Campaigning with Grant

Front matter

BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME FROM THE

SAGE ENDOWMENT FUND

THE GIFT OF

Preface

THE object aimed at in this narrative is to recount tlie daily acts of General G-rant in the field, to describe minntely his personal traits and habits, and to explain the motives which actuated him in important crises by giving his criticisms upon events in the language employed by him at the time they took place.

The chief effort of the author has been to enable readers to view the Union commander near by, and to bring them into such intimate contact with him that they may know him as familiarly as those who served by his side. It has been no part of the author's purpose to give a detailed history of the campaigns referred to, but to describe the military movements only so far as necessary to show General Grant's intentions and plans and the general results of his operations. Mention of particular commands, subordinate commanders, and topographical features, therefore, had to be, in large measure omitted.

While serving as a personal aid to the general-in-chief the author early acquired the habit of making careful and elaborate notes Of everything of interest which came under his observation, and these reminiscences are simply a transcript of memoranda jotted down at the time.

The Authob.

Table Of Contents

FASE

Chapter I. My First Meeting with Gteneral Grant— A Conference at Thomas's Headquarters— Grant's Manner op Writing Despatches— Opening "the Cracker Line"— Grant Saluted by the Enem^— Grant's Personal Appearance 1

Chapter II. A Higher Grade Created for Grant- Grant's First Meeting with Lincoln— In Command OF ALL THE ARMIES— INTERVIEW WITH StANTON

Grant in a Communicative Mood— At General Meade's Headquarters— Grant's Narrow Escape prom Capture — Grant's Enormous Responsibility — Grant's Personal Staff 17

Chapter III. Preparations for a General Advance- Grant's Reasons for Moving by the Left Plank— His Instructions to ms Staff- Grant's Numerical Strength Offset by Lee's Strategical Advantage- Crossing THE Rapidan— The Headquarters Mess- On the Eve of Battle— Longstreet's Estimate op Grant— An Early Breakfast at Headquarters- Grant AND Meade Pitch Tents in the Wilderness- Grant Hears of the Death op an Old Comrade— A Conference between Grant and Meade . . 35

Chapter IV. Grant's Preparations for the Second Day in the Wilderness— Hancock Flushed with Victory— Grant at a Critical Moment— The Crisis OF THE Wilderness — Grant's Demeanor on the Field— Grant's Peculiarities in Battle— Grant's

XU oajBLE OF CONTENTS

FAQX

Confidence in Success— The GENEEAL-m-CHiBF as Aid to a Drovee— Confusion Caused by a Night Attack— Grant Admlnisters a Reprimand— Grant AFTER the Battle— The Wilderness a Unique Combat 56

Chapter V. Grant's Third Day in the Wilderness- Hail to the Chief ! —A Night Alarm— A Midnight Ride— Grant Roughs it with his Troops— Out op the Wilderness— Sheridan Ordered to Crush " Jeb" Stuart- a Chapter of Accidents- Grant in Front of Spottsylvania— The Death op Sedgwick— Arrival of Despatches— "I shall Take no Backward Steps" 74

Chapter VI. Communicating with Burnside— Grant Attacks the Enemy's Center— How a Famous Message was Despatched- News from the Other Armies- Preparing to Attack the "Angle"— An Eventful Morning at Headquarters- Two Distinguished Prisoners— How the "Angle" was Captured—Scenes at the "Bloody Angle" . . .93

Chapter VII. Grant and Meade— Field Diversions- Seizing Vantage-gpound— Grant and the Wounded Confederate— Grant's Toilet in Camp— Important Despatches— Through Rain and Mud— Grant and THE Dying Soldier— Bad News . ... . . 113

Chapter VIII. Attempt to Turn the Union Right— "Bill"— Grant's Unprotected Headquarters- Grant AND THE VlRGINLA. LaDY— A RaCE FOR THE

North Anna— A Noonday Halt at Mrs. Tyler's . 126

Chapter IX. Grant Crosses the North Anna— Sheridan Returns from his Raid— Meeting between Grant and Burnside— Destroying a Railroad— The Enemy Reinforced— A Female Oddity— Grant Recrosses THE North Anna 140

TABLE OP CONTENTS XIU

PAGE

Chapter X. Grant Crosses the Pamxjnket— Mancbu-

VERTNG FOR POSITION— GrANT INTERVIEWS A PRIS- ONER—REGION OF THE ToTOPOTOMOY— Grant Seizes Old Cold Harbor— W. F. Smith's Troops Join the Army of the Potomac— Grant Disciplines a Teamster-Grant's Fondness for Horses— Moving into Position— The Halt at Bethesda Church . . 153

Chapter XI. Strength of Lee's Position at Cold Harbor— Why Grant Assaulted at Cold Habbor— A Notable Instance op Courage— Battle of Cold HLiBBOR- After the Battle— Grant's Comments on ColdHakbob— Grant's "Hammering" . . .171

Chapter XII. Grant Decides to Cross the Jambs- Sufferings AT THE Front- Grant's Visitor from THE Pacific Slope— An Important Mission— Dealing

WITH A LiBELER OP THE PbESS— LOSSES— GrANT RE- LATES Some Anecdotes 182

Chapter XIII. The Stabt for the James— Grant's Secretiveness— Steaung a March on the Enemy— The Passage op the James— A Brilliant Spectacle-General W. F. Smith's Attack on Petersburg-Donning Summer Uniform .... 194

Chapter XIV. Petersburg- Lee Mystified as to Grant's Movements— A Change of Complexion— Meade m Action— Condition of the Army— Grant's Camp at City Point— Grant at the Mess-table . 205

Chapter XV. Lincoln's First Visit to Grant's Camp- Lincoln AT the Front— Some Anecdotes by Lincoln—Movement AGAINST THE WeLDON RAILROAD—

Swapping Horses— Sheridan Returns— Where Pocahontas Saved John Smith— General James H. Wilson's Raid— The Staff Enlarged . . . . 216

XIV TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAQi:

Chapter XVI. A Disappointed Band-mastee— Hunter's Raid— Early's Raid on Washington— GtRant as a Writer— Grant Devotes Attention to Sherman- Grant's Treatment op his Generals— Grant's Equanimity-Grant AS A Thinker- Why Grant Never Swore— Meade and Warren— Seward Visits Grant 234

Chapter XVII. Preparing the Petersburg Mine- Exploding THE Mine— Grant's Adventure between THE Lines— Failure op the Assault at the Minb— A New Command for Sheridan— An Infernal Machine Exploded near Headquarters . . . 258

Chapter XVIII. The Storming op Newmarket Heights —A Draft Ordered— Battle of the Weldon Railroad—Battle of Reams's Station— General Grant's Family Visit Him— The Relations between Grant AND Sherman— A Mission to Sherman— The Captoe OP Atlanta— An Evening with General Thomas . 276

Chapter XIX. Grant Visits Sheridan— Good News from Winchester— Grant under Fire at Fort Harrison- Consteenation in Richmond— Secretary Stanton Visits Grant— How Grant Received the News prom Cedar Creek 297

Chapter XX. Grant's Narrow Escape at Hatcher's Run— Discussing the March to the Sea— Why Grant Never Held Councils of War— How the March to the Sea was Conceiped and Executed . 309

Chapter XXI. Grant Suggests a Plan for Voting est THE Field— Grant Visits New York— A Philadelphia Ovation to Grant— Grant and Lincoln in Conference— Grant's Winter Quarters at City Point— General Ingalls's Spotted Dog— Grant's Intercourse with his Associates— Correspondence WITH General Thomas 321

TABLE OP CONTENTS XV

FAQE

Chapter XXII. Planning the FmsT Foet Fishee Expedition— Grant's Aversion to Liars— Rebhniscenoes op Grant's Cadet Life- Grant Orders Thomas to Move against Hood— Thomas Crushes Hood 336

Chapter XXIII. Senator Nesmith Visits Grant- Sherman Reaches the Sea-coast— Butler's Expedition AGAINST Fort Fisher— Grant's Children at City Point 354

Chapter XXIV. Capture op Fort Fisher— The Du^ch Gap Canal— Grant Receives Unasked Advice— Grant Relieves Butler— Sherman's Loyalty to Grant— A "Good Shot"— Night Attack op the Enemy's Ironclads— How Grant Became a Confirmed Smoker— Grant Offers his Purse to his Enemy- Grant Receives THE "Peace Commissioners" 367

Chapter XXV. Grant Plans the Spring Campaigns— The President's Son Joins Grant's Staff- Lee Asks a Personal Interview— A Visionary Peace Program- High Prices in Richmond— Grant Receives A Medal from Congress- Shaving under IDiFFicuLTiES— Arrival of Sheridan's Scouts . 386

BR XXVI. Grant Draws the Net Tighter AROUND-^ the- Enemy— President Lincoln's Last Visit to Grant— Grant's Foresight— Attack on Fort Stedman— The President Tells Some Anecdotes—Mr. Lincoln's Kjndnbss to Animals— Sheridan's Final Orders— The President Reviews the Army op the James 401

Chapter XXVII. Meeting of Grant and Sherman at City Point- Amusing Colloquy between Mrs. Grant and Sherman— Meeting of Sherman and Sheridan— The Famous Conference aboard the "River Queen"— Grant Starts on his Last Cam-

XVI TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

paign—Storm-boxjnd— Grant and Sheridan Confer —Grant on Warren's Front— Carrying Instructions TO Sheridan 417

Chapter XXVIII. The Movement against Five Forks —The Battle of Five Forks— Carrying the News OP Five Forks to Grant— Grant Prepares to Assault the Petersburg Lines— Capturing the Works AT Petersburg— Grant Writes Despatches under Fire— Capture of Forts Gregg and Whitworth 434

Chapter XXIX. Grant Enters Petersburg— Lincoln AT Petersburg— In Hot Pursuit of Lee— Grant Makes a Night Eide to Eeach Sheridan— Grant Hurries on to Farmville— Grant at Parmvo^le- Grant Opens a Correspondence with Lee— The Eide TO Curdsville— Grant Suffers an Attack of Illness—More Correspondence with Lee . . . 449

Chapter XXX. Grant's Ride to Appomattox— How Lee Reached McLean's House— Meeting between Grant and Lee- Brief Discussion as to the Terms OF Surrender— Drafting the Terms, and the Acceptance-Grant's Consideration for the Confederate Privates— Rations for the Paroled Army 466

Chapter XXXI. After the Surrender— Grant's Final Conference with Lee— The Dawn op Peace —Grant Avoids a Visit to Eichmond— His Respect FOR Religion— Grant's Enthusiastic Eeception at Washington— His Last Interview with Lincoln- John Wilkes Booth Shadows Grant— Grant's Interrupted Journey— Lincoln's Assassination . 485

Chapter XXXII. Sherman's Terms to Joseph B. Johnston—The End of Hostilities- The Grand EeviBW AT Washington— Grant's Place m Military History . . . 503

Index 517

LIST OF MAPS AND ILLUSTEATIONS

Ulysses S. Grant as Lieutenaut-qenebal I^onUspiece

FAOINO PAGE

General Grant at the Headquarters op General Thomas..*.. 4 View op Chattanooga and Moccasin Point from the Side op

Lookout Mountain 12

Major-general George G. Meade 24

Grant's Headquabtebs in the Wilderness 48

General Horace Porter 64

General Grant Eeconnoitering the Confederate Position at

Spottstlvania Court-house 80

Major-general John Sedgwick, Killed at Spottsyltania, in the

Wilderness Campaign, Mat 9, 1864 88

Letter op U. S. Grant t6 Major-general Halleck 104

General Grant and the Wounded Confederate 120

Major-general Henry W. Hallbck 144

Grant and his Staff at Bethesda Church 168

Map op the Confederate Positions at the North Anna and at

Cold Habbor, etc 176

Grant's Aemy Cbossing the James EnnBR 200

Map op the Petersburg and Appomattox Campaigns 224

Map of the Virginia Campaigns op 1864-65 248

General Grant Hastening to Oedke the Recall of the Assaulting Column 272

W. T. Sherman 288

Grant under Fire at Fort Harrison 304

A. LmcoLN 328

Map op Operations in Middle Tennessee and North Alabama xvii

XVUl LIST OF MAPS AJUD ILLUSTRATIONS

FACma PAQE

Majoe-geneeal Geoege H. Thomas 352

Gbaut's Winter Heabquabtees at City Point 368

Blihu B. Washbitbne 392

President Lincoln and Gbneeal Gbant .Inspect a Body op

p. H. Sheeidan 432

Sheeidan and his Generals Beconnoiteeing at Five Foeks 440

Visit op President Lincoln, Admiral Porter, and Tad Lincoln, to General Grant at the Wallace House in Petbrsbttro. . 456

General Robert E. Lee 464

The Sopa in the McLean House 471

Table at which Lee Sat 472

Chair in which Lee Sat 473

Chaie in which Grant Sat 474

Table on which Geant Weotb the Aeticles op Sueeendee 475

Grant at Appomattox 480

TJ. S. Grant 504

CAMPAIGNIKG WITH GRANT

CHAPTEE I

MX HEST MEETING WITH GENERAL GEANT— A CONFEEENCE AT THOMAS'S HEADQUAETEES— GEANT'S MANNER OP WRITING DESPATCHES— OPENING " THE CEACKEE LINE " — GEANT SALUTED BY THE ENEMT— GEANT'S PEESONAL APPEAEANCE

TTTTEILE sitting in my quarters in tlie little town ▼ T of Chattanooga, Tennessee, about an hour after nightfall, Friday, October 23, 1863, an orderly brought me a message from General G-eorge H. Thomas, Commander of the Army of the Cumberland, on whose staff I was serving, summoning me to headquarters. A storm had been raging for two days, and a chilling rain was still falling. A few minutes' walk brought me to the plain wooden, one-story dwelling occupied by the commander, which was situated on Walnut street, near Fourth, and upon my arrival I found him in the front room on the left side of the haU, with three members of his staff and several strange oflB.cers. In an arm-chair facing the fireplace was seated a general officer, slight in figure and of medium stature, whose face bore an expression of weariness. He was carelessly dressed, and his uniform coat was unbuttoned and thrown back from his chest. He held a lighted cigar in his mouth, and sat in a stooping posture, with his head bent slightly forward. His clothes were wet, and his trousers and top-boots were spattered with mud. General Thomas approached this officer, and, turning to me and mentioning me by name, said, " I want to present you to G-eneral Grant." Thereupon the officer seated in the chair, without changing his position, glanced up, extended his arm to its full length, shook hands, and said in a low voice, and speaking slowly, " How do you do?" This was my first meeting with the man with whom I was destined afterward to spend so many of the most interesting years of my life.

The strange officers present were members of General Grant's staff. Charles A. Dana, Assistant Secretary of War, who had been for some time with the Army of the Cumberland, had also entered the room. The next morning he sent a despatch to the "War Department, beginning with the words, "Grant arrived last night, wet, dirty, and weU."

On the 19th of October General Grant's command had been enlarged so as to cover the newly created military division of the Mississippi, embracing nearly the entire field of operations between the Alleghanies and the Mississippi River, and the Army of the Cumberland had thus been placed under his control. About a month before, that army, after having fought at Chickamauga one of the most gallantly contested and sanguinary battles in the annals of warfare, had fallen back and taken up a defensive position on the south side of the Tennessee River, inclosing within its lines the village of Chattanooga. The opposing forces, under General Bragg, had invested this position, and established such a close siege that the lines of supply had been virtually cut off, rations

CONFEKENCE AT THOMAS'S HEADQUARTERS 3

and forage were about exhausted, and almost tlie last tree-stump liad been used for fuel. Most of tlie men were without overcoats, and some without shoes; ten thousand animals had died of starvation, and the gloom and despondency had been increased by the approach of cold weather and the appearance of the autumn storms.

General Grant, upon assuming the responsibilities of his new command, had fully realized the critical condition of the Army of the Cumberland, and had set out at once for its headquarters to take charge in person of its future operations. On his way to the front he had telegraphed General Thomas, from LouisArLUe, to hold Chattanooga at all hazards, to which that intrepid soldier made the famous reply, "I wiU hold the town till we starve."

General Grant had started, the day before the incident I have described, from Bridgeport, a place thirty mUes below Chattanooga, where the NashviUe and Chattanooga Eailroad crosses the Tennessee Eiver, and had ridden by way of Walden's Eidge, the only route left open by which communication could be had with the beleaguered town. We had been advised that he was on his way, but hardly expected that he would reach Chattanooga that night, considering the state of the weather, the wretched condition of the roads, or rather bridle-paths, over the mountain, and the severe injury to his leg which had been caused by a fall of his horse several weeks before, and from which he was still suffering. When he arrived he had to be lifted from his saddle, and was evidently experiencing much paia, as his horse had slipped in coming down the mountain, and had further injured the lame leg; but the general showed less signs of fatigue than might have been supposed after his hard ride of two days under such trying circumstances.

4 CAMPAIGNING WITH G:&ANT

As soon as General Grant had partaken of a light supper immediately after his arrival, General Thomas had sent for several general officers and most of .the members of his staff to comfe to headquarters, and the room soon contained an exceedin^y interesting group. A member of General Thomas's staff quietly called that officer's attention to the fact that the distinguished guest's clothes were pretty wet and his boots were thoroughly soaked with rain after his long ride through the storm, and intimated that colds were usually no respecters of persons. General Thomas's mind had been so intent upon receiving the commander, and arranging for a conference of officers, that he had entirely overlooked his guest's travel-stained condition ; but as soon as his attention was called to it, all of his old-time Virginia hospitality was aroused, and he at once begged his newly arrived chief to step into a bedroom and change his clothes. His urgings, however, were in vain. The general thanked him politely, but positively declined to make any additions to his personal comfort, except to light a fresh cigar. Afterward, however, he consented to di'aw his chair nearer to the wood fire which was burning in the ishimney-place, and to thrust his feet forward to give his top-boots a chance to dry. The extent of his indulgence in personal comfort in the field did not seem to be much greater than that of bluff old Marshal Suvaroff, who, when he wished to give himself over to an excess of luxury, used to go so far as to take off one spur before going to bed.

At General Grant's request. General Thomas, General WilUam F. Smith, his chief engineer, commonly known in the army as " Baldy " Smith, and others, pointed out on a large map the various positions of the troops, and described the general situation. General Grant sat for some time as immovable as a rock and as silent as the

CONPEBENOB AT THOMAS'S HEADQUAETEES 5

spMnx, but listened attentively to all tliat was said. After a while he straightened himself up in his chair, his features assumed an air of animation, and in a tone of voice which manifested a deep interest in the discussion, he began to fire whole volleys of questions at the officers present. So intelligent were his inquiries, and so pertinent his suggestions, that he made a profound impression upon every one by the quickness of his perception and the knowledge which he had already acquired regarding important details of the army's condition. His questions showed from the outset that his mind was dwelling not onl^ upon the prompt opening of a line of supplies, but upon taking the offensive against the enemy. In this he was only manifesting one of his chief military characteristics — an inborn dislike to be thrown upon the defensive. Even when he had to defend a position, his method of warfare was always that of the " offensive-defensive."

After talking over a plan for communicating with our base of supplies, or, as he called it in his conversation, "opening up the cracker line," an operation which already had been projected and for which preliminary steps had been taken, he turned to me as chief of ordnance of the Army of the Cumberland, and asked, " How much ammunition is there on hand ? " I replied, " There is barely enough here to fight one day's battle, but an ample supply has been accumulated at Bridgeport to await the opening of communications."

At about half-past nine o'clock he appeared to have finished his search after information for the time being, and turning to a table, began to write telegrams. Communication by wire had been kept open during all the siege. His first despatch was to General HaUeck, the general-in-chief at Washington, and read: "Have just arrived; I will write to-morrow. Please approve b CAMPAIGNING WITH GEANT

order placing Sherman in command of Department of the Tennessee, with, headquarters in the field." He had scarcely begun to exercise the authority conferred upon him by his new promotion when his mind turned to securing advancement for Sherman, who had been his second in command in the Army of the Tennessee.

It was more than an hour later when he retired to bed in an adjoining room to get a much-needed rest. As he arose and walked across the floor his lameness was very perceptible. Before the company departed he had made an appointment with Generals Thomas and Smith and several staff-officers to accompany him the next day to make a personal inspection of the lines. Early on the morning of the 24th the party set out from headquarters, and most of the day was spent in examining our lines and obtaining a view of the enemy's position. At Brown's Ferry General Grant dismounted and went to the river's edge on foot, and made his reconnaissance of that important part of the line in fuU view of the enemy's pickets on the opposite bank, but, singularly enough, he was not fired upon.

Being informed that the general wished to see me that evening, I went into the room he was occupying at headquarters, and found two of his staff-officers seated near him. As I entered he gave a slight nod of the head by way of recognition, and pointing to a chair, said rather bluntly, but politely, " Sit down." In reply to a question which he asked, I gave him some information he desired in regard to the character and location of certain heavy guns which I had recently assisted in putting in position on the advanced portion of our lines, and the kind and amount of artillery ammunition. He soon after began to write despatches, and I arose to go, but resumed my seat as he said, " Sit still." My atten-

MANNEK OP WEITING DESPATCHES 7

tion was soon attracted to the manner in whicli lie went to work at Ms correspondence. At this time, as throughout his later career, he wrote nearly aU his documents with his own hand, and seldom dictated to any one even the most unimportant despatch. His work was performed swiftly and uninterruptedly, but without any marked display of nervous energy. His thoughts flowed as freely from his mind as the ink from his pen ; he was never at a loss for an expression, and seldom interlined a word or made a material correction. He sat with his head bent low over the table, and when he had occasion to step to another table or desk to get a paper he wanted, he would glide rapidly across the room without straightening himself, and return to his seat with his body stiLL bent over at about the same angle at which he had been sitting when he left his chair. Upon this occasion he tossed the sheets of paper across the table as he finished them, leaving them in the wildest disorder. When he had completed the despatch, he gathered up the scattered sheets, read them over rapidly, and arranged them in their proper order. Turning to me after a time, he said, " Perhaps you might like to read what I am sending." I thanked him, and in looking over the despatches I found that he was ordering up Sherman's entire force from Corinth to within supporting distance, and was informing HaUeck of the dispositions decided upon for the opening of a line of suppHes, and assuring him that everything possible would be done for the relief of Bumside in east Tennessee. Directions were also given for the taking of vigorous and comprehensive steps in every direction throughout his new and extensive command. At a late hour, after having given further directions in regard to the contemplated movement for the opening of the route from Bridgeport to Chattanooga, and in the mean time sending back to be foraged all the animals that could be spared, he bid those present a pleasant good night, and limped ofE to his bedroom,

I cannot dwell too forcibly on the deep impression made upon those who had come in contact for the first time with the new commander, by the exhibition they witnessed of his singular mental piowers and his rare military . qualities. Coming to us crowned with the laurels he had gained in the brilliant campaign of Vicksburg, we naturally expected to meet a wellequipped soldier, but hardly anybody was prepared to find one who had the grasp, the promptness of decision, and the general administrative capacity which he displayed at the very start as commander of an extensive mihtary division, in which many complicated problems were presented for immediate solution.

After remaining three days as Greneral Thomas's guest, General Grant established his headquarters in a inodestlooking two-story frame-house on the bluff near the river, situated on what is now known as First street. In the evening of the 26th I spent some time in the front room on the left side of the hall, which he used as his office, and in which several members of his staff were seated with him. It was a memorable night in the history of the siege, for the troops were being put in motion for the hazardous attempt to open the river route to our base of supplies at Bridgeport. The general sat at a table, smoking, and writing despatches. After finishing several telegrams and giving some directions to his staff, he began to describe the probabilities of the chances of the expedition down the river, expressing a confident belief in its success. .General W. F. Smith, who had been so closely identified with the project, was given command of the movement. At midnight he began his march down the north bank of the river with 3800 men, At three o'Qlock on the inorft-

OPENING "the CKAOKER LINE" 9

ing of the 27th, Hazen started silently down the stream, with his pontoons carrying 1800 men ; at five he made a landing at Brown's Ferry, completely surprising the guard at that point, and taking most of them prisoners ; at seven o'clock Smith's force had been ferried across, and began to fortify a strong position; and at ten a bridge had been completed. Hooker's advance, coming up from Bridgeport, arrived the next afternoon, the 28th, at Brown's Ferry. The river was now open from Bridgeport to KeUey's Ferry, and the wagon road from that point to Chattanooga by way of Brown's l^erry, about eight miles in length, was in our possession. The success of the movement had been prompt and complete, and there was now established a good line of communication with our base. This changed condition of affairs had been accomplished within five days after General Grrant's arrival at the front.

As soon as the enemy recovered from his surprise, he woke up to the importance of the achievement ; Longstreet was despatched to retrieve, if possible, the lost ground. His troops reached Wauhatchie in the night of the 28th, and made an attack upon Geary's division of Hooker's forces. The fight raged for about three hours, but Geary succeeded in holding his grotmd against greatly superior numbers. During the fight Geary's teamsters had become scared, and had deserted their teams, and the mules, stampeded by the sound of battle raging about them, had broken loose from their wagons and run away. Fortunately for their reputation and the safety of the command, they started toward the enemy, and with heads down and tails up, with trace-chains rattling and whiffletrees snapping over the stumps of trees, they rushed pell-mell upon Longstreet's bewildered men. Believing it to be' an impetuous charge of cavalry^ his line broke and fied. The quartermaster in charge of the animals, not willing to see such distinguished services go unrewarded, sent in the following communication : " I respectfully request that the mules, for their gallantry in this action, may have conferred upon them the brevet rank of horses." Brevets in the army were being bestowed pretty freely at the time, and when this recommendation was reported to General Grrant he laughed heartily at the humor of the suggestion. Our loss in the battle, including killed, wounded, and missing, was only 422 men. The enemy never made a further attempt to interrupt our communications.

The much-needed supplies, which had been hurried forward to Bridgeport in anticipation of this movement, soon reached the army, and the rejoicing among the troops manifested itself in lively demonstrations of dehght. Every man now felt that he was no longer to remain on the defensive, but was being supplied and equipped for a forward movement against his old foe, whom he had driven from the Ohio to the Cumberland, and from the Cumberland to the Tennessee.

As soon as communication had been opened with our base of supplies, Q-eneral Grant manifested an eagerness to acquaint himself minutely with the position of the enemy, with a view to taking the offensive. One morning he started toward our right, with several staff-officers, to make a personal examination of that portion of the line. When he came in sight of Chattanooga Creek, which separated our pickets from those of the enemy, he directed those who had accompanied him to halt and remain out of sight while he advanced alone, which he supposed he could do without attracting much attention. The pickets were within hailing distance of one another on opposite banks of the creek. They had established a temporary truce oh their own responsibility, and the men of each army were allowed to get water from the same stream without being fired upon by those on the

GRANT SALUTED BY THE ENEMY 11

other side. A sentinel of our picket-guard recognized General Grrant as he approached, and gave the customary cry, " Turn out the guard — commanding general ! " The enemy on the opposite side of the creek evidently heard the words, and one of his sentinels cried out, " Turn out the guard — General Grant ! " The confederate guard took up the joke, and promptly formed, facing our hue, and presented arms. The general returned the salute by lifting his hat, the guard was then dismissed, and he continued his ride toward our left. We knew that we were engaged in a civil war, but such civility largely exceeded our expectations.