diff options
Diffstat (limited to '5865.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 5865.txt | 8398 |
1 files changed, 8398 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/5865.txt b/5865.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..bfdc093 --- /dev/null +++ b/5865.txt @@ -0,0 +1,8398 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Ulysses S. Grant, +Part 6., by Ulysses S. Grant + +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: The Memoirs of General Ulysses S. Grant, Part 6. + +Author: Ulysses S. Grant + +Release Date: June 1, 2004 [EBook #5865] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GENERAL GRANT *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + +PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF U. S. GRANT, Part 6. + +by U. S. Grant + + +(Plus Footnotes for Parts 1 to 6) + + +CHAPTER LXII. + +SHERMAN'S MARCH NORTH--SHERIDAN ORDERED TO LYNCHBURG--CANBY ORDERED TO +MOVE AGAINST MOBILE--MOVEMENTS OF SCHOFIELD AND THOMAS--CAPTURE OF +COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA--SHERMAN IN THE CAROLINAS. + +When news of Sherman being in possession of Savannah reached the North, +distinguished statesmen and visitors began to pour in to see him. Among +others who went was the Secretary of War, who seemed much pleased at the +result of his campaign. Mr. Draper, the collector of customs of New +York, who was with Mr. Stanton's party, was put in charge of the public +property that had been abandoned and captured. Savannah was then turned +over to General Foster's command to hold, so that Sherman might have his +own entire army free to operate as might be decided upon in the future. +I sent the chief engineer of the Army of the Potomac (General Barnard) +with letters to General Sherman. He remained some time with the +general, and when he returned brought back letters, one of which +contained suggestions from Sherman as to what ought to be done in +co-operation with him, when he should have started upon his march +northward. + +I must not neglect to state here the fact that I had no idea originally +of having Sherman march from Savannah to Richmond, or even to North +Carolina. The season was bad, the roads impassable for anything except +such an army as he had, and I should not have thought of ordering such a +move. I had, therefore, made preparations to collect transports to +carry Sherman and his army around to the James River by water, and so +informed him. On receiving this letter he went to work immediately to +prepare for the move, but seeing that it would require a long time to +collect the transports, he suggested the idea then of marching up north +through the Carolinas. I was only too happy to approve this; for if +successful, it promised every advantage. His march through Georgia had +thoroughly destroyed all lines of transportation in that State, and had +completely cut the enemy off from all sources of supply to the west of +it. If North and South Carolina were rendered helpless so far as +capacity for feeding Lee's army was concerned, the Confederate garrison +at Richmond would be reduced in territory, from which to draw supplies, +to very narrow limits in the State of Virginia; and, although that +section of the country was fertile, it was already well exhausted of +both forage and food. I approved Sherman's suggestion therefore at +once. + +The work of preparation was tedious, because supplies, to load the +wagons for the march, had to be brought from a long distance. Sherman +would now have to march through a country furnishing fewer provisions +than that he had previously been operating in during his march to the +sea. Besides, he was confronting, or marching toward, a force of the +enemy vastly superior to any his troops had encountered on their +previous march; and the territory through which he had to pass had now +become of such vast importance to the very existence of the Confederate +army, that the most desperate efforts were to be expected in order to +save it. + +Sherman, therefore, while collecting the necessary supplies to start +with, made arrangements with Admiral Dahlgren, who commanded that part +of the navy on the South Carolina and Georgia coast, and General Foster, +commanding the troops, to take positions, and hold a few points on the +sea coast, which he (Sherman) designated, in the neighborhood of +Charleston. + +This provision was made to enable him to fall back upon the sea coast, +in case he should encounter a force sufficient to stop his onward +progress. He also wrote me a letter, making suggestions as to what he +would like to have done in support of his movement farther north. This +letter was brought to City Point by General Barnard at a time when I +happened to be going to Washington City, where I arrived on the 21st of +January. I cannot tell the provision I had already made to co-operate +with Sherman, in anticipation of his expected movement, better than by +giving my reply to this letter. + + +HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON, D. C., Jan. 21, +1865. + +MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN, Commanding Mill Div. of the Mississippi. + +GENERAL:--Your letters brought by General Barnard were received at City +Point, and read with interest. Not having them with me, however, I +cannot say that in this I will be able to satisfy you on all points of +recommendation. As I arrived here at one P.M., and must leave at six +P.M., having in the meantime spent over three hours with the Secretary +and General Halleck, I must be brief. Before your last request to have +Thomas make a campaign into the heart of Alabama, I had ordered +Schofield to Annapolis, Md., with his corps. The advance (six thousand) +will reach the seaboard by the 23d, the remainder following as rapidly +as railroad transportation can be procured from Cincinnati. The corps +numbers over twenty-one thousand men. I was induced to do this because +I did not believe Thomas could possibly be got off before spring. His +pursuit of Hood indicated a sluggishness that satisfied me that he would +never do to conduct one of your campaigns. The command of the advance +of the pursuit was left to subordinates, whilst Thomas followed far +behind. When Hood had crossed the Tennessee, and those in pursuit had +reached it, Thomas had not much more than half crossed the State, from +whence he returned to Nashville to take steamer for Eastport. He is +possessed of excellent judgment, great coolness and honesty, but he is +not good on a pursuit. He also reported his troops fagged, and that it +was necessary to equip up. This report and a determination to give the +enemy no rest determined me to use his surplus troops elsewhere. + +Thomas is still left with a sufficient force surplus to go to Selma +under an energetic leader. He has been telegraphed to, to know whether +he could go, and, if so, which of the several routes he would select. +No reply is yet received. Canby has been ordered to act offensively +from the sea-coast to the interior, towards Montgomery and Selma. +Thomas's forces will move from the north at an early day, or some of his +troops will be sent to Canby. Without further reinforcements Canby will +have a moving column of twenty thousand men. + +Fort Fisher, you are aware, has been captured. We have a force there of +eight thousand effective. At New Bern about half the number. It is +rumored, through deserters, that Wilmington also has fallen. I am +inclined to believe the rumor, because on the 17th we knew the enemy +were blowing up their works about Fort Caswell, and that on the 18th +Terry moved on Wilmington. + +If Wilmington is captured, Schofield will go there. If not, he will be +sent to New Bern. In either event, all the surplus forces at the two +points will move to the interior toward Goldsboro' in co-operation with +your movements. From either point, railroad communications can be run +out, there being here abundance of rolling-stock suited to the gauge of +those roads. + +There have been about sixteen thousand men sent from Lee's army south. +Of these, you will have fourteen thousand against you, if Wilmington is +not held by the enemy, casualties at Fort Fisher having overtaken about +two thousand. + +All these troops are subject to your orders as you come in communication +with them. They will be so instructed. From about Richmond I will +watch Lee closely, and if he detaches much more, or attempts to +evacuate, will pitch in. In the meantime, should you be brought to a +halt anywhere, I can send two corps of thirty thousand effective men to +your support, from the troops about Richmond. + +To resume: Canby is ordered to operate to the interior from the Gulf. +A. J. Smith may go from the north, but I think it doubtful. A force of +twenty-eight or thirty thousand will co-operate with you from New Bern +or Wilmington, or both. You can call for reinforcements. + +This will be handed you by Captain Hudson, of my staff, who will return +with any message you may have for me. If there is anything I can do for +you in the way of having supplies on ship-board, at any point on the +sea-coast, ready for you, let me know it. + +Yours truly, U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General. + + +I had written on the 18th of January to General Sherman, giving him the +news of the battle of Nashville. He was much pleased at the result, +although, like myself, he had been very much disappointed at Thomas for +permitting Hood to cross the Tennessee River and nearly the whole State +of Tennessee, and come to Nashville to be attacked there. He, however, +as I had done, sent Thomas a warm congratulatory letter. + +On the 10th of January, 1865, the resolutions of thanks to Sherman and +his army passed by Congress were approved. + +Sherman, after the capture, at once had the debris cleared up, +commencing the work by removing the piling and torpedoes from the river, +and taking up all obstructions. He had then intrenched the city, so +that it could be held by a small garrison. By the middle of January all +his work was done, except the accumulation of supplies to commence his +movement with. + +He proposed to move in two columns, one from Savannah, going along by +the river of the same name, and the other by roads farther east, +threatening Charleston. He commenced the advance by moving his right +wing to Beaufort, South Carolina, then to Pocotaligo by water. This +column, in moving north, threatened Charleston, and, indeed, it was not +determined at first that they would have a force visit Charleston. +South Carolina had done so much to prepare the public mind of the South +for secession, and had been so active in precipitating the decision of +the question before the South was fully prepared to meet it, that there +was, at that time, a feeling throughout the North and also largely +entertained by people of the South, that the State of South Carolina, +and Charleston, the hot-bed of secession in particular, ought to have a +heavy hand laid upon them. In fact, nothing but the decisive results +that followed, deterred the radical portion of the people from +condemning the movement, because Charleston had been left out. To pass +into the interior would, however, be to insure the evacuation of the +city, and its possession by the navy and Foster's troops. It is so +situated between two formidable rivers that a small garrison could have +held it against all odds as long as their supplies would hold out. +Sherman therefore passed it by. + +By the first of February all preparations were completed for the final +march, Columbia, South Carolina, being the first objective; +Fayetteville, North Carolina, the second; and Goldsboro, or +neighborhood, the final one, unless something further should be +determined upon. The right wing went from Pocotaligo, and the left from +about Hardeeville on the Savannah River, both columns taking a pretty +direct route for Columbia. The cavalry, however, were to threaten +Charleston on the right, and Augusta on the left. + +On the 15th of January Fort Fisher had fallen, news of which Sherman had +received before starting out on his march. We already had New Bern and +had soon Wilmington, whose fall followed that of Fort Fisher; as did +other points on the sea coast, where the National troops were now in +readiness to co-operate with Sherman's advance when he had passed +Fayetteville. + +On the 18th of January I ordered Canby, in command at New Orleans, to +move against Mobile, Montgomery and Selma, Alabama, for the purpose of +destroying roads, machine shops, etc. On the 8th of February I ordered +Sheridan, who was in the Valley of Virginia, to push forward as soon as +the weather would permit and strike the canal west of Richmond at or +about Lynchburg; and on the 20th I made the order to go to Lynchburg as +soon as the roads would permit, saying: "As soon as it is possible to +travel, I think you will have no difficulty about reaching Lynchburg +with a cavalry force alone. From there you could destroy the railroad +and canal in every direction, so as to be of no further use to the +rebellion. * * * This additional raid, with one starting from East +Tennessee under Stoneman, numbering about four or five thousand cavalry; +one from Eastport, Mississippi, ten thousand cavalry; Canby, from Mobile +Bay, with about eighteen thousand mixed troops--these three latter +pushing for Tuscaloosa, Selma and Montgomery; and Sherman with a large +army eating out the vitals of South Carolina--is all that will be wanted +to leave nothing for the rebellion to stand upon. I would advise you to +overcome great obstacles to accomplish this. Charleston was evacuated +on Tuesday last." + +On the 27th of February, more than a month after Canby had received his +orders, I again wrote to him, saying that I was extremely anxious to +hear of his being in Alabama. I notified him, also, that I had sent +Grierson to take command of his cavalry, he being a very efficient +officer. I further suggested that Forrest was probably in Mississippi, +and if he was there, he would find him an officer of great courage and +capacity whom it would be difficult to get by. I still further informed +him that Thomas had been ordered to start a cavalry force into +Mississippi on the 20th of February, or as soon as possible thereafter. +This force did not get off however. + +All these movements were designed to be in support of Sherman's march, +the object being to keep the Confederate troops in the West from leaving +there. But neither Canby nor Thomas could be got off in time. I had +some time before depleted Thomas's army to reinforce Canby, for the +reason that Thomas had failed to start an expedition which he had been +ordered to send out, and to have the troops where they might do +something. Canby seemed to be equally deliberate in all of his +movements. I ordered him to go in person; but he prepared to send a +detachment under another officer. General Granger had got down to New +Orleans, in some way or other, and I wrote Canby that he must not put +him in command of troops. In spite of this he asked the War Department +to assign Granger to the command of a corps. + +Almost in despair of having adequate service rendered to the cause in +that quarter, I said to Canby: "I am in receipt of a dispatch * * * +informing me that you have made requisitions for a construction corps +and material to build seventy miles of railroad. I have directed that +none be sent. Thomas's army has been depleted to send a force to you +that they might be where they could act in winter, and at least detain +the force the enemy had in the West. If there had been any idea of +repairing railroads, it could have been done much better from the North, +where we already had the troops. I expected your movements to be +co-operative with Sherman's last. This has now entirely failed. I +wrote to you long ago, urging you to push promptly and to live upon the +country, and destroy railroads, machine shops, etc., not to build them. +Take Mobile and hold it, and push your forces to the interior--to +Montgomery and to Selma. Destroy railroads, rolling stock, and +everything useful for carrying on war, and, when you have done this, +take such positions as can be supplied by water. By this means alone +you can occupy positions from which the enemy's roads in the interior +can be kept broken." + +Most of these expeditions got off finally, but too late to render any +service in the direction for which they were designed. + +The enemy, ready to intercept his advance, consisted of Hardee's troops +and Wheeler's cavalry, perhaps less than fifteen thousand men in all; +but frantic efforts were being made in Richmond, as I was sure would be +the case, to retard Sherman's movements. Everything possible was being +done to raise troops in the South. Lee dispatched against Sherman the +troops which had been sent to relieve Fort Fisher, which, including +those of the other defences of the harbor and its neighborhood, +amounted, after deducting the two thousand killed, wounded and captured, +to fourteen thousand men. After Thomas's victory at Nashville what +remained, of Hood's army were gathered together and forwarded as rapidly +as possible to the east to co-operate with these forces; and, finally, +General Joseph E. Johnston, one of the ablest commanders of the South +though not in favor with the administration (or at least with Mr. +Davis), was put in command of all the troops in North and South +Carolina. + +Schofield arrived at Annapolis in the latter part of January, but before +sending his troops to North Carolina I went with him down the coast to +see the situation of affairs, as I could give fuller directions after +being on the ground than I could very well have given without. We soon +returned, and the troops were sent by sea to Cape Fear River. Both New +Bern and Wilmington are connected with Raleigh by railroads which unite +at Goldsboro. Schofield was to land troops at Smithville, near the +mouth of the Cape Fear River on the west side, and move up to secure the +Wilmington and Charlotteville Railroad. This column took their pontoon +bridges with them, to enable them to cross over to the island south of +the city of Wilmington. A large body was sent by the north side to +co-operate with them. They succeeded in taking the city on the 22d of +February. I took the precaution to provide for Sherman's army, in case +he should be forced to turn in toward the sea coast before reaching +North Carolina, by forwarding supplies to every place where he was +liable to have to make such a deflection from his projected march. I +also sent railroad rolling stock, of which we had a great abundance, now +that we were not operating the roads in Virginia. The gauge of the +North Carolina railroads being the same as the Virginia railroads had +been altered too; these cars and locomotives were ready for use there +without any change. + +On the 31st of January I countermanded the orders given to Thomas to +move south to Alabama and Georgia. (I had previously reduced his force +by sending a portion of it to Terry.) I directed in lieu of this +movement, that he should send Stoneman through East Tennessee, and push +him well down toward Columbia, South Carolina, in support of Sherman. +Thomas did not get Stoneman off in time, but, on the contrary, when I +had supposed he was on his march in support of Sherman I heard of his +being in Louisville, Kentucky. I immediately changed the order, and +directed Thomas to send him toward Lynchburg. Finally, however, on the +12th of March, he did push down through the north-western end of South +Carolina, creating some consternation. I also ordered Thomas to send +the 4th corps (Stanley's) to Bull Gap and to destroy no more roads east +of that. I also directed him to concentrate supplies at Knoxville, with +a view to a probable movement of his army through that way toward +Lynchburg. + +Goldsboro is four hundred and twenty-five miles from Savannah. Sherman's +march was without much incident until he entered Columbia, on the 17th +of February. He was detained in his progress by having to repair and +corduroy the roads, and rebuild the bridges. There was constant +skirmishing and fighting between the cavalry of the two armies, but this +did not retard the advance of the infantry. Four days, also, were lost +in making complete the destruction of the most important railroads south +of Columbia; there was also some delay caused by the high water, and the +destruction of the bridges on the line of the road. A formidable river +had to be crossed near Columbia, and that in the face of a small +garrison under General Wade Hampton. There was but little delay, +however, further than that caused by high water in the stream. Hampton +left as Sherman approached, and the city was found to be on fire. + +There has since been a great deal of acrimony displayed in discussions +of the question as to who set Columbia on fire. Sherman denies it on the +part of his troops, and Hampton denies it on the part of the +Confederates. One thing is certain: as soon as our troops took +possession, they at once proceeded to extinguish the flames to the best +of their ability with the limited means at hand. In any case, the +example set by the Confederates in burning the village of Chambersburg, +Pa., a town which was not garrisoned, would seem to make a defence of +the act of firing the seat of government of the State most responsible +for the conflict then raging, not imperative. + +The Confederate troops having vacated the city, the mayor took +possession, and sallied forth to meet the commander of the National +forces for the purpose of surrendering the town, making terms for the +protection of property, etc. Sherman paid no attention at all to the +overture, but pushed forward and took the town without making any +conditions whatever with its citizens. He then, however, co-operated +with the mayor in extinguishing the flames and providing for the people +who were rendered destitute by this destruction of their homes. When he +left there he even gave the mayor five hundred head of cattle to be +distributed among the citizens, to tide them over until some arrangement +could be made for their future supplies. He remained in Columbia until +the roads, public buildings, workshops and everything that could be +useful to the enemy were destroyed. While at Columbia, Sherman learned +for the first time that what remained of Hood's army was confronting +him, under the command of General Beauregard. + +Charleston was evacuated on the 18th of February, and Foster garrisoned +the place. Wilmington was captured on the 22d. Columbia and Cheraw +farther north, were regarded as so secure from invasion that the wealthy +people of Charleston and Augusta had sent much of their valuable +property to these two points to be stored. Among the goods sent there +were valuable carpets, tons of old Madeira, silverware, and furniture. +I am afraid much of these goods fell into the hands of our troops. +There was found at Columbia a large amount of powder, some artillery, +small-arms and fixed ammunition. These, of course were among the +articles destroyed. While here, Sherman also learned of Johnston's +restoration to command. The latter was given, as already stated, all +troops in North and South Carolina. After the completion of the +destruction of public property about Columbia, Sherman proceeded on his +march and reached Cheraw without any special opposition and without +incident to relate. The railroads, of course, were thoroughly destroyed +on the way. Sherman remained a day or two at Cheraw; and, finally, on +the 6th of March crossed his troops over the Pedee and advanced straight +for Fayetteville. Hardee and Hampton were there, and barely escaped. +Sherman reached Fayetteville on the 11th of March. He had dispatched +scouts from Cheraw with letters to General Terry, at Wilmington, asking +him to send a steamer with some supplies of bread, clothing and other +articles which he enumerated. The scouts got through successfully, and +a boat was sent with the mail and such articles for which Sherman had +asked as were in store at Wilmington; unfortunately, however, those +stores did not contain clothing. + +Four days later, on the 15th, Sherman left Fayetteville for Goldsboro. +The march, now, had to be made with great caution, for he was +approaching Lee's army and nearing the country that still remained open +to the enemy. Besides, he was confronting all that he had had to +confront in his previous march up to that point, reinforced by the +garrisons along the road and by what remained of Hood's army. Frantic +appeals were made to the people to come in voluntarily and swell the +ranks of our foe. I presume, however, that Johnston did not have in all +over 35,000 or 40,000 men. The people had grown tired of the war, and +desertions from the Confederate army were much more numerous than the +voluntary accessions. + +There was some fighting at Averysboro on the 16th between Johnston's +troops and Sherman's, with some loss; and at Bentonville on the 19th and +21st of March, but Johnston withdrew from the contest before the morning +of the 22d. Sherman's loss in these last engagements in killed, +wounded, and missing, was about sixteen hundred. Sherman's troops at +last reached Goldsboro on the 23d of the month and went into bivouac; +and there his men were destined to have a long rest. Schofield was +there to meet him with the troops which had been sent to Wilmington. + +Sherman was no longer in danger. He had Johnston confronting him; but +with an army much inferior to his own, both in numbers and morale. He +had Lee to the north of him with a force largely superior; but I was +holding Lee with a still greater force, and had he made his escape and +gotten down to reinforce Johnston, Sherman, with the reinforcements he +now had from Schofield and Terry, would have been able to hold the +Confederates at bay for an indefinite period. He was near the sea-shore +with his back to it, and our navy occupied the harbors. He had a +railroad to both Wilmington and New Bern, and his flanks were thoroughly +protected by streams, which intersect that part of the country and +deepen as they approach the sea. Then, too, Sherman knew that if Lee +should escape me I would be on his heels, and he and Johnson together +would be crushed in one blow if they attempted to make a stand. With +the loss of their capital, it is doubtful whether Lee's army would have +amounted to much as an army when it reached North Carolina. Johnston's +army was demoralized by constant defeat and would hardly have made an +offensive movement, even if they could have been induced to remain on +duty. The men of both Lee's and Johnston's armies were, like their +brethren of the North, as brave as men can be; but no man is so brave +that he may not meet such defeats and disasters as to discourage him and +dampen his ardor for any cause, no matter how just he deems it. + + + +CHAPTER LXIII. + +ARRIVAL OF THE PEACE COMMISSIONERS--LINCOLN AND THE PEACE COMMISSIONERS +--AN ANECDOTE OF LINCOLN--THE WINTER BEFORE PETERSBURG--SHERIDAN DESTROYS +THE RAILROAD--GORDON CARRIES THE PICKET LINE--PARKE RECAPTURES THE LINE +--THE LINE OF BATTLE OF WHITE OAK ROAD. + +On the last of January, 1865, peace commissioners from the so-called +Confederate States presented themselves on our lines around Petersburg, +and were immediately conducted to my headquarters at City Point. They +proved to be Alexander H. Stephens, Vice-President of the Confederacy, +Judge Campbell, Assistant-Secretary of War, and R. M. T. Hunt, formerly +United States Senator and then a member of the Confederate Senate. + +It was about dark when they reached my headquarters, and I at once +conducted them to the steam Mary Martin, a Hudson River boat which was +very comfortably fitted up for the use of passengers. I at once +communicated by telegraph with Washington and informed the Secretary of +War and the President of the arrival of these commissioners and that +their object was to negotiate terms of peace between he United States +and, as they termed it, the Confederate Government. I was instructed to +retain them at City Point, until the President, or some one whom he +would designate, should come to meet them. They remained several days +as guests on board the boat. I saw them quite frequently, though I have +no recollection of having had any conversation whatever with them on the +subject of their mission. It was something I had nothing to do with, +and I therefore did not wish to express any views on the subject. For +my own part I never had admitted, and never was ready to admit, that +they were the representatives of a GOVERNMENT. There had been too great +a waste of blood and treasure to concede anything of the kind. As long +as they remained there, however, our relations were pleasant and I found +them all very agreeable gentlemen. I directed the captain to furnish +them with the best the boat afforded, and to administer to their comfort +in every way possible. No guard was placed over them and no restriction +was put upon their movements; nor was there any pledge asked that they +would not abuse the privileges extended to them. They were permitted to +leave the boat when they felt like it, and did so, coming up on the bank +and visiting me at my headquarters. + +I had never met either of these gentlemen before the war, but knew them +well by reputation and through their public services, and I had been a +particular admirer of Mr. Stephens. I had always supposed that he was a +very small man, but when I saw him in the dusk of the evening I was very +much surprised to find so large a man as he seemed to be. When he got +down on to the boat I found that he was wearing a coarse gray woollen +overcoat, a manufacture that had been introduced into the South during +the rebellion. The cloth was thicker than anything of the kind I had +ever seen, even in Canada. The overcoat extended nearly to his feet, +and was so large that it gave him the appearance of being an +average-sized man. He took this off when he reached the cabin of the +boat, and I was struck with the apparent change in size, in the coat and +out of it. + +After a few days, about the 2d of February, I received a dispatch from +Washington, directing me to send the commissioners to Hampton Roads to +meet the President and a member of the cabinet. Mr. Lincoln met them +there and had an interview of short duration. It was not a great while +after they met that the President visited me at City Point. He spoke of +his having met the commissioners, and said he had told them that there +would be no use in entering into any negotiations unless they would +recognize, first: that the Union as a whole must be forever preserved, +and second: that slavery must be abolished. If they were willing to +concede these two points, then he was ready to enter into negotiations +and was almost willing to hand them a blank sheet of paper with his +signature attached for them to fill in the terms upon which they were +willing to live with us in the Union and be one people. He always +showed a generous and kindly spirit toward the Southern people, and I +never heard him abuse an enemy. Some of the cruel things said about +President Lincoln, particularly in the North, used to pierce him to the +heart; but never in my presence did he evince a revengeful disposition +and I saw a great deal of him at City Point, for he seemed glad to get +away from the cares and anxieties of the capital. + +Right here I might relate an anecdote of Mr. Lincoln. It was on the +occasion of his visit to me just after he had talked with the peace +commissioners at Hampton Roads. After a little conversation, he asked +me if I had seen that overcoat of Stephens's. I replied that I had. +"Well," said he, "did you see him take it off?" I said yes. "Well," +said he, "didn't you think it was the biggest shuck and the littlest ear +that ever you did see?" Long afterwards I told this story to the +Confederate General J. B. Gordon, at the time a member of the Senate. +He repeated it to Stephens, and, as I heard afterwards, Stephens laughed +immoderately at the simile of Mr. Lincoln. + +The rest of the winter, after the departure of the peace commissioners, +passed off quietly and uneventfully, except for two or three little +incidents. On one occasion during this period, while I was visiting +Washington City for the purpose of conferring with the administration, +the enemy's cavalry under General Wade Hampton, passing our extreme left +and then going to the south, got in east of us. Before their presence +was known, they had driven off a large number of beef cattle that were +grazing in that section. It was a fair capture, and they were +sufficiently needed by the Confederates. It was only retaliating for +what we had done, sometimes for many weeks at a time, when out of +supplies taking what the Confederate army otherwise would have gotten. +As appears in this book, on one single occasion we captured five +thousand head of cattle which were crossing the Mississippi River near +Port Hudson on their way from Texas to supply the Confederate army in +the East. + +One of the most anxious periods of my experience during the rebellion +was the last few weeks before Petersburg. I felt that the situation of +the Confederate army was such that they would try to make an escape at +the earliest practicable moment, and I was afraid, every morning, that I +would awake from my sleep to hear that Lee had gone, and that nothing +was left but a picket line. He had his railroad by the way of Danville +south, and I was afraid that he was running off his men and all stores +and ordnance except such as it would be necessary to carry with him for +his immediate defence. I knew he could move much more lightly and more +rapidly than I, and that, if he got the start, he would leave me behind +so that we would have the same army to fight again farther south and the +war might be prolonged another year. + +I was led to this fear by the fact that I could not see how it was +possible for the Confederates to hold out much longer where they were. +There is no doubt that Richmond would have been evacuated much sooner +than it was, if it had not been that it was the capital of the so-called +Confederacy, and the fact of evacuating the capital would, of course, +have had a very demoralizing effect upon the Confederate army. When it +was evacuated (as we shall see further on), the Confederacy at once +began to crumble and fade away. Then, too, desertions were taking +place, not only among those who were with General Lee in the +neighborhood of their capital, but throughout the whole Confederacy. I +remember that in a conversation with me on one occasion long prior to +this, General Butler remarked that the Confederates would find great +difficulty in getting more men for their army; possibly adding, though I +am not certain as to this, "unless they should arm the slave." + +The South, as we all knew, were conscripting every able-bodied man +between the ages of eighteen and forty-five; and now they had passed a +law for the further conscription of boys from fourteen to eighteen, +calling them the junior reserves, and men from forty-five to sixty to be +called the senior reserves. The latter were to hold the necessary +points not in immediate danger, and especially those in the rear. +General Butler, in alluding to this conscription, remarked that they +were thus "robbing both the cradle and the grave," an expression which I +afterwards used in writing a letter to Mr. Washburn. + +It was my belief that while the enemy could get no more recruits they +were losing at least a regiment a day, taking it throughout the entire +army, by desertions alone. Then by casualties of war, sickness, and +other natural causes, their losses were much heavier. It was a mere +question of arithmetic to calculate how long they could hold out while +that rate of depletion was going on. Of course long before their army +would be thus reduced to nothing the army which we had in the field +would have been able to capture theirs. Then too I knew from the great +number of desertions, that the men who had fought so bravely, so +gallantly and so long for the cause which they believed in--and as +earnestly, I take it, as our men believed in the cause for which they +were fighting--had lost hope and become despondent. Many of them were +making application to be sent North where they might get employment +until the war was over, when they could return to their Southern homes. + +For these and other reasons I was naturally very impatient for the time +to come when I could commence the spring campaign, which I thoroughly +believed would close the war. + +There were two considerations I had to observe, however, and which +detained me. One was the fact that the winter had been one of heavy +rains, and the roads were impassable for artillery and teams. It was +necessary to wait until they had dried sufficiently to enable us to move +the wagon trains and artillery necessary to the efficiency of an army +operating in the enemy's country. The other consideration was that +General Sheridan with the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac was +operating on the north side of the James River, having come down from +the Shenandoah. It was necessary that I should have his cavalry with me, +and I was therefore obliged to wait until he could join me south of the +James River. + +Let us now take account of what he was doing. + +On the 5th of March I had heard from Sheridan. He had met Early between +Staunton and Charlottesville and defeated him, capturing nearly his +entire command. Early and some of his officers escaped by finding +refuge in the neighboring houses or in the woods. + +On the 12th I heard from him again. He had turned east, to come to +White House. He could not go to Lynchburg as ordered, because the rains +had been so very heavy and the streams were so very much swollen. He +had a pontoon train with him, but it would not reach half way across +some of the streams, at their then stage of water, which he would have +to get over in going south as first ordered. + +I had supplies sent around to White House for him, and kept the depot +there open until he arrived. We had intended to abandon it because the +James River had now become our base of supplies. + +Sheridan had about ten thousand cavalry with him, divided into two +divisions commanded respectively by Custer and Devin. General Merritt +was acting as chief of cavalry. Sheridan moved very light, carrying +only four days' provisions with him, with a larger supply of coffee, +salt and other small rations, and a very little else besides ammunition. +They stopped at Charlottesville and commenced tearing up the railroad +back toward Lynchburg. He also sent a division along the James River +Canal to destroy locks, culverts etc. All mills and factories along the +lines of march of his troops were destroyed also. + +Sheridan had in this way consumed so much time that his making a march +to White House was now somewhat hazardous. He determined therefore to +fight his way along the railroad and canal till he was as near to +Richmond as it was possible to get, or until attacked. He did this, +destroying the canal as far as Goochland, and the railroad to a point as +near Richmond as he could get. On the 10th he was at Columbia. Negroes +had joined his column to the number of two thousand or more, and they +assisted considerably in the work of destroying the railroads and the +canal. His cavalry was in as fine a condition as when he started, +because he had been able to find plenty of forage. He had captured most +of Early's horses and picked up a good many others on the road. When he +reached Ashland he was assailed by the enemy in force. He resisted +their assault with part of his command, moved quickly across the South +and North Anna, going north, and reached White House safely on the 19th. + +The time for Sherman to move had to be fixed with reference to the time +he could get away from Goldsboro where he then was. Supplies had to be +got up to him which would last him through a long march, as there would +probably not be much to be obtained in the country through which he +would pass. I had to arrange, therefore, that he should start from +where he was, in the neighborhood of Goldsboro on the 18th of April, the +earliest day at which he supposed he could be ready. + +Sherman was anxious that I should wait where I was until he could come +up, and make a sure thing of it; but I had determined to move as soon as +the roads and weather would admit of my doing so. I had been tied down +somewhat in the matter of fixing any time at my pleasure for starting, +until Sheridan, who was on his way from the Shenandoah Valley to join +me, should arrive, as both his presence and that of his cavalry were +necessary to the execution of the plans which I had in mind. However, +having arrived at White House on the 19th of March, I was enabled to +make my plans. + +Prompted by my anxiety lest Lee should get away some night before I was +aware of it, and having the lead of me, push into North Carolina to join +with Johnston in attempting to crush out Sherman, I had, as early as the +1st of the month of March, given instructions to the troops around +Petersburg to keep a sharp lookout to see that such a movement should +not escape their notice, and to be ready strike at once if it was +undertaken. + +It is now known that early in the month of March Mr. Davis and General +Lee had a consultation about the situation of affairs in and about and +Petersburg, and they both agreed places were no longer tenable for them, +and that they must get away as soon as possible. They, too, were +waiting for dry roads, or a condition of the roads which would make it +possible to move. + +General Lee, in aid of his plan of escape, and to secure a wider opening +to enable them to reach the Danville Road with greater security than he +would have in the way the two armies were situated, determined upon an +assault upon the right of our lines around Petersburg. The night of the +24th of March was fixed upon for this assault, and General Gordon was +assigned to the execution of the plan. The point between Fort Stedman +and Battery No. 10, where our lines were closest together, was selected +as the point of his attack. The attack was to be made at night, and the +troops were to get possession of the higher ground in the rear where +they supposed we had intrenchments, then sweep to the right and left, +create a panic in the lines of our army, and force me to contract my +lines. Lee hoped this would detain me a few days longer and give him an +opportunity of escape. The plan was well conceived and the execution of +it very well done indeed, up to the point of carrying a portion of our +line. + +Gordon assembled his troops under the cover of night, at the point at +which they were to make their charge, and got possession of our +picket-line, entirely without the knowledge of the troops inside of our +main line of intrenchments; this reduced the distance he would have to +charge over to not much more than fifty yards. For some time before the +deserters had been coming in with great frequency, often bringing their +arms with them, and this the Confederate general knew. Taking advantage +of this knowledge he sent his pickets, with their arms, creeping through +to ours as if to desert. When they got to our lines they at once took +possession and sent our pickets to the rear as prisoners. In the main +line our men were sleeping serenely, as if in great security. This plan +was to have been executed and much damage done before daylight; but the +troops that were to reinforce Gordon had to be brought from the north +side of the James River and, by some accident on the railroad on their +way over, they were detained for a considerable time; so that it got to +be nearly daylight before they were ready to make the charge. + +The charge, however, was successful and almost without loss, the enemy +passing through our lines between Fort Stedman and Battery No. 10. Then +turning to the right and left they captured the fort and the battery, +with all the arms and troops in them. Continuing the charge, they also +carried batteries Eleven and Twelve to our left, which they turned +toward City Point. + +Meade happened to be at City Point that night, and this break in his +line cut him off from all communication with his headquarters. Parke, +however, commanding the 9th corps when this breach took place, +telegraphed the facts to Meade's headquarters, and learning that the +general was away, assumed command himself and with commendable +promptitude made all preparations to drive the enemy back. General +Tidball gathered a large number of pieces of artillery and planted them +in rear of the captured works so as to sweep the narrow space of ground +between the lines very thoroughly. Hartranft was soon out with his +division, as also was Willcox. Hartranft to the right of the breach +headed the rebels off in that direction and rapidly drove them back into +Fort Stedman. On the other side they were driven back into the +intrenchments which they had captured, and batteries eleven and twelve +were retaken by Willcox early in the morning. + +Parke then threw a line around outside of the captured fort and +batteries, and communication was once more established. The artillery +fire was kept up so continuously that it was impossible for the +Confederates to retreat, and equally impossible for reinforcements to +join them. They all, therefore, fell captives into our hands. This +effort of Lee's cost him about four thousand men, and resulted in their +killing, wounding and capturing about two thousand of ours. + +After the recapture of the batteries taken by the Confederates, our +troops made a charge and carried the enemy's intrenched picket line, +which they strengthened and held. This, in turn, gave us but a short +distance to charge over when our attack came to be made a few days +later. + +The day that Gordon was making dispositions for this attack (24th of +March) I issued my orders for the movement to commence on the 29th. +Ord, with three divisions of infantry and Mackenzie's cavalry, was to +move in advance on the night of the 27th, from the north side of the +James River and take his place on our extreme left, thirty miles away. +He left Weitzel with the rest of the Army of the James to hold Bermuda +Hundred and the north of the James River. The engineer brigade was to +be left at City Point, and Parke's corps in the lines about Petersburg. +(*42) + +Ord was at his place promptly. Humphreys and Warren were then on our +extreme left with the 2d and 5th corps. They were directed on the +arrival of Ord, and on his getting into position in their places, to +cross Hatcher's Run and extend out west toward Five Forks, the object +being to get into a position from which we could strike the South Side +Railroad and ultimately the Danville Railroad. There was considerable +fighting in taking up these new positions for the 2d and 5th corps, in +which the Army of the James had also to participate somewhat, and the +losses were quite severe. + +This was what was known as the Battle of White Oak Road. + + + +CHAPTER LXIV. + +INTERVIEW WITH SHERIDAN--GRAND MOVEMENT OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC +--SHERIDAN'S ADVANCE ON FIVE FORKS--BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS--PARKE AND +WRIGHT STORM THE ENEMY'S LINE--BATTLES BEFORE PETERSBURG. + +Sheridan reached City Point on the 26th day of March. His horses, of +course, were jaded and many of them had lost their shoes. A few days of +rest were necessary to recuperate the animals and also to have them shod +and put in condition for moving. Immediately on General Sheridan's +arrival at City Point I prepared his instructions for the move which I +had decided upon. The movement was to commence on the 29th of the +month. + +After reading the instructions I had given him, Sheridan walked out of +my tent, and I followed to have some conversation with him by himself +--not in the presence of anybody else, even of a member of my staff. In +preparing his instructions I contemplated just what took place; that is +to say, capturing Five Forks, driving the enemy from Petersburg and +Richmond and terminating the contest before separating from the enemy. +But the Nation had already become restless and discouraged at the +prolongation of the war, and many believed that it would never terminate +except by compromise. Knowing that unless my plan proved an entire +success it would be interpreted as a disastrous defeat, I provided in +these instructions that in a certain event he was to cut loose from the +Army of the Potomac and his base of supplies, and living upon the +country proceed south by the way of the Danville Railroad, or near it, +across the Roanoke, get in the rear of Johnston, who was guarding that +road, and cooperate with Sherman in destroying Johnston; then with these +combined forces to help carry out the instructions which Sherman already +had received, to act in cooperation with the armies around Petersburg +and Richmond. + +I saw that after Sheridan had read his instructions he seemed somewhat +disappointed at the idea, possibly, of having to cut loose again from +the Army of the Potomac, and place himself between the two main armies +of the enemy. I said to him: "General, this portion of your +instructions I have put in merely as a blind;" and gave him the reason +for doing so, heretofore described. I told him that, as a matter of +fact, I intended to close the war right here, with this movement, and +that he should go no farther. His face at once brightened up, and +slapping his hand on his leg he said: "I am glad to hear it, and we can +do it." + +Sheridan was not however to make his movement against Five Forks until +he got further instructions from me. + +One day, after the movement I am about to describe had commenced, and +when his cavalry was on our extreme left and far to the rear, south, +Sheridan rode up to where my headquarters were then established, at +Dabney's Mills. He met some of my staff officers outside, and was +highly jubilant over the prospects of success, giving reasons why he +believed this would prove the final and successful effort. Although my +chief-of-staff had urged very strongly that we return to our position +about City Point and in the lines around Petersburg, he asked Sheridan +to come in to see me and say to me what he had been saying to them. +Sheridan felt a little modest about giving his advice where it had not +been asked; so one of my staff came in and told me that Sheridan had +what they considered important news, and suggested that I send for him. +I did so, and was glad to see the spirit of confidence with which he was +imbued. Knowing as I did from experience, of what great value that +feeling of confidence by a commander was, I determined to make a +movement at once, although on account of the rains which had fallen +after I had started out the roads were still very heavy. Orders were +given accordingly. + +Finally the 29th of March came, and fortunately there having been a few +days free from rain, the surface of the ground was dry, giving +indications that the time had come when we could move. On that date I +moved out with all the army available after leaving sufficient force to +hold the line about Petersburg. It soon set in raining again however, +and in a very short time the roads became practically impassable for +teams, and almost so for cavalry. Sometimes a horse or mule would be +standing apparently on firm ground, when all at once one foot would +sink, and as he commenced scrambling to catch himself all his feet would +sink and he would have to be drawn by hand out of the quicksands so +common in that part of Virginia and other southern States. It became +necessary therefore to build corduroy roads every foot of the way as we +advanced, to move our artillery upon. The army had become so accustomed +to this kind of work, and were so well prepared for it, that it was done +very rapidly. The next day, March 30th, we had made sufficient progress +to the south-west to warrant me in starting Sheridan with his cavalry +over by Dinwiddie with instructions to then come up by the road leading +north-west to Five Forks, thus menacing the right of Lee's line. + +This movement was made for the purpose of extending our lines to the +west as far as practicable towards the enemy's extreme right, or Five +Forks. The column moving detached from the army still in the trenches +was, excluding the cavalry, very small. The forces in the trenches were +themselves extending to the left flank. Warren was on the extreme left +when the extension began, but Humphreys was marched around later and +thrown into line between him and Five Forks. + +My hope was that Sheridan would be able to carry Five Forks, get on the +enemy's right flank and rear, and force them to weaken their centre to +protect their right so that an assault in the centre might be +successfully made. General Wright's corps had been designated to make +this assault, which I intended to order as soon as information reached +me of Sheridan's success. He was to move under cover as close to the +enemy as he could get. + +It is natural to suppose that Lee would understand my design to be to +get up to the South Side and ultimately to the Danville Railroad, as +soon as he had heard of the movement commenced on the 29th. These roads +were so important to his very existence while he remained in Richmond +and Petersburg, and of such vital importance to him even in case of +retreat, that naturally he would make most strenuous efforts to defend +them. He did on the 30th send Pickett with five brigades to reinforce +Five Forks. He also sent around to the right of his army some two or +three other divisions, besides directing that other troops be held in +readiness on the north side of the James River to come over on call. He +came over himself to superintend in person the defence of his right +flank. + +Sheridan moved back to Dinwiddie Court-House on the night of the 30th, +and then took a road leading north-west to Five Forks. He had only his +cavalry with him. Soon encountering the rebel cavalry he met with a +very stout resistance. He gradually drove them back however until in +the neighborhood of Five Forks. Here he had to encounter other troops +besides those he had been contending with, and was forced to give way. + +In this condition of affairs he notified me of what had taken place and +stated that he was falling back toward Dinwiddie gradually and slowly, +and asked me to send Wright's corps to his assistance. I replied to him +that it was impossible to send Wright's corps because that corps was +already in line close up to the enemy, where we should want to assault +when the proper time came, and was besides a long distance from him; but +the 2d (Humphreys's) and 5th (Warren's) corps were on our extreme left +and a little to the rear of it in a position to threaten the left flank +of the enemy at Five Forks, and that I would send Warren. + +Accordingly orders were sent to Warren to move at once that night (the +31st) to Dinwiddie Court House and put himself in communication with +Sheridan as soon as possible, and report to him. He was very slow in +moving, some of his troops not starting until after 5 o'clock next +morning. When he did move it was done very deliberately, and on +arriving at Gravelly Run he found the stream swollen from the recent +rains so that he regarded it as not fordable. Sheridan of course knew +of his coming, and being impatient to get the troops up as soon as +possible, sent orders to him to hasten. He was also hastened or at +least ordered to move up rapidly by General Meade. He now felt that he +could not cross that creek without bridges, and his orders were changed +to move so as to strike the pursuing enemy in flank or get in their +rear; but he was so late in getting up that Sheridan determined to move +forward without him. However, Ayres's division of Warren's corps +reached him in time to be in the fight all day, most of the time +separated from the remainder of the 5th corps and fighting directly +under Sheridan. + +Warren reported to Sheridan about 11 o'clock on the 1st, but the whole +of his troops were not up so as to be much engaged until late in the +afternoon. Griffin's division in backing to get out of the way of a +severe cross fire of the enemy was found marching away from the +fighting. This did not continue long, however; the division was brought +back and with Ayres's division did most excellent service during the +day. Crawford's division of the same corps had backed still farther +off, and although orders were sent repeatedly to bring it up, it was +late before it finally got to where it could be of material assistance. +Once there it did very excellent service. + +Sheridan succeeded by the middle of the afternoon or a little later, in +advancing up to the point from which to make his designed assault upon +Five Forks itself. He was very impatient to make the assault and have +it all over before night, because the ground he occupied would be +untenable for him in bivouac during the night. Unless the assault was +made and was successful, he would be obliged to return to Dinwiddie +Court-House, or even further than that for the night. + +It was at this junction of affairs that Sheridan wanted to get +Crawford's division in hand, and he also wanted Warren. He sent staff +officer after staff officer in search of Warren, directing that general +to report to him, but they were unable to find him. At all events +Sheridan was unable to get that officer to him. Finally he went +himself. He issued an order relieving Warren and assigning Griffin to +the command of the 5th corps. The troops were then brought up and the +assault successfully made. + +I was so much dissatisfied with Warren's dilatory movements in the +battle of White Oak Road and in his failure to reach Sheridan in time, +that I was very much afraid that at the last moment he would fail +Sheridan. He was a man of fine intelligence, great earnestness, quick +perception, and could make his dispositions as quickly as any officer, +under difficulties where he was forced to act. But I had before +discovered a defect which was beyond his control, that was very +prejudicial to his usefulness in emergencies like the one just before +us. He could see every danger at a glance before he had encountered it. +He would not only make preparations to meet the danger which might +occur, but he would inform his commanding officer what others should do +while he was executing his move. + +I had sent a staff officer to General Sheridan to call his attention to +these defects, and to say that as much as I liked General Warren, now +was not a time when we could let our personal feelings for any one stand +in the way of success; and if his removal was necessary to success, not +to hesitate. It was upon that authorization that Sheridan removed +Warren. I was very sorry that it had been done, and regretted still +more that I had not long before taken occasion to assign him to another +field of duty. + +It was dusk when our troops under Sheridan went over the parapets of the +enemy. The two armies were mingled together there for a time in such +manner that it was almost a question which one was going to demand the +surrender of the other. Soon, however, the enemy broke and ran in every +direction; some six thousand prisoners, besides artillery and small-arms +in large quantities, falling into our hands. The flying troops were +pursued in different directions, the cavalry and 5th corps under +Sheridan pursuing the larger body which moved north-west. + +This pursuit continued until about nine o'clock at night, when Sheridan +halted his troops, and knowing the importance to him of the part of the +enemy's line which had been captured, returned, sending the 5th corps +across Hatcher's Run to just south-west of Petersburg, and facing them +toward it. Merritt, with the cavalry, stopped and bivouacked west of +Five Forks. + +This was the condition which affairs were in on the night of the 1st of +April. I then issued orders for an assault by Wright and Parke at four +o'clock on the morning of the 2d. I also ordered the 2d corps, General +Humphreys, and General Ord with the Army of the James, on the left, to +hold themselves in readiness to take any advantage that could be taken +from weakening in their front. + +I notified Mr. Lincoln at City Point of the success of the day; in fact +I had reported to him during the day and evening as I got news, because +he was so much interested in the movements taking place that I wanted to +relieve his mind as much as I could. I notified Weitzel on the north +side of the James River, directing him, also, to keep close up to the +enemy, and take advantage of the withdrawal of troops from there to +promptly enter the city of Richmond. + +I was afraid that Lee would regard the possession of Five Forks as of so +much importance that he would make a last desperate effort to retake it, +risking everything upon the cast of a single die. It was for this +reason that I had ordered the assault to take place at once, as soon as +I had received the news of the capture of Five Forks. The corps +commanders, however, reported that it was so dark that the men could not +see to move, and it would be impossible to make the assault then. But we +kept up a continuous artillery fire upon the enemy around the whole line +including that north of the James River, until it was light enough to +move, which was about a quarter to five in the morning. + +At that hour Parke's and Wright's corps moved out as directed, brushed +the abatis from their front as they advanced under a heavy fire of +musketry and artillery, and went without flinching directly on till they +mounted the parapets and threw themselves inside of the enemy's line. +Parke, who was on the right, swept down to the right and captured a very +considerable length of line in that direction, but at that point the +outer was so near the inner line which closely enveloped the city of +Petersburg that he could make no advance forward and, in fact, had a +very serious task to turn the lines which he had captured to the defence +of his own troops and to hold them; but he succeeded in this. + +Wright swung around to his left and moved to Hatcher's Run, sweeping +everything before him. The enemy had traverses in rear of his captured +line, under cover of which he made something of a stand, from one to +another, as Wright moved on; but the latter met no serious obstacle. As +you proceed to the left the outer line becomes gradually much farther +from the inner one, and along about Hatcher's Run they must be nearly +two miles apart. Both Parke and Wright captured a considerable amount of +artillery and some prisoners--Wright about three thousand of them. + +In the meantime Ord and Humphreys, in obedience to the instructions they +had received, had succeeded by daylight, or very early in the morning, +in capturing the intrenched picket-lines in their front; and before +Wright got up to that point, Ord had also succeeded in getting inside of +the enemy's intrenchments. The second corps soon followed; and the +outer works of Petersburg were in the hands of the National troops, +never to be wrenched from them again. When Wright reached Hatcher's +Run, he sent a regiment to destroy the South Side Railroad just outside +of the city. + +My headquarters were still at Dabney's saw-mills. As soon as I received +the news of Wright's success, I sent dispatches announcing the fact to +all points around the line, including the troops at Bermuda Hundred and +those on the north side of the James, and to the President at City +Point. Further dispatches kept coming in, and as they did I sent the +additional news to these points. Finding at length that they were all +in, I mounted my horse to join the troops who were inside the works. +When I arrived there I rode my horse over the parapet just as Wright's +three thousand prisoners were coming out. I was soon joined inside by +General Meade and his staff. + +Lee made frantic efforts to recover at least part of the lost ground. +Parke on our right was repeatedly assaulted, but repulsed every effort. +Before noon Longstreet was ordered up from the north side of the James +River thus bringing the bulk of Lee's army around to the support of his +extreme right. As soon as I learned this I notified Weitzel and +directed him to keep up close to the enemy and to have Hartsuff, +commanding the Bermuda Hundred front, to do the same thing, and if they +found any break to go in; Hartsuff especially should do so, for this +would separate Richmond and Petersburg. + +Sheridan, after he had returned to Five Forks, swept down to Petersburg, +coming in on our left. This gave us a continuous line from the +Appomattox River below the city to the same river above. At eleven +o'clock, not having heard from Sheridan, I reinforced Parke with two +brigades from City Point. With this additional force he completed his +captured works for better defence, and built back from his right, so as +to protect his flank. He also carried in and made an abatis between +himself and the enemy. Lee brought additional troops and artillery +against Parke even after this was done, and made several assaults with +very heavy losses. + +The enemy had in addition to their intrenched line close up to +Petersburg, two enclosed works outside of it, Fort Gregg and Fort +Whitworth. We thought it had now become necessary to carry them by +assault. About one o'clock in the day, Fort Gregg was assaulted by +Foster's division of the 24th corps (Gibbon's), supported by two +brigades from Ord's command. The battle was desperate and the National +troops were repulsed several times; but it was finally carried, and +immediately the troops in Fort Whitworth evacuated the place. The guns +of Fort Gregg were turned upon the retreating enemy, and the commanding +officer with some sixty of the men of Fort Whitworth surrendered. + +I had ordered Miles in the morning to report to Sheridan. In moving to +execute this order he came upon the enemy at the intersection of the +White Oak Road and the Claiborne Road. The enemy fell back to +Sutherland Station on the South Side Road and were followed by Miles. +This position, naturally a strong and defensible one, was also strongly +intrenched. Sheridan now came up and Miles asked permission from him to +make the assault, which Sheridan gave. By this time Humphreys had got +through the outer works in his front, and came up also and assumed +command over Miles, who commanded a division in his corps. I had sent +an order to Humphreys to turn to his right and move towards Petersburg. +This order he now got, and started off, thus leaving Miles alone. The +latter made two assaults, both of which failed, and he had to fall back +a few hundred yards. + +Hearing that Miles had been left in this position, I directed Humphreys +to send a division back to his relief. He went himself. + +Sheridan before starting to sweep down to Petersburg had sent Merritt +with his cavalry to the west to attack some Confederate cavalry that had +assembled there. Merritt drove them north to the Appomattox River. +Sheridan then took the enemy at Sutherland Station on the reverse side +from where Miles was, and the two together captured the place, with a +large number of prisoners and some pieces of artillery, and put the +remainder, portions of three Confederate corps, to flight. Sheridan +followed, and drove them until night, when further pursuit was stopped. +Miles bivouacked for the night on the ground which he with Sheridan had +carried so handsomely by assault. I cannot explain the situation here +better than by giving my dispatch to City Point that evening: + + +BOYDTON ROAD, NEAR PETERSBURG, April 2, 1865.--4.40 P.M. + +COLONEL T. S. BOWERS, City Point. + +We are now up and have a continuous line of troops, and in a few hours +will be intrenched from the Appomattox below Petersburg to the river +above. Heth's and Wilcox's divisions, such part of them as were not +captured, were cut off from town, either designedly on their part or +because they could not help it. Sheridan with the cavalry and 5th corps +is above them. Miles's division, 2d corps, was sent from the White Oak +Road to Sutherland Station on the South Side Railroad, where he met +them, and at last accounts was engaged with them. Not knowing whether +Sheridan would get up in time, General Humphreys was sent with another +division from here. The whole captures since the army started out +gunning will amount to not less than twelve thousand men, and probably +fifty pieces of artillery. I do not know the number of men and guns +accurately however. * * * I think the President might come out and pay +us a visit tomorrow. + +U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. + + +During the night of April 2d our line was intrenched from the river +above to the river below. I ordered a bombardment to be commenced the +next morning at five A.M., to be followed by an assault at six o'clock; +but the enemy evacuated Petersburg early in the morning. + + + +CHAPTER LXV. + +THE CAPTURE OF PETERSBURG--MEETING PRESIDENT LINCOLN IN PETERSBURG--THE +CAPTURE OF RICHMOND--PURSUING THE ENEMY--VISIT TO SHERIDAN AND MEADE. + +General Meade and I entered Petersburg on the morning of the 3d and took +a position under cover of a house which protected us from the enemy's +musketry which was flying thick and fast there. As we would +occasionally look around the corner we could see the streets and the +Appomattox bottom, presumably near the bridge, packed with the +Confederate army. I did not have artillery brought up, because I was +sure Lee was trying to make his escape, and I wanted to push immediately +in pursuit. At all events I had not the heart to turn the artillery +upon such a mass of defeated and fleeing men, and I hoped to capture +them soon. + +Soon after the enemy had entirely evacuated Petersburg, a man came in +who represented himself to be an engineer of the Army of Northern +Virginia. He said that Lee had for some time been at work preparing a +strong enclosed intrenchment, into which he would throw himself when +forced out of Petersburg, and fight his final battle there; that he was +actually at that time drawing his troops from Richmond, and falling back +into this prepared work. This statement was made to General Meade and +myself when we were together. I had already given orders for the +movement up the south side of the Appomattox for the purpose of heading +off Lee; but Meade was so much impressed by this man's story that he +thought we ought to cross the Appomattox there at once and move against +Lee in his new position. I knew that Lee was no fool, as he would have +been to have put himself and his army between two formidable streams +like the James and Appomattox rivers, and between two such armies as +those of the Potomac and the James. Then these streams coming together +as they did to the east of him, it would be only necessary to close up +in the west to have him thoroughly cut off from all supplies or +possibility of reinforcement. It would only have been a question of +days, and not many of them, if he had taken the position assigned to him +by the so-called engineer, when he would have been obliged to surrender +his army. Such is one of the ruses resorted to in war to deceive your +antagonist. My judgment was that Lee would necessarily have to evacuate +Richmond, and that the only course for him to pursue would be to follow +the Danville Road. Accordingly my object was to secure a point on that +road south of Lee, and I told Meade this. He suggested that if Lee was +going that way we would follow him. My reply was that we did not want +to follow him; we wanted to get ahead of him and cut him off, and if he +would only stay in the position he (Meade) believed him to be in at that +time, I wanted nothing better; that when we got in possession of the +Danville Railroad, at its crossing of the Appomattox River, if we still +found him between the two rivers, all we had to do was to move eastward +and close him up. That we would then have all the advantage we could +possibly have by moving directly against him from Petersburg, even if he +remained in the position assigned him by the engineer officer. + +I had held most of the command aloof from the intrenchments, so as to +start them out on the Danville Road early in the morning, supposing that +Lee would be gone during the night. During the night I strengthened +Sheridan by sending him Humphreys's corps. + +Lee, as we now know, had advised the authorities at Richmond, during the +day, of the condition of affairs, and told them it would be impossible +for him to hold out longer than night, if he could hold out that long. +Davis was at church when he received Lee's dispatch. The congregation +was dismissed with the notice that there would be no evening service. +The rebel government left Richmond about two o'clock in the afternoon of +the 2d. + +At night Lee ordered his troops to assemble at Amelia Court House, his +object being to get away, join Johnston if possible, and to try to crush +Sherman before I could get there. As soon as I was sure of this I +notified Sheridan and directed him to move out on the Danville Railroad +to the south side of the Appomattox River as speedily as possible. He +replied that he already had some of his command nine miles out. I then +ordered the rest of the Army of the Potomac under Meade to follow the +same road in the morning. Parke's corps followed by the same road, and +the Army of the James was directed to follow the road which ran +alongside of the South Side Railroad to Burke's Station, and to repair +the railroad and telegraph as they proceeded. That road was a 5 feet +gauge, while our rolling stock was all of the 4 feet 8 1/2 inches gauge; +consequently the rail on one side of the track had to be taken up +throughout the whole length and relaid so as to conform to the gauge of +our cars and locomotives. + +Mr. Lincoln was at City Point at the time, and had been for some days. +I would have let him know what I contemplated doing, only while I felt a +strong conviction that the move was going to be successful, yet it might +not prove so; and then I would have only added another to the many +disappointments he had been suffering for the past three years. But +when we started out he saw that we were moving for a purpose, and +bidding us Godspeed, remained there to hear the result. + +The next morning after the capture of Petersburg, I telegraphed Mr. +Lincoln asking him to ride out there and see me, while I would await his +arrival. I had started all the troops out early in the morning, so that +after the National army left Petersburg there was not a soul to be seen, +not even an animal in the streets. There was absolutely no one there, +except my staff officers and, possibly, a small escort of cavalry. We +had selected the piazza of a deserted house, and occupied it until the +President arrived. + +About the first thing that Mr. Lincoln said to me, after warm +congratulations for the victory, and thanks both to myself and to the +army which had accomplished it, was: "Do you know, general, that I have +had a sort of a sneaking idea for some days that you intended to do +something like this." Our movements having been successful up to this +point, I no longer had any object in concealing from the President all +my movements, and the objects I had in view. He remained for some days +near City Point, and I communicated with him frequently and fully by +telegraph. + +Mr. Lincoln knew that it had been arranged for Sherman to join me at a +fixed time, to co-operate in the destruction of Lee's army. I told him +that I had been very anxious to have the Eastern armies vanquish their +old enemy who had so long resisted all their repeated and gallant +attempts to subdue them or drive them from their capital. The Western +armies had been in the main successful until they had conquered all the +territory from the Mississippi River to the State of North Carolina, and +were now almost ready to knock at the back door of Richmond, asking +admittance. I said to him that if the Western armies should be even +upon the field, operating against Richmond and Lee, the credit would be +given to them for the capture, by politicians and non-combatants from +the section of country which those troops hailed from. It might lead to +disagreeable bickerings between members of Congress of the East and +those of the West in some of their debates. Western members might be +throwing it up to the members of the East that in the suppression of the +rebellion they were not able to capture an army, or to accomplish much +in the way of contributing toward that end, but had to wait until the +Western armies had conquered all the territory south and west of them, +and then come on to help them capture the only army they had been +engaged with. + +Mr. Lincoln said he saw that now, but had never thought of it before, +because his anxiety was so great that he did not care where the aid came +from so the work was done. + +The Army of the Potomac has every reason to be proud of its four years' +record in the suppression of the rebellion. The army it had to fight +was the protection to the capital of a people which was attempting to +found a nation upon the territory of the United States. Its loss would +be the loss of the cause. Every energy, therefore, was put forth by the +Confederacy to protect and maintain their capital. Everything else +would go if it went. Lee's army had to be strengthened to enable it to +maintain its position, no matter what territory was wrested from the +South in another quarter. + +I never expected any such bickering as I have indicated, between the +soldiers of the two sections; and, fortunately, there has been none +between the politicians. Possibly I am the only one who thought of the +liability of such a state of things in advance. + +When our conversation was at an end Mr. Lincoln mounted his horse and +started on his return to City Point, while I and my staff started to +join the army, now a good many miles in advance. Up to this time I had +not received the report of the capture of Richmond. + +Soon after I left President Lincoln I received a dispatch from General +Weitzel which notified me that he had taken possession of Richmond at +about 8.15 o'clock in the morning of that day, the 3d, and that he had +found the city on fire in two places. The city was in the most utter +confusion. The authorities had taken the precaution to empty all the +liquor into the gutter, and to throw out the provisions which the +Confederate government had left, for the people to gather up. The city +had been deserted by the authorities, civil and military, without any +notice whatever that they were about to leave. In fact, up to the very +hour of the evacuation the people had been led to believe that Lee had +gained an important victory somewhere around Petersburg. + +Weitzel's command found evidence of great demoralization in Lee's army, +there being still a great many men and even officers in the town. The +city was on fire. Our troops were directed to extinguish the flames, +which they finally succeeded in doing. The fire had been started by some +one connected with the retreating army. All authorities deny that it +was authorized, and I presume it was the work of excited men who were +leaving what they regarded as their capital and may have felt that it +was better to destroy it than have it fall into the hands of their +enemy. Be that as it may, the National troops found the city in flames, +and used every effort to extinguish them. + +The troops that had formed Lee's right, a great many of them, were cut +off from getting back into Petersburg, and were pursued by our cavalry +so hotly and closely that they threw away caissons, ammunition, +clothing, and almost everything to lighten their loads, and pushed along +up the Appomattox River until finally they took water and crossed over. + +I left Mr. Lincoln and started, as I have already said, to join the +command, which halted at Sutherland Station, about nine miles out. We +had still time to march as much farther, and time was an object; but the +roads were bad and the trains belonging to the advance corps had blocked +up the road so that it was impossible to get on. Then, again, our +cavalry had struck some of the enemy and were pursuing them; and the +orders were that the roads should be given up to the cavalry whenever +they appeared. This caused further delay. + +General Wright, who was in command of one of the corps which were left +back, thought to gain time by letting his men go into bivouac and trying +to get up some rations for them, and clearing out the road, so that when +they did start they would be uninterrupted. Humphreys, who was far +ahead, was also out of rations. They did not succeed in getting them up +through the night; but the Army of the Potomac, officers and men, were +so elated by the reflection that at last they were following up a +victory to its end, that they preferred marching without rations to +running a possible risk of letting the enemy elude them. So the march +was resumed at three o'clock in the morning. + +Merritt's cavalry had struck the enemy at Deep Creek, and driven them +north to the Appomattox, where, I presume, most of them were forced to +cross. + +On the morning of the 4th I learned that Lee had ordered rations up from +Danville for his famishing army, and that they were to meet him at +Farmville. This showed that Lee had already abandoned the idea of +following the railroad down to Danville, but had determined to go +farther west, by the way of Farmville. I notified Sheridan of this and +directed him to get possession of the road before the supplies could +reach Lee. He responded that he had already sent Crook's division to +get upon the road between Burkesville and Jetersville, then to face +north and march along the road upon the latter place; and he thought +Crook must be there now. The bulk of the army moved directly for +Jetersville by two roads. + +After I had received the dispatch from Sheridan saying that Crook was on +the Danville Road, I immediately ordered Meade to make a forced march +with the Army of the Potomac, and to send Parke's corps across from the +road they were on to the South Side Railroad, to fall in the rear of the +Army of the James and to protect the railroad which that army was +repairing as it went along. + +Our troops took possession of Jetersville and in the telegraph office, +they found a dispatch from Lee, ordering two hundred thousand rations +from Danville. The dispatch had not been sent, but Sheridan sent a +special messenger with it to Burkesville and had it forwarded from +there. In the meantime, however, dispatches from other sources had +reached Danville, and they knew there that our army was on the line of +the road; so that they sent no further supplies from that quarter. + +At this time Merritt and Mackenzie, with the cavalry, were off between +the road which the Army of the Potomac was marching on and the +Appomattox River, and were attacking the enemy in flank. They picked up +a great many prisoners and forced the abandonment of some property. + +Lee intrenched himself at Amelia Court House, and also his advance north +of Jetersville, and sent his troops out to collect forage. The country +was very poor and afforded but very little. His foragers scattered a +great deal; many of them were picked up by our men, and many others +never returned to the Army of Northern Virginia. + +Griffin's corps was intrenched across the railroad south of Jetersville, +and Sheridan notified me of the situation. I again ordered Meade up +with all dispatch, Sheridan having but the one corps of infantry with a +little cavalry confronting Lee's entire army. Meade, always prompt in +obeying orders, now pushed forward with great energy, although he was +himself sick and hardly able to be out of bed. Humphreys moved at two, +and Wright at three o'clock in the morning, without rations, as I have +said, the wagons being far in the rear. + +I stayed that night at Wilson's Station on the South Side Railroad. On +the morning of the 5th I sent word to Sheridan of the progress Meade was +making, and suggested that he might now attack Lee. We had now no other +objective than the Confederate armies, and I was anxious to close the +thing up at once. + +On the 5th I marched again with Ord's command until within about ten +miles of Burkesville, where I stopped to let his army pass. I then +received from Sheridan the following dispatch: + +"The whole of Lee's army is at or near Amelia Court House, and on this +side of it. General Davies, whom I sent out to Painesville on their +right flank, has just captured six pieces of artillery and some wagons. +We can capture the Army of Northern Virginia if force enough can be +thrown to this point, and then advance upon it. My cavalry was at +Burkesville yesterday, and six miles beyond, on the Danville Road, last +night. General Lee is at Amelia Court House in person. They are out of +rations, or nearly so. They were advancing up the railroad towards +Burkesville yesterday, when we intercepted them at this point." + +It now became a life and death struggle with Lee to get south to his +provisions. + +Sheridan, thinking the enemy might turn off immediately towards +Farmville, moved Davies's brigade of cavalry out to watch him. Davies +found the movement had already commenced. He attacked and drove away +their cavalry which was escorting wagons to the west, capturing and +burning 180 wagons. He also captured five pieces of artillery. The +Confederate infantry then moved against him and probably would have +handled him very roughly, but Sheridan had sent two more brigades of +cavalry to follow Davies, and they came to his relief in time. A sharp +engagement took place between these three brigades of cavalry and the +enemy's infantry, but the latter was repulsed. + +Meade himself reached Jetersville about two o'clock in the afternoon, +but in advance of all his troops. The head of Humphreys's corps +followed in about an hour afterwards. Sheridan stationed the troops as +they came up, at Meade's request, the latter still being very sick. He +extended two divisions of this corps off to the west of the road to the +left of Griffin's corps, and one division to the right. The cavalry by +this time had also come up, and they were put still farther off to the +left, Sheridan feeling certain that there lay the route by which the +enemy intended to escape. He wanted to attack, feeling that if time was +given, the enemy would get away; but Meade prevented this, preferring to +wait till his troops were all up. + +At this juncture Sheridan sent me a letter which had been handed to him +by a colored man, with a note from himself saying that he wished I was +there myself. The letter was dated Amelia Court House, April 5th, and +signed by Colonel Taylor. It was to his mother, and showed the +demoralization of the Confederate army. Sheridan's note also gave me the +information as here related of the movements of that day. I received a +second message from Sheridan on the 5th, in which he urged more +emphatically the importance of my presence. This was brought to me by a +scout in gray uniform. It was written on tissue paper, and wrapped up +in tin-foil such as chewing tobacco is folded in. This was a precaution +taken so that if the scout should be captured he could take this +tin-foil out of his pocket and putting it into his mouth, chew it. It +would cause no surprise at all to see a Confederate soldier chewing +tobacco. It was nearly night when this letter was received. I gave Ord +directions to continue his march to Burkesville and there intrench +himself for the night, and in the morning to move west to cut off all +the roads between there and Farmville. + +I then started with a few of my staff and a very small escort of +cavalry, going directly through the woods, to join Meade's army. The +distance was about sixteen miles; but the night being dark our progress +was slow through the woods in the absence of direct roads. However, we +got to the outposts about ten o'clock in the evening, and after some +little parley convinced the sentinels of our identity and were conducted +in to where Sheridan was bivouacked. We talked over the situation for +some little time, Sheridan explaining to me what he thought Lee was +trying to do, and that Meade's orders, if carried out, moving to the +right flank, would give him the coveted opportunity of escaping us and +putting us in rear of him. + +We then together visited Meade, reaching his headquarters about +midnight. I explained to Meade that we did not want to follow the +enemy; we wanted to get ahead of him, and that his orders would allow +the enemy to escape, and besides that, I had no doubt that Lee was +moving right then. Meade changed his orders at once. They were now +given for an advance on Amelia Court House, at an early hour in the +morning, as the army then lay; that is, the infantry being across the +railroad, most of it to the west of the road, with the cavalry swung out +still farther to the left. + + + +CHAPTER LXVI. + +BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK--ENGAGEMENT AT FARMVILLE--CORRESPONDENCE WITH +GENERAL LEE--SHERIDAN INTERCEPTS THE ENEMY. + +The Appomattox, going westward, takes a long sweep to the south-west +from the neighborhood of the Richmond and Danville Railroad bridge, and +then trends north-westerly. Sailor's Creek, an insignificant stream, +running northward, empties into the Appomattox between the High Bridge +and Jetersville. Near the High Bridge the stage road from Petersburg to +Lynchburg crosses the Appomattox River, also on a bridge. The railroad +runs on the north side of the river to Farmville, a few miles west, and +from there, recrossing, continues on the south side of it. The roads +coming up from the south-east to Farmville cross the Appomattox River +there on a bridge and run on the north side, leaving the Lynchburg and +Petersburg Railroad well to the left. + +Lee, in pushing out from Amelia Court House, availed himself of all the +roads between the Danville Road and Appomattox River to move upon, and +never permitted the head of his columns to stop because of any fighting +that might be going on in his rear. In this way he came very near +succeeding in getting to his provision trains and eluding us with at +least part of his army. + +As expected, Lee's troops had moved during the night before, and our +army in moving upon Amelia Court House soon encountered them. There was +a good deal of fighting before Sailor's Creek was reached. Our cavalry +charged in upon a body of theirs which was escorting a wagon train in +order to get it past our left. A severe engagement ensued, in which we +captured many prisoners, and many men also were killed and wounded. +There was as much gallantry displayed by some of the Confederates in +these little engagements as was displayed at any time during the war, +notwithstanding the sad defeats of the past week. + +The armies finally met on Sailor's Creek, when a heavy engagement took +place, in which infantry, artillery and cavalry were all brought into +action. Our men on the right, as they were brought in against the +enemy, came in on higher ground, and upon his flank, giving us every +advantage to be derived from the lay of the country. Our firing was +also very much more rapid, because the enemy commenced his retreat +westward and in firing as he retreated had to turn around every time he +fired. The enemy's loss was very heavy, as well in killed and wounded +as in captures. Some six general officers fell into our hands in this +engagement, and seven thousand men were made prisoners. This engagement +was commenced in the middle of the afternoon of the 6th, and the retreat +and pursuit were continued until nightfall, when the armies bivouacked +upon the ground where the night had overtaken them. + +When the move towards Amelia Court House had commenced that morning, I +ordered Wright's corps, which was on the extreme right, to be moved to +the left past the whole army, to take the place of Griffin's, and +ordered the latter at the same time to move by and place itself on the +right. The object of this movement was to get the 6th corps, Wright's, +next to the cavalry, with which they had formerly served so harmoniously +and so efficiently in the valley of Virginia. + +The 6th corps now remained with the cavalry and under Sheridan's direct +command until after the surrender. + +Ord had been directed to take possession of all the roads southward +between Burkesville and the High Bridge. On the morning of the 6th he +sent Colonel Washburn with two infantry regiments with instructions to +destroy High Bridge and to return rapidly to Burkesville Station; and he +prepared himself to resist the enemy there. Soon after Washburn had +started Ord became a little alarmed as to his safety and sent Colonel +Read, of his staff, with about eighty cavalrymen, to overtake him and +bring him back. Very shortly after this he heard that the head of Lee's +column had got up to the road between him and where Washburn now was, +and attempted to send reinforcements, but the reinforcements could not +get through. Read, however, had got through ahead of the enemy. He +rode on to Farmville and was on his way back again when he found his +return cut off, and Washburn confronting apparently the advance of Lee's +army. Read drew his men up into line of battle, his force now +consisting of less than six hundred men, infantry and cavalry, and rode +along their front, making a speech to his men to inspire them with the +same enthusiasm that he himself felt. He then gave the order to charge. +This little band made several charges, of course unsuccessful ones, but +inflicted a loss upon the enemy more than equal to their own entire +number. Colonel Read fell mortally wounded, and then Washburn; and at +the close of the conflict nearly every officer of the command and most +of the rank and file had been either killed or wounded. The remainder +then surrendered. The Confederates took this to be only the advance of +a larger column which had headed them off, and so stopped to intrench; +so that this gallant band of six hundred had checked the progress of a +strong detachment of the Confederate army. + +This stoppage of Lee's column no doubt saved to us the trains following. +Lee himself pushed on and crossed the wagon road bridge near the High +Bridge, and attempted to destroy it. He did set fire to it, but the +flames had made but little headway when Humphreys came up with his corps +and drove away the rear-guard which had been left to protect it while it +was being burned up. Humphreys forced his way across with some loss, +and followed Lee to the intersection of the road crossing at Farmville +with the one from Petersburg. Here Lee held a position which was very +strong, naturally, besides being intrenched. Humphreys was alone, +confronting him all through the day, and in a very hazardous position. +He put on a bold face, however, and assaulted with some loss, but was +not assaulted in return. + +Our cavalry had gone farther south by the way of Prince Edward's Court +House, along with the 5th corps (Griffin's), Ord falling in between +Griffin and the Appomattox. Crook's division of cavalry and Wright's +corps pushed on west of Farmville. When the cavalry reached Farmville +they found that some of the Confederates were in ahead of them, and had +already got their trains of provisions back to that point; but our +troops were in time to prevent them from securing anything to eat, +although they succeeded in again running the trains off, so that we did +not get them for some time. These troops retreated to the north side of +the Appomattox to join Lee, and succeeded in destroying the bridge after +them. Considerable fighting ensued there between Wright's corps and a +portion of our cavalry and the Confederates, but finally the cavalry +forded the stream and drove them away. Wright built a foot-bridge for +his men to march over on and then marched out to the junction of the +roads to relieve Humphreys, arriving there that night. I had stopped +the night before at Burkesville Junction. Our troops were then pretty +much all out of the place, but we had a field hospital there, and Ord's +command was extended from that point towards Farmville. + +Here I met Dr. Smith, a Virginian and an officer of the regular army, +who told me that in a conversation with General Ewell, one of the +prisoners and a relative of his, Ewell had said that when we had got +across the James River he knew their cause was lost, and it was the duty +of their authorities to make the best terms they could while they still +had a right to claim concessions. The authorities thought differently, +however. Now the cause was lost and they had no right to claim +anything. He said further, that for every man that was killed after +this in the war somebody is responsible, and it would be but very little +better than murder. He was not sure that Lee would consent to surrender +his army without being able to consult with the President, but he hoped +he would. + +I rode in to Farmville on the 7th, arriving there early in the day. +Sheridan and Ord were pushing through, away to the south. Meade was +back towards the High Bridge, and Humphreys confronting Lee as before +stated. After having gone into bivouac at Prince Edward's Court House, +Sheridan learned that seven trains of provisions and forage were at +Appomattox, and determined to start at once and capture them; and a +forced march was necessary in order to get there before Lee's army could +secure them. He wrote me a note telling me this. This fact, together +with the incident related the night before by Dr. Smith, gave me the +idea of opening correspondence with General Lee on the subject of the +surrender of his army. I therefore wrote to him on this day, as +follows: + + +HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE U. S., 5 P.M., April 7, 1865. + +GENERAL R. E. LEE Commanding C. S. A. + +The result of the last week must convince you of the hopelessness of +further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia in this +struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my duty to shift from +myself the responsibility of any further effusion of blood, by asking of +you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate States army known +as the Army of Northern Virginia. + +U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General. + + +Lee replied on the evening of the same day as follows: + + +April 7, 1865. + +GENERAL: I have received your note of this day. Though not +entertaining the opinion you express on the hopelessness of further +resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate +your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore before +considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition +of its surrender. + +R. E. LEE, General. + +LIEUT.-GENERAL U. S. GRANT, Commanding Armies of the U. S. + + +This was not satisfactory, but I regarded it as deserving another letter +and wrote him as follows: + + +April 8, 1865. + +GENERAL R. E. LEE, Commanding C. S. A. + +Your note of last evening in reply to mine of same date, asking the +condition on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of Northern +Virginia is just received. In reply I would say that, peace being my +great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon, namely: +that the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for taking +up arms again against the Government of the United States until properly +exchanged. I will meet you, or will designate officers to meet any +officers you may name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable to +you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the +surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia will be received. + +U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General. + + +Lee's army was rapidly crumbling. Many of his soldiers had enlisted +from that part of the State where they now were, and were continually +dropping out of the ranks and going to their homes. I know that I +occupied a hotel almost destitute of furniture at Farmville, which had +probably been used as a Confederate hospital. The next morning when I +came out I found a Confederate colonel there, who reported to me and +said that he was the proprietor of that house, and that he was a colonel +of a regiment that had been raised in that neighborhood. He said that +when he came along past home, he found that he was the only man of the +regiment remaining with Lee's army, so he just dropped out, and now +wanted to surrender himself. I told him to stay there and he would not +be molested. That was one regiment which had been eliminated from Lee's +force by this crumbling process. + +Although Sheridan had been marching all day, his troops moved with +alacrity and without any straggling. They began to see the end of what +they had been fighting four years for. Nothing seemed to fatigue them. +They were ready to move without rations and travel without rest until +the end. Straggling had entirely ceased, and every man was now a rival +for the front. The infantry marched about as rapidly as the cavalry +could. + +Sheridan sent Custer with his division to move south of Appomattox +Station, which is about five miles south-west of the Court House, to get +west of the trains and destroy the roads to the rear. They got there +the night of the 8th, and succeeded partially; but some of the train men +had just discovered the movement of our troops and succeeded in running +off three of the trains. The other four were held by Custer. + +The head of Lee's column came marching up there on the morning of the +9th, not dreaming, I suppose, that there were any Union soldiers near. +The Confederates were surprised to find our cavalry had possession of +the trains. However, they were desperate and at once assaulted, hoping +to recover them. In the melee that ensued they succeeded in burning one +of the trains, but not in getting anything from it. Custer then ordered +the other trains run back on the road towards Farmville, and the fight +continued. + +So far, only our cavalry and the advance of Lee's army were engaged. +Soon, however, Lee's men were brought up from the rear, no doubt +expecting they had nothing to meet but our cavalry. But our infantry +had pushed forward so rapidly that by the time the enemy got up they +found Griffin's corps and the Army of the James confronting them. A +sharp engagement ensued, but Lee quickly set up a white flag. + + + +CHAPTER LXVII. + +NEGOTIATIONS AT APPOMATTOX--INTERVIEW WITH LEE AT MCLEAN'S HOUSE--THE +TERMS OF SURRENDER--LEE'S SURRENDER--INTERVIEW WITH LEE AFTER THE +SURRENDER. + +On the 8th I had followed the Army of the Potomac in rear of Lee. I was +suffering very severely with a sick headache, and stopped at a farmhouse +on the road some distance in rear of the main body of the army. I spent +the night in bathing my feet in hot water and mustard, and putting +mustard plasters on my wrists and the back part of my neck, hoping to be +cured by morning. During the night I received Lee's answer to my letter +of the 8th, inviting an interview between the lines on the following +morning. (*43) But it was for a different purpose from that of +surrendering his army, and I answered him as follows: + + +HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE U. S., April 9, 1865. + +GENERAL R. E. LEE, Commanding C. S. A. + +Your note of yesterday is received. As I have no authority to treat on +the subject of peace, the meeting proposed for ten A.M. to-day could +lead to no good. I will state, however, General, that I am equally +anxious for peace with yourself, and the whole North entertains the same +feeling. The terms upon which peace can be had are well understood. By +the South laying down their arms they will hasten that most desirable +event, save thousands of human lives and hundreds of millions of +property not yet destroyed. Sincerely hoping that all our difficulties +may be settled without the loss of another life, I subscribe myself, +etc., + +U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. + + +I proceeded at an early hour in the morning, still suffering with the +headache, to get to the head of the column. I was not more than two or +three miles from Appomattox Court House at the time, but to go direct I +would have to pass through Lee's army, or a portion of it. I had +therefore to move south in order to get upon a road coming up from +another direction. + +When the white flag was put out by Lee, as already described, I was in +this way moving towards Appomattox Court House, and consequently could +not be communicated with immediately, and be informed of what Lee had +done. Lee, therefore, sent a flag to the rear to advise Meade and one +to the front to Sheridan, saying that he had sent a message to me for +the purpose of having a meeting to consult about the surrender of his +army, and asked for a suspension of hostilities until I could be +communicated with. As they had heard nothing of this until the fighting +had got to be severe and all going against Lee, both of these commanders +hesitated very considerably about suspending hostilities at all. They +were afraid it was not in good faith, and we had the Army of Northern +Virginia where it could not escape except by some deception. They, +however, finally consented to a suspension of hostilities for two hours +to give an opportunity of communicating with me in that time, if +possible. It was found that, from the route I had taken, they would +probably not be able to communicate with me and get an answer back +within the time fixed unless the messenger should pass through the rebel +lines. + +Lee, therefore, sent an escort with the officer bearing this message +through his lines to me. + + +April 9, 1865. + +GENERAL: I received your note of this morning on the picket-line +whither I had come to meet you and ascertain definitely what terms were +embraced in your proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender +of this army. I now request an interview in accordance with the offer +contained in your letter of yesterday for that purpose. + +R. E. LEE, General. + +LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT Commanding U. S. Armies. + + +When the officer reached me I was still suffering with the sick +headache, but the instant I saw the contents of the note I was cured. I +wrote the following note in reply and hastened on: + + +April 9, 1865. + +GENERAL R. E. LEE, Commanding C. S. Armies. + +Your note of this date is but this moment (11.50 A.M.) received, in +consequence of my having passed from the Richmond and Lynchburg road to +the Farmville and Lynchburg road. I am at this writing about four miles +west of Walker's Church and will push forward to the front for the +purpose of meeting you. Notice sent to me on this road where you wish +the interview to take place will meet me. + +U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. + + +I was conducted at once to where Sheridan was located with his troops +drawn up in line of battle facing the Confederate army near by. They +were very much excited, and expressed their view that this was all a +ruse employed to enable the Confederates to get away. They said they +believed that Johnston was marching up from North Carolina now, and Lee +was moving to join him; and they would whip the rebels where they now +were in five minutes if I would only let them go in. But I had no doubt +about the good faith of Lee, and pretty soon was conducted to where he +was. I found him at the house of a Mr. McLean, at Appomattox Court +House, with Colonel Marshall, one of his staff officers, awaiting my +arrival. The head of his column was occupying a hill, on a portion of +which was an apple orchard, beyond a little valley which separated it +from that on the crest of which Sheridan's forces were drawn up in line +of battle to the south. + +Before stating what took place between General Lee and myself, I will +give all there is of the story of the famous apple tree. + +Wars produce many stories of fiction, some of which are told until they +are believed to be true. The war of the rebellion was no exception to +this rule, and the story of the apple tree is one of those fictions +based on a slight foundation of fact. As I have said, there was an apple +orchard on the side of the hill occupied by the Confederate forces. +Running diagonally up the hill was a wagon road, which, at one point, +ran very near one of the trees, so that the wheels of vehicles had, on +that side, cut off the roots of this tree, leaving a little embankment. +General Babcock, of my staff, reported to me that when he first met +General Lee he was sitting upon this embankment with his feet in the +road below and his back resting against the tree. The story had no +other foundation than that. Like many other stories, it would be very +good if it was only true. + +I had known General Lee in the old army, and had served with him in the +Mexican War; but did not suppose, owing to the difference in our age and +rank, that he would remember me, while I would more naturally remember +him distinctly, because he was the chief of staff of General Scott in +the Mexican War. + +When I had left camp that morning I had not expected so soon the result +that was then taking place, and consequently was in rough garb. I was +without a sword, as I usually was when on horseback on the field, and +wore a soldier's blouse for a coat, with the shoulder straps of my rank +to indicate to the army who I was. When I went into the house I found +General Lee. We greeted each other, and after shaking hands took our +seats. I had my staff with me, a good portion of whom were in the room +during the whole of the interview. + +What General Lee's feelings were I do not know. As he was a man of much +dignity, with an impassible face, it was impossible to say whether he +felt inwardly glad that the end had finally come, or felt sad over the +result, and was too manly to show it. Whatever his feelings, they were +entirely concealed from my observation; but my own feelings, which had +been quite jubilant on the receipt of his letter, were sad and +depressed. I felt like anything rather than rejoicing at the downfall +of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly, and had suffered so much +for a cause, though that cause was, I believe, one of the worst for +which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least +excuse. I do not question, however, the sincerity of the great mass of +those who were opposed to us. + +General Lee was dressed in a full uniform which was entirely new, and +was wearing a sword of considerable value, very likely the sword which +had been presented by the State of Virginia; at all events, it was an +entirely different sword from the one that would ordinarily be worn in +the field. In my rough traveling suit, the uniform of a private with +the straps of a lieutenant-general, I must have contrasted very +strangely with a man so handsomely dressed, six feet high and of +faultless form. But this was not a matter that I thought of until +afterwards. + +We soon fell into a conversation about old army times. He remarked that +he remembered me very well in the old army; and I told him that as a +matter of course I remembered him perfectly, but from the difference in +our rank and years (there being about sixteen years' difference in our +ages), I had thought it very likely that I had not attracted his +attention sufficiently to be remembered by him after such a long +interval. Our conversation grew so pleasant that I almost forgot the +object of our meeting. After the conversation had run on in this style +for some time, General Lee called my attention to the object of our +meeting, and said that he had asked for this interview for the purpose +of getting from me the terms I proposed to give his army. I said that I +meant merely that his army should lay down their arms, not to take them +up again during the continuance of the war unless duly and properly +exchanged. He said that he had so understood my letter. + +Then we gradually fell off again into conversation about matters foreign +to the subject which had brought us together. This continued for some +little time, when General Lee again interrupted the course of the +conversation by suggesting that the terms I proposed to give his army +ought to be written out. I called to General Parker, secretary on my +staff, for writing materials, and commenced writing out the following +terms: + + +APPOMATTOX C. H., VA., + +Ap 19th, 1865. + +GEN. R. E. LEE, Comd'g C. S. A. + +GEN: In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the 8th +inst., I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of N. Va. on the +following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and men to be made +in duplicate. One copy to be given to an officer designated by me, the +other to be retained by such officer or officers as you may designate. +The officers to give their individual paroles not to take up arms +against the Government of the United States until properly exchanged, +and each company or regimental commander sign a like parole for the men +of their commands. The arms, artillery and public property to be parked +and stacked, and turned over to the officer appointed by me to receive +them. This will not embrace the side-arms of the officers, nor their +private horses or baggage. This done, each officer and man will be +allowed to return to their homes, not to be disturbed by United States +authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force +where they may reside. + +Very respectfully, U. S. GRANT, Lt. Gen. + + +When I put my pen to the paper I did not know the first word that I +should make use of in writing the terms. I only knew what was in my +mind, and I wished to express it clearly, so that there could be no +mistaking it. As I wrote on, the thought occurred to me that the +officers had their own private horses and effects, which were important +to them, but of no value to us; also that it would be an unnecessary +humiliation to call upon them to deliver their side arms. + +No conversation, not one word, passed between General Lee and myself, +either about private property, side arms, or kindred subjects. He +appeared to have no objections to the terms first proposed; or if he had +a point to make against them he wished to wait until they were in +writing to make it. When he read over that part of the terms about side +arms, horses and private property of the officers, he remarked, with +some feeling, I thought, that this would have a happy effect upon his +army. + +Then, after a little further conversation, General Lee remarked to me +again that their army was organized a little differently from the army +of the United States (still maintaining by implication that we were two +countries); that in their army the cavalrymen and artillerists owned +their own horses; and he asked if he was to understand that the men who +so owned their horses were to be permitted to retain them. I told him +that as the terms were written they would not; that only the officers +were permitted to take their private property. He then, after reading +over the terms a second time, remarked that that was clear. + +I then said to him that I thought this would be about the last battle of +the war--I sincerely hoped so; and I said further I took it that most of +the men in the ranks were small farmers. The whole country had been so +raided by the two armies that it was doubtful whether they would be able +to put in a crop to carry themselves and their families through the next +winter without the aid of the horses they were then riding. The United +States did not want them and I would, therefore, instruct the officers I +left behind to receive the paroles of his troops to let every man of the +Confederate army who claimed to own a horse or mule take the animal to +his home. Lee remarked again that this would have a happy effect. + +He then sat down and wrote out the following letter: + + +HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, April 9, 1865. + +GENERAL:--I received your letter of this date containing the terms of +the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by you. As +they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the +8th inst., they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper +officers to carry the stipulations into effect. + +R. E. LEE, General. LIEUT.-GENERAL U. S. GRANT. + + +While duplicates of the two letters were being made, the Union generals +present were severally presented to General Lee. + +The much talked of surrendering of Lee's sword and my handing it back, +this and much more that has been said about it is the purest romance. +The word sword or side arms was not mentioned by either of us until I +wrote it in the terms. There was no premeditation, and it did not occur +to me until the moment I wrote it down. If I had happened to omit it, +and General Lee had called my attention to it, I should have put it in +the terms precisely as I acceded to the provision about the soldiers +retaining their horses. + +General Lee, after all was completed and before taking his leave, +remarked that his army was in a very bad condition for want of food, and +that they were without forage; that his men had been living for some +days on parched corn exclusively, and that he would have to ask me for +rations and forage. I told him "certainly," and asked for how many men +he wanted rations. His answer was "about twenty-five thousand;" and I +authorized him to send his own commissary and quartermaster to +Appomattox Station, two or three miles away, where he could have, out of +the trains we had stopped, all the provisions wanted. As for forage, we +had ourselves depended almost entirely upon the country for that. + +Generals Gibbon, Griffin and Merritt were designated by me to carry into +effect the paroling of Lee's troops before they should start for their +homes--General Lee leaving Generals Longstreet, Gordon and Pendleton for +them to confer with in order to facilitate this work. Lee and I then +separated as cordially as we had met, he returning to his own lines, and +all went into bivouac for the night at Appomattox. + +Soon after Lee's departure I telegraphed to Washington as follows: + + +HEADQUARTERS APPOMATTOX C. H., VA., April 9th, 1865, 4.30 P.M. + +HON. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War, Washington. + +General Lee surrendered the Army of Northern Virginia this afternoon on +terms proposed by myself. The accompanying additional correspondence +will show the conditions fully. + +U. S. GRANT, Lieut.-General. + + +When news of the surrender first reached our lines our men commenced +firing a salute of a hundred guns in honor of the victory. I at once +sent word, however, to have it stopped. The Confederates were now our +prisoners, and we did not want to exult over their downfall. + +I determined to return to Washington at once, with a view to putting a +stop to the purchase of supplies, and what I now deemed other useless +outlay of money. Before leaving, however, I thought I (*44) would like +to see General Lee again; so next morning I rode out beyond our lines +towards his headquarters, preceded by a bugler and a staff-officer +carrying a white flag. + +Lee soon mounted his horse, seeing who it was, and met me. We had there +between the lines, sitting on horseback, a very pleasant conversation of +over half an hour, in the course of which Lee said to me that the South +was a big country and that we might have to march over it three or four +times before the war entirely ended, but that we would now be able to do +it as they could no longer resist us. He expressed it as his earnest +hope, however, that we would not be called upon to cause more loss and +sacrifice of life; but he could not foretell the result. I then +suggested to General Lee that there was not a man in the Confederacy +whose influence with the soldiery and the whole people was as great as +his, and that if he would now advise the surrender of all the armies I +had no doubt his advice would be followed with alacrity. But Lee said, +that he could not do that without consulting the President first. I +knew there was no use to urge him to do anything against his ideas of +what was right. + +I was accompanied by my staff and other officers, some of whom seemed to +have a great desire to go inside the Confederate lines. They finally +asked permission of Lee to do so for the purpose of seeing some of their +old army friends, and the permission was granted. They went over, had a +very pleasant time with their old friends, and brought some of them back +with them when they returned. + +When Lee and I separated he went back to his lines and I returned to the +house of Mr. McLean. Here the officers of both armies came in great +numbers, and seemed to enjoy the meeting as much as though they had been +friends separated for a long time while fighting battles under the same +flag. For the time being it looked very much as if all thought of the +war had escaped their minds. After an hour pleasantly passed in this +way I set out on horseback, accompanied by my staff and a small escort, +for Burkesville Junction, up to which point the railroad had by this +time been repaired. + + + +CHAPTER LXVIII. + +MORALE OF THE TWO ARMIES--RELATIVE CONDITIONS OF THE NORTH AND SOUTH +--PRESIDENT LINCOLN VISITS RICHMOND--ARRIVAL AT WASHINGTON--PRESIDENT +LINCOLN'S ASSASSINATION--PRESIDENT JOHNSON'S POLICY. + +After the fall of Petersburg, and when the armies of the Potomac and the +James were in motion to head off Lee's army, the morale of the National +troops had greatly improved. There was no more straggling, no more rear +guards. The men who in former times had been falling back, were now, as +I have already stated, striving to get to the front. For the first time +in four weary years they felt that they were now nearing the time when +they could return to their homes with their country saved. On the other +hand, the Confederates were more than correspondingly depressed. Their +despondency increased with each returning day, and especially after the +battle of Sailor's Creek. They threw away their arms in constantly +increasing numbers, dropping out of the ranks and betaking themselves to +the woods in the hope of reaching their homes. I have already instanced +the case of the entire disintegration of a regiment whose colonel I met +at Farmville. As a result of these and other influences, when Lee +finally surrendered at Appomattox, there were only 28,356 officers and +men left to be paroled, and many of these were without arms. It was +probably this latter fact which gave rise to the statement sometimes +made, North and South, that Lee surrendered a smaller number of men than +what the official figures show. As a matter of official record, and in +addition to the number paroled as given above, we captured between March +29th and the date of surrender 19,132 Confederates, to say nothing of +Lee's other losses, killed, wounded and missing, during the series of +desperate conflicts which marked his headlong and determined flight. +The same record shows the number of cannon, including those at +Appomattox, to have been 689 between the dates named. + +There has always been a great conflict of opinion as to the number of +troops engaged in every battle, or all important battles, fought between +the sections, the South magnifying the number of Union troops engaged +and belittling their own. Northern writers have fallen, in many +instances, into the same error. I have often heard gentlemen, who were +thoroughly loyal to the Union, speak of what a splendid fight the South +had made and successfully continued for four years before yielding, with +their twelve million of people against our twenty, and of the twelve +four being colored slaves, non-combatants. I will add to their +argument. We had many regiments of brave and loyal men who volunteered +under great difficulty from the twelve million belonging to the South. + +But the South had rebelled against the National government. It was not +bound by any constitutional restrictions. The whole South was a +military camp. The occupation of the colored people was to furnish +supplies for the army. Conscription was resorted to early, and embraced +every male from the age of eighteen to forty-five, excluding only those +physically unfit to serve in the field, and the necessary number of +civil officers of State and intended National government. The old and +physically disabled furnished a good portion of these. The slaves, the +non-combatants, one-third of the whole, were required to work in the +field without regard to sex, and almost without regard to age. Children +from the age of eight years could and did handle the hoe; they were not +much older when they began to hold the plough. The four million of +colored non-combatants were equal to more than three times their number +in the North, age for age and sex for sex, in supplying food from the +soil to support armies. Women did not work in the fields in the North, +and children attended school. + +The arts of peace were carried on in the North. Towns and cities grew +during the war. Inventions were made in all kinds of machinery to +increase the products of a day's labor in the shop, and in the field. +In the South no opposition was allowed to the government which had been +set up and which would have become real and respected if the rebellion +had been successful. No rear had to be protected. All the troops in +service could be brought to the front to contest every inch of ground +threatened with invasion. The press of the South, like the people who +remained at home, were loyal to the Southern cause. + +In the North, the country, the towns and the cities presented about the +same appearance they do in time of peace. The furnace was in blast, the +shops were filled with workmen, the fields were cultivated, not only to +supply the population of the North and the troops invading the South, +but to ship abroad to pay a part of the expense of the war. In the +North the press was free up to the point of open treason. The citizen +could entertain his views and express them. Troops were necessary in +the Northern States to prevent prisoners from the Southern army being +released by outside force, armed and set at large to destroy by fire our +Northern cities. Plans were formed by Northern and Southern citizens to +burn our cities, to poison the water supplying them, to spread infection +by importing clothing from infected regions, to blow up our river and +lake steamers--regardless of the destruction of innocent lives. The +copperhead disreputable portion of the press magnified rebel successes, +and belittled those of the Union army. It was, with a large following, +an auxiliary to the Confederate army. The North would have been much +stronger with a hundred thousand of these men in the Confederate ranks +and the rest of their kind thoroughly subdued, as the Union sentiment +was in the South, than we were as the battle was fought. + +As I have said, the whole South was a military camp. The colored +people, four million in number, were submissive, and worked in the field +and took care of the families while the able-bodied white men were at +the front fighting for a cause destined to defeat. The cause was +popular, and was enthusiastically supported by the young men. The +conscription took all of them. Before the war was over, further +conscriptions took those between fourteen and eighteen years of age as +junior reserves, and those between forty-five and sixty as senior +reserves. It would have been an offence, directly after the war, and +perhaps it would be now, to ask any able-bodied man in the South, who +was between the ages of fourteen and sixty at any time during the war, +whether he had been in the Confederate army. He would assert that he +had, or account for his absence from the ranks. Under such +circumstances it is hard to conceive how the North showed such a +superiority of force in every battle fought. I know they did not. + +During 1862 and '3, John H. Morgan, a partisan officer, of no military +education, but possessed of courage and endurance, operated in the rear +of the Army of the Ohio in Kentucky and Tennessee. He had no base of +supplies to protect, but was at home wherever he went. The army +operating against the South, on the contrary, had to protect its lines +of communication with the North, from which all supplies had to come to +the front. Every foot of road had to be guarded by troops stationed at +convenient distances apart. These guards could not render assistance +beyond the points where stationed. Morgan Was foot-loose and could +operate where, his information--always correct--led him to believe he +could do the greatest damage. During the time he was operating in this +way he killed, wounded and captured several times the number he ever had +under his command at any one time. He destroyed many millions of +property in addition. Places he did not attack had to be guarded as if +threatened by him. Forrest, an abler soldier, operated farther west, +and held from the National front quite as many men as could be spared +for offensive operations. It is safe to say that more than half the +National army was engaged in guarding lines of supplies, or were on +leave, sick in hospital or on detail which prevented their bearing arms. +Then, again, large forces were employed where no Confederate army +confronted them. I deem it safe to say that there were no large +engagements where the National numbers compensated for the advantage of +position and intrenchment occupied by the enemy. + +While I was in pursuit of General Lee, the President went to Richmond in +company with Admiral Porter, and on board his flagship. He found the +people of that city in great consternation. The leading citizens among +the people who had remained at home surrounded him, anxious that +something should be done to relieve them from suspense. General Weitzel +was not then in the city, having taken offices in one of the neighboring +villages after his troops had succeeded in subduing the conflagration +which they had found in progress on entering the Confederate capital. +The President sent for him, and, on his arrival, a short interview was +had on board the vessel, Admiral Porter and a leading citizen of +Virginia being also present. After this interview the President wrote an +order in about these words, which I quote from memory: "General Weitzel +is authorized to permit the body calling itself the Legislature of +Virginia to meet for the purpose of recalling the Virginia troops from +the Confederate armies." + +Immediately some of the gentlemen composing that body wrote out a call +for a meeting and had it published in their papers. This call, however, +went very much further than Mr. Lincoln had contemplated, as he did not +say the "Legislature of Virginia" but "the body which called itself the +Legislature of Virginia." Mr. Stanton saw the call as published in the +Northern papers the very next issue and took the liberty of +countermanding the order authorizing any meeting of the Legislature, or +any other body, and this notwithstanding the fact that the President was +nearer the spot than he was. + +This was characteristic of Mr. Stanton. He was a man who never +questioned his own authority, and who always did in war time what he +wanted to do. He was an able constitutional lawyer and jurist; but the +Constitution was not an impediment to him while the war lasted. In this +latter particular I entirely agree with the view he evidently held. The +Constitution was not framed with a view to any such rebellion as that of +1861-5. While it did not authorize rebellion it made no provision +against it. Yet the right to resist or suppress rebellion is as +inherent as the right of self-defence, and as natural as the right of an +individual to preserve his life when in jeopardy. The Constitution was +therefore in abeyance for the time being, so far as it in any way +affected the progress and termination of the war. + +Those in rebellion against the government of the United States were not +restricted by constitutional provisions, or any other, except the acts +of their Congress, which was loyal and devoted to the cause for which +the South was then fighting. It would be a hard case when one-third of +a nation, united in rebellion against the national authority, is +entirely untrammeled, that the other two-thirds, in their efforts to +maintain the Union intact, should be restrained by a Constitution +prepared by our ancestors for the express purpose of insuring the +permanency of the confederation of the States. + +After I left General Lee at Appomattox Station, I went with my staff and +a few others directly to Burkesville Station on my way to Washington. +The road from Burkesville back having been newly repaired and the ground +being soft, the train got off the track frequently, and, as a result, it +was after midnight of the second day when I reached City Point. As soon +as possible I took a dispatch-boat thence to Washington City. + +While in Washington I was very busy for a time in preparing the +necessary orders for the new state of affairs; communicating with my +different commanders of separate departments, bodies of troops, etc. +But by the 14th I was pretty well through with this work, so as to be +able to visit my children, who were then in Burlington, New Jersey, +attending school. Mrs. Grant was with me in Washington at the time, and +we were invited by President and Mrs. Lincoln to accompany them to the +theatre on the evening of that day. I replied to the President's verbal +invitation to the effect, that if we were in the city we would take +great pleasure in accompanying them; but that I was very anxious to get +away and visit my children, and if I could get through my work during +the day I should do so. I did get through and started by the evening +train on the 14th, sending Mr. Lincoln word, of course, that I would not +be at the theatre. + +At that time the railroad to New York entered Philadelphia on Broad +Street; passengers were conveyed in ambulances to the Delaware River, +and then ferried to Camden, at which point they took the cars again. +When I reached the ferry, on the east side of the City of Philadelphia, +I found people awaiting my arrival there; and also dispatches informing +me of the assassination of the President and Mr. Seward, and of the +probable assassination of the Vice President, Mr. Johnson, and +requesting my immediate return. + +It would be impossible for me to describe the feeling that overcame me +at the news of these assassinations, more especially the assassination +of the President. I knew his goodness of heart, his generosity, his +yielding disposition, his desire to have everybody happy, and above all +his desire to see all the people of the United States enter again upon +the full privileges of citizenship with equality among all. I knew also +the feeling that Mr. Johnson had expressed in speeches and conversation +against the Southern people, and I feared that his course towards them +would be such as to repel, and make them unwilling citizens; and if they +became such they would remain so for a long while. I felt that +reconstruction had been set back, no telling how far. + +I immediately arranged for getting a train to take me back to Washington +City; but Mrs. Grant was with me; it was after midnight and Burlington +was but an hour away. Finding that I could accompany her to our house +and return about as soon as they would be ready to take me from the +Philadelphia station, I went up with her and returned immediately by the +same special train. The joy that I had witnessed among the people in +the street and in public places in Washington when I left there, had +been turned to grief; the city was in reality a city of mourning. I +have stated what I believed then the effect of this would be, and my +judgment now is that I was right. I believe the South would have been +saved from very much of the hardness of feeling that was engendered by +Mr. Johnson's course towards them during the first few months of his +administration. Be this as it may, Mr. Lincoln's assassination was +particularly unfortunate for the entire nation. + +Mr. Johnson's course towards the South did engender bitterness of +feeling. His denunciations of treason and his ever-ready remark, +"Treason is a crime and must be made odious," was repeated to all those +men of the South who came to him to get some assurances of safety so +that they might go to work at something with the feeling that what they +obtained would be secure to them. He uttered his denunciations with +great vehemence, and as they were accompanied with no assurances of +safety, many Southerners were driven to a point almost beyond endurance. + +The President of the United States is, in a large degree, or ought to +be, a representative of the feeling, wishes and judgment of those over +whom he presides; and the Southerners who read the denunciations of +themselves and their people must have come to the conclusion that he +uttered the sentiments of the Northern people; whereas, as a matter of +fact, but for the assassination of Mr. Lincoln, I believe the great +majority of the Northern people, and the soldiers unanimously, would +have been in favor of a speedy reconstruction on terms that would be the +least humiliating to the people who had rebelled against their +government. They believed, I have no doubt, as I did, that besides +being the mildest, it was also the wisest, policy. + +The people who had been in rebellion must necessarily come back into the +Union, and be incorporated as an integral part of the nation. Naturally +the nearer they were placed to an equality with the people who had not +rebelled, the more reconciled they would feel with their old +antagonists, and the better citizens they would be from the beginning. +They surely would not make good citizens if they felt that they had a +yoke around their necks. + +I do not believe that the majority of the Northern people at that time +were in favor of negro suffrage. They supposed that it would naturally +follow the freedom of the negro, but that there would be a time of +probation, in which the ex-slaves could prepare themselves for the +privileges of citizenship before the full right would be conferred; but +Mr. Johnson, after a complete revolution of sentiment, seemed to regard +the South not only as an oppressed people, but as the people best +entitled to consideration of any of our citizens. This was more than +the people who had secured to us the perpetuation of the Union were +prepared for, and they became more radical in their views. The +Southerners had the most power in the executive branch, Mr. Johnson +having gone to their side; and with a compact South, and such sympathy +and support as they could get from the North, they felt that they would +be able to control the nation at once, and already many of them acted as +if they thought they were entitled to do so. + +Thus Mr. Johnson, fighting Congress on the one hand, and receiving the +support of the South on the other, drove Congress, which was +overwhelmingly republican, to the passing of first one measure and then +another to restrict his power. There being a solid South on one side +that was in accord with the political party in the North which had +sympathized with the rebellion, it finally, in the judgment of Congress +and of the majority of the legislatures of the States, became necessary +to enfranchise the negro, in all his ignorance. In this work, I shall +not discuss the question of how far the policy of Congress in this +particular proved a wise one. It became an absolute necessity, however, +because of the foolhardiness of the President and the blindness of the +Southern people to their own interest. As to myself, while strongly +favoring the course that would be the least humiliating to the people +who had been in rebellion, I gradually worked up to the point where, +with the majority of the people, I favored immediate enfranchisement. + + + +CHAPTER LXIX. + +SHERMAN AND JOHNSTON--JOHNSTON'S SURRENDER TO SHERMAN--CAPTURE OF +MOBILE--WILSON'S EXPEDITION--CAPTURE OF JEFFERSON DAVIS--GENERAL +THOMAS'S QUALITIES--ESTIMATE OF GENERAL CANBY. + +When I left Appomattox I ordered General Meade to proceed leisurely back +to Burkesville Station with the Army of the Potomac and the Army of the +James, and to go into camp there until further orders from me. General +Johnston, as has been stated before, was in North Carolina confronting +General Sherman. It could not be known positively, of course, whether +Johnston would surrender on the news of Lee's surrender, though I +supposed he would; and if he did not, Burkesville Station was the +natural point from which to move to attack him. The army which I could +have sent against him was superior to his, and that with which Sherman +confronted him was also superior; and between the two he would +necessarily have been crushed, or driven away. With the loss of their +capital and the Army of Northern Virginia it was doubtful whether +Johnston's men would have the spirit to stand. My belief was that he +would make no such attempt; but I adopted this course as a precaution +against what might happen, however improbable. + +Simultaneously with my starting from City Point, I sent a messenger to +North Carolina by boat with dispatches to General Sherman, informing him +of the surrender of Lee and his army; also of the terms which I had +given him; and I authorized Sherman to give the same terms to Johnston +if the latter chose to accept them. The country is familiar with the +terms that Sherman agreed to CONDITIONALLY, because they embraced a +political question as well as a military one and he would therefore have +to confer with the government before agreeing to them definitely. + +General Sherman had met Mr. Lincoln at City Point while visiting there +to confer with me about our final movement, and knew what Mr. Lincoln +had said to the peace commissioners when he met them at Hampton Roads, +viz.: that before he could enter into negotiations with them they would +have to agree to two points: one being that the Union should be +preserved, and the other that slavery should be abolished; and if they +were ready to concede these two points he was almost ready to sign his +name to a blank piece of paper and permit them to fill out the balance +of the terms upon which we would live together. He had also seen +notices in the newspapers of Mr. Lincoln's visit to Richmond, and had +read in the same papers that while there he had authorized the convening +of the Legislature of Virginia. + +Sherman thought, no doubt, in adding to the terms that I had made with +general Lee, that he was but carrying out the wishes of the President of +the United States. But seeing that he was going beyond his authority, +he made it a point that the terms were only conditional. They signed +them with this understanding, and agreed to a truce until the terms +could be sent to Washington for approval; if approved by the proper +authorities there, they would then be final; if not approved, then he +would give due notice, before resuming hostilities. As the world knows, +Sherman, from being one of the most popular generals of the land +(Congress having even gone so far as to propose a bill providing for a +second lieutenant-general for the purpose of advancing him to that +grade), was denounced by the President and Secretary of War in very +bitter terms. Some people went so far as to denounce him as a traitor +--a most preposterous term to apply to a man who had rendered so much +service as he had, even supposing he had made a mistake in granting such +terms as he did to Johnston and his army. If Sherman had taken +authority to send Johnston with his army home, with their arms to be put +in the arsenals of their own States, without submitting the question to +the authorities at Washington, the suspicions against him might have +some foundation. But the feeling against Sherman died out very rapidly, +and it was not many weeks before he was restored to the fullest +confidence of the American people. + +When, some days after my return to Washington, President Johnson and the +Secretary of war received the terms which General Sherman had forwarded +for approval, a cabinet meeting was immediately called and I was sent +for. There seemed to be the greatest consternation, lest Sherman would +commit the government to terms which they were not willing to accede to +and which he had no right to grant. A message went out directing the +troops in the South not to obey General Sherman. I was ordered to +proceed at once to North Carolina and take charge of matter there +myself. Of course I started without delay, and reached there as soon as +possible. I repaired to Raleigh, where Sherman was, as quietly as +possible, hoping to see him without even his army learning of my +presence. + +When I arrived I went to Sherman's headquarters, and we were at once +closeted together. I showed him the instruction and orders under which +I visited him. I told him that I wanted him to notify General Johnston +that the terms which they had conditionally agreed upon had not been +approved in Washington, and that he was authorized to offer the same +terms I had given General Lee. I sent Sherman to do this himself. I +did not wish the knowledge of my presence to be known to the army +generally; so I left it to Sherman to negotiate the terms of the +surrender solely by himself, and without the enemy knowing that I was +anywhere near the field. As soon as possible I started to get away, to +leave Sherman quite free and untrammelled. + +At Goldsboro', on my way back, I met a mail, containing the last +newspapers, and I found in them indications of great excitement in the +North over the terms Sherman had given Johnston; and harsh orders that +had been promulgated by the President and Secretary of War. I knew that +Sherman must see these papers, and I fully realized what great +indignation they would cause him, though I do not think his feelings +could have been more excited than were my own. But like the true and +loyal soldier that he was, he carried out the instructions I had given +him, obtained the surrender of Johnston's army, and settled down in his +camp about Raleigh, to await final orders. + +There were still a few expeditions out in the South that could not be +communicated with, and had to be left to act according to the judgment +of their respective commanders. With these it was impossible to tell +how the news of the surrender of Lee and Johnston, of which they must +have heard, might affect their judgment as to what was best to do. + +The three expeditions which I had tried so hard to get off from the +commands of Thomas and Canby did finally get off: one under Canby +himself, against Mobile, late in March; that under Stoneman from East +Tennessee on the 20th; and the one under Wilson, starting from Eastport, +Mississippi, on the 22d of March. They were all eminently successful, +but without any good result. Indeed much valuable property was destroyed +and many lives lost at a time when we would have liked to spare them. +The war was practically over before their victories were gained. They +were so late in commencing operations, that they did not hold any troops +away that otherwise would have been operating against the armies which +were gradually forcing the Confederate armies to a surrender. The only +possible good that we may have experienced from these raids was by +Stoneman's getting near Lynchburg about the time the armies of the +Potomac and the James were closing in on Lee at Appomattox. + +Stoneman entered North Carolina and then pushed north to strike the +Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. He got upon that road, destroyed its +bridges at different places and rendered the road useless to the enemy +up to within a few miles of Lynchburg. His approach caused the +evacuation of that city about the time we were at Appomattox, and was +the cause of a commotion we heard of there. He then pushed south, and +was operating in the rear of Johnston's army about the time the +negotiations were going on between Sherman and Johnston for the latter's +surrender. In this raid Stoneman captured and destroyed a large amount +of stores, while fourteen guns and nearly two thousand prisoners were +the trophies of his success. + +Canby appeared before Mobile on the 27th of March. The city of Mobile +was protected by two forts, besides other intrenchments--Spanish Fort, +on the east side of the bay, and Fort Blakely, north of the city. These +forts were invested. On the night of the 8th of April, the National +troops having carried the enemy's works at one point, Spanish Fort was +evacuated; and on the 9th, the very day of Lee's surrender, Blakely was +carried by assault, with a considerable loss to us. On the 11th the +city was evacuated. + +I had tried for more than two years to have an expedition sent against +Mobile when its possession by us would have been of great advantage. It +finally cost lives to take it when its possession was of no importance, +and when, if left alone, it would within a few days have fallen into our +hands without any bloodshed whatever. + +Wilson moved out with full 12,000 men, well equipped and well armed. He +was an energetic officer and accomplished his work rapidly. Forrest was +in his front, but with neither his old-time army nor his old-time +prestige. He now had principally conscripts. His conscripts were +generally old men and boys. He had a few thousand regular cavalry left, +but not enough to even retard materially the progress of Wilson's +cavalry. Selma fell on the 2d of April, with a large number of +prisoners and a large quantity of war material, machine shops, etc., to +be disposed of by the victors. Tuscaloosa, Montgomery and West Point +fell in quick succession. These were all important points to the enemy +by reason of their railroad connections, as depots of supplies, and +because of their manufactories of war material. They were fortified or +intrenched, and there was considerable fighting before they were +captured. Macon surrendered on the 21st of April. Here news was +received of the negotiations for the surrender of Johnston's army. +Wilson belonged to the military division commanded by Sherman, and of +course was bound by his terms. This stopped all fighting. + +General Richard Taylor had now become the senior Confederate officer +still at liberty east of the Mississippi River, and on the 4th of May he +surrendered everything within the limits of this extensive command. +General E. Kirby Smith surrendered the trans-Mississippi department on +the 26th of May, leaving no other Confederate army at liberty to +continue the war. + +Wilson's raid resulted in the capture of the fugitive president of the +defunct confederacy before he got out of the country. This occurred at +Irwinsville, Georgia, on the 11th of May. For myself, and I believe Mr. +Lincoln shared the feeling, I would have been very glad to have seen Mr. +Davis succeed in escaping, but for one reason: I feared that if not +captured, he might get into the trans-Mississippi region and there set +up a more contracted confederacy. The young men now out of homes and +out of employment might have rallied under his standard and protracted +the war yet another year. The Northern people were tired of the war, +they were tired of piling up a debt which would be a further mortgage +upon their homes. + +Mr. Lincoln, I believe, wanted Mr. Davis to escape, because he did not +wish to deal with the matter of his punishment. He knew there would be +people clamoring for the punishment of the ex-Confederate president, for +high treason. He thought blood enough had already been spilled to atone +for our wickedness as a nation. At all events he did not wish to be the +judge to decide whether more should be shed or not. But his own life +was sacrificed at the hands of an assassin before the ex-president of +the Confederacy was a prisoner in the hands of the government which he +had lent all his talent and all his energies to destroy. + +All things are said to be wisely directed, and for the best interest of +all concerned. This reflection does not, however, abate in the +slightest our sense of bereavement in the untimely loss of so good and +great a man as Abraham Lincoln. + +He would have proven the best friend the South could have had, and saved +much of the wrangling and bitterness of feeling brought out by +reconstruction under a President who at first wished to revenge himself +upon Southern men of better social standing than himself, but who still +sought their recognition, and in a short time conceived the idea and +advanced the proposition to become their Moses to lead them triumphantly +out of all their difficulties. + +The story of the legislation enacted during the reconstruction period to +stay the hands of the President is too fresh in the minds of the people +to be told now. Much of it, no doubt, was unconstitutional; but it was +hoped that the laws enacted would serve their purpose before the +question of constitutionality could be submitted to the judiciary and a +decision obtained. These laws did serve their purpose, and now remain "a +dead letter" upon the statute books of the United States, no one taking +interest enough in them to give them a passing thought. + +Much was said at the time about the garb Mr. Davis was wearing when he +was captured. I cannot settle this question from personal knowledge of +the facts; but I have been under the belief, from information given to +me by General Wilson shortly after the event, that when Mr. Davis +learned that he was surrounded by our cavalry he was in his tent dressed +in a gentleman's dressing gown. Naturally enough, Mr. Davis wanted to +escape, and would not reflect much how this should be accomplished +provided it might be done successfully. If captured, he would be no +ordinary prisoner. He represented all there was of that hostility to +the government which had caused four years of the bloodiest war--and the +most costly in other respects of which history makes any record. Every +one supposed he would be tried for treason if captured, and that he +would be executed. Had he succeeded in making his escape in any +disguise it would have been adjudged a good thing afterwards by his +admirers. + +As my official letters on file in the War Department, as well as my +remarks in this book, reflect upon General Thomas by dwelling somewhat +upon his tardiness, it is due to myself, as well as to him, that I give +my estimate of him as a soldier. The same remark will apply also in the +case of General Canby. I had been at West Point with Thomas one year, +and had known him later in the old army. He was a man of commanding +appearance, slow and deliberate in speech and action; sensible, honest +and brave. He possessed valuable soldierly qualities in an eminent +degree. He gained the confidence of all who served under him, and +almost their love. This implies a very valuable quality. It is a +quality which calls out the most efficient services of the troops +serving under the commander possessing it. + +Thomas's dispositions were deliberately made, and always good. He could +not be driven from a point he was given to hold. He was not as good, +however, in pursuit as he was in action. I do not believe that he could +ever have conducted Sherman's army from Chattanooga to Atlanta against +the defences and the commander guarding that line in 1864. On the other +hand, if it had been given him to hold the line which Johnston tried to +hold, neither that general nor Sherman, nor any other officer could have +done it better. + +Thomas was a valuable officer, who richly deserved, as he has received, +the plaudits of his countrymen for the part he played in the great +tragedy of 1861-5. + +General Canby was an officer of great merit. He was naturally studious, +and inclined to the law. There have been in the army but very few, if +any, officers who took as much interest in reading and digesting every +act of Congress and every regulation for the government of the army as +he. His knowledge gained in this way made him a most valuable staff +officer, a capacity in which almost all his army services were rendered +up to the time of his being assigned to the Military Division of the +Gulf. He was an exceedingly modest officer, though of great talent and +learning. I presume his feelings when first called upon to command a +large army against a fortified city, were somewhat like my own when +marching a regiment against General Thomas Harris in Missouri in 1861. +Neither of us would have felt the slightest trepidation in going into +battle with some one else commanding. Had Canby been in other +engagements afterwards, he would, I have no doubt, have advanced without +any fear arising from a sense of the responsibility. He was afterwards +killed in the lava beds of Southern Oregon, while in pursuit of the +hostile Modoc Indians. His character was as pure as his talent and +learning were great. His services were valuable during the war, but +principally as a bureau officer. I have no idea that it was from choice +that his services were rendered in an office, but because of his +superior efficiency there. + + + +CHAPTER LXX. + +THE END OF THE WAR--THE MARCH TO WASHINGTON--ONE OF LINCOLN'S ANECDOTES +--GRAND REVIEW AT WASHINGTON--CHARACTERISTICS OF LINCOLN AND STANTON +--ESTIMATE OF THE DIFFERENT CORPS COMMANDERS. + +Things began to quiet down, and as the certainty that there would be no +more armed resistance became clearer, the troops in North Carolina and +Virginia were ordered to march immediately to the capital, and go into +camp there until mustered out. Suitable garrisons were left at the +prominent places throughout the South to insure obedience to the laws +that might be enacted for the government of the several States, and to +insure security to the lives and property of all classes. I do not know +how far this was necessary, but I deemed it necessary, at that time, +that such a course should be pursued. I think now that these garrisons +were continued after they ceased to be absolutely required; but it is +not to be expected that such a rebellion as was fought between the +sections from 1861 to 1865 could terminate without leaving many serious +apprehensions in the mind of the people as to what should be done. + +Sherman marched his troops from Goldsboro, up to Manchester, on the +south side of the James River, opposite Richmond, and there put them in +camp, while he went back to Savannah to see what the situation was +there. + +It was during this trip that the last outrage was committed upon him. +Halleck had been sent to Richmond to command Virginia, and had issued +orders prohibiting even Sherman's own troops from obeying his, +Sherman's, orders. Sherman met the papers on his return, containing +this order of Halleck, and very justly felt indignant at the outrage. +On his arrival at Fortress Monroe returning from Savannah, Sherman +received an invitation from Halleck to come to Richmond and be his +guest. This he indignantly refused, and informed Halleck, furthermore, +that he had seen his order. He also stated that he was coming up to +take command of his troops, and as he marched through it would probably +be as well for Halleck not to show himself, because he (Sherman) would +not be responsible for what some rash person might do through +indignation for the treatment he had received. Very soon after that, +Sherman received orders from me to proceed to Washington City, and to go +into camp on the south side of the city pending the mustering-out of the +troops. + +There was no incident worth noting in the march northward from +Goldsboro, to Richmond, or in that from Richmond to Washington City. +The army, however, commanded by Sherman, which had been engaged in all +the battles of the West and had marched from the Mississippi through the +Southern States to the sea, from there to Goldsboro, and thence to +Washington City, had passed over many of the battle-fields of the Army +of the Potomac, thus having seen, to a greater extent than any other +body of troops, the entire theatre of the four years' war for the +preservation of the Union. + +The march of Sherman's army from Atlanta to the sea and north to +Goldsboro, while it was not accompanied with the danger that was +anticipated, yet was magnificent in its results, and equally magnificent +in the way it was conducted. It had an important bearing, in various +ways, upon the great object we had in view, that of closing the war. +All the States east of the Mississippi River up to the State of Georgia, +had felt the hardships of the war. Georgia, and South Carolina, and +almost all of North Carolina, up to this time, had been exempt from +invasion by the Northern armies, except upon their immediate sea coasts. +Their newspapers had given such an account of Confederate success, that +the people who remained at home had been convinced that the Yankees had +been whipped from first to last, and driven from pillar to post, and +that now they could hardly be holding out for any other purpose than to +find a way out of the war with honor to themselves. + +Even during this march of Sherman's the newspapers in his front were +proclaiming daily that his army was nothing better than a mob of men who +were frightened out of their wits and hastening, panic-stricken, to try +to get under the cover of our navy for protection against the Southern +people. As the army was seen marching on triumphantly, however, the +minds of the people became disabused and they saw the true state of +affairs. In turn they became disheartened, and would have been glad to +submit without compromise. + +Another great advantage resulting from this march, and which was +calculated to hasten the end, was the fact that the great storehouse of +Georgia was entirely cut off from the Confederate armies. As the troops +advanced north from Savannah, the destruction of the railroads in South +Carolina and the southern part of North Carolina, further cut off their +resources and left the armies still in Virginia and North Carolina +dependent for supplies upon a very small area of country, already very +much exhausted of food and forage. + +In due time the two armies, one from Burkesville Junction and the other +from the neighborhood of Raleigh, North Carolina, arrived and went into +camp near the Capital, as directed. The troops were hardy, being inured +to fatigue, and they appeared in their respective camps as ready and fit +for duty as they had ever been in their lives. I doubt whether an equal +body of men of any nation, take them man for man, officer for officer, +was ever gotten together that would have proved their equal in a great +battle. + +The armies of Europe are machines; the men are brave and the officers +capable; but the majority of the soldiers in most of the nations of +Europe are taken from a class of people who are not very intelligent and +who have very little interest in the contest in which they are called +upon to take part. Our armies were composed of men who were able to +read, men who knew what they were fighting for, and could not be induced +to serve as soldiers, except in an emergency when the safety of the +nation was involved, and so necessarily must have been more than equal +to men who fought merely because they were brave and because they were +thoroughly drilled and inured to hardships. + +There was nothing of particular importance occurred during the time +these troops were in camp before starting North. + +I remember one little incident which I will relate as an anecdote +characteristic of Mr. Lincoln. It occurred a day after I reached +Washington, and about the time General Meade reached Burkesville with +the army. Governor Smith of Virginia had left Richmond with the +Confederate States government, and had gone to Danville. Supposing I +was necessarily with the army at Burkesville, he addressed a letter to +me there informing me that, as governor of the Commonwealth of the State +of Virginia, he had temporarily removed the State capital from Richmond +to Danville, and asking if he would be permitted to perform the +functions of his office there without molestation by the Federal +authorities. I give this letter only in substance. He also inquired of +me whether in case he was not allowed to perform the duties of his +office, he with a few others might not be permitted to leave the country +and go abroad without interference. General Meade being informed that a +flag of truce was outside his pickets with a letter to me, at once sent +out and had the letter brought in without informing the officer who +brought it that I was not present. He read the letter and telegraphed +me its contents. Meeting Mr. Lincoln shortly after receiving this +dispatch, I repeated its contents to him. Mr. Lincoln, supposing I was +asking for instructions, said, in reply to that part of Governor Smith's +letter which inquired whether he with a few friends would be permitted +to leave the country unmolested, that his position was like that of a +certain Irishman (giving the name) he knew in Springfield who was very +popular with the people, a man of considerable promise, and very much +liked. Unfortunately he had acquired the habit of drinking, and his +friends could see that the habit was growing on him. These friends +determined to make an effort to save him, and to do this they drew up a +pledge to abstain from all alcoholic drinks. They asked Pat to join +them in signing the pledge, and he consented. He had been so long out +of the habit of using plain water as a beverage that he resorted to +soda-water as a substitute. After a few days this began to grow +distasteful to him. So holding the glass behind him, he said: "Doctor, +couldn't you drop a bit of brandy in that unbeknownst to myself." + +I do not remember what the instructions were the President gave me, but +I know that Governor Smith was not permitted to perform the duties of +his office. I also know that if Mr. Lincoln had been spared, there +would have been no efforts made to prevent any one from leaving the +country who desired to do so. He would have been equally willing to +permit the return of the same expatriated citizens after they had time +to repent of their choice. + +On the 18th of May orders were issued by the adjutant-general for a +grand review by the President and his cabinet of Sherman's and Meade's +armies. The review commenced on the 23d and lasted two days. Meade's +army occupied over six hours of the first day in passing the grand stand +which had been erected in front of the President's house. Sherman +witnessed this review from the grand stand which was occupied by the +President and his cabinet. Here he showed his resentment for the cruel +and harsh treatment that had unnecessarily been inflicted upon him by +the Secretary of War, by refusing to take his extended hand. + +Sherman's troops had been in camp on the south side of the Potomac. +During the night of the 23d he crossed over and bivouacked not far from +the Capitol. Promptly at ten o'clock on the morning of the 24th, his +troops commenced to pass in review. Sherman's army made a different +appearance from that of the Army of the Potomac. The latter had been +operating where they received directly from the North full supplies of +food and clothing regularly: the review of this army therefore was the +review of a body of 65,000 well-drilled, well-disciplined and orderly +soldiers inured to hardship and fit for any duty, but without the +experience of gathering their own food and supplies in an enemy's +country, and of being ever on the watch. Sherman's army was not so +well-dressed as the Army of the Potomac, but their marching could not +be excelled; they gave the appearance of men who had been thoroughly +drilled to endure hardships, either by long and continuous marches or +through exposure to any climate, without the ordinary shelter of a camp. +They exhibited also some of the order of march through Georgia where the +"sweet potatoes sprung up from the ground" as Sherman's army went +marching through. In the rear of a company there would be a captured +horse or mule loaded with small cooking utensils, captured chickens and +other food picked up for the use of the men. Negro families who had +followed the army would sometimes come along in the rear of a company, +with three or four children packed upon a single mule, and the mother +leading it. + +The sight was varied and grand: nearly all day for two successive days, +from the Capitol to the Treasury Building, could be seen a mass of +orderly soldiers marching in columns of companies. The National flag +was flying from almost every house and store; the windows were filled +with spectators; the door-steps and side-walks were crowded with colored +people and poor whites who did not succeed in securing better quarters +from which to get a view of the grand armies. The city was about as +full of strangers who had come to see the sights as it usually is on +inauguration day when a new President takes his seat. + +It may not be out of place to again allude to President Lincoln and the +Secretary of War, Mr. Stanton, who were the great conspicuous figures in +the executive branch of the government. There is no great difference of +opinion now, in the public mind, as to the characteristics of the +President. With Mr. Stanton the case is different. They were the very +opposite of each other in almost every particular, except that each +possessed great ability. Mr. Lincoln gained influence over men by +making them feel that it was a pleasure to serve him. He preferred +yielding his own wish to gratify others, rather than to insist upon +having his own way. It distressed him to disappoint others. In matters +of public duty, however, he had what he wished, but in the least +offensive way. Mr. Stanton never questioned his own authority to +command, unless resisted. He cared nothing for the feeling of others. +In fact it seemed to be pleasanter to him to disappoint than to gratify. +He felt no hesitation in assuming the functions of the executive, or in +acting without advising with him. If his act was not sustained, he +would change it--if he saw the matter would be followed up until he did +so. + +It was generally supposed that these two officials formed the complement +of each other. The Secretary was required to prevent the President's +being imposed upon. The President was required in the more responsible +place of seeing that injustice was not done to others. I do not know +that this view of these two men is still entertained by the majority of +the people. It is not a correct view, however, in my estimation. Mr. +Lincoln did not require a guardian to aid him in the fulfilment of a +public trust. + +Mr. Lincoln was not timid, and he was willing to trust his generals in +making and executing their plans. The Secretary was very timid, and it +was impossible for him to avoid interfering with the armies covering the +capital when it was sought to defend it by an offensive movement against +the army guarding the Confederate capital. He could see our weakness, +but he could not see that the enemy was in danger. The enemy would not +have been in danger if Mr. Stanton had been in the field. These +characteristics of the two officials were clearly shown shortly after +Early came so near getting into the capital. + +Among the army and corps commanders who served with me during the war +between the States, and who attracted much public attention, but of +whose ability as soldiers I have not yet given any estimate, are Meade, +Hancock, Sedgwick, Burnside, Terry and Hooker. There were others of +great merit, such as Griffin, Humphreys, Wright and Mackenzie. Of those +first named, Burnside at one time had command of the Army of the +Potomac, and later of the Army of the Ohio. Hooker also commanded the +Army of the Potomac for a short time. + +General Meade was an officer of great merit, with drawbacks to his +usefulness that were beyond his control. He had been an officer of the +engineer corps before the war, and consequently had never served with +troops until he was over forty-six years of age. He never had, I +believe, a command of less than a brigade. He saw clearly and +distinctly the position of the enemy, and the topography of the country +in front of his own position. His first idea was to take advantage of +the lay of the ground, sometimes without reference to the direction we +wanted to move afterwards. He was subordinate to his superiors in rank +to the extent that he could execute an order which changed his own plans +with the same zeal he would have displayed if the plan had been his own. +He was brave and conscientious, and commanded the respect of all who +knew him. He was unfortunately of a temper that would get beyond his +control, at times, and make him speak to officers of high rank in the +most offensive manner. No one saw this fault more plainly than he +himself, and no one regretted it more. This made it unpleasant at +times, even in battle, for those around him to approach him even with +information. In spite of this defect he was a most valuable officer and +deserves a high place in the annals of his country. + +General Burnside was an officer who was generally liked and respected. +He was not, however, fitted to command an army. No one knew this better +than himself. He always admitted his blunders, and extenuated those of +officers under him beyond what they were entitled to. It was hardly his +fault that he was ever assigned to a separate command. + +Of Hooker I saw but little during the war. I had known him very well +before, however. Where I did see him, at Chattanooga, his achievement +in bringing his command around the point of Lookout Mountain and into +Chattanooga Valley was brilliant. I nevertheless regarded him as a +dangerous man. He was not subordinate to his superiors. He was +ambitious to the extent of caring nothing for the rights of others. His +disposition was, when engaged in battle, to get detached from the main +body of the army and exercise a separate command, gathering to his +standard all he could of his juniors. + +Hancock stands the most conspicuous figure of all the general officers +who did not exercise a separate command. He commanded a corps longer +than any other one, and his name was never mentioned as having committed +in battle a blunder for which he was responsible. He was a man of very +conspicuous personal appearance. Tall, well-formed and, at the time of +which I now write, young and fresh-looking, he presented an appearance +that would attract the attention of an army as he passed. His genial +disposition made him friends, and his personal courage and his presence +with his command in the thickest of the fight won for him the confidence +of troops serving under him. No matter how hard the fight, the 2d corps +always felt that their commander was looking after them. + +Sedgwick was killed at Spottsylvania before I had an opportunity of +forming an estimate of his qualifications as a soldier from personal +observation. I had known him in Mexico when both of us were +lieutenants, and when our service gave no indication that either of us +would ever be equal to the command of a brigade. He stood very high in +the army, however, as an officer and a man. He was brave and +conscientious. His ambition was not great, and he seemed to dread +responsibility. He was willing to do any amount of battling, but always +wanted some one else to direct. He declined the command of the Army of +the Potomac once, if not oftener. + +General Alfred H. Terry came into the army as a volunteer without a +military education. His way was won without political influence up to +an important separate command--the expedition against Fort Fisher, in +January, 1865. His success there was most brilliant, and won for him +the rank of brigadier-general in the regular army and of major-general +of volunteers. He is a man who makes friends of those under him by his +consideration of their wants and their dues. As a commander, he won +their confidence by his coolness in action and by his clearness of +perception in taking in the situation under which he was placed at any +given time. + +Griffin, Humphreys, and Mackenzie were good corps commanders, but came +into that position so near to the close of the war as not to attract +public attention. All three served as such, in the last campaign of the +armies of the Potomac and the James, which culminated at Appomattox +Court House, on the 9th of April, 1865. The sudden collapse of the +rebellion monopolized attention to the exclusion of almost everything +else. I regarded Mackenzie as the most promising young officer in the +army. Graduating at West Point, as he did, during the second year of +the war, he had won his way up to the command of a corps before its +close. This he did upon his own merit and without influence. + + + +CONCLUSION. + +The cause of the great War of the Rebellion against the United Status +will have to be attributed to slavery. For some years before the war +began it was a trite saying among some politicians that "A state half +slave and half free cannot exist." All must become slave or all free, +or the state will go down. I took no part myself in any such view of +the case at the time, but since the war is over, reviewing the whole +question, I have come to the conclusion that the saying is quite true. + +Slavery was an institution that required unusual guarantees for its +security wherever it existed; and in a country like ours where the +larger portion of it was free territory inhabited by an intelligent and +well-to-do population, the people would naturally have but little +sympathy with demands upon them for its protection. Hence the people of +the South were dependent upon keeping control of the general government +to secure the perpetuation of their favorite institution. They were +enabled to maintain this control long after the States where slavery +existed had ceased to have the controlling power, through the assistance +they received from odd men here and there throughout the Northern +States. They saw their power waning, and this led them to encroach upon +the prerogatives and independence of the Northern States by enacting +such laws as the Fugitive Slave Law. By this law every Northern man +was obliged, when properly summoned, to turn out and help apprehend +the runaway slave of a Southern man. Northern marshals became +slave-catchers, and Northern courts had to contribute to the support +and protection of the institution. + +This was a degradation which the North would not permit any longer than +until they could get the power to expunge such laws from the statute +books. Prior to the time of these encroachments the great majority of +the people of the North had no particular quarrel with slavery, so long +as they were not forced to have it themselves. But they were not +willing to play the role of police for the South in the protection of +this particular institution. + +In the early days of the country, before we had railroads, telegraphs +and steamboats--in a word, rapid transit of any sort--the States were +each almost a separate nationality. At that time the subject of slavery +caused but little or no disturbance to the public mind. But the country +grew, rapid transit was established, and trade and commerce between the +States got to be so much greater than before, that the power of the +National government became more felt and recognized and, therefore, had +to be enlisted in the cause of this institution. + +It is probably well that we had the war when we did. We are better off +now than we would have been without it, and have made more rapid +progress than we otherwise should have made. The civilized nations of +Europe have been stimulated into unusual activity, so that commerce, +trade, travel, and thorough acquaintance among people of different +nationalities, has become common; whereas, before, it was but the few +who had ever had the privilege of going beyond the limits of their own +country or who knew anything about other people. Then, too, our +republican institutions were regarded as experiments up to the breaking +out of the rebellion, and monarchical Europe generally believed that our +republic was a rope of sand that would part the moment the slightest +strain was brought upon it. Now it has shown itself capable of dealing +with one of the greatest wars that was ever made, and our people have +proven themselves to be the most formidable in war of any nationality. + +But this war was a fearful lesson, and should teach us the necessity of +avoiding wars in the future. + +The conduct of some of the European states during our troubles shows the +lack of conscience of communities where the responsibility does not come +upon a single individual. Seeing a nation that extended from ocean to +ocean, embracing the better part of a continent, growing as we were +growing in population, wealth and intelligence, the European nations +thought it would be well to give us a check. We might, possibly, after +a while threaten their peace, or, at least, the perpetuity of their +institutions. Hence, England was constantly finding fault with the +administration at Washington because we were not able to keep up an +effective blockade. She also joined, at first, with France and Spain in +setting up an Austrian prince upon the throne in Mexico, totally +disregarding any rights or claims that Mexico had of being treated as an +independent power. It is true they trumped up grievances as a pretext, +but they were only pretexts which can always be found when wanted. + +Mexico, in her various revolutions, had been unable to give that +protection to the subjects of foreign nations which she would have liked +to give, and some of her revolutionary leaders had forced loans from +them. Under pretence of protecting their citizens, these nations seized +upon Mexico as a foothold for establishing a European monarchy upon our +continent, thus threatening our peace at home. I, myself, regarded this +as a direct act of war against the United States by the powers engaged, +and supposed as a matter of course that the United States would treat it +as such when their hands were free to strike. I often spoke of the +matter to Mr. Lincoln and the Secretary of War, but never heard any +special views from them to enable me to judge what they thought or felt +about it. I inferred that they felt a good deal as I did, but were +unwilling to commit themselves while we had our own troubles upon our +hands. + +All of the powers except France very soon withdrew from the armed +intervention for the establishment of an Austrian prince upon the throne +of Mexico; but the governing people of these countries continued to the +close of the war to throw obstacles in our way. After the surrender of +Lee, therefore, entertaining the opinion here expressed, I sent Sheridan +with a corps to the Rio Grande to have him where he might aid Juarez in +expelling the French from Mexico. These troops got off before they +could be stopped; and went to the Rio Grande, where Sheridan distributed +them up and down the river, much to the consternation of the troops in +the quarter of Mexico bordering on that stream. This soon led to a +request from France that we should withdraw our troops from the Rio +Grande and to negotiations for the withdrawal of theirs. Finally +Bazaine was withdrawn from Mexico by order of the French Government. +From that day the empire began to totter. Mexico was then able to +maintain her independence without aid from us. + +France is the traditional ally and friend of the United States. I did +not blame France for her part in the scheme to erect a monarchy upon the +ruins of the Mexican Republic. That was the scheme of one man, an +imitator without genius or merit. He had succeeded in stealing the +government of his country, and made a change in its form against the +wishes and instincts of his people. He tried to play the part of the +first Napoleon, without the ability to sustain that role. He sought by +new conquests to add to his empire and his glory; but the signal failure +of his scheme of conquest was the precursor of his own overthrow. + +Like our own war between the States, the Franco-Prussian war was an +expensive one; but it was worth to France all it cost her people. It +was the completion of the downfall of Napoleon III. The beginning was +when he landed troops on this continent. Failing here, the prestige of +his name--all the prestige he ever had--was gone. He must achieve a +success or fall. He tried to strike down his neighbor, Prussia--and +fell. + +I never admired the character of the first Napoleon; but I recognize his +great genius. His work, too, has left its impress for good on the face +of Europe. The third Napoleon could have no claim to having done a good +or just act. + +To maintain peace in the future it is necessary to be prepared for war. +There can scarcely be a possible chance of a conflict, such as the last +one, occurring among our own people again; but, growing as we are, in +population, wealth and military power, we may become the envy of nations +which led us in all these particulars only a few years ago; and unless +we are prepared for it we may be in danger of a combined movement being +some day made to crush us out. Now, scarcely twenty years after the +war, we seem to have forgotten the lessons it taught, and are going on +as if in the greatest security, without the power to resist an invasion +by the fleets of fourth-rate European powers for a time until we could +prepare for them. + +We should have a good navy, and our sea-coast defences should be put in +the finest possible condition. Neither of these cost much when it is +considered where the money goes, and what we get in return. Money +expended in a fine navy, not only adds to our security and tends to +prevent war in the future, but is very material aid to our commerce with +foreign nations in the meantime. Money spent upon sea-coast defences is +spent among our own people, and all goes back again among the people. +The work accomplished, too, like that of the navy, gives us a feeling of +security. + +England's course towards the United States during the rebellion +exasperated the people of this country very much against the mother +country. I regretted it. England and the United States are natural +allies, and should be the best of friends. They speak one language, and +are related by blood and other ties. We together, or even either +separately, are better qualified than any other people to establish +commerce between all the nationalities of the world. + +England governs her own colonies, and particularly those embracing +the people of different races from her own, better than any other +nation. She is just to the conquered, but rigid. She makes them +self-supporting, but gives the benefit of labor to the laborer. She +does not seem to look upon the colonies as outside possessions which she +is at liberty to work for the support and aggrandizement of the home +government. + +The hostility of England to the United States during our rebellion was +not so much real as it was apparent. It was the hostility of the +leaders of one political party. I am told that there was no time during +the civil war when they were able to get up in England a demonstration +in favor of secession, while these were constantly being gotten up in +favor of the Union, or, as they called it, in favor of the North. Even +in Manchester, which suffered so fearfully by having the cotton cut off +from her mills, they had a monster demonstration in favor of the North +at the very time when their workmen were almost famishing. + +It is possible that the question of a conflict between races may come up +in the future, as did that between freedom and slavery before. The +condition of the colored man within our borders may become a source of +anxiety, to say the least. But he was brought to our shores by +compulsion, and he now should be considered as having as good a right to +remain here as any other class of our citizens. It was looking to a +settlement of this question that led me to urge the annexation of Santo +Domingo during the time I was President of the United States. + +Santo Domingo was freely offered to us, not only by the administration, +but by all the people, almost without price. The island is upon our +shores, is very fertile, and is capable of supporting fifteen millions +of people. The products of the soil are so valuable that labor in her +fields would be so compensated as to enable those who wished to go there +to quickly repay the cost of their passage. I took it that the colored +people would go there in great numbers, so as to have independent states +governed by their own race. They would still be States of the Union, +and under the protection of the General Government; but the citizens +would be almost wholly colored. + +By the war with Mexico, we had acquired, as we have seen, territory +almost equal in extent to that we already possessed. It was seen that +the volunteers of the Mexican war largely composed the pioneers to +settle up the Pacific coast country. Their numbers, however, were +scarcely sufficient to be a nucleus for the population of the important +points of the territory acquired by that war. After our rebellion, when +so many young men were at liberty to return to their homes, they found +they were not satisfied with the farm, the store, or the work-shop of +the villages, but wanted larger fields. The mines of the mountains +first attracted them; but afterwards they found that rich valleys and +productive grazing and farming lands were there. This territory, the +geography of which was not known to us at the close of the rebellion, is +now as well mapped as any portion of our country. Railroads traverse it +in every direction, north, south, east, and west. The mines are worked. +The high lands are used for grazing purposes, and rich agricultural +lands are found in many of the valleys. This is the work of the +volunteer. It is probable that the Indians would have had control of +these lands for a century yet but for the war. We must conclude, +therefore, that wars are not always evils unmixed with some good. + +Prior to the rebellion the great mass of the people were satisfied to +remain near the scenes of their birth. In fact an immense majority of +the whole people did not feel secure against coming to want should they +move among entire strangers. So much was the country divided into small +communities that localized idioms had grown up, so that you could almost +tell what section a person was from by hearing him speak. Before, new +territories were settled by a "class"; people who shunned contact with +others; people who, when the country began to settle up around them, +would push out farther from civilization. Their guns furnished meat, +and the cultivation of a very limited amount of the soil, their bread +and vegetables. All the streams abounded with fish. Trapping would +furnish pelts to be brought into the States once a year, to pay for +necessary articles which they could not raise--powder, lead, whiskey, +tobacco and some store goods. Occasionally some little articles of +luxury would enter into these purchases--a quarter of a pound of tea, +two or three pounds of coffee, more of sugar, some playing cards, and if +anything was left over of the proceeds of the sale, more whiskey. + +Little was known of the topography of the country beyond the settlements +of these frontiersmen. This is all changed now. The war begot a spirit +of independence and enterprise. The feeling now is, that a youth must +cut loose from his old surroundings to enable him to get up in the +world. There is now such a commingling of the people that particular +idioms and pronunciation are no longer localized to any great extent; +the country has filled up "from the centre all around to the sea"; +railroads connect the two oceans and all parts of the interior; maps, +nearly perfect, of every part of the country are now furnished the +student of geography. + +The war has made us a nation of great power and intelligence. We have +but little to do to preserve peace, happiness and prosperity at home, +and the respect of other nations. Our experience ought to teach us the +necessity of the first; our power secures the latter. + +I feel that we are on the eve of a new era, when there is to be great +harmony between the Federal and Confederate. I cannot stay to be a +living witness to the correctness of this prophecy; but I feel it within +me that it is to be so. The universally kind feeling expressed for me +at a time when it was supposed that each day would prove my last, seemed +to me the beginning of the answer to "Let us have peace." + +The expression of these kindly feelings were not restricted to a section +of the country, nor to a division of the people. They came from +individual citizens of all nationalities; from all denominations--the +Protestant, the Catholic, and the Jew; and from the various societies of +the land--scientific, educational, religious or otherwise. Politics did +not enter into the matter at all. + +I am not egotist enough to suppose all this significance should be given +because I was the object of it. But the war between the States was a +very bloody and a very costly war. One side or the other had to yield +principles they deemed dearer than life before it could be brought to an +end. I commanded the whole of the mighty host engaged on the victorious +side. I was, no matter whether deservedly so or not, a representative +of that side of the controversy. It is a significant and gratifying +fact that Confederates should have joined heartily in this spontaneous +move. I hope the good feeling inaugurated may continue to the end. + + + +APPENDIX. + +REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMIES +1864-65. + +HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON, D. C., July 22, +1865. + +HON. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. + +SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations +of the Armies of the United States from the date of my appointment to +command the same. + +From an early period in the rebellion I had been impressed with the idea +that active and continuous operations of all the troops that could be +brought into the field, regardless of season and weather, were necessary +to a speedy termination of the war. The resources of the enemy and his +numerical strength were far inferior to ours; but as an offset to this, +we had a vast territory, with a population hostile to the government, to +garrison, and long lines of river and railroad communications to +protect, to enable us to supply the operating armies. + +The armies in the East and West acted independently and without concert, +like a balky team, no two ever pulling together, enabling the enemy to +use to great advantage his interior lines of communication for +transporting troops from East to West, reinforcing the army most +vigorously pressed, and to furlough large numbers, during seasons of +inactivity on our part, to go to their homes and do the work of +producing, for the support of their armies. It was a question whether +our numerical strength and resources were not more than balanced by +these disadvantages and the enemy's superior position. + +From the first, I was firm in the conviction that no peace could be had +that would be stable and conducive to the happiness of the people, both +North and South, until the military power of the rebellion was entirely +broken. + +I therefore determined, first, to use the greatest number of troops +practicable against the armed force of the enemy; preventing him from +using the same force at different seasons against first one and then +another of our armies, and the possibility of repose for refitting and +producing necessary supplies for carrying on resistance. Second, to +hammer continuously against the armed force of the enemy and his +resources, until by mere attrition, if in no other way, there should be +nothing left to him but an equal submission with the loyal section of +our common country to the constitution and laws of the land. + +These views have been kept constantly in mind, and orders given and +campaigns made to carry them out. Whether they might have been better +in conception and execution is for the people, who mourn the loss of +friends fallen, and who have to pay the pecuniary cost, to say. All I +can say is, that what I have done has been done conscientiously, to the +best of my ability, and in what I conceived to be for the best interests +of the whole country. + +At the date when this report begins, the situation of the contending +forces was about as follows: The Mississippi River was strongly +garrisoned by Federal troops, from St. Louis, Missouri, to its mouth. +The line of the Arkansas was also held, thus giving us armed possession +of all west of the Mississippi, north of that stream. A few points in +Southern Louisiana, not remote from the river, were held by us, together +with a small garrison at and near the mouth of the Rio Grande. All the +balance of the vast territory of Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas was in +the almost undisputed possession of the enemy, with an army of probably +not less than eighty thousand effective men, that could have been +brought into the field had there been sufficient opposition to have +brought them out. The let-alone policy had demoralized this force so +that probably but little more than one-half of it was ever present in +garrison at any one time. But the one-half, or forty thousand men, with +the bands of guerillas scattered through Missouri, Arkansas, and along +the Mississippi River, and the disloyal character of much of the +population, compelled the use of a large number of troops to keep +navigation open on the river, and to protect the loyal people to the +west of it. To the east of the Mississippi we held substantially with +the line of the Tennessee and Holston rivers, running eastward to +include nearly all of the State of Tennessee. South of Chattanooga, a +small foothold had been obtained in Georgia, sufficient to protect East +Tennessee from incursions from the enemy's force at Dalton, Georgia. +West Virginia was substantially within our lines. Virginia, with the +exception of the northern border, the Potomac River, a small area about +the mouth of James River, covered by the troops at Norfolk and Fort +Monroe, and the territory covered by the Army of the Potomac lying along +the Rapidan, was in the possession of the enemy. Along the sea-coast +footholds had been obtained at Plymouth, Washington, and New Bern, in +North Carolina; Beaufort, Folly and Morris Islands, Hilton Head, Fort +Pulaski, and Port Royal, in South Carolina; Fernandina and St. +Augustine, in Florida. Key West and Pensacola were also in our +possession, while all the important ports were blockaded by the navy. +The accompanying map, a copy of which was sent to General Sherman and +other commanders in March, 1864, shows by red lines the territory +occupied by us at the beginning of the rebellion, and at the opening of +the campaign of 1864, while those in blue are the lines which it was +proposed to occupy. + +Behind the Union lines there were many bands of guerillas and a large +population disloyal to the government, making it necessary to guard +every foot of road or river used in supplying our armies. In the South, +a reign of military despotism prevailed, which made every man and boy +capable of bearing arms a soldier; and those who could not bear arms in +the field acted as provosts for collecting deserters and returning them. +This enabled the enemy to bring almost his entire strength into the +field. + +The enemy had concentrated the bulk of his forces east of the +Mississippi into two armies, commanded by Generals R. E. Lee and J. E. +Johnston, his ablest and best generals. The army commanded by Lee +occupied the south bank of the Rapidan, extending from Mine Run +westward, strongly intrenched, covering and defending Richmond, the +rebel capital, against the Army of the Potomac. The army under Johnston +occupied a strongly intrenched position at Dalton, Georgia, covering and +defending Atlanta, Georgia, a place of great importance as a railroad +centre, against the armies under Major-General W. T. Sherman. In +addition to these armies he had a large cavalry force under Forrest, in +North-east Mississippi; a considerable force, of all arms, in the +Shenandoah Valley, and in the western part of Virginia and extreme +eastern part of Tennessee; and also confronting our sea-coast garrisons, +and holding blockaded ports where we had no foothold upon land. + +These two armies, and the cities covered and defended by them, were the +main objective points of the campaign. + +Major-General W. T. Sherman, who was appointed to the command of the +Military Division of the Mississippi, embracing all the armies and +territory east of the Mississippi River to the Alleghanies and the +Department of Arkansas, west of the Mississippi, had the immediate +command of the armies operating against Johnston. + +Major-General George G. Meade had the immediate command of the Army of +the Potomac, from where I exercised general supervision of the movements +of all our armies. + +General Sherman was instructed to move against Johnston's army, to break +it up, and to go into the interior of the enemy's country as far as he +could, inflicting all the damage he could upon their war resources. If +the enemy in his front showed signs of joining Lee, to follow him up to +the full extent of his ability, while I would prevent the concentration +of Lee upon him, if it was in the power of the Army of the Potomac to do +so. More specific written instructions were not given, for the reason +that I had talked over with him the plans of the campaign, and was +satisfied that he understood them and would execute them to the fullest +extent possible. + +Major-General N. P. Banks, then on an expedition up Red River against +Shreveport, Louisiana (which had been organized previous to my +appointment to command), was notified by me on the 15th of March, of the +importance it was that Shreveport should be taken at the earliest +possible day, and that if he found that the taking of it would occupy +from ten to fifteen days' more time than General Sherman had given his +troops to be absent from their command, he would send them back at the +time specified by General Sherman, even if it led to the abandonment of +the main object of the Red River expedition, for this force was +necessary to movements east of the Mississippi; that should his +expedition prove successful, he would hold Shreveport and the Red River +with such force as he might deem necessary, and return the balance of +his troops to the neighborhood of New Orleans, commencing no move for +the further acquisition of territory, unless it was to make that then +held by him more easily held; that it might be a part of the spring +campaign to move against Mobile; that it certainly would be, if troops +enough could be obtained to make it without embarrassing other +movements; that New Orleans would be the point of departure for such an +expedition; also, that I had directed General Steele to make a real move +from Arkansas, as suggested by him (General Banks), instead of a +demonstration, as Steele thought advisable. + +On the 31st of March, in addition to the foregoing notification and +directions, he was instructed as follows: + + +"1st. If successful in your expedition against Shreveport, that you +turn over the defence of the Red River to General Steele and the navy. + +"2d. That you abandon Texas entirely, with the exception of your hold +upon the Rio Grande. This can be held with four thousand men, if they +will turn their attention immediately to fortifying their positions. At +least one-half of the force required for this service might be taken +from the colored troops. + +"3d. By properly fortifying on the Mississippi River, the force to +guard it from Port Hudson to New Orleans can be reduced to ten thousand +men, if not to a less number. Six thousand more would then hold all the +rest of the territory necessary to hold until active operations can +again be resumed west of the river. According to your last return, this +would give you a force of over thirty thousand effective men with which +to move against Mobile. To this I expect to add five thousand men from +Missouri. If however, you think the force here stated too small to hold +the territory regarded as necessary to hold possession of, I would say +concentrate at least twenty-five thousand men of your present command +for operations against Mobile. With these and such additions as I can +give you from elsewhere, lose no time in making a demonstration, to be +followed by an attack upon Mobile. Two or more iron-clads will be +ordered to report to Admiral Farragut. This gives him a strong naval +fleet with which to co-operate. You can make your own arrangements with +the admiral for his co-operation, and select your own line of approach. +My own idea of the matter is that Pascagoula should be your base; but, +from your long service in the Gulf Department, you will know best about +the matter. It is intended that your movements shall be co-operative +with movements elsewhere, and you cannot now start too soon. All I +would now add is, that you commence the concentration of your forces at +once. Preserve a profound secrecy of what you intend doing, and start +at the earliest possible moment. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL N. P. BANKS." + + +Major-General Meade was instructed that Lee's army would be his +objective point; that wherever Lee went he would go also. For his +movement two plans presented themselves: One to cross the Rapidan below +Lee, moving by his right flank; the other above, moving by his left. +Each presented advantages over the other, with corresponding objections. +By crossing above, Lee would be cut off from all chance of ignoring +Richmond or going north on a raid. But if we took this route, all we +did would have to be done whilst the rations we started with held out; +besides, it separated us from Butler, so that he could not be directed +how to cooperate. If we took the other route, Brandy Station could be +used as a base of supplies until another was secured on the York or +James rivers. Of these, however, it was decided to take the lower +route. + +The following letter of instruction was addressed to Major-General B. F. +Butler: + + +"FORT MONROE, VIRGINIA, April 2, 1864. + +"GENERAL:-In the spring campaign, which it is desirable shall commence +at as early a day as practicable, it is proposed to have cooperative +action of all the armies in the field, as far as this object can be +accomplished. + +"It will not be possible to unite our armies into two or three large +ones to act as so many units, owing to the absolute necessity of holding +on to the territory already taken from the enemy. But, generally +speaking, concentration can be practically effected by armies moving to +the interior of the enemy's country from the territory they have to +guard. By such movement, they interpose themselves between the enemy +and the country to be guarded, thereby reducing the number necessary to +guard important points, or at least occupy the attention of a part of +the enemy's force, if no greater object is gained. Lee's army and +Richmond being the greater objects towards which our attention must be +directed in the next campaign, it is desirable to unite all the force we +can against them. The necessity of covering Washington with the Army of +the Potomac, and of covering your department with your army, makes it +impossible to unite these forces at the beginning of any move. I +propose, therefore, what comes nearest this of anything that seems +practicable: The Army of the Potomac will act from its present base, +Lee's army being the objective point. You will collect all the forces +from your command that can be spared from garrison duty--I should say +not less than twenty thousand effective men--to operate on the south +side of James River, Richmond being your objective point. To the force +you already have will be added about ten thousand men from South +Carolina, under Major-General Gillmore, who will command them in person. +Major-General W. F. Smith is ordered to report to you, to command the +troops sent into the field from your own department. + +"General Gillmore will be ordered to report to you at Fortress Monroe, +with all the troops on transports, by the 18th instant, or as soon +thereafter as practicable. Should you not receive notice by that time +to move, you will make such disposition of them and your other forces as +you may deem best calculated to deceive the enemy as to the real move to +be made. + +"When you are notified to move, take City Point with as much force as +possible. Fortify, or rather intrench, at once, and concentrate all +your troops for the field there as rapidly as you can. From City Point +directions cannot be given at this time for your further movements. + +"The fact that has already been stated--that is, that Richmond is to be +your objective point, and that there is to be co-operation between your +force and the Army of the Potomac--must be your guide. This indicates +the necessity of your holding close to the south bank of the James River +as you advance. Then, should the enemy be forced into his intrenchments +in Richmond, the Army of the Potomac would follow, and by means of +transports the two armies would become a unit. + +"All the minor details of your advance are left entirely to your +direction. If, however, you think it practicable to use your cavalry +south of you, so as to cut the railroad about Hicksford, about the time +of the general advance, it would be of immense advantage. + +"You will please forward for my information, at the earliest practicable +day, all orders, details, and instructions you may give for the +execution of this order. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL B. F. BUTLER." + + +On the 16th these instructions were substantially reiterated. On the +19th, in order to secure full co-operation between his army and that of +General Meade, he was informed that I expected him to move from Fort +Monroe the same day that General Meade moved from Culpeper. The exact +time I was to telegraph him as soon as it was fixed, and that it would +not be earlier than the 27th of April; that it was my intention to fight +Lee between Culpeper and Richmond, if he would stand. Should he, +however, fall back into Richmond, I would follow up and make a junction +with his (General Butler's) army on the James River; that, could I be +certain he would be able to invest Richmond on the south side, so as to +have his left resting on the James, above the city, I would form the +junction there; that circumstances might make this course advisable +anyhow; that he should use every exertion to secure footing as far up +the south side of the river as he could, and as soon as possible after +the receipt of orders to move; that if he could not carry the city, he +should at least detain as large a force there as possible. + +In co-operation with the main movements against Lee and Johnston, I was +desirous of using all other troops necessarily kept in departments +remote from the fields of immediate operations, and also those kept in +the background for the protection of our extended lines between the +loyal States and the armies operating against them. + +A very considerable force, under command of Major-General Sigel, was so +held for the protection of West Virginia, and the frontiers of Maryland +and Pennsylvania. Whilst these troops could not be withdrawn to distant +fields without exposing the North to invasion by comparatively small +bodies of the enemy, they could act directly to their front, and give +better protection than if lying idle in garrison. By such a movement +they would either compel the enemy to detach largely for the protection +of his supplies and lines of communication, or he would lose them. +General Sigel was therefore directed to organize all his available force +into two expeditions, to move from Beverly and Charleston, under command +of Generals Ord and Crook, against the East Tennessee and Virginia +Railroad. Subsequently, General Ord having been relieved at his own +request, General Sigel was instructed at his own suggestion, to give up +the expedition by Beverly, and to form two columns, one under General +Crook, on the Kanawha, numbering about ten thousand men, and one on the +Shenandoah, numbering about seven thousand men. The one on the +Shenandoah to assemble between Cumberland and the Shenandoah, and the +infantry and artillery advanced to Cedar Creek with such cavalry as +could be made available at the moment, to threaten the enemy in the +Shenandoah Valley, and advance as far as possible; while General Crook +would take possession of Lewisburg with part of his force and move down +the Tennessee Railroad, doing as much damage as he could, destroying the +New River Bridge and the salt-works, at Saltville, Va. + +Owing to the weather and bad condition of the roads, operations were +delayed until the 1st of May, when, everything being in readiness and +the roads favorable, orders were given for a general movement of all the +armies not later than the 4th of May. + +My first object being to break the military power of the rebellion, and +capture the enemy's important strongholds, made me desirous that General +Butler should succeed in his movement against Richmond, as that would +tend more than anything else, unless it were the capture of Lee's army, +to accomplish this desired result in the East. If he failed, it was my +determination, by hard fighting, either to compel Lee to retreat, or to +so cripple him that he could not detach a large force to go north, and +still retain enough for the defence of Richmond. It was well +understood, by both Generals Butler and Meade, before starting on the +campaign, that it was my intention to put both their armies south of the +James River, in case of failure to destroy Lee without it. + +Before giving General Butler his instructions, I visited him at Fort +Monroe, and in conversation pointed out the apparent importance of +getting possession of Petersburg, and destroying railroad communication +as far south as possible. Believing, however, in the practicability of +capturing Richmond unless it was reinforced, I made that the objective +point of his operations. As the Army of the Potomac was to move +simultaneously with him, Lee could not detach from his army with safety, +and the enemy did not have troops elsewhere to bring to the defence of +the city in time to meet a rapid movement from the north of James River. + +I may here state that, commanding all the armies as I did, I tried, as +far as possible, to leave General Meade in independent command of the +Army of the Potomac. My instructions for that army were all through +him, and were general in their nature, leaving all the details and the +execution to him. The campaigns that followed proved him to be the +right man in the right place. His commanding always in the presence of +an officer superior to him in rank, has drawn from him much of that +public attention that his zeal and ability entitle him to, and which he +would otherwise have received. + +The movement of the Army of the Potomac commenced early on the morning +of the 4th of May, under the immediate direction and orders of +Major-General Meade, pursuant to instructions. Before night, the whole +army was across the Rapidan (the fifth and sixth corps crossing at +Germania Ford, and the second corps at Ely's Ford, the cavalry, under +Major-General Sheridan, moving in advance,) with the greater part of its +trains, numbering about four thousand wagons, meeting with but slight +opposition. The average distance travelled by the troops that day was +about twelve miles. This I regarded as a great success, and it removed +from my mind the most serious apprehensions I had entertained, that of +crossing the river in the face of an active, large, well-appointed, and +ably commanded army, and how so large a train was to be carried through +a hostile country, and protected. Early on the 5th, the advance corps +(the fifth, Major-General G. K. Warren commanding) met and engaged the +enemy outside his intrenchments near Mine Run. The battle raged +furiously all day, the whole army being brought into the fight as fast +as the corps could be got upon the field, which, considering the density +of the forest and narrowness of the roads, was done with commendable +promptness. + +General Burnside, with the ninth corps, was, at the time the Army of the +Potomac moved, left with the bulk of his corps at the crossing of the +Rappahannock River and Alexandria Railroad, holding the road back to +Bull Run, with instructions not to move until he received notice that a +crossing of the Rapidan was secured, but to move promptly as soon as +such notice was received. This crossing he was apprised of on the +afternoon of the 4th. By six o'clock of the morning of the 6th he was +leading his corps into action near the Wilderness Tavern, some of his +troops having marched a distance of over thirty miles, crossing both the +Rappahannock and Rapidan rivers. Considering that a large proportion, +probably two-thirds of his command, was composed of new troops, +unaccustomed to marches, and carrying the accoutrements of a soldier, +this was a remarkable march. + +The battle of the Wilderness was renewed by us at five o'clock on the +morning of the 6th, and continued with unabated fury until darkness set +in, each army holding substantially the same position that they had on +the evening of the 5th. After dark, the enemy made a feeble attempt to +turn our right flank, capturing several hundred prisoners and creating +considerable confusion. But the promptness of General Sedgwick, who was +personally present and commanded that part of our line, soon reformed it +and restored order. On the morning of the 7th, reconnoissances showed +that the enemy had fallen behind his intrenched lines, with pickets to +the front, covering a part of the battle-field. From this it was +evident to my mind that the two days' fighting had satisfied him of his +inability to further maintain the contest in the open field, +notwithstanding his advantage of position, and that he would wait an +attack behind his works. I therefore determined to push on and put my +whole force between him and Richmond; and orders were at once issued for +a movement by his right flank. On the night of the 7th, the march was +commenced towards Spottsylvania Court House, the fifth corps moving on +the most direct road. But the enemy having become apprised of our +movement, and having the shorter line, was enabled to reach there first. +On the 8th, General Warren met a force of the enemy, which had been sent +out to oppose and delay his advance, to gain time to fortify the line +taken up at Spottsylvania. This force was steadily driven back on the +main force, within the recently constructed works, after considerable +fighting, resulting in severe loss to both sides. On the morning of the +9th, General Sheridan started on a raid against the enemy's lines of +communication with Richmond. The 9th, 10th, and 11th were spent in +manoeuvring and fighting, without decisive results. Among the killed on +the 9th was that able and distinguished soldier Major-General John +Sedgwick, commanding the sixth army corps. Major-General H. G. Wright +succeeded him in command. Early on the morning of the 12th a general +attack was made on the enemy in position. The second corps, +Major-General Hancock commanding, carried a salient of his line, +capturing most of Johnson's division of Ewell's corps and twenty pieces +of artillery. But the resistance was so obstinate that the advantage +gained did not prove decisive. The 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and +18th, were consumed in manoeuvring and awaiting the arrival of +reinforcements from Washington. Deeming it impracticable to make any +further attack upon the enemy at Spottsylvania Court House, orders were +issued on the 15th with a view to a movement to the North Anna, to +commence at twelve o'clock on the night of the 19th. Late in the +afternoon of the 19th, Ewell's corps came out of its works on our +extreme right flank; but the attack was promptly repulsed, with heavy +loss. This delayed the movement to the North Anna until the night of the +21st, when it was commenced. But the enemy again, having the shorter +line, and being in possession of the main roads, was enabled to reach +the North Anna in advance of us, and took position behind it. The fifth +corps reached the North Anna on the afternoon of the 23d, closely +followed by the sixth corps. The second and ninth corps got up about the +same time, the second holding the railroad bridge, and the ninth lying +between that and Jericho Ford. General Warren effected a crossing the +same afternoon, and got a position without much opposition. Soon after +getting into position he was violently attacked, but repulsed the enemy +with great slaughter. On the 25th, General Sheridan rejoined the Army +of the Potomac from the raid on which he started from Spottsylvania, +having destroyed the depots at Beaver Dam and Ashland stations, four +trains of cars, large supplies of rations, and many miles of +railroad-track; recaptured about four hundred of our men on their way to +Richmond as prisoners of war; met and defeated the enemy's cavalry at +Yellow Tavern; carried the first line of works around Richmond (but +finding the second line too strong to be carried by assault), recrossed +to the north bank of the Chickahominy at Meadow Bridge under heavy fire, +and moved by a detour to Haxall's Landing, on the James River, where he +communicated with General Butler. This raid had the effect of drawing +off the whole of the enemy's cavalry force, making it comparatively easy +to guard our trains. + +General Butler moved his main force up the James River, in pursuance of +instructions, on the 4th of May, General Gillmore having joined him with +the tenth corps. At the same time he sent a force of one thousand eight +hundred cavalry, by way of West Point, to form a junction with him +wherever he might get a foothold, and a force of three thousand cavalry, +under General Kautz, from Suffolk, to operate against the road south of +Petersburg and Richmond. On the 5th, he occupied, without opposition, +both City Point and Bermuda Hundred, his movement being a complete +surprise. On the 6th, he was in position with his main army, and +commenced intrenching. On the 7th he made a reconnoissance against the +Petersburg and Richmond Railroad, destroying a portion of it after some +fighting. On the 9th he telegraphed as follows: + + +"HEADQUARTERS, NEAR BERMUDA LANDING, May 9, 1864. + +"HON. E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War. + +"Our operations may be summed up in a few words. With one thousand +seven hundred cavalry we have advanced up the Peninsula, forced the +Chickahominy, and have safely, brought them to their present position. +These were colored cavalry, and are now holding our advance pickets +towards Richmond. + +"General Kautz, with three thousand cavalry from Suffolk, on the same +day with our movement up James River, forced the Black Water, burned the +railroad bridge at Stony Creek, below Petersburg, cutting into +Beauregard's force at that point. + +"We have landed here, intrenched ourselves, destroyed many miles of +railroad, and got a position which, with proper supplies, we can hold +out against the whole of Lee's army. I have ordered up the supplies. + +"Beauregard, with a large portion of his force, was left south by the +cutting of the railroads by Kautz. That portion which reached +Petersburg under Hill I have whipped to-day, killing and wounding many, +and taking many prisoners, after a severe and well-contested fight. + +"General Grant will not be troubled with any further reinforcements to +Lee from Beauregard's force. + +"BENJ. F. BUTLER, Major-General." + + +On the evening of the 13th and morning of the 14th he carried a portion +of the enemy's first line of defences at Drury's Bluff, or Fort Darling, +with small loss. The time thus consumed from the 6th lost to us the +benefit of the surprise and capture of Richmond and Petersburg, +enabling, as it did, Beauregard to collect his loose forces in North and +South Carolina, and bring them to the defence of those places. On the +16th, the enemy attacked General Butler in his position in front of +Drury's Bluff. He was forced back, or drew back, into his intrenchments +between the forks of the James and Appomattox rivers, the enemy +intrenching strongly in his front, thus covering his railroads, the +city, and all that was valuable to him. His army, therefore, though in +a position of great security, was as completely shut off from further +operations directly against Richmond as if it had been in a bottle +strongly corked. It required but a comparatively small force of the +enemy to hold it there. + +On the 12th, General Kautz, with his cavalry, was started on a raid +against the Danville Railroad, which he struck at Coalfield, Powhatan, +and Chula Stations, destroying them, the railroad-track, two freight +trains, and one locomotive, together with large quantities of commissary +and other stores; thence, crossing to the South Side Road, struck it at +Wilson's, Wellsville, and Black's and White's Stations, destroying the +road and station-houses; thence he proceeded to City Point, which he +reached on the 18th. + +On the 19th of April, and prior to the movement of General Butler, the +enemy, with a land force under General Hoke and an iron-clad ram, +attacked Plymouth, N. C., commanded by General H. W. Wessells, and our +gunboats there, and, after severe fighting, the place was carried by +assault, and the entire garrison and armament captured. The gunboat +Smithfield was sunk, and the Miami disabled. + +The army sent to operate against Richmond having hermetically sealed +itself up at Bermuda Hundred, the enemy was enabled to bring the most, +if not all, the reinforcements brought from the south by Beauregard +against the Army of the Potomac. In addition to this reinforcement, a +very considerable one, probably not less than fifteen thousand men, was +obtained by calling in the scattered troops under Breckinridge from the +western part of Virginia. + +The position of Bermuda Hundred was as easy to defend as it was +difficult to operate from against the enemy. I determined, therefore, +to bring from it all available forces, leaving enough only to secure +what had been gained; and accordingly, on the 22d, I directed that they +be sent forward, under command of Major-General W. F. Smith, to join the +Army of the Potomac. + +On the 24th of May, the 9th army corps, commanded by Major-General A. E. +Burnside, was assigned to the Army of the Potomac, and from this time +forward constituted a portion of Major-General Meade's command. + +Finding the enemy's position on the North Anna stronger than either of +his previous ones, I withdrew on the night of the 26th to the north bank +of the North Anna, and moved via Hanover Town to turn the enemy's +position by his right. + +Generals Torbert's and Merritt's divisions of cavalry, under Sheridan, +and the 6th corps, led the advance, crossed the Pamunkey River at +Hanover Town, after considerable fighting, and on the 28th the two +divisions of cavalry had a severe, but successful engagement with the +enemy at Hawes's Shop. On the 29th and 30th we advanced, with heavy +skirmishing, to the Hanover Court House and Cold Harbor Road, and +developed the enemy's position north of the Chickahominy. Late on the +evening of the last day the enemy came out and attacked our left, but +was repulsed with very considerable loss. An attack was immediately +ordered by General Meade, along his whole line, which resulted in +driving the enemy from a part of his intrenched skirmish line. + +On the 31st, General Wilson's division of cavalry destroyed the railroad +bridges over the South Anna River, after defeating the enemy's cavalry. +General Sheridan, on the same day, reached Cold Harbor, and held it +until relieved by the 6th corps and General Smith's command, which had +just arrived, via White House, from General Butler's army. + +On the 1st day of June an attack was made at five P.M. by the 6th corps +and the troops under General Smith, the other corps being held in +readiness to advance on the receipt of orders. This resulted in our +carrying and holding the enemy's first line of works in front of the +right of the 6th corps, and in front of General Smith. During the +attack the enemy made repeated assaults on each of the corps not engaged +in the main attack, but was repulsed with heavy loss in every instance. +That night he made several assaults to regain what he had lost in the +day, but failed. The 2d was spent in getting troops into position for +an attack on the 3d. On the 3d of June we again assaulted the enemy's +works, in the hope of driving him from his position. In this attempt +our loss was heavy, while that of the enemy, I have reason to believe, +was comparatively light. It was the only general attack made from the +Rapidan to the James which did not inflict upon the enemy losses to +compensate for our own losses. I would not be understood as saying that +all previous attacks resulted in victories to our arms, or accomplished +as much as I had hoped from them; but they inflicted upon the enemy +severe losses, which tended, in the end, to the complete overthrow of +the rebellion. + +From the proximity of the enemy to his defences around Richmond, it was +impossible, by any flank movement, to interpose between him and the +city. I was still in a condition to either move by his left flank, and +invest Richmond from the north side, or continue my move by his right +flank to the south side of the James. While the former might have been +better as a covering for Washington, yet a full survey of all the ground +satisfied me that it would be impracticable to hold a line north and +east of Richmond that would protect the Fredericksburg Railroad, a long, +vulnerable line, which would exhaust much of our strength to guard, and +that would have to be protected to supply the army, and would leave open +to the enemy all his lines of communication on the south side of the +James. My idea, from the start, had been to beat Lee's army north of +Richmond, if possible. Then, after destroying his lines of +communication north of the James River, to transfer the army to the +south side, and besiege Lee in Richmond, or follow him south if he +should retreat. After the battle of the Wilderness, it was evident that +the enemy deemed it of the first importance to run no risks with the +army he then had. He acted purely on the defensive, behind breastworks, +or feebly on the offensive immediately in front of them, and where, in +case of repulse, he could easily retire behind them. Without a greater +sacrifice of life than I was willing to make, all could not be +accomplished that I had designed north of Richmond. I therefore +determined to continue to hold substantially the ground we then +occupied, taking advantage of any favorable circumstances that might +present themselves, until the cavalry could be sent to Charlottesville +and Gordonsville to effectually break up the railroad connection between +Richmond and the Shenandoah Valley and Lynchburg; and when the cavalry +got well off, to move the army to the south side of the James River, by +the enemy's right flank, where I felt I could cut off all his sources of +supply, except by the canal. + +On the 7th, two divisions of cavalry, under General Sheridan, got off on +the expedition against the Virginia Central Railroad, with instructions +to Hunter, whom I hoped he would meet near Charlottesville, to join his +forces to Sheridan's, and after the work laid out for them was +thoroughly done, to join the Army of the Potomac by the route laid down +in Sheridan's instructions. + +On the 10th of June, General Butler sent a force of infantry, under +General Gillmore, and of cavalry under General Kautz, to capture +Petersburg, if possible, and destroy the railroad and common bridges +across the Appomattox. The cavalry carried the works on the south side, +and penetrated well in towards the town, but were forced to retire. +General Gillmore, finding the works which he approached very strong, and +deeming an assault impracticable, returned to Bermuda Hundred without +attempting one. + +Attaching great importance to the possession of Petersburg, I sent back +to Bermuda Hundred and City Point, General Smith's command by water, via +the White House, to reach there in advance of the Army of the Potomac. +This was for the express purpose of securing Petersburg before the +enemy, becoming aware of our intention, could reinforce the place. + +The movement from Cold Harbor commenced after dark on the evening of the +12th. One division of cavalry, under General Wilson, and the 5th corps, +crossed the Chickahominy at Long Bridge, and moved out to White Oak +Swamp, to cover the crossings of the other corps. The advance corps +reached James River, at Wilcox's Landing and Charles City Court House, +on the night of the 13th. + +During three long years the Armies of the Potomac and Northern Virginia +had been confronting each other. In that time they had fought more +desperate battles than it probably ever before fell to the lot of two +armies to fight, without materially changing the vantage ground of +either. The Southern press and people, with more shrewdness than was +displayed in the North, finding that they had failed to capture +Washington and march on to New York, as they had boasted they would do, +assumed that they only defended their Capital and Southern territory. +Hence, Antietam, Gettysburg, and all the other battles that had been +fought, were by them set down as failures on our part, and victories for +them. Their army believed this. It produced a morale which could only +be overcome by desperate and continuous hard fighting. The battles of +the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North Anna and Cold Harbor, bloody and +terrible as they were on our side, were even more damaging to the enemy, +and so crippled him as to make him wary ever after of taking the +offensive. His losses in men were probably not so great, owing to the +fact that we were, save in the Wilderness, almost invariably the +attacking party; and when he did attack, it was in the open field. The +details of these battles, which for endurance and bravery on the part of +the soldiery, have rarely been surpassed, are given in the report of +Major-General Meade, and the subordinate reports accompanying it. + +During the campaign of forty-three days, from the Rapidan to the James +River, the army had to be supplied from an ever-shifting base, by +wagons, over narrow roads, through a densely wooded country, with a lack +of wharves at each new base from which to conveniently discharge +vessels. Too much credit cannot, therefore, be awarded to the +quartermaster and commissary departments for the zeal and efficiency +displayed by them. Under the general supervision of the chief +quartermaster, Brigadier-General R. Ingalls, the trains were made to +occupy all the available roads between the army and our water-base, and +but little difficulty was experienced in protecting them. + +The movement in the Kanawha and Shenandoah valleys, under General Sigel, +commenced on the 1st of May. General Crook, who had the immediate +command of the Kanawha expedition, divided his forces into two columns, +giving one, composed of cavalry, to General Averell. They crossed the +mountains by separate routes. Averell struck the Tennessee and Virginia +Railroad, near Wytheville, on the 10th, and proceeding to New River and +Christiansburg, destroyed the road, several important bridges and +depots, including New River Bridge, forming a junction with Crook at +Union on the 15th. General Sigel moved up the Shenandoah Valley, met +the enemy at New Market on the 15th, and, after a severe engagement, was +defeated with heavy loss, and retired behind Cedar Creek. Not regarding +the operations of General Sigel as satisfactory, I asked his removal +from command, and Major-General Hunter appointed to supersede him. His +instructions were embraced in the following dispatches to Major-General +H. W. Halleck, chief of staff of the army: + + +"NEAR SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE, VA. "May 20, 1864. + +* * * * * * * "The enemy are +evidently relying for supplies greatly on such as are brought over the +branch road running through Staunton. On the whole, therefore, I think +it would be better for General Hunter to move in that direction; reach +Staunton and Gordonsville or Charlottesville, if he does not meet too +much opposition. If he can hold at bay a force equal to his own, he +will be doing good service. * * * + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL H. W. HALLECK." + + +"JERICHO FORD, VA., May 25, 1864. + +"If Hunter can possibly get to Charlottesville and Lynchburg, he should +do so, living on the country. The railroads and canal should be +destroyed beyond possibility of repairs for weeks. Completing this, he +could find his way back to his original base, or from about Gordonsville +join this army. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL H. W. HALLECK." + + +General Hunter immediately took up the offensive, and, moving up the +Shenandoah Valley, met the enemy on the 5th of June at Piedmont, and, +after a battle of ten hours, routed and defeated him, capturing on the +field of battle one thousand five hundred men, three pieces of +artillery, and three hundred stand of small arms. On the 8th of the +same month he formed a junction with Crook and Averell at Staunton, from +which place he moved direct on Lynchburg, via Lexington, which place he +reached and invested on the 16th day of June. Up to this time he was +very successful; and but for the difficulty of taking with him +sufficient ordnance stores over so long a march, through a hostile +country, he would, no doubt, have captured that, to the enemy important, +point. The destruction of the enemy's supplies and manufactories was +very great. To meet this movement under General Hunter, General Lee +sent a force, perhaps equal to a corps, a part of which reached +Lynchburg a short time before Hunter. After some skirmishing on the +17th and 18th, General Hunter, owing to a want of ammunition to give +battle, retired from before the place. Unfortunately, this want of +ammunition left him no choice of route for his return but by way of +Kanawha. This lost to us the use of his troops for several weeks from +the defence of the North. + +Had General Hunter moved by way of Charlottesville, instead of +Lexington, as his instructions contemplated, he would have been in a +position to have covered the Shenandoah Valley against the enemy, should +the force he met have seemed to endanger it. If it did not, he would +have been within easy distance of the James River Canal, on the main +line of communication between Lynchburg and the force sent for its +defence. I have never taken exception to the operations of General +Hunter, and am not now disposed to find fault with him, for I have no +doubt he acted within what he conceived to be the spirit of his +instructions and the interests of the service. The promptitude of his +movements and his gallantry should entitle him to the commendation of +his country. + +To return to the Army of the Potomac: The 2d corps commenced crossing +the James River on the morning of the 14th by ferry-boats at Wilcox's +Landing. The laying of the pontoon-bridge was completed about midnight +of the 14th, and the crossing of the balance of the army was rapidly +pushed forward by both bridge and ferry. + +After the crossing had commenced, I proceeded by steamer to Bermuda +Hundred to give the necessary orders for the immediate capture of +Petersburg. + +The instructions to General Butler were verbal, and were for him to send +General Smith immediately, that night, with all the troops he could give +him without sacrificing the position he then held. I told him that I +would return at once to the Army of the Potomac, hasten its crossing and +throw it forward to Petersburg by divisions as rapidly as it could be +done, that we could reinforce our armies more rapidly there than the +enemy could bring troops against us. General Smith got off as directed, +and confronted the enemy's pickets near Petersburg before daylight next +morning, but for some reason that I have never been able to +satisfactorily understand, did not get ready to assault his main lines +until near sundown. Then, with a part of his command only, he made the +assault, and carried the lines north-east of Petersburg from the +Appomattox River, for a distance of over two and a half miles, capturing +fifteen pieces of artillery and three hundred prisoners. This was about +seven P.M. Between the line thus captured and Petersburg there were no +other works, and there was no evidence that the enemy had reinforced +Petersburg with a single brigade from any source. The night was clear +the moon shining brightly and favorable to further operations. General +Hancock, with two divisions of the 2d corps, reached General Smith just +after dark, and offered the service of these troops as he (Smith) might +wish, waiving rank to the named commander, who he naturally supposed +knew best the position of affairs, and what to do with the troops. But +instead of taking these troops and pushing at once into Petersburg, he +requested General Hancock to relieve a part of his line in the captured +works, which was done before midnight. + +By the time I arrived the next morning the enemy was in force. An attack +was ordered to be made at six o'clock that evening by the troops under +Smith and the 2d and 9th corps. It required until that time for the 9th +corps to get up and into position. The attack was made as ordered, and +the fighting continued with but little intermission until six o'clock +the next morning, and resulted in our carrying the advance and some of +the main works of the enemy to the right (our left) of those previously +captured by General Smith, several pieces of artillery, and over four +hundred prisoners. + +The 5th corps having got up, the attacks were renewed and persisted in +with great vigor on the 17th and 18th, but only resulted in forcing the +enemy into an interior line, from which he could not be dislodged. The +advantages of position gained by us were very great. The army then +proceeded to envelop Petersburg towards the South Side Railroad as far +as possible without attacking fortifications. + +On the 16th the enemy, to reinforce Petersburg, withdrew from a part of +his intrenchment in front of Bermuda Hundred, expecting, no doubt, to +get troops from north of the James to take the place of those withdrawn +before we could discover it. General Butler, taking advantage of this, +at once moved a force on the railroad between Petersburg and Richmond. +As soon as I was apprised of the advantage thus gained, to retain it I +ordered two divisions of the 6th corps, General Wright commanding, that +were embarking at Wilcox's Landing, under orders for City Point, to +report to General Butler at Bermuda Hundred, of which General Butler was +notified, and the importance of holding a position in advance of his +present line urged upon him. + +About two o'clock in the afternoon General Butler was forced back to the +line the enemy had withdrawn from in the morning. General Wright, with +his two divisions, joined General Butler on the forenoon of the 17th, +the latter still holding with a strong picket-line the enemy's works. +But instead of putting these divisions into the enemy's works to hold +them, he permitted them to halt and rest some distance in the rear of +his own line. Between four and five o'clock in the afternoon the enemy +attacked and drove in his pickets and re-occupied his old line. + +On the night of the 20th and morning of the 21st a lodgment was effected +by General Butler, with one brigade of infantry, on the north bank of +the James, at Deep Bottom, and connected by pontoon-bridge with Bermuda +Hundred. + +On the 19th, General Sheridan, on his return from his expedition against +the Virginia Central Railroad, arrived at the White House just as the +enemy's cavalry was about to attack it, and compelled it to retire. The +result of this expedition was, that General Sheridan met the enemy's +cavalry near Trevilian Station, on the morning of the 11th of June, whom +he attacked, and after an obstinate contest drove from the field in +complete rout. He left his dead and nearly all his wounded in our +hands, and about four hundred prisoners and several hundred horses. On +the 12th he destroyed the railroad from Trevilian Station to Louisa +Court House. This occupied until three o'clock P.M., when he advanced +in the direction of Gordonsville. He found the enemy reinforced by +infantry, behind well-constructed rifle-pits, about five miles from the +latter place and too strong to successfully assault. On the extreme +right, however, his reserve brigade carried the enemy's works twice, and +was twice driven therefrom by infantry. Night closed the contest. Not +having sufficient ammunition to continue the engagement, and his animals +being without forage (the country furnishing but inferior grazing), and +hearing nothing from General Hunter, he withdrew his command to the +north side of the North Anna, and commenced his return march, reaching +White House at the time before stated. After breaking up the depot at +that place, he moved to the James River, which he reached safely after +heavy fighting. He commenced crossing on the 25th, near Fort Powhatan, +without further molestation, and rejoined the Army of the Potomac. + +On the 22d, General Wilson, with his own division of cavalry of the Army +of the Potomac, and General Kautz's division of cavalry of the Army of +the James moved against the enemy's railroads south of Richmond. +Striking the Weldon Railroad at Reams's Station, destroying the depot +and several miles of the road, and the South Side road about fifteen +miles from Petersburg, to near Nottoway Station, where he met and +defeated a force of the enemy's cavalry. He reached Burkesville Station +on the afternoon of the 23d, and from there destroyed the Danville +Railroad to Roanoke Bridge, a distance of twenty-five miles, where he +found the enemy in force, and in a position from which he could not +dislodge him. He then commenced his return march, and on the 28th met +the enemy's cavalry in force at the Weldon Railroad crossing of Stony +Creek, where he had a severe but not decisive engagement. Thence he +made a detour from his left with a view of reaching Reams's Station +(supposing it to be in our possession). At this place he was met by the +enemy's cavalry, supported by infantry, and forced to retire, with the +loss of his artillery and trains. In this last encounter, General +Kautz, with a part of his command, became separated, and made his way +into our lines. General Wilson, with the remainder of his force, +succeeded in crossing the Nottoway River and coming in safely on our +left and rear. The damage to the enemy in this expedition more than +compensated for the losses we sustained. It severed all connection by +railroad with Richmond for several weeks. + +With a view of cutting the enemy's railroad from near Richmond to the +Anna rivers, and making him wary of the situation of his army in the +Shenandoah, and, in the event of failure in this, to take advantage of +his necessary withdrawal of troops from Petersburg, to explode a mine +that had been prepared in front of the 9th corps and assault the enemy's +lines at that place, on the night of the 26th of July the 2d corps and +two divisions of the cavalry corps and Kautz's cavalry were crossed to +the north bank of the James River and joined the force General Butler +had there. On the 27th the enemy was driven from his intrenched +position, with the loss of four pieces of artillery. On the 28th our +lines were extended from Deep Bottom to New Market Road, but in getting +this position were attacked by the enemy in heavy force. The fighting +lasted for several hours, resulting in considerable loss to both sides. +The first object of this move having failed, by reason of the very large +force thrown there by the enemy, I determined to take advantage of the +diversion made, by assaulting Petersburg before he could get his force +back there. One division of the 2d corps was withdrawn on the night of +the 28th, and moved during the night to the rear of the 18th corps, to +relieve that corps in the line, that it might be foot-loose in the +assault to be made. The other two divisions of the 2d corps and +Sheridan's cavalry were crossed over on the night of the 29th and moved +in front of Petersburg. On the morning of the 30th, between four and +five o'clock, the mine was sprung, blowing up a battery and most of a +regiment, and the advance of the assaulting column, formed of the 9th +corps, immediately took possession of the crater made by the explosion, +and the line for some distance to the right and left of it, and a +detached line in front of it, but for some cause failed to advance +promptly to the ridge beyond. Had they done this, I have every reason +to believe that Petersburg would have fallen. Other troops were +immediately pushed forward, but the time consumed in getting them up +enabled the enemy to rally from his surprise (which had been complete), +and get forces to this point for its defence. The captured line thus +held being untenable, and of no advantage to us, the troops were +withdrawn, but not without heavy loss. Thus terminated in disaster what +promised to be the most successful assault of the campaign. + +Immediately upon the enemy's ascertaining that General Hunter was +retreating from Lynchburg by way of the Kanawha River, thus laying the +Shenandoah Valley open for raid into Maryland and Pennsylvania, he +returned northward and moved down that valley. As soon as this movement +of the enemy was ascertained, General Hunter, who had reached the +Kanawha River, was directed to move his troops without delay, by river +and railroad, to Harper's Ferry; but owing to the difficulty of +navigation by reason of low water and breaks in the railroad, great +delay was experienced in getting there. It became necessary, therefore, +to find other troops to check this movement of the enemy. For this +purpose the 6th corps was taken from the armies operating against +Richmond, to which was added the 19th corps, then fortunately beginning +to arrive in Hampton Roads from the Gulf Department, under orders issued +immediately after the ascertainment of the result of the Red River +expedition. The garrisons of Baltimore and Washington were at this time +made up of heavy-artillery regiments, hundred days' men, and detachments +from the invalid corps. One division under command of General Ricketts, +of the 6th corps, was sent to Baltimore, and the remaining two divisions +of the 6th corps, under General Wright, were subsequently sent to +Washington. On the 3d of July the enemy approached Martinsburg. +General Sigel, who was in command of our forces there, retreated across +the Potomac at Shepherdtown; and General Weber, commanding at Harper's +Ferry, crossed the occupied Hagerstown, moving a strong column towards +Frederick City. General Wallace, with Rickett's division and his own +command, the latter mostly new and undisciplined troops, pushed out from +Baltimore with great promptness, and met the enemy in force on the +Monocacy, near the crossing of the railroad bridge. His force was not +sufficient to insure success, but he fought the enemy nevertheless, and +although it resulted in a defeat to our arms, yet it detained the enemy, +and thereby served to enable General Wright to reach Washington with two +division of the 6th corps, and the advance of the 19th corps, before +him. From Monocacy the enemy moved on Washington, his cavalry advance +reaching Rockville on the evening of the 10th. On the 12th a +reconnoissance was thrown out in front of Fort Stevens, to ascertain the +enemy's position and force. A severe skirmish ensued, in which we lost +about two hundred and eighty in killed and wounded. The enemy's loss +was probably greater. He commenced retreating during the night. +Learning the exact condition of affairs at Washington, I requested by +telegraph, at forty-five minutes past eleven P.M., on the 12th, the +assignment of Major-General H. G. Wright to the command of all the +troops that could be made available to operate in the field against the +enemy, and directed that he should get outside of the trenches with all +the force he could, and push Early to the last moment. General Wright +commenced the pursuit on the 13th; on the 18th the enemy was overtaken +at Snicker's Ferry, on the Shenandoah, when a sharp skirmish occurred; +and on the 20th, General Averell encountered and defeated a portion of +the rebel army at Winchester, capturing four pieces of artillery and +several hundred prisoners. + +Learning that Early was retreating south towards Lynchburg or Richmond, +I directed that the 6th and 19th corps be got back to the armies +operating against Richmond, so that they might be used in a movement +against Lee before the return of the troops sent by him into the valley; +and that Hunter should remain in the Shenandoah Valley, keeping between +any force of the enemy and Washington, acting on the defensive as much +as possible. I felt that if the enemy had any notion of returning, the +fact would be developed before the 6th and 19th corps could leave +Washington. Subsequently, the 19th corps was excepted form the order to +return to the James. + +About the 25th it became evident that the enemy was again advancing upon +Maryland and Pennsylvania, and the 6th corps, then at Washington, was +ordered back to the vicinity of Harper's Ferry. The rebel force moved +down the valley, and sent a raiding party into Pennsylvania which on the +30th burned Chambersburg, and then retreated, pursued by our cavalry, +towards Cumberland. They were met and defeated by General Kelley, and +with diminished numbers escaped into the mountains of West Virginia. +From the time of the first raid the telegraph wires were frequently down +between Washington and City Point, making it necessary to transmit +messages a part of the way by boat. It took from twenty-four to +thirty-six hours to get dispatches through and return answers would be +received showing a different state of facts from those on which they +were based, causing confusion and apparent contradiction of orders that +must have considerably embarrassed those who had to execute them, and +rendered operations against the enemy less effective than they otherwise +would have been. To remedy this evil, it was evident to my mind that +some person should have the supreme command of all the forces in the +Department of West Virginia, Washington, Susquehanna, and the Middle +Department, and I so recommended. + +On the 2d of August, I ordered General Sheridan to report in person to +Major-General Halleck, chief of staff, at Washington, with a view to his +assignment to the command of all the forces against Early. At this time +the enemy was concentrated in the neighborhood of Winchester, while our +forces, under General Hunter, were concentrated on the Monocacy, at the +crossing of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, leaving open to the enemy +Western Maryland and Southern Pennsylvania. From where I was, I +hesitated to give positive orders for the movement of our forces at +Monocacy, lest by so doing I should expose Washington. Therefore, on the +4th, I left City Point to visit Hunter's command, and determine for +myself what was best to be done. On arrival there, and after +consultation with General Hunter, I issued to him the following +instructions: + + +"MONOCACY BRIDGE, MARYLAND, August 5, 1864--8 P.M. + +"GENERAL:--Concentrate all your available force without delay in the +vicinity of Harper's Ferry, leaving only such railroad guards and +garrisons for public property as may be necessary. Use, in this +concentrating, the railroad, if by so doing time can be saved. From +Harper's Ferry, if it is found that the enemy has moved north of the +Potomac in large force, push north, following him and attacking him +wherever found; follow him, if driven south of the Potomac, as long as +it is safe to do so. If it is ascertained that the enemy has but a +small force north of the Potomac, then push south with the main force, +detaching under a competent commander, a sufficient force to look after +the raiders, and drive them to their homes. In detaching such a force, +the brigade of the cavalry now en route from Washington via Rockville +may be taken into account. + +"There are now on their way to join you three other brigades of the best +cavalry, numbering at least five thousand men and horses. These will be +instructed, in the absence of further orders, to join you by the south +side of the Potomac. One brigade will probably start to-morrow. In +pushing up the Shenandoah Valley, where it is expected you will have to +go first or last, it is desirable that nothing should be left to invite +the enemy to return. Take all provisions, forage, and stock wanted for +the use of your command; such as cannot be consumed, destroy. It is not +desirable that the buildings should be destroyed--they should rather be +protected; but the people should be informed that, so long as an army +can subsist among them, recurrence of theses raids must be expected, and +we are determined to stop them at all hazards. + +"Bear in mind, the object is to drive the enemy south; and to do this +you want to keep him always in sight. Be guided in your course by the +course he takes. + +"Make your own arrangements for supplies of all kinds, giving regular +vouchers for such as may be taken from loyal citizens in the country +through which you march. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL D. HUNTER." + + +The troops were immediately put in motion, and the advance reached +Halltown that night. + +General Hunter having, in our conversation, expressed a willingness to +be relieved from command, I telegraphed to have General Sheridan, then +at Washington, sent to Harper's Ferry by the morning train, with orders +to take general command of all the troops in the field, and to call on +General Hunter at Monocacy, who would turn over to him my letter of +instructions. I remained at Monocacy until General Sheridan arrived, on +the morning of the 6th, and, after a conference with him in relation to +military affairs in that vicinity, I returned to City Point by way of +Washington. + +On the 7th of August, the Middle Department, and the Departments of West +Virginia, Washington, and Susquehanna, were constituted into the "Middle +Military Division," and Major-General Sheridan was assigned to +temporary command of the same. + +Two divisions of cavalry, commanded by Generals Torbert and Wilson, were +sent to Sheridan from the Army of the Potomac. The first reached him at +Harper's Ferry about the 11th of August. + +His operations during the month of August and the fore part of September +were both of an offensive and defensive character, resulting in many +severe skirmishes, principally by the cavalry, in which we were +generally successful, but no general engagement took place. The two +armies lay in such a position--the enemy on the west bank of the Opequon +Creek covering Winchester, and our forces in front of Berryville--that +either could bring on a battle at any time. Defeat to us would lay open +to the enemy the States of Maryland and Pennsylvania for long distances +before another army could be interposed to check him. Under these +circumstances I hesitated about allowing the initiative to be taken. +Finally, the use of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the Chesapeake +and Ohio Canal, which were both obstructed by the enemy, became so +indispensably necessary to us, and the importance of relieving +Pennsylvania and Maryland from continuously threatened invasion so +great, that I determined the risk should be taken. But fearing to +telegraph the order for an attack without knowing more than I did of +General Sheridan's feelings as to what would be the probable result, I +left City Point on the 15th of September to visit him at his +headquarters, to decide, after conference with him, what should be done. +I met him at Charlestown, and he pointed out so distinctly how each army +lay; what he could do the moment he was authorized, and expressed such +confidence of success, that I saw there were but two words of +instructions necessary--Go in! For the conveniences of forage, the +teams for supplying the army were kept at Harper's Ferry. I asked him +if he could get out his teams and supplies in time to make an attack on +the ensuing Tuesday morning. His reply was, that he could before +daylight on Monday. He was off promptly to time, and I may here add, +that the result was such that I have never since deemed it necessary to +visit General Sheridan before giving him orders. + +Early on the morning of the 19th, General Sheridan attacked General +Early at the crossing on the Opequon Creek, and after a most sanguinary +and bloody battle, lasting until five o'clock in the evening, defeated +him with heavy loss, carrying his entire position from Opequon Creek to +Winchester, capturing several thousand prisoners and five pieces of +artillery. The enemy rallied, and made a stand in a strong position at +Fisher's Hill, where he was attacked, and again defeated with heavy loss +on the 20th [22d]. Sheridan pursued him with great energy through +Harrisonburg, Staunton, and the gaps of the Blue Ridge. After stripping +the upper valley of most of the supplies and provisions for the rebel +army, he returned to Strasburg, and took position on the north side of +Cedar Creek. + +Having received considerable reinforcements, General Early again +returned to the valley, and, on the 9th of October, his cavalry +encountered ours near Strasburg, where the rebels were defeated, with +the loss of eleven pieces of artillery and three hundred and fifty +prisoners. On the night of the 18th, the enemy crossed the mountains +which separate the branches of the Shenandoah, forded the North Fork, +and early on the morning of the 19th, under cover of the darkness and +the fog, surprised and turned our left flank, and captured the batteries +which enfiladed our whole line. Our troops fell back with heavy loss +and in much confusion, but were finally rallied between Middletown and +Newtown. At this juncture, General Sheridan, who was at Winchester when +the battle commenced arrived on the field, arranged his lines just in +time to repulse a heavy attack of the enemy, and immediately assuming +the offensive, he attacked in turn with great vigor. The enemy was +defeated with great slaughter, and the loss of most of his artillery and +trains, and the trophies he had captured in the morning. The wreck of +his army escaped during the night, and fled in the direction of Staunton +and Lynchburg. Pursuit was made to Mount Jackson. Thus ended this, the +enemy's last attempt to invade the North via the Shenandoah Valley. I +was now enabled to return the 6th corps to the Army of the Potomac, and +to send one division from Sheridan's army to the Army of the James, and +another to Savannah, Georgia, to hold Sherman's new acquisitions on the +sea-coast, and thus enable him to move without detaching from his force +for that purpose. + +Reports from various sources led me to believe that the enemy had +detached three divisions from Petersburg to reinforce Early in the +Shenandoah Valley. I therefore sent the 2d corps and Gregg's division +of cavalry, of the Army of the Potomac, and a force of General Butler's +army, on the night of the 13th of August, to threaten Richmond from the +north side of the James, to prevent him from sending troops away, and, +if possible, to draw back those sent. In this move we captured six +pieces of artillery and several hundred prisoners, detained troops that +were under marching orders, and ascertained that but one division +(Kershaw's), of the three reputed detached, had gone. + +The enemy having withdrawn heavily from Petersburg to resist this +movement, the 5th corps, General Warren commanding, was moved out on the +18th, and took possession of the Weldon Railroad. During the day he had +considerable fighting. To regain possession of the road, the enemy made +repeated and desperate assaults, but was each time repulsed with great +loss. On the night of the 20th, the troops on the north side of the +James were withdrawn, and Hancock and Gregg returned to the front at +Petersburg. On the 25th, the 2d corps and Gregg's division of cavalry, +while at Reams's Station destroying the railroad, were attacked, and +after desperate fighting, a part of our line gave way, and five pieces +of artillery fell into the hands of the enemy. + +By the 12th of September, a branch railroad was completed from the City +Point and Petersburg Railroad to the Weldon Railroad, enabling us to +supply, without difficulty, in all weather, the army in front of +Petersburg. + +The extension of our lines across the Weldon Railroad compelled the +enemy to so extend his, that it seemed he could have but few troops +north of the James for the defence of Richmond. On the night of the +28th, the 10th corps, Major-General Birney, and the 18th corps, +Major-General Ord commanding, of General Butler's army, were crossed to +the north side of the James, and advanced on the morning of the 29th, +carrying the very strong fortifications and intrenchments below +Chaffin's Farm, known as Fort Harrison, capturing fifteen pieces of +artillery, and the New Market Road and intrenchments. This success was +followed up by a gallant assault upon Fort Gilmer, immediately in front +of the Chaffin Farm fortifications, in which we were repulsed with heavy +loss. Kautz's cavalry was pushed forward on the road to the right of +this, supported by infantry, and reached the enemy's inner line, but was +unable to get further. The position captured from the enemy was so +threatening to Richmond, that I determined to hold it. The enemy made +several desperate attempts to dislodge us, all of which were +unsuccessful, and for which he paid dearly. On the morning of the 30th, +General Meade sent out a reconnoissance with a view to attacking the +enemy's line, if it was found sufficiently weakened by withdrawal of +troops to the north side. In this reconnoissance we captured and held +the enemy's works near Poplar Spring Church. In the afternoon, troops +moving to get to the left of the point gained were attacked by the enemy +in heavy force, and compelled to fall back until supported by the forces +holding the captured works. Our cavalry under Gregg was also attacked, +but repulsed the enemy with great loss. + +On the 7th of October, the enemy attacked Kautz's cavalry north of the +James, and drove it back with heavy loss in killed, wounded, and +prisoners, and the loss of all the artillery eight or nine pieces. This +he followed up by an attack on our intrenched infantry line, but was +repulsed with severe slaughter. On the 13th, a reconnoissance was sent +out by General Butler, with a view to drive the enemy from some new +works he was constructing, which resulted in very heavy loss to us. + +On the 27th, the Army of the Potomac, leaving only sufficient men to +hold its fortified line, moved by the enemy's right flank. The 2d +corps, followed by two divisions of the 5th corps, with the cavalry in +advance and covering our left flank, forced a passage of Hatcher's Run, +and moved up the south side of it towards the South Side Railroad, until +the 2d corps and part of the cavalry reached the Boydton Plank Road +where it crosses Hatcher's Run. At this point we were six miles distant +from the South Side Railroad, which I had hoped by this movement to +reach and hold. But finding that we had not reached the end of the +enemy's fortifications, and no place presenting itself for a successful +assault by which he might be doubled up and shortened, I determined to +withdraw to within our fortified line. Orders were given accordingly. +Immediately upon receiving a report that General Warren had connected +with General Hancock, I returned to my headquarters. Soon after I left +the enemy moved out across Hatcher's Run, in the gap between Generals +Hancock and Warren, which was not closed as reported, and made a +desperate attack on General Hancock's right and rear. General Hancock +immediately faced his corps to meet it, and after a bloody combat drove +the enemy within his works, and withdrew that night to his old position. + +In support of this movement, General Butler made a demonstration on the +north side of the James, and attacked the enemy on the Williamsburg +Road, and also on the York River Railroad. In the former he was +unsuccessful; in the latter he succeeded in carrying a work which was +afterwards abandoned, and his forces withdrawn to their former +positions. + +From this time forward the operations in front of Petersburg and +Richmond, until the spring campaign of 1865, were confined to the +defence and extension of our lines, and to offensive movements for +crippling the enemy's lines of communication, and to prevent his +detaching any considerable force to send south. By the 7th of February, +our lines were extended to Hatcher's Run, and the Weldon Railroad had +been destroyed to Hicksford. + +General Sherman moved from Chattanooga on the 6th of May, with the +Armies of the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio, commanded, respectively, +by Generals Thomas McPherson, and Schofield, upon Johnston's army at +Dalton; but finding the enemy's position at Buzzard's Roost, covering +Dalton, too strong to be assaulted, General McPherson was sent through +Snake Gap to turn it, while Generals Thomas and Schofield threatened it +in front and on the north. This movement was successful. Johnston, +finding his retreat likely to be cut off, fell back to his fortified +position at Resaca, where he was attacked on the afternoon of May 15th. +A heavy battle ensued. During the night the enemy retreated south. +Late on the 17th, his rear-guard was overtaken near Adairsville, and +heavy skirmishing followed. The next morning, however, he had again +disappeared. He was vigorously pursued, and was overtaken at Cassville +on the 19th, but during the ensuing night retreated across the Etowah. +While these operations were going on, General Jefferson C. Davis's +division of Thomas's army was sent to Rome, capturing it with its forts +and artillery, and its valuable mills and foundries. General Sherman, +having give his army a few days' rest at this point, again put it in +motion on the 23d, for Dallas, with a view of turning the difficult pass +at Allatoona. On the afternoon of the 25th, the advance, under General +Hooker, had a severe battle with the enemy, driving him back to New Hope +Church, near Dallas. Several sharp encounters occurred at this point. +The most important was on the 28th, when the enemy assaulted General +McPherson at Dallas, but received a terrible and bloody repulse. + +On the 4th of June, Johnston abandoned his intrenched position at New +Hope Church, and retreated to the strong positions of Kenesaw, Pine, and +Lost mountains. He was forced to yield the two last-named places, and +concentrate his army on Kenesaw, where, on the 27th, Generals Thomas and +McPherson made a determined but unsuccessful assault. On the night of +the 2d of July, Sherman commenced moving his army by the right flank, +and on the morning of the 3d, found that the enemy, in consequence of +this movement, had abandoned Kenesaw and retreated across the +Chattahoochee. + +General Sherman remained on the Chattahoochee to give his men rest and +get up stores until the 17th of July, when he resumed his operations, +crossed the Chattahoochee, destroyed a large portion of the railroad to +Augusta, and drove the enemy back to Atlanta. At this place General Hood +succeeded General Johnston in command of the rebel army, and assuming +the offensive-defensive policy, made several severe attacks upon Sherman +in the vicinity of Atlanta, the most desperate and determined of which +was on the 22d of July. About one P.M. of this day the brave, +accomplished, and noble-hearted McPherson was killed. General Logan +succeeded him, and commanded the Army of the Tennessee through this +desperate battle, and until he was superseded by Major-General Howard, +on the 26th, with the same success and ability that had characterized +him in the command of a corps or division. + +In all these attacks the enemy was repulsed with great loss. Finding it +impossible to entirely invest the place, General Sherman, after securing +his line of communications across the Chattahoochee, moved his main +force round by the enemy's left flank upon the Montgomery and Macon +roads, to draw the enemy from his fortifications. In this he succeeded, +and after defeating the enemy near Rough-and-Ready, Jonesboro, and +Lovejoy's, forcing him to retreat to the south, on the 2d of September +occupied Atlanta, the objective point of his campaign. + +About the time of this move, the rebel cavalry, under Wheeler, attempted +to cut his communications in the rear, but was repulsed at Dalton, and +driven into East Tennessee, whence it proceeded west to McMinnville, +Murfreesboro, and Franklin, and was finally driven south of the +Tennessee. The damage done by this raid was repaired in a few days. + +During the partial investment of Atlanta, General Rousseau joined +General Sherman with a force of cavalry from Decatur, having made a +successful raid upon the Atlanta and Montgomery Railroad, and its +branches near Opelika. Cavalry raids were also made by Generals McCook, +Garrard, and Stoneman, to cut the remaining Railroad communication with +Atlanta. The first two were successful the latter, disastrous. + +General Sherman's movement from Chattanooga to Atlanta was prompt, +skilful, and brilliant. The history of his flank movements and battles +during that memorable campaign will ever be read with an interest +unsurpassed by anything in history. + +His own report, and those of his subordinate commanders, accompanying +it, give the details of that most successful campaign. + +He was dependent for the supply of his armies upon a single-track +railroad from Nashville to the point where he was operating. This +passed the entire distance through a hostile country, and every foot of +it had to be protected by troops. The cavalry force of the enemy under +Forrest, in Northern Mississippi, was evidently waiting for Sherman to +advance far enough into the mountains of Georgia, to make a retreat +disastrous, to get upon this line and destroy it beyond the possibility +of further use. To guard against this danger, Sherman left what he +supposed to be a sufficient force to operate against Forrest in West +Tennessee. He directed General Washburn, who commanded there, to send +Brigadier-General S. D. Sturgis in command of this force to attack him. +On the morning of the 10th of June, General Sturgis met the enemy near +Guntown, Mississippi, was badly beaten, and driven back in utter rout +and confusion to Memphis, a distance of about one hundred miles, hotly +pursued by the enemy. By this, however, the enemy was defeated in his +designs upon Sherman's line of communications. The persistency with +which he followed up this success exhausted him, and made a season for +rest and repairs necessary. In the meantime, Major-General A. J. Smith, +with the troops of the Army of the Tennessee that had been sent by +General Sherman to General Banks, arrived at Memphis on their return +from Red River, where they had done most excellent service. He was +directed by General Sherman to immediately take the offensive against +Forrest. This he did with the promptness and effect which has +characterized his whole military career. On the 14th of July, he met +the enemy at Tupelo, Mississippi, and whipped him badly. The fighting +continued through three days. Our loss was small compared with that of +the enemy. Having accomplished the object of his expedition, General +Smith returned to Memphis. + +During the months of March and April this same force under Forrest +annoyed us considerably. On the 24th of March it captured Union City, +Kentucky, and its garrison, and on the 24th attacked Paducah, commanded +by Colonel S. G. Hicks, 40th Illinois Volunteers. Colonel H., having +but a small force, withdrew to the forts near the river, from where he +repulsed the enemy and drove him from the place. + +On the 13th of April, part of this force, under the rebel General +Buford, summoned the garrison of Columbus, Kentucky, to surrender, but +received for reply from Colonel Lawrence, 34th New Jersey Volunteers, +that being placed there by his Government with adequate force to hold +his post and repel all enemies from it, surrender was out of the +question. + +On the morning of the same day Forrest attacked Fort Pillow, Tennessee, +garrisoned by a detachment of Tennessee cavalry and the 1st Regiment +Alabama colored troops, commanded by Major Booth. The garrison fought +bravely until about three o'clock in the afternoon, when the enemy +carried the works by assault; and, after our men threw down their arms, +proceeded to an inhuman and merciless massacre of the garrison. + +On the 14th, General Buford, having failed at Columbus, appeared before +Paducah, but was again driven off. + +Guerillas and raiders, seemingly emboldened by Forrest's operations, +were also very active in Kentucky. The most noted of these was Morgan. +With a force of from two to three thousand cavalry, he entered the State +through Pound Gap in the latter part of May. On the 11th of June they +attacked and captured Cynthiana, with its entire garrison. On the 12th +he was overtaken by General Burbridge, and completely routed with heavy +loss, and was finally driven out of the State. This notorious guerilla +was afterwards surprised and killed near Greenville, Tennessee, and his +command captured and dispersed by General Gillem. + +In the absence of official reports of the commencement of the Red River +expedition, except so far as relates to the movements of the troops sent +by General Sherman under General A. J. Smith, I am unable to give the +date of its starting. The troops under General Smith, comprising two +divisions of the 16th and a detachment of the 17th army corps, left +Vicksburg on the 10th of March, and reached the designated point on Red +River one day earlier than that appointed by General Banks. The rebel +forces at Fort de Russy, thinking to defeat him, left the fort on the +14th to give him battle in the open field; but, while occupying the +enemy with skirmishing and demonstrations, Smith pushed forward to Fort +de Russy, which had been left with a weak garrison, and captured it with +its garrison about three hundred and fifty men, eleven pieces of +artillery, and many small-arms. Our loss was but slight. On the 15th +he pushed forward to Alexandria, which place he reached on the 18th. On +the 21st he had an engagement with the enemy at Henderson's Hill, in +which he defeated him, capturing two hundred and ten prisoners and four +pieces of artillery. + +On the 28th, he again attacked and defeated the enemy under the rebel +General Taylor, at Cane River. By the 26th, General Banks had assembled +his whole army at Alexandria, and pushed forward to Grand Ecore. On the +morning of April 6th he moved from Grand Ecore. On the afternoon of the +7th, he advanced and met the enemy near Pleasant Hill, and drove him +from the field. On the same afternoon the enemy made a stand eight +miles beyond Pleasant Hill, but was again compelled to retreat. On the +8th, at Sabine Cross Roads and Peach Hill, the enemy attacked and +defeated his advance, capturing nineteen pieces of artillery and an +immense amount of transportation and stores. During the night, General +Banks fell back to Pleasant Hill, where another battle was fought on the +9th, and the enemy repulsed with great loss. During the night, General +Banks continued his retrograde movement to Grand Ecore, and thence to +Alexandria, which he reached on the 27th of April. Here a serious +difficulty arose in getting Admiral Porter's fleet which accompanied the +expedition, over the rapids, the water having fallen so much since they +passed up as to prevent their return. At the suggestion of Colonel (now +Brigadier-General) Bailey, and under his superintendence, wing-dams were +constructed, by which the channel was contracted so that the fleet +passed down the rapids in safety. + +The army evacuated Alexandria on the 14th of May, after considerable +skirmishing with the enemy's advance, and reached Morganzia and Point +Coupee near the end of the month. The disastrous termination of this +expedition, and the lateness of the season, rendered impracticable the +carrying out of my plans of a movement in force sufficient to insure the +capture of Mobile. + +On the 23d of March, Major-General Steele left Little Rock with the 7th +army corps, to cooperate with General Banks's expedition on the Red +River, and reached Arkadelphia on the 28th. On the 16th of April, after +driving the enemy before him, he was joined, near Elkin's Ferry, in +Washita County, by General Thayer, who had marched from Fort Smith. +After several severe skirmishes, in which the enemy was defeated, +General Steele reached Camden, which he occupied about the middle of +April. + +On learning the defeat and consequent retreat of General Banks on Red +River, and the loss of one of his own trains at Mark's Mill, in Dallas +County, General Steele determined to fall back to the Arkansas River. +He left Camden on the 26th of April, and reached Little Rock on the 2d +of May. On the 30th of April, the enemy attacked him while crossing +Saline River at Jenkins's Ferry, but was repulsed with considerable +loss. Our loss was about six hundred in killed, wounded and prisoners. + +Major-General Canby, who had been assigned to the command of the +"Military Division of the West Mississippi," was therefore directed to +send the 19th army corps to join the armies operating against Richmond, +and to limit the remainder of his command to such operations as might be +necessary to hold the positions and lines of communications he then +occupied. + +Before starting General A. J. Smith's troops back to Sherman, General +Canby sent a part of it to disperse a force of the enemy that was +collecting near the Mississippi River. General Smith met and defeated +this force near Lake Chicot on the 5th of June. Our loss was about +forty killed and seventy wounded. + +In the latter part of July, General Canby sent Major-General Gordon +Granger, with such forces as he could collect, to co-operate with +Admiral Farragut against the defences of Mobile Bay. On the 8th of +August, Fort Gaines surrendered to the combined naval and land forces. +Fort Powell was blown up and abandoned. + +On the 9th, Fort Morgan was invested, and, after a severe bombardment, +surrendered on the 23d. The total captures amounted to one thousand +four hundred and sixty-four prisoners, and one hundred and four pieces +of artillery. + +About the last of August, it being reported that the rebel General +Price, with a force of about ten thousand men, had reached Jacksonport, +on his way to invade Missouri, General A. J. Smith's command, then en +route from Memphis to join Sherman, was ordered to Missouri. A cavalry +force was also, at the same time, sent from Memphis, under command of +Colonel Winslow. This made General Rosecrans's forces superior to those +of Price, and no doubt was entertained he would be able to check Price +and drive him back; while the forces under General Steele, in Arkansas, +would cut off his retreat. On the 26th day of September, Price attacked +Pilot Knob and forced the garrison to retreat, and thence moved north to +the Missouri River, and continued up that river towards Kansas. General +Curtis, commanding Department of Kansas, immediately collected such +forces as he could to repel the invasion of Kansas, while General +Rosecrans's cavalry was operating in his rear. + +The enemy was brought to battle on the Big Blue and defeated, with the +loss of nearly all his artillery and trains and a large number of +prisoners. He made a precipitate retreat to Northern Arkansas. The +impunity with which Price was enabled to roam over the State of Missouri +for a long time, and the incalculable mischief done by him, show to how +little purpose a superior force may be used. There is no reason why +General Rosecrans should not have concentrated his forces, and beaten +and driven Price before the latter reached Pilot Knob. + +September 20th, the enemy's cavalry, under Forrest, crossed the +Tennessee near Waterloo, Alabama, and on the 23d attacked the garrison +at Athens, consisting of six hundred men, which capitulated on the 24th. +Soon after the surrender two regiments of reinforcements arrived, and +after a severe fight were compelled to surrender. Forrest destroyed the +railroad westward, captured the garrison at Sulphur Branch trestle, +skirmished with the garrison at Pulaski on the 27th, and on the same day +cut the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad near Tullahoma and Dechard. +On the morning of the 30th, one column of Forrest's command, under +Buford, appeared before Huntsville, and summoned the surrender of the +garrison. Receiving an answer in the negative, he remained in the +vicinity of the place until next morning, when he again summoned its +surrender, and received the same reply as on the night before. He +withdrew in the direction of Athens which place had been regarrisoned, +and attacked it on the afternoon of the 1st of October, but without +success. On the morning of the 2d he renewed his attack, but was +handsomely repulsed. + +Another column under Forrest appeared before Columbia on the morning of +the 1st, but did not make an attack. On the morning of the 3d he moved +towards Mount Pleasant. While these operations were going on, every +exertion was made by General Thomas to destroy the forces under Forrest +before he could recross the Tennessee, but was unable to prevent his +escape to Corinth, Mississippi. + +In September, an expedition under General Burbridge was sent to destroy +the saltworks at Saltville, Virginia. He met the enemy on the 2d of +October, about three miles and a half from Saltville, and drove him into +his strongly intrenched position around the salt-works, from which he +was unable to dislodge him. During the night he withdrew his command +and returned to Kentucky. + +General Sherman, immediately after the fall of Atlanta, put his armies +in camp in and about the place, and made all preparations for refitting +and supplying them for future service. The great length of road from +Atlanta to the Cumberland River, however, which had to be guarded, +allowed the troops but little rest. + +During this time Jefferson Davis made a speech in Macon, Georgia, which +was reported in the papers of the South, and soon became known to the +whole country, disclosing the plans of the enemy, thus enabling General +Sherman to fully meet them. He exhibited the weakness of supposing that +an army that had been beaten and fearfully decimated in a vain attempt +at the defensive, could successfully undertake the offensive against the +army that had so often defeated it. + +In execution of this plan, Hood, with this army, was soon reported to +the south-west of Atlanta. Moving far to Sherman's right, he succeeded +in reaching the railroad about Big Shanty, and moved north on it. + +General Sherman, leaving a force to hold Atlanta, with the remainder of +his army fell upon him and drove him to Gadsden, Alabama. Seeing the +constant annoyance he would have with the roads to his rear if he +attempted to hold Atlanta, General Sherman proposed the abandonment and +destruction of that place, with all the railroads leading to it, and +telegraphed me as follows: + + +"CENTREVILLE, GEORGIA", October 10--noon. + +"Dispatch about Wilson just received. Hood is now crossing Coosa River, +twelve miles below Rome, bound west. If he passes over the Mobile and +Ohio road, had I not better execute the plan of my letter sent by +Colonel Porter, and leave General Thomas with the troops now in +Tennessee to defend the State? He will have an ample force when the +reinforcements ordered reach Nashville. + +"W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General. +"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT." + + +For a full understanding of the plan referred to in this dispatch, I +quote from the letter sent by Colonel Porter: + +"I will therefore give my opinion, that your army and Canby's should be +reinforced to the maximum; that after you get Wilmington, you strike for +Savannah and the river; that Canby be instructed to hold the Mississippi +River, and send a force to get Columbus, Georgia, either by the way of +the Alabama or the Appalachicola, and that I keep Hood employed and put +my army in final order for a march on Augusta, Columbia, and Charleston, +to be ready as soon as Wilmington is sealed as to commerce and the city +of Savannah is in our possession." This was in reply to a letter of +mine of date September 12th, in answer to a dispatch of his containing +substantially the same proposition, and in which I informed him of a +proposed movement against Wilmington, and of the situation in Virginia, +etc. + + +"CITY POINT, VIRGINIA, + +"October 11, 1864--11 A.M. + +"Your dispatch of October 10th received. Does it not look as if Hood +was going to attempt the invasion of Middle Tennessee, using the Mobile +and Ohio and Memphis and Charleston roads to supply his base on the +Tennessee River, about Florence or Decatur? If he does this, he ought +to be met and prevented from getting north of the Tennessee River. If +you were to cut loose, I do not believe you would meet Hood's army, but +would be bushwhacked by all the old men and little boys, and such +railroad guards as are still left at home. Hood would probably strike +for Nashville, thinking that by going north he could inflict greater +damage upon us than we could upon the rebels by going south. If there +is any way of getting at Hood's army, I would prefer that, but I must +trust to your own judgment. I find I shall not be able to send a force +from here to act with you on Savannah. Your movements, therefore, will +be independent of mine; at least until the fall of Richmond takes place. +I am afraid Thomas, with such lines of road as he has to protect, could +not prevent Hood from going north. With Wilson turned loose, with all +your cavalry, you will find the rebels put much more on the defensive +than heretofore. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN." + + +"KINGSTON, GEORGIA, "October 11--11 A.M. + +"Hood moved his army from Palmetto Station across by Dallas and +Cedartown, and is now on the Coosa River, south of Rome. He threw one +corps on my road at Acworth, and I was forced to follow. I hold Atlanta +with the 20th corps, and have strong detachments along my line. This +reduces my active force to a comparatively small army. We cannot remain +here on the defensive. With the twenty-five thousand men, and the bold +cavalry he has, he can constantly break my roads. I would infinitely +prefer to make a wreck of the road, and of the country from Chattanooga +to Atlanta including the latter city send back all my wounded and +worthless, and with my effective army, move through Georgia, smashing +things, to the sea. Hood may turn into Tennessee and Kentucky, but I +believe he will be forced to follow me. Instead of my being on the +defensive, I would be on the offensive; instead of guessing at what he +means to do, he would have to guess at my plans. The difference in war +is full twenty-five per cent. I can make Savannah, Charleston, or the +mouth of the Chattahoochee. + +"Answer quick, as I know we will not have the telegraph long. + +"W. T. SHERMAN, Major-General. +"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT." + + +"CITY POINT, VIRGINIA, "October 11,1864--11.30 P.M. + +"Your dispatch of to-day received. If you are satisfied the trip to the +sea-coast can be made, holding the line of the Tennessee River firmly, +you may make it, destroying all the railroad south of Dalton or +Chattanooga, as you think best. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN." + + +It was the original design to hold Atlanta, and by getting through to +the coast, with a garrison left on the southern railroads, leading east +and west, through Georgia, to effectually sever the east from the west. +In other words, cut the would-be Confederacy in two again, as it had +been cut once by our gaining possession of the Mississippi River. +General Sherman's plan virtually effected this object. + +General Sherman commenced at once his preparations for his proposed +movement, keeping his army in position in the meantime to watch Hood. +Becoming satisfied that Hood had moved westward from Gadsden across Sand +Mountain, General Sherman sent the 4th corps, Major-General Stanley +commanding, and the 23d corps, Major-General Schofield commanding, back +to Chattanooga to report to Major-General Thomas, at Nashville, whom he +had placed in command of all the troops of his military division, save +the four army corps and cavalry division he designed to move with +through Georgia. With the troops thus left at his disposal, there was +little doubt that General Thomas could hold the line of the Tennessee, +or, in the event Hood should force it, would be able to concentrate and +beat him in battle. It was therefore readily consented to that Sherman +should start for the sea-coast. + +Having concentrated his troops at Atlanta by the 14th of November, he +commenced his march, threatening both Augusta and Macon. His coming-out +point could not be definitely fixed. Having to gather his subsistence as +he marched through the country, it was not impossible that a force +inferior to his own might compel him to head for such point as he could +reach, instead of such as he might prefer. The blindness of the enemy, +however, in ignoring his movement, and sending Hood's army, the only +considerable force he had west of Richmond and east of the Mississippi +River, northward on an offensive campaign, left the whole country open, +and Sherman's route to his own choice. + +How that campaign was conducted, how little opposition was met with, the +condition of the country through which the armies passed, the capture of +Fort McAllister, on the Savannah River, and the occupation of Savannah +on the 21st of December, are all clearly set forth in General Sherman's +admirable report. + +Soon after General Sherman commenced his march from Atlanta, two +expeditions, one from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and one from Vicksburg, +Mississippi, were started by General Canby to cut the enemy's lines of +communication with Mobile and detain troops in that field. General +Foster, commanding Department of the South, also sent an expedition, via +Broad River, to destroy the railroad between Charleston and Savannah. +The expedition from Vicksburg, under command of Brevet Brigadier-General +E. D. Osband (colonel 3d United States colored cavalry), captured, on +the 27th of November, and destroyed the Mississippi Central Railroad +bridge and trestle-work over Big Black River, near Canton, thirty miles +of the road, and two locomotives, besides large amounts of stores. The +expedition from Baton Rouge was without favorable results. The +expedition from the Department of the South, under the immediate command +of Brigadier-General John P. Hatch, consisting of about five thousand +men of all arms, including a brigade from the navy, proceeded up Broad +River and debarked at Boyd's Neck on the 29th of November, from where it +moved to strike the railroad at Grahamsville. At Honey Hill, about +three miles from Grahamsville, the enemy was found and attacked in a +strongly fortified position, which resulted, after severe fighting, in +our repulse with a loss of seven hundred and forty-six in killed, +wounded, and missing. During the night General Hatch withdrew. On the +6th of December General Foster obtained a position covering the +Charleston and Savannah Railroad, between the Coosawhatchie and +Tulifinny rivers. + +Hood, instead of following Sherman, continued his move northward, which +seemed to me to be leading to his certain doom. At all events, had I +had the power to command both armies, I should not have changed the +orders under which he seemed to be acting. On the 26th of October, the +advance of Hood's army attacked the garrison at Decatur, Alabama, but +failing to carry the place, withdrew towards Courtland, and succeeded, +in the face of our cavalry, in effecting a lodgment on the north side of +the Tennessee River, near Florence. On the 28th, Forrest reached the +Tennessee, at Fort Heiman, and captured a gunboat and three transports. +On the 2d of November he planted batteries above and below Johnsonville, +on the opposite side of the river, isolating three gunboats and eight +transports. On the 4th the enemy opened his batteries upon the place, +and was replied to from the gunboats and the garrison. The gunboats +becoming disabled were set on fire, as also were the transports, to +prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy. About a million and +a half dollars' worth of store and property on the levee and in +storehouses was consumed by fire. On the 5th the enemy disappeared and +crossed to the north side of the Tennessee River, above Johnsonville, +moving towards Clifton, and subsequently joined Hood. On the night of +the 5th, General Schofield, with the advance of the 23d corps, reached +Johnsonville, but finding the enemy gone, was ordered to Pulaski, and +was put in command of all the troopers there, with instruction to watch +the movements of Hood and retard his advance, but not to risk a general +engagement until the arrival of General A. J. Smith's command from +Missouri, and until General Wilson could get his cavalry remounted. + +On the 19th, General Hood continued his advance. General Thomas, +retarding him as much as possible, fell back towards Nashville for the +purpose of concentrating his command and gaining time for the arrival of +reinforcements. The enemy coming up with our main force, commanded by +General Schofield, at Franklin, on the 30th, assaulted our works +repeatedly during the afternoon until late at night, but were in every +instance repulsed. His loss in this battle was one thousand seven +hundred and fifty killed, seven hundred and two prisoners, and three +thousand eight hundred wounded. Among his losses were six general +officers killed, six wounded, and one captured. Our entire loss was two +thousand three hundred. This was the first serious opposition the enemy +met with, and I am satisfied was the fatal blow to all his expectations. +During the night, General Schofield fell back towards Nashville. This +left the field to the enemy--not lost by battle, but voluntarily +abandoned--so that General Thomas's whole force might be brought +together. The enemy followed up and commenced the establishment of his +line in front of Nashville on the 2d of December. + +As soon as it was ascertained that Hood was crossing the Tennessee +River, and that Price was going out of Missouri, General Rosecrans was +ordered to send to General Thomas the troops of General A. J. Smith's +command, and such other troops as he could spare. The advance of this +reinforcement reached Nashville on the 30th of November. + +On the morning of the 15th December, General Thomas attacked Hood in +position, and, in a battle lasting two days, defeated and drove him from +the field in the utmost confusion, leaving in our hand most of his +artillery and many thousand prisoners, including four general officers. + +Before the battle of Nashville I grew very impatient over, as it +appeared to me, the unnecessary delay. This impatience was increased +upon learning that the enemy had sent a force of cavalry across the +Cumberland into Kentucky. I feared Hood would cross his whole army and +give us great trouble there. After urging upon General Thomas the +necessity of immediately assuming the offensive, I started West to +superintend matters there in person. Reaching Washington City, I +received General Thomas's dispatch announcing his attack upon the enemy, +and the result as far as the battle had progressed. I was delighted. +All fears and apprehensions were dispelled. I am not yet satisfied but +that General Thomas, immediately upon the appearance of Hood before +Nashville, and before he had time to fortify, should have moved out with +his whole force and given him battle, instead of waiting to remount his +cavalry, which delayed him until the inclemency of the weather made it +impracticable to attack earlier than he did. But his final defeat of +Hood was so complete, that it will be accepted as a vindication of that +distinguished officer's judgment. + +After Hood's defeat at Nashville he retreated, closely pursued by +cavalry and infantry, to the Tennessee River, being forced to abandon +many pieces of artillery and most of his transportation. On the 28th of +December our advanced forces ascertained that he had made good his +escape to the south side of the river. + +About this time, the rains having set in heavily in Tennessee and North +Alabama, making it difficult to move army transportation and artillery, +General Thomas stopped the pursuit by his main force at the Tennessee +River. A small force of cavalry, under Colonel W. J. Palmer, 15th +Pennsylvania Volunteers, continued to follow Hood for some distance, +capturing considerable transportation and all the enemy's +pontoon-bridge. The details of these operations will be found +clearly set forth in General Thomas's report. + +A cavalry expedition, under Brevet Major-General Grierson, started from +Memphis on the 21st of December. On the 25th he surprised and captured +Forrest's dismounted camp at Verona, Mississippi, on the Mobile and Ohio +Railroad, destroyed the railroad, sixteen cars loaded with wagons and +pontoons for Hood's army, four thousand new English carbines, and large +amounts of public stores. On the morning of the 28th he attacked and +captured a force of the enemy at Egypt, and destroyed a train of +fourteen cars; thence turning to the south-west, he struck the +Mississippi Central Railroad at Winona, destroyed the factories and +large amounts of stores at Bankston, and the machine-shops and public +property at Grenada, arriving at Vicksburg January 5th. + +During the operations in Middle Tennessee, the enemy, with a force under +General Breckinridge, entered East Tennessee. On the 13th of November +he attacked General Gillem, near Morristown, capturing his artillery and +several hundred prisoners. Gillem, with what was left of his command, +retreated to Knoxville. Following up his success, Breckinridge moved to +near Knoxville, but withdrew on the 18th, followed by General Ammen. +Under the directions of General Thomas, General Stoneman concentrated +the commands of Generals Burbridge and Gillem near Bean's Station to +operate against Breckinridge, and destroy or drive him into Virginia +--destroy the salt-works at Saltville, and the railroad into Virginia +as far as he could go without endangering his command. On the 12th of +December he commenced his movement, capturing and dispersing the enemy's +forces wherever he met them. On the 16th he struck the enemy, under +Vaughn, at Marion, completely routing and pursuing him to Wytheville, +capturing all his artillery, trains, and one hundred and ninety-eight +prisoners; and destroyed Wytheville, with its stores and supplies, and +the extensive lead-works near there. Returning to Marion, he met a force +under Breckinridge, consisting, among other troops, of the garrison of +Saltville, that had started in pursuit. He at once made arrangements to +attack it the next morning; but morning found Breckinridge gone. He +then moved directly to Saltville, and destroyed the extensive salt-works +at that place, a large amount of stores, and captured eight pieces of +artillery. Having thus successfully executed his instructions, he +returned General Burbridge to Lexington and General Gillem to Knoxville. + +Wilmington, North Carolina, was the most important sea-coast port left +to the enemy through which to get supplies from abroad, and send cotton +and other products out by blockade-runners, besides being a place of +great strategic value. The navy had been making strenuous exertions to +seal the harbor of Wilmington, but with only partial effect. The nature +of the outlet of Cape Fear River was such, that it required watching for +so great a distance that, without possession of the land north of New +Inlet, or Fort Fisher, it was impossible for the navy to entirely close +the harbor against the entrance of blockade-runners. + +To secure the possession of this land required the co-operation of a +land force, which I agreed to furnish. Immediately commenced the +assemblage in Hampton Roads, under Admiral D. D. Porter, of the most +formidable armada ever collected for concentration upon one given point. +This necessarily attracted the attention of the enemy, as well as that +of the loyal North; and through the imprudence of the public press, and +very likely of officers of both branches of service, the exact object of +the expedition became a subject of common discussion in the newspapers +both North and South. The enemy, thus warned, prepared to meet it. +This caused a postponement of the expedition until the later part of +November, when, being again called upon by Hon. G. V. Fox, Assistant +Secretary of the Navy, I agreed to furnish the men required at once, and +went myself, in company with Major-General Butler, to Hampton Roads, +where we had a conference with Admiral Porter as to the force required +and the time of starting. A force of six thousand five hundred men was +regarded as sufficient. The time of starting was not definitely +arranged, but it was thought all would be ready by the 6th of December, +if not before. Learning, on the 30th of November, that Bragg had gone +to Georgia, taking with him most of the forces about Wilmington, I +deemed it of the utmost importance that the expedition should reach its +destination before the return of Bragg, and directed General Butler to +make all arrangements for the departure of Major-General Weitzel, who +had been designated to command the land forces, so that the navy might +not be detained one moment. + +On the 6th of December, the following instructions were given: + + +"CITY POINT, VIRGINIA, December 6, 1864. + +"GENERAL: The first object of the expedition under General Weitzel is +to close to the enemy the port of Wilmington. If successful in this, +the second will be to capture Wilmington itself. There are reasonable +grounds to hope for success, if advantage can be taken of the absence of +the greater part of the enemy's forces now looking after Sherman in +Georgia. The directions you have given for the numbers and equipment of +the expedition are all right, except in the unimportant matter of where +they embark and the amount of intrenching tools to be taken. The object +of the expedition will be gained by effecting a landing on the main land +between Cape Fear River and the Atlantic, north of the north entrance to +the river. Should such landing be effected while the enemy still holds +Fort Fisher and the batteries guarding the entrance to the river, then +the troops should intrench themselves, and, by co-operating with the +navy, effect the reduction and capture of those places. These in our +hands, the navy could enter the harbor, and the port of Wilmington would +be sealed. Should Fort Fisher and the point of land on which it is +built fall into the hands of our troops immediately on landing, then it +will be worth the attempt to capture Wilmington by a forced march and +surprise. If time is consumed in gaining the first object of the +expedition, the second will become a matter of after consideration. + +"The details for execution are intrusted to you and the officer +immediately in command of the troops. + +"Should the troops under General Weitzel fail to effect a landing at or +near Fort Fisher, they will be returned to the armies operating against +Richmond without delay. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL B. F. BUTLER." + + +General Butler commanding the army from which the troops were taken for +this enterprise, and the territory within which they were to operate, +military courtesy required that all orders and instructions should go +through him. They were so sent, but General Weitzel has since +officially informed me that he never received the foregoing +instructions, nor was he aware of their existence, until he read General +Butler's published official report of the Fort Fisher failure, with my +indorsement and papers accompanying it. I had no idea of General +Butler's accompanying the expedition until the evening before it got off +from Bermuda Hundred, and then did not dream but that General Weitzel +had received all the instructions, and would be in command. I rather +formed the idea that General Butler was actuated by a desire to witness +the effect of the explosion of the powder-boat. The expedition was +detained several days at Hampton Roads, awaiting the loading of the +powder-boat. + +The importance of getting the Wilmington expedition off without any +delay, with or without the powder-boat, had been urged upon General +Butler, and he advised to so notify Admiral Porter. + +The expedition finally got off on the 13th of December, and arrived at +the place of rendezvous, off New Inlet, near Fort Fisher, on the evening +of the 15th. Admiral Porter arrived on the evening of the 18th, having +put in at Beaufort to get ammunition for the monitors. The sea becoming +rough, making it difficult to land troops, and the supply of water and +coal being about exhausted, the transport fleet put back to Beaufort to +replenish; this, with the state of the weather, delayed the return to +the place of rendezvous until the 24th. The powder-boat was exploded on +the morning of the 24th, before the return of General Butler from +Beaufort; but it would seem, from the notice taken of it in the Southern +newspapers, that the enemy were never enlightened as to the object of +the explosion until they were informed by the Northern press. + +On the 25th a landing was effected without opposition, and a +reconnoissance, under Brevet Brigadier-General Curtis, pushed up towards +the fort. But before receiving a full report of the result of this +reconnoissance, General Butler, in direct violation of the instructions +given, ordered the re-embarkation of the troops and the return of the +expedition. The re-embarkation was accomplished by the morning of the +27th. + +On the return of the expedition officers and men among them Brevet +Major-General (then Brevet Brigadier-General) N. M. Curtis, +First-Lieutenant G. W. Ross, 117th Regiment New York Volunteers, +First-Lieutenant William H. Walling, and Second-Lieutenant George +Simpson, 142d New York Volunteers voluntarily reported to me that when +recalled they were nearly into the fort, and, in their opinion, it could +have been taken without much loss. + +Soon after the return of the expedition, I received a dispatch from the +Secretary of the Navy, and a letter from Admiral Porter, informing me +that the fleet was still off Fort Fisher, and expressing the conviction +that, under a proper leader, the place could be taken. The natural +supposition with me was, that when the troops abandoned the expedition, +the navy would do so also. Finding it had not, however, I answered on +the 30th of December, advising Admiral Porter to hold on, and that I +would send a force and make another attempt to take the place. This +time I selected Brevet Major-General (now Major-General) A. H. Terry to +command the expedition. The troops composing it consisted of the same +that composed the former, with the addition of a small brigade, +numbering about one thousand five hundred, and a small siege train. The +latter it was never found necessary to land. I communicated direct to +the commander of the expedition the following instructions: + + +"CITY POINT, VIRGINIA, January 3, 1865. + +"GENERAL: The expedition intrusted to your command has been fitted out +to renew the attempt to capture Fort Fisher, N. C., and Wilmington +ultimately, if the fort falls. You will then proceed with as little +delay as possible to the naval fleet lying off Cape Fear River, and +report the arrival of yourself and command to Admiral D. D. Porter, +commanding North Atlantic Blockading Squadron. + +"It is exceedingly desirable that the most complete understanding should +exist between yourself and the naval commander. I suggest, therefore, +that you consult with Admiral Porter freely, and get from him the part +to be performed by each branch of the public service, so that there may +be unity of action. It would be well to have the whole programme laid +down in writing. I have served with Admiral Porter, and know that you +can rely on his judgment and his nerve to undertake what he proposes. I +would, therefore, defer to him as much as is consistent with your own +responsibilities. The first object to be attained is to get a firm +position on the spit of land on which Fort Fisher is built, from which +you can operate against that fort. You want to look to the +practicability of receiving your supplies, and to defending yourself +against superior forces sent against you by any of the avenues left open +to the enemy. If such a position can be obtained, the siege of Fort +Fisher will not be abandoned until its reduction is accomplished, or +another plan of campaign is ordered from these headquarters. + +"My own views are, that if you effect a landing, the navy ought to run a +portion of their fleet into Cape Fear River, while the balance of it +operates on the outside. Land forces cannot invest Fort Fisher, or cut +it off from supplies or reinforcements, while the river is in possession +of the enemy. + +"A siege-train will be loaded on vessels and sent to Fort Monroe, in +readiness to be sent to you if required. All other supplies can be +drawn from Beaufort as you need them. + +"Keep the fleet of vessels with you until your position is assured. +When you find they can be spared, order them back, or such of them as +you can spare, to Fort Monroe, to report for orders. + +"In case of failure to effect a landing, bring your command back to +Beaufort, and report to these headquarters for further instructions. +You will not debark at Beaufort until so directed. + +"General Sheridan has been ordered to send a division of troops to +Baltimore and place them on sea-going vessels. These troops will be +brought to Fort Monroe and kept there on the vessels until you are heard +from. Should you require them, they will be sent to you. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"BREVET MAJOR-GENERAL A. H. TERRY." + + +Lieutenant-Colonel C. B. Comstock, aide-de-camp (now brevet +brigadier-general), who accompanied the former expedition, +was assigned, in orders, as chief-engineer to this. + +It will be seen that these instructions did not differ materially from +those given for the first expedition, and that in neither instance was +there an order to assault Fort Fisher. This was a matter left entirely +to the discretion of the commanding officer. + +The expedition sailed from Fort Monroe on the morning of the 6th, +arriving at the rendezvous, off Beaufort, on the 8th, where, owing to +the difficulties of the weather, it lay until the morning of the 12th, +when it got under way and reached its destination that evening. Under +cover of the fleet, the disembarkation of the troops commenced on the +morning of the 13th, and by three o'clock P.M. was completed without +loss. On the 14th a reconnoissance was pushed to within five hundred +yards of Fort Fisher, and a small advance work taken possession of and +turned into a defensive line against any attempt that might be made from +the fort. This reconnoissance disclosed the fact that the front of the +work had been seriously injured by the navy fire. In the afternoon of +the 15th the fort was assaulted, and after most desperate fighting was +captured, with its entire garrison and armament. Thus was secured, by +the combined efforts of the navy and army, one of the most important +successes of the war. Our loss was: killed, one hundred and ten; +wounded, five hundred and thirty-six. On the 16th and the 17th the +enemy abandoned and blew up Fort Caswell and the works on Smith's +Island, which were immediately occupied by us. This gave us entire +control of the mouth of the Cape Fear River. + +At my request, Mayor-General B. F. Butler was relieved, and +Major-General E. O. C. Ord assigned to the Department of Virginia and +North Carolina. + +The defence of the line of the Tennessee no longer requiring the force +which had beaten and nearly destroyed the only army now threatening it, +I determined to find other fields of operation for General Thomas's +surplus troops--fields from which they would co-operate with other +movements. General Thomas was therefore directed to collect all troops, +not essential to hold his communications at Eastport, in readiness for +orders. On the 7th of January, General Thomas was directed, if he was +assured of the departure of Hood south from Corinth, to send General +Schofield with his corps east with as little delay as possible. This +direction was promptly complied with, and the advance of the corps +reached Washington on the 23d of the same month, whence it was sent to +Fort Fisher and New Bern. On the 26th he was directed to send General +A. J. Smith's command and a division of cavalry to report to General +Canby. By the 7th of February the whole force was en route for its +destination. + +The State of North Carolina was constituted into a military department, +and General Schofield assigned to command, and placed under the orders +of Major-General Sherman. The following instructions were given him: + + +"CITY POINT, VA., January 31, 1865. + +"GENERAL:-- * * * Your movements are intended as co-operative +with Sherman's through the States of South and North Carolina. The +first point to be attained is to secure Wilmington. Goldsboro' will +then be your objective point, moving either from Wilmington or New Bern, +or both, as you deem best. Should you not be able to reach Goldsboro', +you will advance on the line or lines of railway connecting that place +with the sea-coast--as near to it as you can, building the road behind +you. The enterprise under you has two objects: the first is to give +General Sherman material aid, if needed, in his march north; the second, +to open a base of supplies for him on his line of march. As soon, +therefore, as you can determine which of the two points, Wilmington or +New Bern, you can best use for throwing supplies from, to the interior, +you will commence the accumulation of twenty days' rations and forage +for sixty thousand men and twenty thousand animals. You will get of +these as many as you can house and protect to such point in the interior +as you may be able to occupy. I believe General Palmer has received +some instructions direct from General Sherman on the subject of securing +supplies for his army. You will learn what steps he has taken, and be +governed in your requisitions accordingly. A supply of ordnance stores +will also be necessary. + +"Make all requisitions upon the chiefs of their respective departments +in the field with me at City Point. Communicate with me by every +opportunity, and should you deem it necessary at any time, send a +special boat to Fortress Monroe, from which point you can communicate by +telegraph. + +"The supplies referred to in these instructions are exclusive of those +required for your own command. + +"The movements of the enemy may justify, or even make it your imperative +duty, to cut loose from your base, and strike for the interior to aid +Sherman. In such case you will act on your own judgment without waiting +for instructions. You will report, however, what you purpose doing. +The details for carrying out these instructions are necessarily left to +you. I would urge, however, if I did not know that you are already +fully alive to the importance of it, prompt action. Sherman may be +looked for in the neighborhood of Goldsboro' any time from the 22d to +the 28th of February; this limits your time very materially. + +"If rolling-stock is not secured in the capture of Wilmington, it can be +supplied from Washington. A large force of railroad men have already +been sent to Beaufort, and other mechanics will go to Fort Fisher in a +day or two. On this point I have informed you by telegraph. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL J. M. SCHOFIELD." + + +Previous to giving these instructions I had visited Fort Fisher, +accompanied by General Schofield, for the purpose of seeing for myself +the condition of things, and personally conferring with General Terry +and Admiral Porter as to what was best to be done. + +Anticipating the arrival of General Sherman at Savannah his army +entirely foot-loose, Hood being then before Nashville, Tennessee, the +Southern railroads destroyed, so that it would take several months to +re-establish a through line from west to east, and regarding the capture +of Lee's army as the most important operation towards closing the +rebellion--I sent orders to General Sherman on the 6th of December, that +after establishing a base on the sea-coast, with necessary garrison, to +include all his artillery and cavalry, to come by water to City Point +with the balance of his command. + +On the 18th of December, having received information of the defeat and +utter rout of Hood's army by General Thomas, and that, owing to the +great difficulty of procuring ocean transportation, it would take over +two months to transport Sherman's army, and doubting whether he might +not contribute as much towards the desired result by operating from +where he was, I wrote to him to that effect, and asked him for his views +as to what would be best to do. A few days after this I received a +communication from General Sherman, of date 16th December, acknowledging +the receipt of my order of the 6th, and informing me of his preparations +to carry it into effect as soon as he could get transportation. Also +that he had expected, upon reducing Savannah, instantly to march to +Columbia, South Carolina, thence to Raleigh, and thence to report to me; +but that this would consume about six weeks' time after the fall of +Savannah, whereas by sea he could probably reach me by the middle of +January. The confidence he manifested in this letter of being able to +march up and join me pleased me, and, without waiting for a reply to my +letter of the 18th, I directed him, on the 28th of December, to make +preparations to start as he proposed, without delay, to break up the +railroads in North and South Carolina, and join the armies operating +against Richmond as soon as he could. + +On the 21st of January I informed General Sherman that I had ordered the +23d corps, Major-General Schofield commanding, east; that it numbered +about twenty-one thousand men; that we had at Fort Fisher, about eight +thousand men; at New Bern, about four thousand; that if Wilmington was +captured, General Schofield would go there; if not, he would be sent to +New Bern; that, in either event, all the surplus force at both points +would move to the interior towards Goldsboro', in co-operation with his +movement; that from either point railroad communication could be run +out; and that all these troops would be subject to his orders as he came +into communication with them. + +In obedience to his instructions, General Schofield proceeded to reduce +Wilmington, North Carolina, in co-operation with the navy under Admiral +Porter, moving his forces up both sides of the Cape Fear River. Fort +Anderson, the enemy's main defence on the west bank of the river, was +occupied on the morning of the 19th, the enemy having evacuated it after +our appearance before it. + +After fighting on 20th and 21st, our troops entered Wilmington on the +morning of the 22d, the enemy having retreated towards Goldsboro' during +the night. Preparations were at once made for a movement on Goldsboro' +in two columns--one from Wilmington, and the other from New Bern--and to +repair the railroad leading there from each place, as well as to supply +General Sherman by Cape Fear River, towards Fayetteville, if it became +necessary. The column from New Bern was attacked on the 8th of March, +at Wise's Forks, and driven back with the loss of several hundred +prisoners. On the 11th the enemy renewed his attack upon our intrenched +position, but was repulsed with severe loss, and fell back during the +night. On the 14th the Neuse River was crossed and Kinston occupied, +and on the 21st Goldsboro' was entered. The column from Wilmington +reached Cox's Bridge, on the Neuse River, ten miles above Goldsboro', on +the 22d. + +By the 1st of February, General Sherman's whole army was in motion from +Savannah. He captured Columbia, South Carolina, on the 17th; thence +moved on Goldsboro', North Carolina, via Fayetteville, reaching the +latter place on the 12th of March, opening up communication with General +Schofield by way of Cape Fear River. On the 15th he resumed his march +on Goldsboro'. He met a force of the enemy at Averysboro', and after a +severe fight defeated and compelled it to retreat. Our loss in this +engagement was about six hundred. The enemy's loss was much greater. +On the 18th the combined forces of the enemy, under Joe Johnston, +attacked his advance at Bentonville, capturing three guns and driving it +back upon the main body. General Slocum, who was in the advance +ascertaining that the whole of Johnston's army was in the front, +arranged his troops on the defensive, intrenched himself and awaited +reinforcements, which were pushed forward. On the night of the 21st the +enemy retreated to Smithfield, leaving his dead and wounded in our +hands. From there Sherman continued to Goldsboro', which place had been +occupied by General Schofield on the 21st (crossing the Neuse River ten +miles above there, at Cox's Bridge, where General Terry had got +possession and thrown a pontoon-bridge on the 22d), thus forming a +junction with the columns from New Bern and Wilmington. + +Among the important fruits of this campaign was the fall of Charleston, +South Carolina. It was evacuated by the enemy on the night of the 17th +of February, and occupied by our forces on the 18th. + +On the morning of the 31st of January, General Thomas was directed to +send a cavalry expedition, under General Stoneman, from East Tennessee, +to penetrate South Carolina well down towards Columbia, to destroy the +railroads and military resources of the country, and return, if he was +able, to East Tennessee by way of Salisbury, North Carolina, releasing +our prisoners there, if possible. Of the feasibility of this latter, +however, General Stoneman was to judge. Sherman's movements, I had no +doubt, would attract the attention of all the force the enemy could +collect, and facilitate the execution of this. General Stoneman was so +late in making his start on this expedition (and Sherman having passed +out of the State of South Carolina), on the 27th of February I directed +General Thomas to change his course, and order him to repeat his raid of +last fall, destroying the railroad towards Lynchburg as far as he could. +This would keep him between our garrisons in East Tennessee and the +enemy. I regarded it not impossible that in the event of the enemy +being driven from Richmond, he might fall back to Lynchburg and attempt +a raid north through East Tennessee. On the 14th of February the +following communication was sent to General Thomas: + + +"CITY POINT, VA., February 14, 1865. + +"General Canby is preparing a movement from Mobile Bay against Mobile +and the interior of Alabama. His force will consist of about twenty +thousand men, besides A. J. Smith's command. The cavalry you have sent +to Canby will be debarked at Vicksburg. It, with the available cavalry +already in that section, will move from there eastward, in co-operation. +Hood's army has been terribly reduced by the severe punishment you gave +it in Tennessee, by desertion consequent upon their defeat, and now by +the withdrawal of many of them to oppose Sherman. (I take it a large +portion of the infantry has been so withdrawn. It is so asserted in the +Richmond papers, and a member of the rebel Congress said a few days +since in a speech, that one-half of it had been brought to South +Carolina to oppose Sherman.) This being true, or even if it is not +true, Canby's movement will attract all the attention of the enemy, and +leave the advance from your standpoint easy. I think it advisable, +therefore, that you prepare as much of a cavalry force as you can spare, +and hold it in readiness to go south. The object would be threefold: +first, to attract as much of the enemy's force as possible, to insure +success to Canby; second, to destroy the enemy's line of communications +and military resources; third, to destroy or capture their forces +brought into the field. Tuscaloosa and Selma would probably be the +points to direct the expedition against. This, however, would not be so +important as the mere fact of penetrating deep into Alabama. Discretion +should be left to the officer commanding the expedition to go where, +according to the information he may receive, he will best secure the +objects named above. + +"Now that your force has been so much depleted, I do not know what +number of men you can put into the field. If not more than five +thousand men, however, all cavalry, I think it will be sufficient. It +is not desirable that you should start this expedition until the one +leaving Vicksburg has been three or four days out, or even a week. I do +not know when it will start, but will inform you by telegraph as soon as +I learn. If you should hear through other sources before hearing from +me, you can act on the information received. + +"To insure success your cavalry should go with as little wagon-train as +possible, relying upon the country for supplies. I would also reduce +the number of guns to a battery, or the number of batteries, and put the +extra teams to the guns taken. No guns or caissons should be taken with +less than eight horses. + +"Please inform me by telegraph, on receipt of this, what force you think +you will be able to send under these directions. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL G. H. THOMAS." + + +On the 15th, he was directed to start the expedition as soon after the +20th as he could get it off. + +I deemed it of the utmost importance, before a general movement of the +armies operating against Richmond, that all communications with the +city, north of James River, should be cut off. The enemy having +withdrawn the bulk of his force from the Shenandoah Valley and sent it +south, or replaced troops sent from Richmond, and desiring to reinforce +Sherman, if practicable, whose cavalry was greatly inferior in numbers +to that of the enemy, I determined to make a move from the Shenandoah, +which, if successful, would accomplish the first at least, and possibly +the latter of the objects. I therefore telegraphed General Sheridan as +follows: + + +"CITY POINT, VA., February 20, 1865--1 P.M. + +"GENERAL:--As soon as it is possible to travel, I think you will have no +difficulty about reaching Lynchburg with a cavalry force alone. From +there you could destroy the railroad and canal in every direction, so as +to be of no further use to the rebellion. Sufficient cavalry should be +left behind to look after Mosby's gang. From Lynchburg, if information +you might get there would justify it, you will strike south, heading the +streams in Virgina to the westward of Danville, and push on and join +General Sherman. This additional raid, with one now about starting from +East Tennessee under Stoneman, numbering four or give thousand cavalry, +one from Vicksburg, numbering seven or eight thousand cavalry, one from +Eastport, Mississippi, then thousand cavalry, Canby from Mobile Bay, +with about thirty-eight thousand mixed troops, these three latter +pushing for Tuscaloosa, Selma, and Montgomery, and Sherman with a large +army eating out the vitals of South Carolina, is all that will be wanted +to leave nothing for the rebellion to stand upon. I would advise you to +overcome great obstacles to accomplish this. Charleston was evacuated +on Tuesday 1st. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN." + + +On the 25th I received a dispatch from General Sheridan, inquiring where +Sherman was aiming for, and if I could give him definite information as +to the points he might be expected to move on, this side of Charlotte, +North Carolina. In answer, the following telegram was sent him: + + +"CITY POINT, VA., February 25, 1865. + +"GENERAL:--Sherman's movements will depend on the amount of opposition +he meets with from the enemy. If strongly opposed, he may possibly have +to fall back to Georgetown, S. C., and fit out for a new start. I +think, however, all danger for the necessity of going to that point has +passed. I believe he has passed Charlotte. He may take Fayetteville on +his way to Goldsboro'. If you reach Lynchburg, you will have to be +guided in your after movements by the information you obtain. Before +you could possibly reach Sherman, I think you would find him moving from +Goldsboro' towards Raleigh, or engaging the enemy strongly posted at one +or the other of these places, with railroad communications opened from +his army to Wilmington or New Bern. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN." + + +General Sheridan moved from Winchester on the 27th of February, with two +divisions of cavalry, numbering about five thousand each. On the 1st of +March he secured the bridge, which the enemy attempted to destroy, +across the middle fork of the Shenandoah, at Mount Crawford, and entered +Staunton on the 2d, the enemy having retreated to Waynesboro'. Thence +he pushed on to Waynesboro', where he found the enemy in force in an +intrenched position, under General Early. Without stopping to make a +reconnoissance, an immediate attack was made, the position was carried, +and sixteen hundred prisoners, eleven pieces of artillery, with horses +and caissons complete, two hundred wagons and teams loaded with +subsistence, and seventeen battle-flags, were captured. The prisoners, +under an escort of fifteen hundred men, were sent back to Winchester. +Thence he marched on Charlottesville, destroying effectually the +railroad and bridges as he went, which place he reached on the 3d. Here +he remained two days, destroying the railroad towards Richmond and +Lynchburg, including the large iron bridges over the north and south +forks of the Rivanna River and awaited the arrival of his trains. This +necessary delay caused him to abandon the idea of capturing Lynchburg. +On the morning of the 6th, dividing his force into two columns, he sent +one to Scottsville, whence it marched up the James River Canal to New +Market, destroying every lock, and in many places the bank of the canal. +From here a force was pushed out from this column to Duiguidsville, to +obtain possession of the bridge across the James River at that place, +but failed. The enemy burned it on our approach. The enemy also burned +the bridge across the river at Hardwicksville. The other column moved +down the railroad towards Lynchburg, destroying it as far as Amherst +Court House, sixteen miles from Lynchburg; thence across the country, +uniting with the column at New Market. The river being very high, his +pontoons would not reach across it; and the enemy having destroyed the +bridges by which he had hoped to cross the river and get on the South +Side Railroad about Farmville, and destroy it to Appomattox Court House, +the only thing left for him was to return to Winchester or strike a base +at the White House. Fortunately, he chose the latter. From New Market +he took up his line of march, following the canal towards Richmond, +destroying every lock upon it and cutting the banks wherever +practicable, to a point eight miles east of Goochland, concentrating the +whole force at Columbia on the 10th. Here he rested one day, and sent +through by scouts information of his whereabouts and purposes, and a +request for supplies to meet him at White House, which reached me on the +night of the 12th. An infantry force was immediately sent to get +possession of White House, and supplies were forwarded. Moving from +Columbia in a direction to threaten Richmond, to near Ashland Station, +he crossed the Annas, and after having destroyed all the bridges and +many miles of the railroad, proceeded down the north bank of the +Pamunkey to White House, which place he reached on the 19th. + +Previous to this the following communication was sent to General Thomas: + + +"CITY POINT, VIRGINIA, March 7, 1865--9.30 A.M. + +"GENERAL:--I think it will be advisable now for you to repair the +railroad in East Tennessee, and throw a good force up to Bull's Gap and +fortify there. Supplies at Knoxville could always be got forward as +required. With Bull's Gap fortified, you can occupy as outposts about +all of East Tennessee, and be prepared, if it should be required of you +in the spring, to make a campaign towards Lynchburg, or into North +Carolina. I do not think Stoneman should break the road until he gets +into Virginia, unless it should be to cut off rolling-stock that may be +caught west of that. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL G. H. THOMAS." + + +Thus it will be seen that in March, 1865, General Canby was moving an +adequate force against Mobile and the army defending it under General +Dick Taylor; Thomas was pushing out two large and well-appointed cavalry +expeditions--one from Middle Tennessee under Brevet Major-General Wilson +against the enemy's vital points in Alabama, the other from East +Tennessee, under Major-General Stoneman, towards Lynchburg--and +assembling the remainder of his available forces, preparatory to +commence offensive operations from East Tennessee; General Sheridan's +cavalry was at White House; the armies of the Potomac and James were +confronting the enemy, under Lee, in his defences of Richmond and +Petersburg; General Sherman with his armies, reinforced by that of +General Schofield, was at Goldsboro'; General Pope was making +preparations for a spring campaign against the enemy under Kirby Smith +and Price, west of the Mississippi; and General Hancock was +concentrating a force in the vicinity of Winchester, Virginia, to guard +against invasion or to operate offensively, as might prove necessary. + +After the long march by General Sheridan's cavalry over winter roads, it +was necessary to rest and refit at White House. At this time the +greatest source of uneasiness to me was the fear that the enemy would +leave his strong lines about Petersburg and Richmond for the purpose of +uniting with Johnston, and before he was driven from them by battle, or +I was prepared to make an effectual pursuit. On the 24th of March, +General Sheridan moved from White House, crossed the James River at +Jones's Landing, and formed a junction with the Army of the Potomac in +front of Petersburg on the 27th. During this move, General Ord sent +forces to cover the crossings of the Chickahominy. + +On the 24th of March the following instructions for a general movement +of the armies operating against Richmond were issued: + + +"CITY POINT, VIRGINIA, March 24, 1865. + +"GENERAL: On the 29th instant the armies operating against Richmond +will be moved by our left, for the double purpose of turning the enemy +out of his present position around Petersburg, and to insure the success +of the cavalry under General Sheridan, which will start at the same +time, in its efforts to reach and destroy the South Side and Danville +railroads. Two corps of the Army of the Potomac will be moved at first +in two columns, taking the two roads crossing Hatcher's Run, nearest +where the present line held by us strikes that stream, both moving +towards Dinwiddie Court House. + +"The cavalry under General Sheridan, joined by the division now under +General Davies, will move at the same time by the Weldon Road and the +Jerusalem Plank Road, turning west from the latter before crossing the +Nottoway, and west with the whole column before reaching Stony Creek. +General Sheridan will then move independently, under other instructions +which will be given him. All dismounted cavalry belonging to the Army +of the Potomac, and the dismounted cavalry from the Middle Military +Division not required for guarding property belonging to their arm of +service, will report to Brigadier-General Benham, to be added to the +defences of City Point. Major-General Parke will be left in command of +all the army left for holding the lines about Petersburg and City Point, +subject of course to orders from the commander of the Army of the +Potomac. The 9th army corps will be left intact, to hold the present +line of works so long as the whole line now occupied by us is held. If, +however, the troops to the left of the 9th corps are withdrawn, then the +left of the corps may be thrown back so as to occupy the position held +by the army prior to the capture of the Weldon Road. All troops to the +left of the 9th corps will be held in readiness to move at the shortest +notice by such route as may be designated when the order is given. + +"General Ord will detach three divisions, two white and one colored, or +so much of them as he can, and hold his present lines, and march for the +present left of the Army of the Potomac. In the absence of further +orders, or until further orders are given, the white divisions will +follow the left column of the Army of the Potomac, and the colored +division the right column. During the movement Major-General Weitzel +will be left in command of all the forces remaining behind from the Army +of the James. + +"The movement of troops from the Army of the James will commence on the +night of the 27th instant. General Ord will leave behind the minimum +number of cavalry necessary for picket duty, in the absence of the main +army. A cavalry expedition, from General Ord's command, will also be +started from Suffolk, to leave there on Saturday, the 1st of April, +under Colonel Sumner, for the purpose of cutting the railroad about +Hicksford. This, if accomplished, will have to be a surprise, and +therefore from three to five hundred men will be sufficient. They +should, however, be supported by all the infantry that can be spared +from Norfolk and Portsmouth, as far out as to where the cavalry crosses +the Blackwater. The crossing should probably be at Uniten. Should +Colonel Sumner succeed in reaching the Weldon Road, he will be +instructed to do all the damage possible to the triangle of roads +between Hicksford, Weldon, and Gaston. The railroad bridge at Weldon +being fitted up for the passage of carriages, it might be practicable to +destroy any accumulation of supplies the enemy may have collected south +of the Roanoke. All the troops will move with four days' rations in +haversacks and eight days' in wagons. To avoid as much hauling as +possible, and to give the Army of the James the same number of days' +supplies with the Army of the Potomac, General Ord will direct his +commissary and quartermaster to have sufficient supplies delivered at +the terminus of the road to fill up in passing. Sixty rounds of +ammunition per man will be taken in wagons, and as much grain as the +transportation on hand will carry, after taking the specified amount of +other supplies. The densely wooded country in which the army has to +operate making the use of much artillery impracticable, the amount taken +with the army will be reduced to six or eight guns to each division, at +the option of the army commanders. + +"All necessary preparations for carrying these directions into operation +may be commenced at once. The reserves of the 9th corps should be +massed as much as possible. While I would not now order an +unconditional attack on the enemy's line by them, they should be ready +and should make the attack if the enemy weakens his line in their front, +without waiting for orders. In case they carry the line, then the whole +of the 9th corps could follow up so as to join or co-operate with the +balance of the army. To prepare for this, the 9th corps will have +rations issued to them, same as the balance of the army. General +Weitzel will keep vigilant watch upon his front, and if found at all +practicable to break through at any point, he will do so. A success +north of the James should be followed up with great promptness. An +attack will not be feasible unless it is found that the enemy has +detached largely. In that case it may be regarded as evident that the +enemy are relying upon their local reserves principally for the defence +of Richmond. Preparations may be made for abandoning all the line north +of the James, except inclosed works only to be abandoned, however, after +a break is made in the lines of the enemy. + +"By these instructions a large part of the armies operating against +Richmond is left behind. The enemy, knowing this, may, as an only +chance, strip their lines to the merest skeleton, in the hope of +advantage not being taken of it, while they hurl everything against the +moving column, and return. It cannot be impressed too strongly upon +commanders of troops left in the trenches not to allow this to occur +without taking advantage of it. The very fact of the enemy coming out +to attack, if he does so, might be regarded as almost conclusive +evidence of such a weakening of his lines. I would have it particularly +enjoined upon corps commanders that, in case of an attack from the +enemy, those not attacked are not to wait for orders from the commanding +officer of the army to which they belong, but that they will move +promptly, and notify the commander of their action. I would also enjoin +the same action on the part of division commanders when other parts of +their corps are engaged. In like manner, I would urge the importance of +following up a repulse of the enemy. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERALS MEADE, ORD, AND SHERIDAN." + + +Early on the morning of the 25th the enemy assaulted our lines in front +of the 9th corps (which held from the Appomattox River towards our +left), and carried Fort Stedman, and a part of the line to the right and +left of it, established themselves and turned the guns of the fort +against us, but our troops on either flank held their ground until the +reserves were brought up, when the enemy was driven back with a heavy +loss in killed and wounded, and one thousand nine hundred prisoners. +Our loss was sixty-eight killed, three hundred and thirty-seven wounded, +and five hundred and six missing. General Meade at once ordered the +other corps to advance and feel the enemy in their respective fronts. +Pushing forward, they captured and held the enemy's strongly intrenched +picket-line in front of the 2d and 6th corps, and eight hundred and +thirty-four prisoners. The enemy made desperate attempts to retake this +line, but without success. Our loss in front of these was fifty-two +killed, eight hundred and sixty-four wounded, and two hundred and seven +missing. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded was far greater. + +General Sherman having got his troops all quietly in camp about +Goldsboro', and his preparations for furnishing supplies to them +perfected, visited me at City Point on the 27th of March, and stated +that he would be ready to move, as he had previously written me, by the +10th of April, fully equipped and rationed for twenty days, if it should +become necessary to bring his command to bear against Lee's army, in +co-operation with our forces in front of Richmond and Petersburg. +General Sherman proposed in this movement to threaten Raleigh, and then, +by turning suddenly to the right, reach the Roanoke at Gaston or +thereabouts, whence he could move on to the Richmond and Danville +Railroad, striking it in the vicinity of Burkesville, or join the armies +operating against Richmond, as might be deemed best. This plan he was +directed to carry into execution, if he received no further directions +in the meantime. I explained to him the movement I had ordered to +commence on the 29th of March. That if it should not prove as entirely +successful as I hoped, I would cut the cavalry loose to destroy the +Danville and South Side railroads, and thus deprive the enemy of further +supplies, and also to prevent the rapid concentration of Lee's and +Johnston's armies. + +I had spent days of anxiety lest each morning should bring the report +that the enemy had retreated the night before. I was firmly convinced +that Sherman's crossing the Roanoke would be the signal for Lee to +leave. With Johnston and him combined, a long, tedious, and expensive +campaign, consuming most of the summer, might become necessary. By +moving out I would put the army in better condition for pursuit, and +would at least, by the destruction of the Danville Road, retard the +concentration of the two armies of Lee and Johnston, and cause the enemy +to abandon much material that he might otherwise save. I therefore +determined not to delay the movement ordered. + +On the night of the 27th, Major-General Ord, with two divisions of the +24th corps, Major-General Gibbon commanding, and one division of the +25th corps, Brigadier-General Birney commanding, and MacKenzie's +cavalry, took up his line of march in pursuance of the foregoing +instructions, and reached the position assigned him near Hatcher's Run +on the morning of the 29th. On the 28th the following instructions were +given to General Sheridan: + + +"CITY POINT, VA., March 28, 1865. + +"GENERAL:--The 5th army corps will move by the Vaughn Road at three A.M. +to-morrow morning. The 2d moves at about nine A.M., having but about +three miles to march to reach the point designated for it to take on the +right of the 5th corps, after the latter reaching Dinwiddie Court House. +Move your cavalry at as early an hour as you can, and without being +confined to any particular road or roads. You may go out by the nearest +roads in rear of the 5th corps, pass by its left, and passing near to or +through Dinwiddie, reach the right and rear of the enemy as soon as you +can. It is not the intention to attack the enemy in his intrenched +position, but to force him out, if possible. Should he come out and +attack us, or get himself where he can be attacked, move in with your +entire force in your own way, and with the full reliance that the army +will engage or follow, as circumstances will dictate. I shall be on the +field, and will probably be able to communicate with you. Should I not +do so, and you find that the enemy keeps within his main intrenched +line, you may cut loose and push for the Danville Road. If you find it +practicable, I would like you to cross the South Side Road, between +Petersburg and Burkesville, and destroy it to some extent. I would not +advise much detention, however, until you reach the Danville Road, which +I would like you to strike as near to the Appomattox as possible. Make +your destruction on that road as complete as possible. You can then +pass on to the South Side Road, west of Burkesville, and destroy that in +like manner. + +"After having accomplished the destruction of the two railroads, which +are now the only avenues of supply to Lee's army, you may return to this +army, selecting your road further south, or you may go on into North +Carolina and join General Sherman. Should you select the latter course, +get the information to me as early as possible, so that I may send +orders to meet you at Goldsboro'. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN." + + +On the morning of the 29th the movement commenced. At night the cavalry +was at Dinwiddie Court House, and the left of our infantry line extended +to the Quaker Road, near its intersection with the Boydton Plank Road. +The position of the troops from left to right was as follows: Sheridan, +Warren, Humphreys, Ord, Wright, Parke. + +Everything looked favorable to the defeat of the enemy and the capture +of Petersburg and Richmond, if the proper effort was made. I therefore +addressed the following communication to General Sheridan, having +previously informed him verbally not to cut loose for the raid +contemplated in his orders until he received notice from me to do so: + + +"GRAVELLY CREEK, March 29, 1865. + +"GENERAL:--Our line is now unbroken from the Appomattox to Dinwiddie. +We are all ready, however, to give up all, from the Jerusalem Plank Road +to Hatcher's Run, whenever the forces can be used advantageously. After +getting into line south of Hatcher's, we pushed forward to find the +enemy's position. General Griffin was attacked near where the Quaker +Road intersects the Boydton Road, but repulsed it easily, capturing +about one hundred men. Humphreys reached Dabney's Mill, and was pushing +on when last heard from. + +"I now feel like ending the matter, if it is possible to do so, before +going back. I do not want you, therefore, to cut loose and go after the +enemy's roads at present. In the morning push around the enemy, if you +can, and get on to his right rear. The movements of the enemy's cavalry +may, of course, modify your action. We will act all together as one +army here, until it is seen what can be done with the enemy. The +signal-officer at Cobb's Hill reported, at half-past eleven A.M., that a +cavalry column had passed that point from Richmond towards Petersburg, +taking forty minutes to pass. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN." + + +From the night of the 29th to the morning of the 31st the rain fell in +such torrents as to make it impossible to move a wheeled vehicle, except +as corduroy roads were laid in front of them. During the 30th, Sheridan +advanced from Dinwiddie Court House towards Five Forks, where he found +the enemy in full force. General Warren advanced and extended his line +across the Boydton Plank Road to near the White Oak Road, with a view of +getting across the latter; but, finding the enemy strong in his front +and extending beyond his left, was directed to hold on where he was, and +fortify. General Humphreys drove the enemy from his front into his main +line on the Hatcher, near Burgess's Mills. Generals Ord, Wright, and +Parke made examinations in their fronts to determine the feasibility of +an assault on the enemy's lines. The two latter reported favorably. +The enemy confronting us as he did, at every point from Richmond to our +extreme left, I conceived his lines must be weakly held, and could be +penetrated if my estimate of his forces was correct. I determined, +therefore, to extend our line no farther, but to reinforce General +Sheridan with a corps of infantry, and thus enable him to cut loose and +turn the enemy's right flank, and with the other corps assault the +enemy's lines. The result of the offensive effort of the enemy the week +before, when he assaulted Fort Stedman, particularly favored this. The +enemy's intrenched picket-line captured by us at that time threw the +lines occupied by the belligerents so close together at some points that +it was but a moment's run from one to the other. Preparations were at +once made to relieve General Humphreys's corps, to report to General +Sheridan; but the condition of the roads prevented immediate movement. +On the morning of the 31st, General Warren reported favorably to getting +possession of the White Oak Road, and was directed to do so. To +accomplish this, he moved with one division, instead of his whole corps, +which was attacked by the enemy in superior force and driven back on the +2d division before it had time to form, and it, in turn, forced back +upon the 3d division, when the enemy was checked. A division of the 2d +corps was immediately sent to his support, the enemy driven back with +heavy loss, and possession of the White Oak Road gained. Sheridan +advanced, and with a portion of his cavalry got possession of the Five +Forks; but the enemy, after the affair with the 5th corps, reinforced +the rebel cavalry, defending that point with infantry, and forced him +back towards Dinwiddie Court House. Here General Sheridan displayed +great generalship. Instead of retreating with his whole command on the +main army, to tell the story of superior forces encountered, he deployed +his cavalry on foot, leaving only mounted men enough to take charge of +the horses. This compelled the enemy to deploy over a vast extent of +wooded and broken country, and made his progress slow. At this juncture +he dispatched to me what had taken place, and that he was dropping back +slowly on Dinwiddie Court House. General Mackenzie's cavalry and one +division of the 5th corps were immediately ordered to his assistance. +Soon after receiving a report from General Meade that Humphreys could +hold our position on the Boydton Road, and that the other two divisions +of the 5th corps could go to Sheridan, they were so ordered at once. +Thus the operations of the day necessitated the sending of Warren, +because of his accessibility, instead of Humphreys, as was intended, and +precipitated intended movements. On the morning of the 1st of April, +General Sheridan, reinforced by General Warren, drove the enemy back on +Five Forks, where, late in the evening, he assaulted and carried his +strongly fortified position, capturing all his artillery and between +five and six thousand prisoners. + +About the close of this battle, Brevet Major-General Charles Griffin +relieved Major-General Warren in command of the 5th corps. The report +of this reached me after nightfall. Some apprehensions filled my mind +lest the enemy might desert his lines during the night, and by falling +upon General Sheridan before assistance could reach him, drive him from +his position and open the way for retreat. To guard against this, +General Miles's division of Humphreys's corps was sent to reinforce him, +and a bombardment was commenced and kept up until four o'clock in the +morning (April 2), when an assault was ordered on the enemy's lines. +General Wright penetrated the lines with his whole corps, sweeping +everything before him, and to his left towards Hatcher's Run, capturing +many guns and several thousand prisoners. He was closely followed by +two divisions of General Ord's command, until he met the other division +of General Ord's that had succeeded in forcing the enemy's lines near +Hatcher's Run. Generals Wright and Ord immediately swung to the right, +and closed all of the enemy on that side of them in Petersburg, while +General Humphreys pushed forward with two divisions and joined General +Wright on the left. General Parke succeeded in carrying the enemy's +main line, capturing guns and prisoners, but was unable to carry his +inner line. General Sheridan being advised of the condition of affairs, +returned General Miles to his proper command. On reaching the enemy's +lines immediately surrounding Petersburg, a portion of General Gibbon's +corps, by a most gallant charge, captured two strong inclosed works--the +most salient and commanding south of Petersburg--thus materially +shortening the line of investment necessary for taking in the city. The +enemy south of Hatcher's Run retreated westward to Sutherland's Station, +where they were overtaken by Miles's division. A severe engagement +ensued, and lasted until both his right and left flanks were threatened +by the approach of General Sheridan, who was moving from Ford's Station +towards Petersburg, and a division sent by General Meade from the front +of Petersburg, when he broke in the utmost confusion, leaving in our +hands his guns and many prisoners. This force retreated by the main +road along the Appomattox River. During the night of the 2d the enemy +evacuated Petersburg and Richmond, and retreated towards Danville. On +the morning of the 3d pursuit was commenced. General Sheridan pushed +for the Danville Road, keeping near the Appomattox, followed by General +Meade with the 2d and 6th corps, while General Ord moved for +Burkesville, along the South Side Road; the 9th corps stretched along +that road behind him. On the 4th, General Sheridan struck the Danville +Road near Jetersville, where he learned that Lee was at Amelia Court +House. He immediately intrenched himself and awaited the arrival of +General Meade, who reached there the next day. General Ord reached +Burkesville on the evening of the 5th. + +On the morning of the 5th, I addressed Major-General Sherman the +following communication: + + +"WILSON'S STATION, April 5, 1865. + +"GENERAL: All indications now are that Lee will attempt to reach +Danville with the remnant of his force. Sheridan, who was up with him +last night, reports all that is left, horse, foot, and dragoons, at +twenty thousand, much demoralized. We hope to reduce this number +one-half. I shall push on to Burkesville, and if a stand is made at +Danville, will in a very few days go there. If you can possibly do so, +push on from where you are, and let us see if we cannot finish the job +with Lee's and Johnston's armies. Whether it will be better for you to +strike for Greensboro', or nearer to Danville, you will be better able +to judge when you receive this. Rebel armies now are the only strategic +points to strike at. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN." + + +On the morning of the 6th, it was found that General Lee was moving west +of Jetersville, towards Danville. General Sheridan moved with his +cavalry (the 5th corps having been returned to General Meade on his +reaching Jetersville) to strike his flank, followed by the 6th corps, +while the 2d and 5th corps pressed hard after, forcing him to abandon +several hundred wagons and several pieces of artillery. General Ord +advanced from Burkesville towards Farmville, sending two regiments of +infantry and a squadron of cavalry, under Brevet Brigadier-General +Theodore Read, to reach and destroy the bridges. This advance met the +head of Lee's column near Farmville, which it heroically attacked and +detained until General Read was killed and his small force overpowered. +This caused a delay in the enemy's movements, and enabled General Ord to +get well up with the remainder of his force, on meeting which, the enemy +immediately intrenched himself. In the afternoon, General Sheridan +struck the enemy south of Sailors' Creek, captured sixteen pieces of +artillery and about four hundred wagons, and detained him until the 6th +corps got up, when a general attack of infantry and cavalry was made, +which resulted in the capture of six or seven thousand prisoners, among +whom were many general officers. The movements of the 2d corps and +General Ord's command contributed greatly to the day's success. + +On the morning of the 7th the pursuit was renewed, the cavalry, except +one division, and the 5th corps moving by Prince Edward's Court House; +the 6th corps, General Ord's command, and one division of cavalry, on +Farmville; and the 2d corps by the High Bridge Road. It was soon found +that the enemy had crossed to the north side of the Appomattox; but so +close was the pursuit, that the 2d corps got possession of the common +bridge at High Bridge before the enemy could destroy it, and immediately +crossed over. The 6th corps and a division of cavalry crossed at +Farmville to its support. + +Feeling now that General Lee's chance of escape was utterly hopeless, I +addressed him the following communication from Farmville: + + +"April 7, 1865. + +"GENERAL--The result of the last week must convince you of the +hopelessness of further resistance on the part of the Army of Northern +Virginia in this struggle. I feel that it is so, and regard it as my +duty to shift from myself the responsibility of any further effusion of +blood, by asking of you the surrender of that portion of the Confederate +States army known as the Army of Northern Virginia. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"GENERAL R. E. LEE." + + +Early on the morning of the 8th, before leaving, I received at Farmville +the following: + + +"April 7, 1865. + +"GENERAL: I have received your note of this date. Though not +entertaining the opinion you express on the hopelessness of further +resistance on the part of the Army of Northern Virginia, I reciprocate +your desire to avoid useless effusion of blood, and therefore, before +considering your proposition, ask the terms you will offer on condition +of its surrender. + +"R. E. LEE, General. +"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT." + + +To this I immediately replied: + + +"April 8, 1865. + +"GENERAL:--Your note of last evening, in reply to mine of same date, +asking the condition on which I will accept the surrender of the Army of +Northern Virginia, is just received. In reply, I would say, that peace +being my great desire, there is but one condition I would insist upon +--namely, That the men and officers surrendered shall be disqualified for +taking up arms again against the Government of the United States until +properly exchanged. I will meet you, or will designate officers to meet +any officers you may name for the same purpose, at any point agreeable +to you, for the purpose of arranging definitely the terms upon which the +surrender of the Army of the Northern Virginia will be received. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"GENERAL R. E. LEE." + + +Early on the morning of the 8th the pursuit was resumed. General Meade +followed north of the Appomattox, and General Sheridan, with all the +cavalry, pushed straight ahead for Appomattox Station, followed by +General Ord's command and the 5th corps. During the day General Meade's +advance had considerable fighting with the enemy's rear-guard, but was +unable to bring on a general engagement. Late in the evening General +Sheridan struck the railroad at Appomattox Station, drove the enemy from +there, and captured twenty-five pieces of artillery, a hospital train, +and four trains of cars loaded with supplies for Lee's army. During +this day I accompanied General Meade's column, and about midnight +received the following communication from General Lee: + + +April 8, 1865. + +"GENERAL:--I received, at a late hour, your note of to-day. In mine of +yesterday I did not intend to propose the surrender of the Army of +Northern Virginia, but to ask the terms of your proposition. To be +frank, I do not think the emergency has arisen to call for the surrender +of this army; but as the restoration of peace should be the sole object +of all, I desired to know whether your proposals would lead to that end. +I cannot, therefore, meet you with a view to the surrender of the Army +of Northern Virginia; but as far as your proposal may affect the +Confederate States forces under my command, and tend to the restoration +of peace, I should be pleased to meet you at ten A.M. to-morrow on the +old stage-road to Richmond, between the picket-lines of the two armies. + +"R. E. LEE, General. +"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT." + + +Early on the morning of the 9th I returned him an answer as follows, and +immediately started to join the column south of the Appomattox: + + +"April 9, 1865. + +"GENERAL:--Your note of yesterday is received. I have no authority to +treat on the subject of peace; the meeting proposed for ten A.M. to-day +could lead to no good. I will state, however, general, that I am +equally anxious for peace with yourself, and the whole North entertains +the same feeling. The terms upon which peace can be had are well +understood. By the South laying down their arms they will hasten that +most desirable event, save thousands of human lives, and hundreds of +millions of property not yet destroyed. Seriously hoping that all our +difficulties may be settled without the loss of another life, I +subscribe myself, etc. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"GENERAL R. E. LEE." + + +On this morning of the 9th, General Ord's command and the 5th corps +reached Appomattox Station just as the enemy was making a desperate +effort to break through our cavalry. The infantry was at once thrown +in. Soon after a white flag was received, requesting a suspension of +hostilities pending negotiations for a surrender. + +Before reaching General Sheridan's headquarters, I received the +following from General Lee: + + +"April 9, 1865. + +"GENERAL:--I received your note of this morning on the picket-line, +whither I had come to meet you, and ascertain definitely what terms were +embraced in your proposal of yesterday with reference to the surrender +of this army. I now ask an interview, in accordance with the offer +contained in your letter of yesterday, for that purpose. + +"R. E. LEE, General. +"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT." + + +The interview was held at Appomattox Court-House, the result of which is +set forth in the following correspondence: + + +APPOMATTOX COURT-HOUSE, Virginia, April 9, 1865. + +"GENERAL: In accordance with the substance of my letter to you of the +8th instant, I propose to receive the surrender of the Army of Northern +Virginia on the following terms, to wit: Rolls of all the officers and +men to be made in duplicate, one copy to be given to an officer to be +designated by me, the other to be retained by such officer or officers +as you may designate. The officers to give their individual paroles not +to take up arms against the Government of the United States until +properly exchanged; and each company or regimental commander sign a like +parole for the men of their commands. The arms, artillery, and public +property to be parked and stacked, and turned over to the officers +appointed by me to receive them. This will not embrace the side-arms of +the officers, nor their private horses or baggage. This done, each +officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be +disturbed by United States authority so long as they observe their +paroles and the laws in force where they may reside. + +"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General. +"GENERAL R. E. LEE." + + +"HEADQUARTERS ARMY OF NORTHERN VIRGINIA, April 9, 1865. + +"GENERAL: I have received your letter of this date containing the terms +of surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia as proposed by you. As +they are substantially the same as those expressed in your letter of the +8th instant, they are accepted. I will proceed to designate the proper +officers to carry the stipulations into effect. + +"R. E. LEE, General. +"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT." + + +The command of Major-General Gibbon, the 5th army corps under Griffin, +and Mackenzie's cavalry, were designated to remain at Appomattox +Court-House until the paroling of the surrendered army was completed, +and to take charge of the public property. The remainder of the army +immediately returned to the vicinity of Burkesville. + +General Lee's great influence throughout the whole South caused his +example to be followed, and to-day the result is that the armies lately +under his leadership are at their homes, desiring peace and quiet, and +their arms are in the hands of our ordnance officers. + +On the receipt of my letter of the 5th, General Sherman moved directly +against Joe Johnston, who retreated rapidly on and through Raleigh, +which place General Sherman occupied on the morning of the 13th. The +day preceding, news of the surrender of General Lee reached him at +Smithfield. + +On the 14th a correspondence was opened between General Sherman and +General Johnston, which resulted on the 18th in an agreement for a +suspension of hostilities, and a memorandum or basis for peace, subject +to the approval of the President. This agreement was disapproved by the +President on the 21st, which disapproval, together with your +instructions, was communicated to General Sherman by me in person on the +morning of the 24th, at Raleigh, North Carolina, in obedience to your +orders. Notice was at once given by him to General Johnston for the +termination of the truce that had been entered into. On the 25th +another meeting between them was agreed upon, to take place on the 26th, +which terminated in the surrender and disbandment of Johnston's army +upon substantially the same terms as were given to General Lee. + +The expedition under General Stoneman from East Tennessee got off on the +20th of March, moving by way of Boone, North Carolina, and struck the +railroad at Wytheville, Chambersburg, and Big Lick. The force striking +it at Big Lick pushed on to within a few miles of Lynchburg, destroying +the important bridges, while with the main force he effectually +destroyed it between New River and Big Lick, and then turned for +Greensboro', on the North Carolina Railroad; struck that road and +destroyed the bridges between Danville and Greensboro', and between +Greensboro' and the Yadkin, together with the depots of supplies along +it, and captured four hundred prisoners. At Salisbury he attacked and +defeated a force of the enemy under General Gardiner, capturing fourteen +pieces of artillery and one thousand three hundred and sixty-four +prisoners, and destroyed large amounts of army stores. At this place he +destroyed fifteen miles of railroad and the bridges towards Charlotte. +Thence he moved to Slatersville. + +General Canby, who had been directed in January to make preparations for +a movement from Mobile Bay against Mobile and the interior of Alabama, +commenced his movement on the 20th of March. The 16th corps, +Major-General A. J. Smith commanding, moved from Fort Gaines by water to +Fish River; the 13th corps, under Major-General Gordon Granger, moved +from Fort Morgan and joined the 16th corps on Fish River, both moving +thence on Spanish Fort and investing it on the 27th; while Major-General +Steele's command moved from Pensacola, cut the railroad leading from +Tensas to Montgomery, effected a junction with them, and partially +invested Fort Blakely. After a severe bombardment of Spanish Fort, a +part of its line was carried on the 8th of April. During the night the +enemy evacuated the fort. Fort Blakely was carried by assault on the +9th, and many prisoners captured; our loss was considerable. These +successes practically opened to us the Alabama River, and enabled us to +approach Mobile from the north. On the night of the 11th the city was +evacuated, and was taken possession of by our forces on the morning of +the 12th. + +The expedition under command of Brevet Major-General Wilson, consisting +of twelve thousand five hundred mounted men, was delayed by rains until +March 22d, when it moved from Chickasaw, Alabama. On the 1st of April, +General Wilson encountered the enemy in force under Forrest near +Ebenezer Church, drove him in confusion, captured three hundred +prisoners and three guns, and destroyed the central bridge over the +Cahawba River. On the 2d he attacked and captured the fortified city of +Selma, defended by Forrest, with seven thousand men and thirty-two guns, +destroyed the arsenal, armory, naval foundry, machine-shops, vast +quantities of stores, and captured three thousand prisoners. On the 4th +he captured and destroyed Tuscaloosa. On the 10th he crossed the +Alabama River, and after sending information of his operations to +General Canby, marched on Montgomery, which place he occupied on the +14th, the enemy having abandoned it. At this place many stores and five +steamboats fell into our hands. Thence a force marched direct on +Columbus, and another on West Point, both of which places were assaulted +and captured on the 16th. At the former place we got one thousand five +hundred prisoners and fifty-two field-guns, destroyed two gunboats, the +navy yard, foundries, arsenal, many factories, and much other public +property. At the latter place we got three hundred prisoners, four +guns, and destroyed nineteen locomotives and three hundred cars. On the +20th he took possession of Macon, Georgia, with sixty field-guns, one +thousand two hundred militia, and five generals, surrendered by General +Howell Cobb. General Wilson, hearing that Jeff. Davis was trying to +make his escape, sent forces in pursuit and succeeded in capturing him +on the morning of May 11th. + +On the 4th day of May, General Dick Taylor surrendered to General Canby +all the remaining rebel forces east of the Mississippi. + +A force sufficient to insure an easy triumph over the enemy under Kirby +Smith, west of the Mississippi, was immediately put in motion for Texas, +and Major-General Sheridan designated for its immediate command; but on +the 26th day of May, and before they reached their destination, General +Kirby Smith surrendered his entire command to Major-General Canby. This +surrender did not take place, however, until after the capture of the +rebel President and Vice-President; and the bad faith was exhibited of +first disbanding most of his army and permitting an indiscriminate +plunder of public property. + +Owing to the report that many of those lately in arms against the +government had taken refuge upon the soil of Mexico, carrying with them +arms rightfully belonging to the United States, which had been +surrendered to us by agreement among them some of the leaders who had +surrendered in person and the disturbed condition of affairs on the Rio +Grande, the orders for troops to proceed to Texas were not changed. + +There have been severe combats, raids, expeditions, and movements to +defeat the designs and purposes of the enemy, most of them reflecting +great credit on our arms, and which contributed greatly to our final +triumph, that I have not mentioned. Many of these will be found clearly +set forth in the reports herewith submitted; some in the telegrams and +brief dispatches announcing them, and others, I regret to say, have not +as yet been officially reported. + +For information touching our Indian difficulties, I would respectfully +refer to the reports of the commanders of departments in which they have +occurred. + +It has been my fortune to see the armies of both the West and the East +fight battles, and from what I have seen I know there is no difference +in their fighting qualities. All that it was possible for men to do in +battle they have done. The Western armies commenced their battles in +the Mississippi Valley, and received the final surrender of the remnant +of the principal army opposed to them in North Carolina. The armies of +the East commenced their battles on the river from which the Army of the +Potomac derived its name, and received the final surrender of their old +antagonists at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. The splendid +achievements of each have nationalized our victories removed all +sectional jealousies (of which we have unfortunately experienced too +much), and the cause of crimination and recrimination that might have +followed had either section failed in its duty. All have a proud +record, and all sections can well congratulate themselves and each other +for having done their full share in restoring the supremacy of law over +every foot of territory belonging to the United States. Let them hope +for perpetual peace and harmony with that enemy, whose manhood, however +mistaken the cause, drew forth such herculean deeds of valor. + +I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, U. S. +GRANT, Lieutenant-General. + +THE END + + +__________ +FOOTNOTES + +(*1) Afterwards General Gardner, C.S.A. + + +(*2) General Garland expressed a wish to get a message back to +General Twiggs, his division commander, or General Taylor, to +the effect that he was nearly out of ammunition and must have +more sent to him, or otherwise be reinforced. Deeming the +return dangerous he did not like to order any one to carry it, +so he called for a volunteer. Lieutenant Grant offered his +services, which were accepted.--PUBLISHERS. + + +(*3) Mentioned in the reports of Major Lee, Colonel Garland and +General Worth.--PUBLISHERS. + + +(*4) NOTE.--It had been a favorite idea with General Scott for a +great many years before the Mexican war to have established in +the United States a soldiers' home, patterned after something of +the kind abroad, particularly, I believe, in France. He +recommended this uniformly, or at least frequently, in his +annual reports to the Secretary of War, but never got any +hearing. Now, as he had conquered the state, he made +assessments upon the different large towns and cities occupied +by our troops, in proportion to their capacity to pay, and +appointed officers to receive the money. In addition to the sum +thus realized he had derived, through capture at Cerro Gordo, +sales of captured government tobacco, etc., sums which swelled +the fund to a total of about $220,000. Portions of this fund +were distributed among the rank and file, given to the wounded +in hospital, or applied in other ways, leaving a balance of some +$118,000 remaining unapplied at the close of the war. After the +war was over and the troops all home, General Scott applied to +have this money, which had never been turned into the Treasury +of the United States, expended in establishing such homes as he +had previously recommended. This fund was the foundation of the +Soldiers' Home at Washington City, and also one at Harrodsburgh, +Kentucky. + +The latter went into disuse many years ago. In fact it never +had many soldiers in it, and was, I believe, finally sold. + + +(*5) The Mexican war made three presidential candidates, Scott, +Taylor and Pierce--and any number of aspirants for that high +office. It made also governors of States, members of the +cabinet, foreign ministers and other officers of high rank both +in state and nation. The rebellion, which contained more war in +a single day, at some critical periods, than the whole Mexican +war in two years, has not been so fruitful of political results +to those engaged on the Union side. On the other side, the side +of the South, nearly every man who holds office of any sort +whatever, either in the state or in the nation, was a +Confederate soldier, but this is easily accounted for from the +fact that the South was a military camp, and there were very few +people of a suitable age to be in the army who were not in it. + + +(*6) C. B. Lagow, the others not yet having joined me. + + +(*7) NOTE.--Since writing this chapter I have received from Mrs. +W. H. L. Wallace, widow of the gallant general who was killed in +the first day's fight on the field of Shiloh, a letter from +General Lew. Wallace to him dated the morning of the 5th. At +the date of this letter it was well known that the Confederates +had troops out along the Mobile & Ohio railroad west of Crump's +landing and Pittsburg landing, and were also collecting near +Shiloh. This letter shows that at that time General Lew. +Wallace was making preparations for the emergency that might +happen for the passing of reinforcements between Shiloh and his +position, extending from Crump's landing westward, and he sends +it over the road running from Adamsville to the Pittsburg +landing and Purdy road. These two roads intersect nearly a mile +west of the crossing of the latter over Owl Creek, where our +right rested. In this letter General Lew. Wallace advises +General W. H. L. Wallace that he will send "to-morrow" (and his +letter also says "April 5th," which is the same day the letter +was dated and which, therefore, must have been written on the +4th) some cavalry to report to him at his headquarters, and +suggesting the propriety of General W. H. L. Wallace's sending a +company back with them for the purpose of having the cavalry at +the two landings familiarize themselves with the road so that +they could "act promptly in case of emergency as guides to and +from the different camps." + +This modifies very materially what I have said, and what has +been said by others, of the conduct of General Lew. Wallace at +the battle of Shiloh. It shows that he naturally, with no more +experience than he had at the time in the profession of arms, +would take the particular road that he did start upon in the +absence of orders to move by a different road. + +The mistake he made, and which probably caused his apparent +dilatoriness, was that of advancing some distance after he found +that the firing, which would be at first directly to his front +and then off to the left, had fallen back until it had got very +much in rear of the position of his advance. This falling back +had taken place before I sent General Wallace orders to move up +to Pittsburg landing and, naturally, my order was to follow the +road nearest the river. But my order was verbal, and to a staff +officer who was to deliver it to General Wallace, so that I am +not competent to say just what order the General actually +received. + +General Wallace's division was stationed, the First brigade at +Crump's landing, the Second out two miles, and the Third two and +a half miles out. Hearing the sounds of battle General Wallace +early ordered his First and Third brigades to concentrate on the +Second. If the position of our front had not changed, the road +which Wallace took would have been somewhat shorter to our right +than the River road. + +U. S. GRANT. + +MOUNT MACGREGOR, NEW YORK, June 21, 1885. + + +(*8) NOTE: In an article on the battle of Shiloh which I wrote +for the Century Magazine, I stated that General A. McD. McCook, +who commanded a division of Buell's army, expressed some +unwillingness to pursue the enemy on Monday, April 7th, because +of the condition of his troops. General Badeau, in his history, +also makes the same statement, on my authority. Out of justice +to General McCook and his command, I must say that they left a +point twenty-two miles east of Savannah on the morning of the +6th. From the heavy rains of a few days previous and the +passage of trains and artillery, the roads were necessarily deep +in mud, which made marching slow. The division had not only +marched through this mud the day before, but it had been in the +rain all night without rest. It was engaged in the battle of +the second day and did as good service as its position +allowed. In fact an opportunity occurred for it to perform a +conspicuous act of gallantry which elicited the highest +commendation from division commanders in the Army of the +Tennessee. General Sherman both in his memoirs and report makes +mention of this fact. General McCook himself belongs to a family +which furnished many volunteers to the army. I refer to these +circumstances with minuteness because I did General McCook +injustice in my article in the Century, though not to the extent +one would suppose from the public press. I am not willing to do +any one an injustice, and if convinced that I have done one, I +am always willing to make the fullest admission. + + +(*9) NOTE.--For gallantry in the various engagements, from the +time I was left in command down to 26th of October and on my +recommendation, Generals McPherson and C. S. Hamilton were +promoted to be Major-Generals, and Colonels C. C. Marsh, 20th +Illinois, M. M. Crocker, 13th Iowa J. A. Mower, 11th Missouri, +M. D. Leggett, 78th Ohio, J. D. Stevenson, 7th Missouri, and +John E. Smith, 45th Illinois, to be Brigadiers. + + +(*10) Colonel Ellet reported having attacked a Confederate +battery on the Red River two days before with one of his boats, +the De Soto. Running aground, he was obliged to abandon his +vessel. However, he reported that he set fire to her and blew +her up. Twenty of his men fell into the hands of the enemy. +With the balance he escaped on the small captured steamer, the +New Era, and succeeded in passing the batteries at Grand Gulf +and reaching the vicinity of Vicksburg. + + +(*11) One of Colonel Ellet's vessels which had run the blockade +on February the 2d and been sunk in the Red River. + + +(*12) NOTE.--On this occasion Governor Richard Yates, of +Illinois, happened to be on a visit to the army and accompanied +me to Carthage. I furnished an ambulance for his use and that +of some of the State officers who accompanied him. + + +(*13) NOTE.--When General Sherman first learned of the move I +proposed to make, he called to see me about it. I recollect +that I had transferred my headquarters from a boat in the river +to a house a short distance back from the levee. I was seated +on the piazza engaged in conversation with my staff when Sherman +came up. After a few moments' conversation he said that he would +like to see me alone. We passed into the house together and shut +the door after us. Sherman then expressed his alarm at the move +I had ordered, saying that I was putting myself in a position +voluntarily which an enemy would be glad to manoeuvre a year--or +a long time--to get me in. I was going into the enemy's country, +with a large river behind me and the enemy holding points +strongly fortified above and below. He said that it was an +axiom in war that when any great body of troops moved against an +enemy they should do so from a base of supplies, which they would +guard as they would the apple of the eye, etc. He pointed out +all the difficulties that might be encountered in the campaign +proposed, and stated in turn what would be the true campaign to +make. This was, in substance, to go back until high ground +could be reached on the east bank of the river; fortify there +and establish a depot of supplies, and move from there, being +always prepared to fall back upon it in case of disaster. I +said this would take us back to Memphis. Sherman then said that +was the very place he would go to, and would move by railroad +from Memphis to Grenada, repairing the road as we advanced. To +this I replied, the country is already disheartened over the +lack of success on the part of our armies; the last election +went against the vigorous prosecution of the war, voluntary +enlistments had ceased throughout most of the North and +conscription was already resorted to, and if we went back so far +as Memphis it would discourage the people so much that bases of +supplies would be of no use: neither men to hold them nor +supplies to put in them would be furnished. The problem for us +was to move forward to a decisive victory, or our cause was +lost. No progress was being made in any other field, and we had +to go on. + +Sherman wrote to my adjutant general, Colonel J. A. Rawlins, +embodying his views of the campaign that should be made, and +asking him to advise me to at least get the views of my generals +upon the subject. Colonel Rawlins showed me the letter, but I +did not see any reason for changing my plans. The letter was +not answered and the subject was not subsequently mentioned +between Sherman and myself to the end of the war, that I +remember of. I did not regard the letter as official, and +consequently did not preserve it. General Sherman furnished a +copy himself to General Badeau, who printed it in his history of +my campaigns. I did not regard either the conversation between +us or the letter to my adjutant-general as protests, but simply +friendly advice which the relations between us fully +justified. Sherman gave the same energy to make the campaign a +success that he would or could have done if it had been ordered +by himself. I make this statement here to correct an impression +which was circulated at the close of the war to Sherman's +prejudice, and for which there was no fair foundation. + + +(*14) Meant Edward's Station. + +(*15) CHATTANOOGA, November 18, 1863. + +MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN: + +Enclosed herewith I send you copy of instructions to +Major-General Thomas. You having been over the ground in +person, and having heard the whole matter discussed, further +instructions will not be necessary for you. It is particularly +desirable that a force should be got through to the railroad +between Cleveland and Dalton, and Longstreet thus cut off from +communication with the South, but being confronted by a large +force here, strongly located, it is not easy to tell how this is +to be effected until the result of our first effort is known. + +I will add, however, what is not shown in my instructions to +Thomas, that a brigade of cavalry has been ordered here which, +if it arrives in time, will be thrown across the Tennessee above +Chickamauga, and may be able to make the trip to Cleveland or +thereabouts. + +U. S. GRANT +Maj.-Gen'l. + + +CHATTANOOGA, November 18, 1863. + +MAJOR-GENERAL GEO. H. THOMAS, +Chattanooga: + +All preparations should be made for attacking the enemy's +position on Missionary Ridge by Saturday at daylight. Not being +provided with a map giving names of roads, spurs of the +mountains, and other places, such definite instructions cannot +be given as might be desirable. However, the general plan, you +understand, is for Sherman, with the force brought with him +strengthened by a division from your command, to effect a +crossing of the Tennessee River just below the mouth of +Chickamauga; his crossing to be protected by artillery from the +heights on the north bank of the river (to be located by your +chief of artillery), and to secure the heights on the northern +extremity to about the railroad tunnel before the enemy can +concentrate against him. You will co-operate with Sherman. The +troops in Chattanooga Valley should be well concentrated on your +left flank, leaving only the necessary force to defend +fortifications on the right and centre, and a movable column of +one division in readiness to move wherever ordered. This +division should show itself as threateningly as possible on the +most practicable line for making an attack up the valley. Your +effort then will be to form a junction with Sherman, making your +advance well towards the northern end of Missionary Ridge, and +moving as near simultaneously with him as possible. The +junction once formed and the ridge carried, communications will +be at once established between the two armies by roads on the +south bank of the river. Further movements will then depend on +those of the enemy. Lookout Valley, I think, will be easily +held by Geary's division and what troops you may still have +there belonging to the old Army of the Cumberland. Howard's +corps can then be held in readiness to act either with you at +Chattanooga or with Sherman. It should be marched on Friday +night to a position on the north side of the river, not lower +down than the first pontoon-bridge, and there held in readiness +for such orders as may become necessary. All these troops will +be provided with two days' cooked rations in haversacks, and one +hundred rounds of ammunition on the person of each infantry +soldier. Special care should be taken by all officers to see +that ammunition is not wasted or unnecessarily fired away. You +will call on the engineer department for such preparations as +you may deem necessary for carrying your infantry and artillery +over the creek. + +U. S. GRANT, +Major-General. + + +(*16) In this order authority was given for the troops to reform +after taking the first line of rifle-pits preparatory to carrying +the ridge. + +(*17) CHATTANOOGA, November 24,1863. + +MAJOR-GENERAL. CEO. H. THOMAS, +Chattanooga + +General Sherman carried Missionary Ridge as far as the tunnel +with only slight skirmishing. His right now rests at the tunnel +and on top of the hill, his left at Chickamauga Creek. I have +instructed General Sherman to advance as soon as it is light in +the morning, and your attack, which will be simultaneous, will +be in cooperation. Your command will either carry the +rifle-pits and ridge directly in front of them, or move to the +left, as the presence of the enemy may require. If Hooker's +position on the mountain [cannot be maintained] with a small +force, and it is found impracticable to carry the top from where +he is, it would be advisable for him to move up the valley with +all the force he can spare, and ascend by the first practicable +road. + +U. S. GRANT, + +Major-General. + + +(*18) WASHINGTON, D. C., +December 8, 1863, 10.2 A.M. + +MAJ.-GENERAL U. S. GRANT: + +Understanding that your lodgment at Knoxville and at Chattanooga +is now secure, I wish to tender you, and all under your command, +my more than thanks, my profoundest gratitude for the skill, +courage, and perseverance with which you and they, over so great +difficulties, have effected that important object. God bless you +all, + +A. LINCOLN, + +President U. S. + + +(*19) General John G. Foster. + + +(*20) During this winter the citizens of Jo Davies County, Ill., +subscribed for and had a diamond-hilled sword made for General +Grant, which was always known as the Chattanooga sword. The +scabbard was of gold, and was ornamented with a scroll running +nearly its entire length, displaying in engraved letters the +names of the battles in which General Grant had participated. + +Congress also gave him a vote of thanks for the victories at +Chattanooga, and voted him a gold medal for Vicksburg and +Chattanooga. All such things are now in the possession of the +government at Washington. + + +(*21) WASHINGTON, D. C. +December 29, 1863. + +MAJ.-GENERAL U. S. GRANT: + +General Foster has asked to be relieved from his command on +account of disability from old wounds. Should his request be +granted, who would you like as his successor? It is possible +that Schofield will be sent to your command. + +H. W. HALLECK +General-in-Chief. +(OFFICIAL.) + + +(*22) See letter to Banks, in General Grant's report, Appendix. + + +(*23) [PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL.] + +HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES, WASHINGTON, D. C., +April 4, 1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL W. T. SHERMAN, +Commanding Military Division of the Mississippi. + +GENERAL:--It is my design, if the enemy keep quiet and allow me +to take the initiative in the spring campaign, to work all parts +of the army together, and somewhat towards a common centre. For +your information I now write you my programme, as at present +determined upon. + +I have sent orders to Banks, by private messenger, to finish up +his present expedition against Shreveport with all dispatch; to +turn over the defence of Red River to General Steele and the +navy and to return your troops to you and his own to New +Orleans; to abandon all of Texas, except the Rio Grande, and to +hold that with not to exceed four thousand men; to reduce the +number of troops on the Mississippi to the lowest number +necessary to hold it, and to collect from his command not less +than twenty-five thousand men. To this I will add five thousand +men from Missouri. With this force he is to commence operations +against Mobile as soon as he can. It will be impossible for him +to commence too early. + +Gillmore joins Butler with ten thousand men, and the two operate +against Richmond from the south side of the James River. This +will give Butler thirty-three thousand men to operate with, W. +F. Smith commanding the right wing of his forces and Gillmore +the left wing. I will stay with the Army of the Potomac, +increased by Burnside's corps of not less than twenty-five +thousand effective men, and operate directly against Lee's army, +wherever it may be found. + +Sigel collects all his available force in two columns, one, +under Ord and Averell, to start from Beverly, Virginia, and the +other, under Crook, to start from Charleston on the Kanawha, to +move against the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. + +Crook will have all cavalry, and will endeavor to get in about +Saltville, and move east from there to join Ord. His force will +be all cavalry, while Ord will have from ten to twelve thousand +men of all arms. + +You I propose to move against Johnston's army, to break it up +and to get into the interior of the enemy's country as far as +you can, inflicting all the damage you can against their war +resources. + +I do not propose to lay down for you a plan of campaign, but +simply lay down the work it is desirable to have done and leave +you free to execute it in your own way. Submit to me, however, +as early as you can, your plan of operations. + +As stated, Banks is ordered to commence operations as soon as he +can. Gillmore is ordered to report at Fortress Monroe by the +18th inst., or as soon thereafter as practicable. Sigel is +concentrating now. None will move from their places of +rendezvous until I direct, except Banks. I want to be ready to +move by the 25th inst., if possible. But all I can now direct +is that you get ready as soon as possible. I know you will have +difficulties to encounter in getting through the mountains to +where supplies are abundant, but I believe you will accomplish +it. + +From the expedition from the Department of West Virginia I do +not calculate on very great results; but it is the only way I +can take troops from there. With the long line of railroad +Sigel has to protect, he can spare no troops except to move +directly to his front. In this way he must get through to +inflict great damage on the enemy, or the enemy must detach from +one of his armies a large force to prevent it. In other words, +if Sigel can't skin himself he can hold a leg while some one +else skins. + +I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant, + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +(*24) See instructions to Butler, in General Grant's report, +Appendix. + + +(*25) IN FIELD, CULPEPER C. H., VA., +April 9, 1864. + +MAJ.-GENERAL GEO. G. MEADE +Com'd'g Army of the Potomac. + +For information and as instruction to govern your preparations +for the coming campaign, the following is communicated +confidentially for your own perusal alone. + +So far as practicable all the armies are to move together, and +towards one common centre. Banks has been instructed to turn +over the guarding of the Red River to General Steele and the +navy, to abandon Texas with the exception of the Rio Grande, and +to concentrate all the force he can, not less than 25,000 men, to +move on Mobile. This he is to do without reference to other +movements. From the scattered condition of his command, +however, he cannot possibly get it together to leave New Orleans +before the 1st of May, if so soon. Sherman will move at the same +time you do, or two or three days in advance, Jo. Johnston's army +being his objective point, and the heart of Georgia his ultimate +aim. If successful he will secure the line from Chattanooga to +Mobile with the aid of Banks. + +Sigel cannot spare troops from his army to reinforce either of +the great armies, but he can aid them by moving directly to his +front. This he has been directed to do, and is now making +preparations for it. Two columns of his command will make south +at the same time with the general move; one from Beverly, from +ten to twelve thousand strong, under Major-General Ord; the +other from Charleston, Va., principally cavalry, under +Brig.-General Crook. The former of these will endeavor to reach +the Tennessee and Virginia Railroad, about south of Covington, +and if found practicable will work eastward to Lynchburg and +return to its base by way of the Shenandoah Valley, or join +you. The other will strike at Saltville, Va., and come eastward +to join Ord. The cavalry from Ord's command will try tributaries +would furnish us an easy line over which to bring all supplies to +within easy hauling distance of every position the army could +occupy from the Rapidan to the James River. But Lee could, if +he chose, detach or move his whole army north on a line rather +interior to the one I would have to take in following. A +movement by his left--our right--would obviate this; but all +that was done would have to be done with the supplies and +ammunition we started with. All idea of adopting this latter +plan was abandoned when the limited quantity of supplies +possible to take with us was considered. The country over which +we would have to pass was so exhausted of all food or forage that +we would be obliged to carry everything with us. + +While these preparations were going on the enemy was not +entirely idle. In the West Forrest made a raid in West +Tennessee up to the northern border, capturing the garrison of +four or five hundred men at Union City, and followed it up by an +attack on Paducah, Kentucky, on the banks of the Ohio. While he +was able to enter the city he failed to capture the forts or any +part of the garrison. On the first intelligence of Forrest's +raid I telegraphed Sherman to send all his cavalry against him, +and not to let him get out of the trap he had put himself +into. Sherman had anticipated me by sending troops against him +before he got my order. + +Forrest, however, fell back rapidly, and attacked the troops at +Fort Pillow, a station for the protection of the navigation of +the Mississippi River. The garrison to force a passage +southward, if they are successful in reaching the Virginia and +Tennessee Railroad, to cut the main lines of the road connecting +Richmond with all the South and South-west. + +Gillmore will join Butler with about 10,000 men from South +Carolina. Butler can reduce his garrison so as to take 23,000 +men into the field directly to his front. The force will be +commanded by Maj.-General W. F. Smith. With Smith and Gillmore, +Butler will seize City Point, and operate against Richmond from +the south side of the river. His movement will be simultaneous +with yours. + +Lee's army will be your objective point. Wherever Lee goes, +there you will go also. The only point upon which I am now in +doubt is, whether it will be better to cross the Rapidan above +or below him. Each plan presents great advantages over the +other with corresponding objections. By crossing above, Lee is +cut off from all chance of ignoring Richmond and going north on +a raid. But if we take this route, all we do must be done +whilst the rations we start with hold out. We separate from +Butler so that he cannot be directed how to co-operate. By the +other route Brandy Station can be used as a base of supplies +until another is secured on the York or James rivers. + +These advantages and objections I will talk over with you more +fully than I can write them. + +Burnside with a force of probably 25,000 men will reinforce +you. Immediately upon his arrival, which will be shortly after +the 20th inst., I will give him the defence of the road from +Bull Run as far south as we wish to hold it. This will enable +you to collect all your strength about Brandy Station and to the +front. + +There will be naval co-operation on the James River, and +transports and ferries will be provided so that should Lee fall +back into his intrenchments at Richmond, Butler's force and +yours will be a unit, or at least can be made to act as such. +What I would direct then, is that you commence at once reducing +baggage to the very lowest possible standard. Two wagons to a +regiment of five hundred men is the greatest number that should +be allowed, for all baggage, exclusive of subsistence stores and +ordnance stores. One wagon to brigade and one to division +headquarters is sufficient and about two to corps headquarters. + +Should by Lee's right flank be our route, you will want to make +arrangements for having supplies of all sorts promptly forwarded +to White House on the Pamunkey. Your estimates for this +contingency should be made at once. If not wanted there, there +is every probability they will be wanted on the James River or +elsewhere. + +If Lee's left is turned, large provision will have to be made +for ordnance stores. I would say not much short of five hundred +rounds of infantry ammunition would do. By the other, half the +amount would be sufficient. + +U. S. GRANT, + +Lieutenant-General. + +(*26) General John A. Logan, upon whom devolved the command of +the Army of the Tennessee during this battle, in his report gave +our total loss in killed, wounded and missing at 3,521; and +estimated that of the enemy to be not less than 10,000: and +General G. M. Dodge, graphically describing to General Sherman +the enemy's attack, the full weight of which fell first upon and +was broken by his depleted command, remarks: "The disparity of +forces can be seen from the fact that in the charge made by my +two brigades under Fuller and Mersy they took 351 prisoners, +representing forty-nine different regiments, eight brigades and +three divisions; and brought back eight battle flags from the +enemy." + + +(*27) +UNION ARMY ON THE RAPIDAN, MAY 5, 1864. + +[COMPILED.] + +LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT, Commander-in-Chief. + +MAJOR-GENERAL GEORGE G. MEADE, Commanding Army of the Potomac. + + +MAJ.-GEN. W. S. HANCOCK, commanding Second Army Corps. + + First Division, Brig.-Gen. Francis C. Barlow. + First Brigade, Col. Nelson A. Miles. + Second Brigade, Col. Thomas A. Smyth. + Third Brigade, Col. Paul Frank. + Fourth Brigade, Col. John R. Brooke. + + Second Division, Brig.-Gen. John Gibbon. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Alex. S. Webb. + Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Joshua T. Owen. + Third Brigade, Col. Samuel S. Carroll. + + Third Division, Maj.-Gen. David B. Birney. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. J. H. H. Ward. + Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Alexander Hays. + + Fourth Divisin, Brig.-Gen. Gershom Mott. + First Brigade, Col. Robert McAllister. + Second Brigade, Col. Wm. R. Brewster. + + Artillery Brigade, Col. John C. Tidball. + + +MAJ.-GEN. G. K. WARREN, commanding Fifth Army Corps. + + First Division, Brig.-Gen. Charles Griffin. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Romeyn B. Ayres. + Second Brigade, Col. Jacob B. Sweitzer. + Third Brigade, Brig.-Gen. J. J. Bartlett. + + Second Division, Brig.-Gen. John C. Robinson. + First Brigade, Col. Samuel H. Leonard. + Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Henry Baxter. + Third Brigade, Col. Andrew W. Denison. + + Third Division, Brig.-Gen. Samuel W. Crawford. + First Brigade, Col. Wm McCandless. + Third Brigade, Col. Joseph W. Fisher. + + Fourth Division, Brig.-Gen. James S. Wadsworth. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Lysander Cutler. + Second Brigade Brig.-Gen. James C. Rice. + Third Brigade, Col. Roy Stone + + Artillery Brigade, Col. S. S. Wainwright. + + +MAJ.-GEN. JOHN SEDGWICK, commanding Sixth Army Corps. + + First Division, Brig.-Gen. H. G. Wright. + First Brigade, Col. Henry W. Brown. + Second Brigade, Col. Emory Upton. + Third Brigade, Brig.-Gen. D. A. Russell. + Fourth Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Alexander Shaler. + + Second Division, Brig.-Gen. George W. Getty. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Frank Wheaton. + Second Brigade, Col. Lewis A. Grant. + Third Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Thos. H. Neill. + Fourth Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Henry L. Eustis. + + Third Division, Brig.-Gen. James Ricketts. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Wm. H. Morris. + Second Brigade, Brig.-Gen. T. Seymour. + + Artillery Brigade, Col. C. H. Tompkins + + +MAJ.-GEN. P. H. SHERIDAN, commanding Cavalry Corps. + + First Division, Brig.-Gen. A. T. A. Torbert. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. G. A. Custer. + Second Brigade, Col. Thos. C. Devin. + Reserve Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Wesley Merritt + + Second Division, Brig.-Gen. D. McM. Gregg. + First Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Henry E. Davies, Jr. + Second Brigade, Col. J. Irvin Gregg. + + Third Division, Brig.-Gen. J. H. Wilson. + First Brigade, Col. T. M. Bryan, Jr. + Second Brigade, Col. Geo. H. Chapman. + + +MAJ.-GEN. A. E. BURNSIDE, commanding Ninth Army Corps. + + First Division, Brig.-Gen. T. G. Stevenson. + First Brigade, Col. Sumner Carruth. + Second Brigade, Col. Daniel Leasure. + + Second Division, Brig.-Gen. Robert B. Potter. + First Brigade, Col. Zenas R. Bliss. + Second Brigade, Col. Simon G. Griffin. + + Third Division, Brig.-Gen. Orlando Willcox. + First Brigade, Col. John F. Hartranft. + Second Brigade, Col. Benj. C. Christ. + + Fourth Division, Brig.-Gen. Edward Ferrero. + First Brigade, Col. Joshua K. Sigfried. + Second Brigade, Col. Henry G. Thomas. + + Provisional Brigade, Col. Elisha G. Marshall. + + +BRIG.-GEN. HENRY J. HUNT, commanding Artillery. + + Reserve, Col. H. S. Burton. + First Brigade, Col. J. H. Kitching. + Second Brigade, Maj. J. A. Tompkins. + First Brig. Horse Art., Capt. J. M. Robertson. + Second Brigade, Horse Art., Capt. D. R. Ransom. + Third Brigade, Maj. R. H. Fitzhugh. + + +GENERAL HEADQUARTERS....... + Provost Guard, Brig.-Gen. M. R. Patrick. + Volunteer Engineers, Brig.-Gen. H. W. Benham. + + + +CONFEDERATE ARMY. + +Organization of the Army of Northern Virginia, Commanded by +GENERAL ROBERT E. LEE, August 31st, 1834. + + First Army Corps: LIEUT.-GEN. R. H. ANDERSON, Commanding. + +MAJ.-GEN. GEO. E. PICKETT'S Division. + Brig.-Gen. Seth M. Barton's Brigade. (a) + Brig.-Gen. M. D. Corse's " + " Eppa Hunton's " + " Wm. R. Terry's " + +MAJ.-GEN. C. W. FIELD'S Division. (b) + Brig.-Gen. G. T. Anderson's Brigade + " E. M. Law's (c) " + " John Bratton's " + +MAJ.-GEN. J. B. KERSHAW'S Division. (d) + Brig.-Gen. W. T. Wofford's Brigade + " B. G. Humphreys' " + " Goode Bryan's " + " Kershaw's (Old) " + + + Second Army Corps: MAJOR-GENERAL JUBAL A. EARLY, Commanding + +MAJ.-GEN. JOHN B. GORDON'S Division. + Brig.-Gen. H. T. Hays' Brigade. (e) + " John Pegram 's " (f) + " Gordon's " (g) + Brig.-Gen. R. F. Hoke's " + +MAJ.-GEN. EDWARD JOHNSON'S Division. + Stonewall Brig. (Brig.-Gen. J. A. Walker). (h) + Brig.-Gen. J M Jones' Brigade. (h) + " Geo H. Stewart's " (h) + " L. A. Stafford's " (e) + +MAJ.-GEN. R. E. RODES' Division. + Brig.-Gen. J. Daniel's Brigade. (i) + " Geo. Dole's " (k) + " S. D. Ramseur's Brigade. + " C. A. Battle's " + " R. D. Johnston's " (f) + + + Third Army Corps: LIEUT.-GEN. A. P. HILL, Commanding. + +MAJ.-GEN. WM. MAHONE'S Division. (l) + Brig.-Gen. J. C. C. Sanders' Brigade. + Mahone's " + Brig.-Gen. N. H. Harris's " (m) + " A. R. Wright's " + " Joseph Finegan's " + +MAJ.-GEN. C. M. WILCOX'S Division. + Brig.-Gen. E. L. Thomas's Brigade (n) + " James H. Lane's " + " Sam'l McCowan's " + " Alfred M. Scale's " + +MAJ.-GEN. H. HETH'S Division. (o) + Brig.-Gen. J. R. Davis's Brigade. + " John R. Cooke's " + " D. McRae's " + " J. J. Archer's " + " H. H. Walker's " + + _unattached_: 5th Alabama Battalion. + + + Cavalry Corps: LIEUTENANT-GENERAL WADE HAMPTON, Commanding.(p) + +MAJ.-GEN. FITZHUGH LEE'S Division + Brig.-Gen. W. C. Wickham's Brigade + " L. L. Lomax's " + +MAJ.-GEN. M. C. BUTLER'S Division. + Brig.-Gen. John Dunovant's Brigade. + " P. M. B. Young's " + " Thomas L. Rosser's " + +MAJ.-GEN. W. H. F. LEE'S Division. + Brig.-Gen. Rufus Barringer's Brigade. + " J. R. Chambliss's " + + + Artillery Reserve: BRIG.-GEN. W. N. PENDLETON, Commanding. + +BRIG.-GEN. E. P. ALEXANDER'S DIVISION.* + Cabell's Battalion. + Manly's Battery. + 1st Co. Richmond Howitzers. + Carleton's Battery. + Calloway's Battery. + + Haskell's Battalion. + Branch's Battery. + Nelson's " + Garden's " + Rowan " + + Huger's Battalion. + Smith's Battery. + Moody " + Woolfolk " + Parker's " + Taylor's " + Fickling's " + Martin's " + + Gibb's Battalion. + Davidson's Battery. + Dickenson's " + Otey's " + + +BRIG.-GEN. A. L. LONG'S DIVISION. + + Braxton's Battalion. + Lee Battery. + 1st Md. Artillery. + Stafford " + Alleghany " + + Cutshaw's Battalion. + Charlotteville Artillery. + Staunton " + Courtney " + + Carter's Battalion. + Morris Artillery. + Orange " + King William Artillery. + Jeff Davis " + + Nelson's Battalion. + Amherst Artillery. + Milledge " + Fluvauna " + + Brown's Battalion. + Powhatan Artillery. + 2d Richmond Howitzers. + 3d " " + Rockbridge Artillery. + Salem Flying Artillery. + + +COL R. L.WALKER'S DIVISION. + + Cutt's Battalion. + Ross's Battery. + Patterson's Battery. + Irwin Artillery. + + Richardson's Battalion. + Lewis Artillery. + Donaldsonville Artillery. + Norfolk Light " + Huger " + + Mclntosh 's Battalion. + Johnson's Battery. + Hardaway Artillery. + Danville " + 2d Rockbridge Artillery. + + Pegram's Battalion. + Peedee Artillery. + Fredericksburg Artillery. + Letcher " + Purcell Battery. + Crenshaw's Battery. + + Poague's Battalion. + Madison Artillery. + Albemarle " + Brooke " + Charlotte " + + +NOTE. +(a) COL. W. R. Aylett was in command Aug. 29th, and probably at +above date. +(b) Inspection report of this division shows that it also +contained Benning's and Gregg's Brigades. (c) Commanded by +Colonel P. D. Bowles. +(d) Only two brigadier-generals reported for duty; names not +indicated. + +Organization of the Army of the Valley District. +(e) Constituting York's Brigade. +(f) In Ramseur's Division. +(g) Evan's Brigade, Colonel E. N. Atkinson commanding, and +containing 12th Georgia Battalion. +(h) The Virginia regiments constituted Terry's Brigade, Gordon's +Division. +(i) Grimes' Brigade. +(k) Cook's " + +(l) Returns report but one general officer present for duty; +name not indicated. +(m) Colonel Joseph M. Jayne, commanding. +(n) Colonel Thomas J. Simmons, commanding. (o) Four +brigadier-generals reported present for duty; names not +indicated. +(p) On face of returns appears to have consisted of Hampton's, +Fitz-Lee's, and W. H. F. Lee's Division, and Dearing's Brigade. + +*But one general officer reported present for duty in the +artillery, and Alexander's name not on the original. + + +(*28) HEADQUARTERS ARMIES U. S., +May II, 1864.--3 P.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL MEADE, +Commanding Army of the Potomac. + +Move three divisions of the 2d corps by the rear of the 5th and +6th corps, under cover of night, so as to join the 9th corps in +a vigorous assault on the enemy at four o'clock A.M. to-morrow. +will send one or two staff officers over to-night to stay with +Burnside, and impress him with the importance of a prompt and +vigorous attack. Warren and Wright should hold their corps as +close to the enemy as possible, to take advantage of any +diversion caused by this attack, and to push in if any +opportunity presents itself. There is but little doubt in my +mind that the assault last evening would have proved entirely +successful if it had commenced one hour earlier and had been +heartily entered into by Mott's division and the 9th corps. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*29) HEADQUARTERS, ARMIES U. S., +May 11, 1864.-4 P.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL A. E. BURNSIDE, +Commanding 9th Army Corps. + +Major-General Hancock has been ordered to move his corps under +cover of night to join you in a vigorous attack against the +enemy at 4 o'clock A.M. to-morrow. You will move against the +enemy with your entire force promptly and with all possible +vigor at precisely 4 o'clock A.M. to-morrow the 12th inst. Let +your preparations for this attack be conducted with the utmost +secrecy and veiled entirely from the enemy. + +I send two of my staff officers, Colonels Comstock and Babcock, +in whom I have great confidence and who are acquainted with the +direction the attack is to be made from here, to remain with you +and General Hancock with instructions to render you every +assistance in their power. Generals Warren and Wright will hold +their corps as close to the enemy as possible, to take advantage +of any diversion caused by yours and Hancock's attack, and will +push in their whole force if any opportunity presents itself. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*30) HEADQUARTERS ARMIES U. S., +May 12, 1864, 6.30 P.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK, +Washington, D. C. + +The eighth day of the battle closes, leaving between three and +four thousand prisoners in our hands for the day's work, +including two general officers, and over thirty pieces of +artillery. The enemy are obstinate, and seem to have found the +last ditch. We have lost no organizations, not even that of a +company, whilst we have destroyed and captured one division +(Johnson's), one brigade (Doles'), and one regiment entire from +the enemy. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*31) SPOTTSYLVANIA C. H., May 13, 1864. + +HON E. M. STANTON, SECRETARY OF WAR, +Washington, D. C. + +I beg leave to recommend the following promotions be made for +gallant and distinguished services in the last eight days' +battles, to wit: Brigadier-General H. G. Wright and +Brigadier-General John Gibbon to be Major-Generals; Colonel S. +S. Carroll, 8th Ohio Volunteers Colonel E. Upton, 121st New York +Volunteers; Colonel William McCandless, 2d Pennsylvania Reserves, +to be Brigadier-Generals. I would also recommend Major-General W. +S. Hancock for Brigadier-General in the regular army. His +services and qualifications are eminently deserving of this +recognition. In making these recommendations I do not wish the +claims of General G. M. Dodge for promotion forgotten, but +recommend his name to be sent in at the same time. I would also +ask to have General Wright assigned to the command of the Sixth +Army Corps. I would further ask the confirmation of General +Humphreys to the rank of Major-General. + +General Meade has more than met my most sanguine expectations. +He and Sherman are the fittest officers for large commands I +have come in contact with. If their services can be rewarded by +promotion to the rank of Major-Generals in the regular army the +honor would be worthily bestowed, and I would feel personally +gratified. I would not like to see one of these promotions at +this time without seeing both. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*32) QUARLES' MILLS, VA., May 26, 1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK, +Washington, D. C. + +The relative position of the two armies is now as follows: Lee's +right rests on a swamp east of the Richmond and Fredericksburg +road and south of the North Anna, his centre on the river at Ox +Ford, and his left at Little River with the crossings of Little +River guarded as far up as we have gone. Hancock with his corps +and one division of the 9th corps crossed at Chesterfield Ford +and covers the right wing of Lee's army. One division of the 9th +corps is on the north bank of the Anna at Ox Ford, with bridges +above and below at points nearest to it where both banks are +held by us, so that it could reinforce either wing of our army +with equal facility. The 5th and 6th corps with one division of +the 9th corps run from the south bank of the Anna from a short +distance above Ox Ford to Little River, and parallel with and +near to the enemy. + +To make a direct attack from either wing would cause a slaughter +of our men that even success would not justify. To turn the +enemy by his right, between the two Annas is impossible on +account of the swamp upon which his right rests. To turn him by +the left leaves Little River, New Found River and South Anna +River, all of them streams presenting considerable obstacles to +the movement of our army, to be crossed. I have determined +therefore to turn the enemy's right by crossing at or near +Hanover Town. This crosses all three streams at once, and +leaves us still where we can draw supplies. + +During the last night the teams and artillery not in position, +belonging to the right wing of our army, and one division of +that wing were quietly withdrawn to the north bank of the river +and moved down to the rear of the left. As soon as it is dark +this division with most of the cavalry will commence a forced +march for Hanover Town to seize and hold the crossings. The +balance of the right wing will withdraw at the same hour, and +follow as rapidly as possible. The left wing will also withdraw +from the south bank of the river to-night and follow in rear of +the right wing. Lee's army is really whipped. The prisoners we +now take show it, and the action of his army shows it +unmistakably. A battle with them outside of intrenchments +cannot be had. Our men feel that they have gained the MORALE +over the enemy, and attack him with confidence. I may be +mistaken, but I feel that our success over Lee's army is already +assured. The promptness and rapidity with which you have +forwarded reinforcements has contributed largely to the feeling +of confidence inspired in our men, and to break down that of the +enemy. + +We are destroying all the rails we can on the Central and +Fredericksburg roads. I want to leave a gap on the roads north +of Richmond so big that to get a single track they will have to +import rail from elsewhere. Even if a crossing is not effected +at Hanover Town it will probably be necessary for us to move on +down the Pamunkey until a crossing is effected. I think it +advisable therefore to change our base of supplies from Port +Royal to the White House. I wish you would direct this change +at once, and also direct Smith to put the railroad bridge there +in condition for crossing troops and artillery and leave men to +hold it. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*33) NEAR COLD HARBOR, June 3, 1864, 7 A.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL MEADE, +Commanding A. P. + +The moment it becomes certain that an assault cannot succeed, +suspend the offensive; but when one does succeed, push it +vigorously and if necessary pile in troops at the successful +point from wherever they can be taken. I shall go to where you +are in the course of an hour. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*34) COLD HARBOR, June 5,1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL HALLECK, Chief of Staff of the Army, Washington, +D. C. + +A full survey of all the ground satisfies me that it would be +impracticable to hold a line north-east of Richmond that would +protect the Fredericksburg Railroad to enable us to use that +road for supplying the army. To do so would give us a long +vulnerable line of road to protect, exhausting much of our +strength to guard it, and would leave open to the enemy all of +his lines of communication on the south side of the James. My +idea from the start has been to beat Lee's army if possible +north of Richmond; then after destroying his lines of +communication on the north side of the James River to transfer +the army to the south side and besiege Lee in Richmond, or +follow him south if he should retreat. + +I now find, after over thirty days of trial, the enemy deems it +of the first importance to run no risks with the armies they now +have. They act purely on the defensive behind breastworks, or +feebly on the offensive immediately in front of them, and where +in case of repulse they can instantly retire behind them. +Without a greater sacrifice of human life than I am willing to +make all cannot be accomplished that I had designed outside of +the city. I have therefore resolved upon the following plan: + +I will continue to hold substantially the ground now occupied by +the Army of the Potomac, taking advantage of any favorable +circumstance that may present itself until the cavalry can be +sent west to destroy the Virginia Central Railroad from about +Beaver Dam for some twenty-five or thirty miles west. When this +is effected I will move the army to the south side of the James +River, either by crossing the Chickahominy and marching near to +City Point, or by going to the mouth of the Chickahominy on +north side and crossing there. To provide for this last and +most possible contingency, several ferry-boats of the largest +class ought to be immediately provided. + +Once on the south side of the James River, I can cut off all +sources of supply to the enemy except what is furnished by the +canal. If Hunter succeeds in reaching Lynchburg, that will be +lost to him also. Should Hunter not succeed, I will still make +the effort to destroy the canal by sending cavalry up the south +side of the river with a pontoon train to cross wherever they +can. + +The feeling of the two armies now seems to be that the rebels +can protect themselves only by strong intrenchments, whilst our +army is not only confident of protecting itself without +intrenchments, but that it can beat and drive the enemy wherever +and whenever he can be found without this protection. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +(*35) COLD HARBOR, VA., June 6, 1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL D. HUNTER + +Commanding Dept. W. Va. + +General Sheridan leaves here to-morrow morning, with +instructions to proceed to Charlottesville, Va., and to commence +there the destruction of the Va. Cen. R. R., destroying this way +as much as possible. The complete destruction of this road and +of the canal on James River is of great importance to us. +According to the instructions I sent to General Halleck for your +guidance, you were to proceed to Lynchburg and commence there. It +would be of great value to us to get possession of Lynchburg for +a single day. But that point is of so much importance to the +enemy, that in attempting to get it such resistance may be met +as to defeat your getting onto the road or canal at all. I see, +in looking over the letter to General Halleck on the subject of +your instructions, that it rather indicates that your route +should be from Staunton via Charlottesville. If you have so +understood it, you will be doing just what I want. The +direction I would now give is, that if this letter reaches you +in the valley between Staunton and Lynchburg, you immediately +turn east by the most practicable road. From thence move +eastward along the line of the road, destroying it completely +and thoroughly, until you join General Sheridan. After the work +laid out for General Sheridan and yourself is thoroughly done, +proceed to join the Army of the Potomac by the route laid out in +General Sheridan's instructions. + +If any portion of your force, especially your cavalry, is needed +back in your Department, you are authorized to send it back. + +If on receipt of this you should be near to Lynchburg and deem +it practicable to detach a cavalry force to destroy the canal. +Lose no opportunity to destroy the canal. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*36) FROM A STATEMENT OF LOSSES COMPILED IN THE +ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE. + +FIELD OF ACTION AND DATE. | KILLED. | WOUNDED. | MISSING. | +AGGREGATE. | + + +Wilderness, May 5th to 7th | 2,261 | 8,785 | 2,902 |13,948 | +Spottsylvania, May 8th to 21st | 2,271 | 9,360 | 1,970 | 13,601| +North Anna, May 23d to 27th | 186 | 792 | 165 | 1,143 | +Totopotomoy, May 27th to 31st | 99 | 358 | 52 | 509 | Cold +Harbor, May 31st to June 12th | 1,769 | 6,752 | 1,537 |10,058 | +Total ................ | 6,586 | 26,047 | 6,626 | 39,259 | + + +(*37) CITY POINT, VA., June 17, 1864. 11 A.M. + +MAJOR-GEN. HALLECK, +Washington, D. C. + + * * * * * * * + +The enemy in their endeavor to reinforce Petersburg abandoned +their intrenchments in front of Bermuda Hundred. They no doubt +expected troops from north of the James River to take their +place before we discovered it. General Butler took advantage of +this and moved a force at once upon the railroad and plank road +between Richmond and Petersburg, which I hope to retain +possession of. + +Too much credit cannot be given to the troops and their +commanders for the energy and fortitude displayed during the +last five days. Day and night has been all the same, no delays +being allowed on any account. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieut.-General. + + +(*38) CITY POINT, VA., July 24, 1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL MEADE, +Commanding, etc. + +The engineer officers who made a survey of the front from +Bermuda Hundred report against the probability of success from +an attack there. The chances they think will be better on +Burnside's front. If this is attempted it will be necessary to +concentrate all the force possible at the point in the enemy's +line we expect to penetrate. All officers should be fully +impressed with the absolute necessity of pushing entirely beyond +the enemy's present line, if they should succeed in penetrating +it, and of getting back to their present line promptly if they +should not succeed in breaking through. + +To the right and left of the point of assault all the artillery +possible should be brought to play upon the enemy in front +during the assault. Their lines would be sufficient for the +support of the artillery, and all the reserves could be brought +on the flanks of their commands nearest to the point of assault, +ready to follow in if successful. The field artillery and +infantry held in the lines during the first assault should be in +readiness to move at a moment's notice either to their front or +to follow the main assault, as they should receive orders. One +thing, however, should be impressed on corps commanders. If +they see the enemy giving away on their front or moving from it +to reinforce a heavily assaulted portion of their line, they +should take advantage of such knowledge and act promptly without +waiting for orders from army commanders. General Ord can +co-operate with his corps in this movement, and about five +thousand troops from Bermuda Hundred can be sent to reinforce +you or can be used to threaten an assault between the Appomattox +and James rivers, as may be deemed best. + +This should be done by Tuesday morning, if done at all. If not +attempted, we will then start at the date indicated to destroy +the railroad as far as Hicksford at least, and to Weldon if +possible. + + * * * * * * * + +Whether we send an expedition on the road or assault at +Petersburg, Burnside's mine will be blown up.... + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +(*39) See letter, August 5th, Appendix. + + +(*40) See Appendix, letters of Oct. 11th. + + +(*41) CITY POINT, VA., December 2,1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, +Nashville Tenn. + +If Hood is permitted to remain quietly about Nashville, you will +lose all the road back to Chattanooga and possibly have to +abandon the line of the Tennessee. Should he attack you it is +all well, but if he does not you should attack him before he +fortifies. Arm and put in the trenches your quartermaster +employees, citizens, etc. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +CITY POINT, VA., December 2, 1864.--1.30 P.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, +Nashville, Tenn. + +With your citizen employees armed, you can move out of Nashville +with all your army and force the enemy to retire or fight upon +ground of your own choosing. After the repulse of Hood at +Franklin, it looks to me that instead of falling back to +Nashville we should have taken the offensive against the enemy +where he was. At this distance, however, I may err as to the +best method of dealing with the enemy. You will now suffer +incalculable injury upon your railroads if Hood is not speedily +disposed of. Put forth therefore every possible exertion to +attain this end. Should you get him to retreating give him no +peace. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +CITY POINT, VA., December 5, 1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, +Nashville, Tenn. + +Is there not danger of Forrest moving down the Cumberland to +where he can cross it? It seems to me whilst you should be +getting up your cavalry as rapidly as possible to look after +Forrest, Hood should be attacked where he is. Time strengthens +him in all possibility as much as it does you. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +CITY POINT, VA., December 6, 1864--4 P.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, +Nashville, Tenn. + +Attack Hood at once and wait no longer for a remnant of your +cavalry. There is great danger of delay resulting in a campaign +back to the Ohio River. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +CITY POINT, VA., December 8, 1864.--8.30 P.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, +Nashville, Tenn. + +Your dispatch of yesterday received. It looks to me evident the +enemy are trying to cross the Cumberland River, and are +scattered. Why not attack at once? By all means avoid the +contingency of a foot race to see which, you or Hood, can beat +to the Ohio. If you think necessary call on the governors of +States to send a force into Louisville to meet the enemy if he +should cross the river. You clearly never should cross except +in rear of the enemy. Now is one of the finest opportunities +ever presented of destroying one of the three armies of the +enemy. If destroyed he never can replace it. Use the means at +your command, and you can do this and cause a rejoicing that +will resound from one end of the land to the other. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +CITY POINT, VA., December 11, 1864.--4 P.M. + +MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, +Nashville, Tenn. + +If you delay attack longer the mortifying spectacle will be +witnessed of a rebel army moving for the Ohio River, and you +will be forced to act, accepting such weather as you find. Let +there be no further delay. Hood cannot even stand a drawn +battle so far from his supplies of ordnance stores. If he +retreats and you follow, he must lose his material and much of +his army. I am in hopes of receiving a dispatch from you to-day +announcing that you have moved. Delay no longer for weather or +reinforcements. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +WASHINGTON, D. C., December 15, 1864. + +MAJOR-GENERAL THOMAS, +Nashville, Tenn. + +I was just on my way to Nashville, but receiving a dispatch from +Van Duzer detailing your splendid success of to-day, I shall go +no further. Push the enemy now and give him no rest until he is +entirely destroyed. Your army will cheerfully suffer many +privations to break up Hood's army and render it useless for +future operations. Do not stop for trains or supplies, but take +them from the country as the enemy have done. Much is now +expected. + +U. S. GRANT, +Lieutenant-General. + + +(*42) See orders to Major-General Meade, Ord, and Sheridan, +March 24th, Appendix. + + +(*43) See Appendix. + + +(*44) NOTE.--The fac-simile of the terms of Lee's surrender +inserted at this place, was copied from the original document +furnished the publishers through the courtesy of General Ely S. +Parker, Military Secretary on General Grant's staff at the time +of the surrender. + +Three pages of paper were prepared in General Grant's manifold +order book on which he wrote the terms, and the interlineations +and erasures were added by General Parker at the suggestion of +General Grant. After such alteration it was handed to General +Lee, who put on his glasses, read it, and handed it back to +General Grant. The original was then transcribed by General +Parker upon official headed paper and a copy furnished General +Lee. + +The fac-simile herewith shows the color of the paper of the +original document and all interlineations and erasures. + +There is a popular error to the effect that Generals Grant and +Lee each signed the articles of surrender. The document in the +form of a letter was signed only by General Grant, in the parlor +of McLean's house while General Lee was sitting in the room, and +General Lee immediately wrote a letter accepting the terms and +handed it to General Grant. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Ulysses S. +Grant, Part 6., by Ulysses S. Grant + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GENERAL GRANT *** + +***** This file should be named 5865.txt or 5865.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/5/8/6/5865/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +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 + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's +eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII, +compressed (zipped), HTML and others. + +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over +the old filename and etext number. The replaced older file is renamed. +VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving +new filenames and etext numbers. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000, +are filed in directories based on their release date. If you want to +download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular +search system you may utilize the following addresses and just +download by the etext year. + + https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06 + + (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99, + 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90) + +EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are +filed in a different way. The year of a release date is no longer part +of the directory path. The path is based on the etext number (which is +identical to the filename). The path to the file is made up of single +digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename. For +example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at: + + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234 + +or filename 24689 would be found at: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689 + +An alternative method of locating eBooks: + https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL + + |