S. GRANT, +_Brig-Gen. U.S.A., Commanding._ + +PADUCAH, Sept. 6th, 1861. + + + + +[The following letter is from the secretary of General Grant's aunt, +the Aunt Rachel referred to on page twenty-seven. It is included in +this volume as a historical curiosity.] + +Chestnut Hill, Va., +June 5th, 1861. + +MISS GRANT: + +I have not often written to "incog." correspondents, nor should I have +the presumption now to address you, unknown to me (unless by +reputation), but that peculiar circumstances have so combined as to +induce the experiment. Your Aunt, Mrs. Tompkins, has been prostrated by +illness for many days, and, for a while, closely confined to her couch; +thus rendering it at least inconvenient to respond to your elaborate +epistle, and, having permitted me the pleasure (?) of its perusal, she +requested me to act as her Amanuensis. In compliance, then, with her +desire I shall proceed "ex abrupto" to discuss the various points you +have presented; hoping you will pardon whatever of presumption there +attaches to me in taking up a gauntlet thrown _not directly_ at my own +feet. + +First, then, you deplore the deep distress that pervades our land, in +anticipation of a conflict such as the civilized world never witnessed, +and even the annals of barbarous history scarce re^cd; together with +the inevitable consequence, that, our once (though _many years ago_) +happy Union must be _for ever dissolved_. Viewing it from our +standpoint I unite my voice of lamentation with yours; for it seems +truly a mournful sight to behold, spread out to the gaze of the world, +the history of a nation's folly, written in letters of blood. But I +look at the brighter side of this distorted photograph. With the eye of +_faith_ at least I can discern the hand of _Providence_ shifting the +scenes. This may seem strange, that a partition wall should be erected +in the Temple of Liberty, once an asylum for an oppressed world. That +the "Stars and Stripes"--the (once) badge of freedom, gracing the bosom +of every sea--should be riddled from its staff and another substituted +in its stead. Not less strange, however, did thousands of good +Englishmen deem it, to behold the proud "British Lion" quail before his +foe of "the wilderness," and the "Magna Charta" rent in twain. We must +look upon it then as an exercise of God's retributive justice for our +Sins as a people, or, that He designs that He shall ultimately be the +more glorified by the separation. In the former case of course I take +it that the _North_ will receive the awful visitation, for although +offences must needs come, yet, woe be unto him through whom they come! +In the latter condition the South is destined to become what (& indeed +far more than) the whole America _once_ was to the world. This +Government was far too large to prosper well for many years; or at +least comp^d to England (prosper), France and Spain, & Russia itself; +but especially should we be divided into 2 great gov's since we have +_virtually been so_, as to our domestic institutions, and many of our +social customs, for many, many years. It is true we did exist many +years also in commercial and social prosperity, & might have continued +to maintain such a happy condition had not the "green-eyed monster, +jealousy, reared his horrid front." Yes, it was in great part +_jealousy_. You yourself have admitted (& rightly) that our great +Ancestors were wiser than we. Well when they formed the _Original +Confed^y_ they were the Rep's[3] of _Slave States_, with _one +exception_. They did not deem it _wrong_ in itself, or they would have +abolished it--at least would not have made the "Fugitive S. Law" _for +its protection_. After a while, however, it _did not pay_ to keep +Slavery in Northern climates, & it was abolished _instanter_. Why then +was it that it became such a monstrous crime in their eyes? Wherein was +the consistency? Partisans became jealous of the wealth & power of +Southern planters & South^n politicians, elevated to their power +_through their wealth_--a thing _unavoidable_ in a Republican +government. Thus, through demagogues at the North an animosity was +aroused. It slumbered long in the germ, but being assiduously cherished +from year to year it at last budded and bloomed in a clime congenial to +its nature, & is now bringing forth its venomous fruit, even to a +"hundred fold." It was the consuming of this pernicious fruit that +brought death upon our "Body Politic" and produced all our woe. Would +to God that woe should fall upon none but those who "planted & watered" +it! I am perfectly conscious and cognizant of the manner in which this +spirit of enmity has been fostered. I am a _Northern_ by _birth_ and +_education_, & can testify to that which I know. I have also been in +the _South_ sufficiently long to _know_ the sentiments of the people +here, and how they coincide (or rather disagree) with the _Northern +conceptions_ of them. I have spent almost 8 years here--certainly long +enough to learn the _character_ of the "peculiar institution" as well +as its _practical workings & effect_ on society. And as I came with +somewhat of prejudice against it, you must be frank enough to +acknowledge me a fair judge in the matter. Among the first books put +into my youthful library, was a work called _Charles Ball_, or _The +Trials of a Run-Away Slave_. This was a horrid thing, and formed an +impression on my young mind that has only with the utmost _difficulty_ +been eradicated. I am conscious that its contents are false. About the +same time, & repeatedly, I was taken to witness a panorama of _Uncle +Tom's Cabin_--another book whose leaves have furnished much fuel to +infernal flames. At the same time, & ever since, I have had my ears +grated with the harsh jargon of fanatical tirades against the +institutions & people of the South. Of course then my mind was +_poisoned & prejudiced_. And this has not been _my_ political training +alone but that of a majority of your youth at the North--_no further_ +North too than _Penna_. How then is it possible that the North can +entertain amicable feelings toward the South? Add to this, what you +rightly remark, that the popular mind is continually influenced by the +issues of the _Press_--an instrument that has scattered the seeds of +discord broadcast over the land. And here you either ignorantly or +designedly intimate a slander against the South. You say "all papers +have free issue at the _North & not_ so at the _South_." Now do you not +know enough of Southern affairs to see that the South by their _very +Constitution_ cannot admit _incendiary_ documents to be cast into their +midst--it were suicidal. If the South should publish papers uttering +sentiments detrimental to Northern manufactories (_in general_) & in +favor of foreign manufac's, how long would the North permit such papers +to pass into their territory? Again, just as you say you "wish that +North^n. papers could circulate South," so also _do I wish_ that I +need not _bar my doors of nights_. And both our desires could be +accomplished if _all men were honest_. But, first, as I can't expect +robbers to pass by my unbarred treasury, so I can't expect to receive +Northern papers uncrammed with _incendiary items_. Again, however, the +South^n papers have _virtually_ no circulation at the North. I have +heard men, reputable for their knowledge & conservatism even, denounce +such Publi^ns.[4] as "unworthy to be touched." In the Reading Room of +Princeton Theo. Seminary there were taken, last winter, 12 weekly +papers, and about 8 periodicals from the South & scarcely 3 of these +were touched by _any but Southern Students_ during the Session, unless +some exciting discussion were going on in their columns. Thus much as +to newspapers. I confess they have been the cause of many erroneous +impressions on both sides, but the North is no purer from crimination +on this score than the South;--one stubborn evidence of this is the +numerical dif. in pop^ln.[5] + +You next remark that Abolitionism does not predominate at the North. I +admit that for many years it _did not_, but lately it has acquired an +ascendency & is now wielding its baneful influence on the minds of the +masses. It is true there are many good people there whose minds are too +pure to be tainted by such an almost infidel spirit as pervades the +breasts of Abolitionists; yet the party in power has been elevated by +such vast majorities of the people, _in that section_, that, to one +investigating the matter, it seems the public sentiment at the North +has greatly changed in the last few years. In such a country as ours--a +democratic one--the masses are governed by a few great leaders; these +leaders, whether in power or not, are still the almost despots who rule +us. Their actions give fruit and coloring to the character of the +sections over which they sway their autocratic sceptres. Who then can +doubt the Aboli^n propensities of the N. when such men as _Beecher, +Greeley, Webb, Phillips, Sumner_, & a host of kindred spirits, are the +giant levers in the machinery of their society? It will not do to say +that these are disregarded by sensible people there, for I know too +well their power for evil. I know that _Dr. Hodge_--a man whom I love +next to my Father--stated, in his article on "the state of the +Country," that he did not know of 12 abolitionists "within the circle +of his acquaintance." But the Dr. was either woefully mistaken or he +didn't consider his _pupils as belonging to that circle_; for to my +certain knowledge there were twice that number within the walls of +"Princeton" at the time he made the assertion, and many of these +avowedly such--men who, I was astonished to see, withheld their names +when the same Dr. H. came round with a petition to Congress for "the +restoration of the Mis. Comp." & the repeal of the "Personal Liberty +Bills." These young men were embryo Ministers--men whose moral +influence _must_ be _powerful_ for _good_ or for _evil_. How is it then +you can assert that the North don't want the extinction of slavery when +such men as I have mentioned exert every effort to prevent its +extension & not that only, but the _operation_ of the _fugitive S. +law?_ I am aware that you stated the _contrary_ in your letter--that +the North are ever "rigorous" in its execution; nor am I so ungallant +as to doubt your veracity; but I think you have not fully informed +yourself on this point, else you would have learned that in scarcely an +isolated case has the Master ever recovered his property without being +put to more expense & trouble than the negro was worth; although I am +free to admit, that at the same time it cost the U.S. gov. an equal if +not greater Amount. Of course I refer to those negroes who have _not +merely_ crossed the _limits_ of a Slave State, & thus been caught, but +gone some distance North. Now the obligation to restore a fugitive +Slave is a _constitu^l. & moral obligation;_ and those laws designed to +prevent such restoration are unconst^l & criminal--and worthy of all +condem^n.--and unbecoming the dignity of any Sov^n. State. If people of +any State can't conscientiously submit to the Constitution there are +only 2 courses: they should endeavor to have it peaceably altered, or +should _move out of the Country_. This is the opinion of the most +learned and liberal men. _They have no right_ to live under the +protec^n. of a Const^n. & yet _refuse_ to submit to its _stipulations_. +True enough, as you say, the North wish _not_ to have the Negroes set +free _in their midst_, to overrun and disturb them--this they declare +by their actions, for they take no care for or interest in the poor +free (almost) brutes in their midst;--yet how soon will they be ready +to _resist_ you most violently should you attempt to take even one of +them back, from his then wretched abode, to his former happier place in +the service of a kind Master? "Oh! consistency, thou art a jewel!" This +then has been _one_ of the _two great causes_ of the present troubles. +The other--the denial of equal rights in the Territories--is still a +_greater_, because it involves a principle; the former was more a +matter of personal interest. The territories being purchased in common, +were the com. pos. of North and South. Each had a Const^l right to +emigrate thither _with their property_ & demand for it the protection +_afforded by_ the Const^n. It became, in course of time, a matter of +dispute whether the South could take their slaves there as _property_. +(As a matter of course this arose from _jealousy_--the N. having no +such prop, to take.) This great quest. was decided, however, by the +_Chief Justice_ in the highest Tribunal in the world, in favor of the +South; viz. that _slaves were property_. I refer to the "Dred Scott" +Case. This should have been sufficient, as it came from the highest +authority in the Gov^t. But some parties and people are _never +satisfied_. Full in the face of this high official the Repub^n Party +declare by their _Platform orators, & Press_, that slavery shall never +enter another foot of territory. Now if the South admit this principle +they acknowledge their inferiority to the North--an act that, even in +the eyes of the North, would not comport with their dignity & honor as +an independent & free people. The South being thus _oppressed_ then I +assert they have a right (not to secede, for no such right exists in my +conception, as it would be an element _subversive_ of any, & especially +of a Repub^ln gov.,) _to revolt_--a right inherent in & beyond the +control of all earthly govern^ts. Yes I coincide with the great Lord +Chatham when he says that "_Rebellion_ against _oppression_ is +_obedience_ to _God_." Our Ancestors rebelled against the tyranny of +British usurpation, & the Texans revolted against a like despotism +exercised by a Mexican Autocrat. Why then are the _Sovereign_ States of +_America_ not justifiable in throwing off the yoke or rather resisting +_to have put upon them_, the yoke, of Northern Tyranny? To make the +argument still clearer, however, as to the Territories, let us +illustrate it: Suppose a Repub^n. Congress decides that slavery shan't +be _protected_ in the _Ter._ as _prop_. I take my slave thither. An +indictment is brought against me. I am tried and condemned by the +territorial court. I appeal from its decision to the Sup. Court of the +U.S. What then? From _analogy_ I conclude that I shall be acquitted, +i.e., recover my property. For one Chief Justice has already decided +thus; and is not his decision final? Here then is an end of the matter; +since the Sup. Court is the Sole Arbiter in determining the +_Constitutionality_ of any of Congress' acts. + +As to the North not making use of _slanderous epithets_ against the +South, I know nothing about _your particular section_ of the North, but +I do know that when I have been in Penna. & N.J., I have heard all +classes utter the vilest insinuations against the people of the South +_indiscriminately_. Yes, it often seemed as if they could find no +language too harsh, no comparison too base, no denunciation too bitter +to apply to those whom in their ignorance they deemed their inferiors +in wisdom and sense. Such have I heard from the lips of distinguished +citizens in all departments & professions of life. Even hoary-headed +ministers have entered the sacred desk with their MSS. reeking with +filth from the cesspool of political slander. Dr. Brown, with whom you +are doubtless acqu^td, is now in Phila^d. at the Gen. Assem. of the +Pres. Ch. He wrote home lately that he never saw a mob that made use of +viler language than did the best of citizens there in their denouncings +of the South. I confess, however, that this is not a _one-sided_ +affair; for I have heard equally abusive language applied to the North +by the people South. As before, then, let us "strike hands" on this +point also, for both sections are equally culpable. As to the +_strength_ of _individuals_ in the two sections, it must be tested on +the battle-field, and there alone. Our war of words can never decide +anything on this point. I should be sorry to admit the men in the North +could not fight, had they a real enemy to contend against--a war of +"_justice, reason_, or _humanity_" to wage. But to arm themselves +against their brethren, and in such an unholy cause as that in which +they are engaged now, I must confess that their true metal can never be +exhibited. _One_ man whose heart is in the war can always conquer _two_ +who are fighting from some _impure motive_. And now let me candidly ask +you to as candidly tell me whether or not you _think_ after _seeing_ +the thing progress thus far, and having, as you say, been, & still +continue to be, well-informed as to apper^ns on _both sides_, the North +are engaged in the cause of "Justice." Admitting that some of them are +actuated by pure and lofty motives, do you not acknowledge that the +_vast majority_ are _blinded_ by _prejudice, led on_ by a desire for +_military fame_, prompted by the _prospect_ of _plunder_, or actuated +by the still more ----? but I refrain--my very pen shudders at the +thought of expressing myself further. Yes, I think you must confess +that is the case. I refer, of course, to the Armies of Lincoln _thus +far_ made up. Are they not composed of a _Mercenary horde_, made up +generally of the lowest rabble of the Country, & thousands of those +thrown out of employment in the manufacturing cities--who have resorted +to camp-life for self-sustenance--indeed _their only resource?_ Whether +you admit this or not, it is emphatically true to a great extent, for +the Northern papers themselves have made such statements as would lead +me to believe so, & more, I have correspondents in the North, who +confirm my suspicions on this score. My own Father who does not justify +the attack on Sumter, yet denounces Lin's army as a set of _Murderers!_ +He lives in Penna. & this is the opinion of many good citizens there. +And now can such men be justified in their present purposes and +activities? If so, upon what principles? We have sh^n. that it is not +in accordance with sound reason & the "inexorable logic" of the +Constitution, since that noble edifice was attacked in two points +simultaneously by the Repub^cn party: 1°. by abrogating the Fugitive +Slave Law; 2°. by depriving the South of eq^l rights in the +Territories. These are 2 points in which the North has transgressed the +limits of immutable Justice, and nothing which is unjust can be +_reasonable_, for, they (Just. & Reas.) are twin sisters. Moreover, the +Bible justifies no war but that of self-defence. Then are the North +invaded? No, nor never will be, by the South, for all they ask is peace +within their borders. While they hold in one hand the sword of +self-defence, they present the "Olive Branch" with the other; and so +God grant it _may be ever_. + +You lament the inconceivable disasters "inaugurated by the attack on +Sumter." True enough they may have been _inaugurated_ by that _act_, +but their unconcealed cause lies _far_ back of that, as we have shown. +That was only a raising of the curtain, or rather a forcing of it to be +raised by the Abolitionists--a beginning of the bloody drama. Who +caused the attack? What meant those _human cargoes_ that approached so +close to its walls the day before the battle? Why did the worthy (?) +Lincoln so long deceive the South^rn Commissioners by promise after +promise not to make war, but to _evacuate_ the fort, & meet them, as a +sensible Pres. would have done, in friendly negotiation for peace? S.C. +was right, and acted nobly in the affair, and was as justifiable +therein, as was _Anderson_ in occupying the Fort _before_ he had a +reason for doing so, declaring by his overt act that the U.S. forces +under him were at _enmity_ with S.C. But then you say S.C. should have +_first tried_ Lincoln before determining to secede. I think she saw +with prophetic vision the end from the beginning. She took Lincoln at +his word--that itself was oppression & tyranny sufficient to burst +asunder the closest ties of Union that could exist in any Country. You +say we sh^d. give everything a fair trial. I disagree. If I saw a +_serpent_ in my path & it sh^d. attempt to make battle, or declare its +hostility by displaying its horrid fangs, do you think I would coolly +stand by & give it a fair trial, & test its friendship? I would be +impelled, even had I never seen or heard of such a creature before, to +crush it immediately, & so S.C. has sensibly said to the Administration +"_Serpent, bite a file!_" As to your Eulogium on Lincoln I have not +much to say. If he pleases you, well enough, you're easily satisfied. +_I_ take it that he is a disgrace to the Chair he occupies; and to +judge from his conversations, he is devoid of all sense of refinement & +etiquette; to look at his executive powers as displayed thus far, he +had better be _a Bey_ than helmsman of the "Old Ship"; and what of his +_efforts_ at speeches? In the language of Logan, "I appeal to any white +man" to say if they would not be a disgrace to many a "Country +'Squire"! And yet such a man elevated to the highest position in the +gift of the American people! There was a time when the soundest and +most learned men of the land were made Presidents, now a man's capacity +for the office seems to depend on the meanness of his intellect & the +_number of rails he can split in a day_. And so great were his "maul & +wedge" propensities that he withheld not his hand from splitting the +Tree of Liberty. But let us inquire upon which side "_humanity_" stands +in this contest. You complain much of several (local) depredations +com^td by South on private _boats_ &c. I ask, in candor, if it was not +in retaliation for like outrages com^td by the North. I am certain as +to its being so in several cases. The very 1st boat thus ill-treated +was one belonging to the South on its way down the Miss. & attacked at +Cairo. To retaliate they determined to attack _North^en boats coming up +the river_. And what have your noble _Ohioans_ done lately & repeatedly +with our _Ka._ boats at _Gallipolis_? Thrice have they overhauled the +same boat and twice kept every pound of freight on her timbers. But +this is not all; your _humane Lincoln_ has closed the Southern ports, & +is daily _robbing vessels_ on their way in & out of the same. During +the last week he stole $150,000 worth of Southern Tobacco, & thus the +programme continues. _Very humane indeed!_ Again, he is _no invader!_ +No indeed! by no means! yet hundreds of Citizens are now fleeing from +Wheeling, & other towns invaded, for personal safety. Scarce a day +passes but some one stops here who has thus escaped. If they remain on +their own soil and round their proper hearthstone the (very) humane +doom of a murderer awaits them! The North don't intend to make invasion +at all, yet _4000 F^l_ troops are now in _Parkersburg_, breaking up +printing presses, putting innocent people in jail, and doing other +_humane_ acts, "too numerous to mention." According to my letter from +Father I understand they don't have the first principles of _Civilized +warfare_--they intend to _hang_ all their prisoners. Oh! _humanity!_ +HUMANITY! + +And now that we have seen that neither Reason, Justice, nor Humanity is +on the side of the North, let us look at the subject in the light of +_Expediency_, admitting, for the sake of argument the while, that it +_were_ right or just to wage the war. And viewing it from this +standpoint, we ask, what does the North expect to _gain_ by it? Does +there live a man so lost to reason & common sense as to imagine that +the Union of the seceded States with the N.S. can ever be effected +again? _And if it could be done by force_, how long could a Repub^n +Gov. exist as a military despotism? And who would not prefer +_banishment_ or _death_ to _such_ a _life?_ What Satisfac^n could the +North themselves have in such an event? They would live a life of +misery; provoke the sneers of the civilized world; and draw down upon +their heads the terrible wrath of an offended God. + +But this war will _not_ be permitted _thus to terminate_, the South can +_never be conquered_. You yourself know their "_spirit_" too well to +believe otherwise. Rather than be _subjugated_ they will _die_ a +_triple death_. Like their mighty _Henry_ they cry, "Give us liberty or +give us _death!_" And still more _I_ don't think they can be +_exterminated. 8,000,000_ of people, armed in the holy cause of +self-defence; struggling for their _liberties, honor, interests, & +lives_, with a laudable ambition, & an _unyielding perseverance_, are +_invincible_ by any force the North can raise to send against them. +Besides (to continue the sentiments of Henry), the battle is not to the +_strong_ alone, it is to the _vigilant, the active_, the _brave_. +Especially so when, as I said before, the forces of Lincoln are not +composed generally of men of the first rank of Society (except a few +Officers desirous of Fame), but the "offscouring" & rabble of the +land--men who have nothing at stake, not even their own lives we might +say, since they care so little for anything. So that notwithstanding +the immense number (and here let me remind you of the _disparity_ of +_forces_, of which you said so much, at _Sumter_)--"stubborn facts"--of +which you speak, the South has nothing to fear. And, moreover, as +certainly as I believe there exists a God of Justice & Mercy, so +certainly & conscientiously do I believe He will defend the South from +the Vandals of the North. Yes, dark as they seem, the clouds of gloom +do not shut out the star of hope, and they are beginning to be spanned +by a radiant bow of promise; the fall of _Ellsworth_ & the shattered +walls of the _once presumed impreg^ble_ Sumter, abundantly testify that +_God_ is on their side, and "if the Lord be _for_ them, _who can be +against_ them?" So I heartily say "God speed" them--they shall have my +prayers.--But let us take one more glance at the _expediency_ of this +matter. Are not the North fighting for a Patroclus' grave in this +struggle? What matters an _abstract banner?_ especially to the _"matter +of fact" Yankee?_ And then behold the inconsistency of the North in +another point; they have through their Representatives, for many years, +cried "_no more slave_ territory"; and indeed many of them, such as +Seward &c., have declared that slavery _must be abolished_, as both +can't exist under the _same gov.;_ yet, _now_ they are _fighting to the +death_ to _keep_ or _get back slave territory!!!_ "Oh! consistency!" +And, _finally_, at this point, will it not cost _myriads_ of _lives & +millions_ of _money_ to accomplish their infernal designs, even _could_ +they do it? And can the North afford this? Even now it is costing +_Lincoln's Anarchy_ (for I can't call it _gov._) _$1,000,000_ per +day--a _matter_ of _record!_ Suppose then the war sh^d last a year, +what then? Union or dis-union? Alas, _farther separation_. Continue it +then two years more. What then? _Ditto & ditto_ it will _be_ should it +last as long as the "_War of the Roses_," for we have no houses of York +& Lancaster to _unite_, sign and settle the dispute by marriage--_one_ +or _both_ annihilated!--And now I ask how, in the name of Reason, +Justice, or Humanity, can you lift up your voice in defence of the +North when they are the cause of all this accumulating misery?--when +they have deprived the South of her Consti^tn rights, driven her to the +necessity of a separation, and now raise their arm against her as an +enemy, declaring either to subjugate her, to overrun her with their +vandal hordes, or exterminate from her soil every living creature?--& +when, "Oh bloodiest picture in the book of time!" they are ready to +repeat with a triple vengeance the untold horrors of the Spanish +Inquisition? They are madly, blindly rushing, they know not where. The +blame of dissolution rests upon her. And the still more awful +responsibility of a civil war will hang as an everlasting incubus upon +her shoulders. Then let her beware ere she "_cross the Rubicon_"--let +her "pause long upon its brink." And shall we all perish by her +fratricidal hand? Shall the blood, shed by brother in deadly war with +brother, flow ignominiously through our rivers to the ocean & be +carried by its waves to stain the shores of Nations that for long years +have been centring their fond hopes on America as the _grand ideal_ of +the gov. they too would some day enjoy? Shall such hopes be blasted as +soon as fondly cherished? and now that Italy has trampled upon the +tyrannical "Mitre"--torn from her long subdued neck the yoke of Papal +bondage--passed from the darkness of superstitious bondage into the +light of religious freedom, shall we sink back to what she was, by +casting ourselves into the whirlpool of civil war? Shall we not only +put out, but shatter, the lamp of liberty, a lamp whose effulgence was +beginning to scatter the shades of despotism from off the earth? Shall +we extinguish the brightest star in the constellation of human freedom? +The united voices of Humanity, Justice, & Reason answer, _No!_ The +cries of myriad free men living, & of millions yet unborn, rend the air +with a universal negative! and from the vaulted canopy of heaven there +swells back the solemn echo, "_God forbid!_" As if augmented by the +mournful strain of 10,000 angels hovering in amazement over the +conflicting scene! _Oh! then let the North beware!_ + +Mrs. Tompkins says that if _you_ can justify your Bro. Ulysses in +drawing his sword against those connected by the ties of blood, and +even boast of it, you are at liberty to do so, _but she can not_. And +should one of those kindred be stricken down by his sword the awful +judgment of God will be meted out to him, &, if not repented of, the +hot thunderbolts of His wrath will blaze round his soul through +eternity. On the contrary, if the _vice versa_ should occur, she thinks +"those kin" would be justified, because in _self-defence_. As to Mr. +_John Marshall's_ being _promoted_ in the army of Lincoln, she thinks +_that fact explains itself:_ he spent much of his time _previously_ +seeking, or at least _expecting, promotion_, & failing in a _laudable +way_,--in defence of his own kindred & the home of his bosom +companion!--he resorted to _Yankeedom_, and sold as it were his +birthright for a mess of Abolition pottage. This helps confirm my view, +that many take positions in Lincoln's Army with the expectation of +military promotion, & the hope of an easy conquest of the South. Oh, +how deluded! But as for many of them, "God forgive them, for they _know +not what they do_." + +But I must bring these desultory remarks to a break-off. So, begging +pardon once more for transgressing the limits of formality, and hoping +you may live to see the verification of many of my remarks, I have the +pleasure of signing myself + +THE SECRETARY OF YOUR AUNT RACHEL + +P.S. If you sh^d write again, please use white paper; it almost gives +me the "blues" to read your letter. + + [Footnote 3: Representatives.] + + [Footnote 4: Publications.] + + [Footnote 5: Population.] + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LETTERS OF ULYSSES S. 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