Life and services of Gen. U. S. Grant

Front matter

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Preface

The following Military Biography of General Ulysses S. Grant is intended to offer but an outline of the great events in which he has borne the most distinguished part. As he held an independent command of troops in the field, from the beginning of the war — the movement upon Corinth only excepted — I have endeavored to present his plans, their execution, and the results, without entering into the minute details of the battle tactics ; giving only so much of fhese as is necessary to enable the reader to understand the general's purposes and achievements.

In writing the life of a subordinate commander, we should gain in detail, but lose in comprehension, — dwelling more upon what he did, than upon the relations sustained to other men and movements on the field ; but it is different here. Grant's life requires a glance at every part of the field of Pittsburg Landing ; the great outline of the Vicksburg campaign ; a summary of the splendid military successes at Chattanooga. After his appointment as commander-in-chief, all parts of the vast theatre of operations must be considered ; while, as he made his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac,, and personally directed it, more stress must be laid upon the movements of that army than upon others.

I have said thus much by way of self-vindication, should any reader — especially some gallant soldier — fail to find as many battle pictures, and as much of the movements of the lesser organizations, as he had expected. I could not neglect the philosophy of Grant's nistory, and there was not space for both.

In describing his earlier campaigns, I have had recourse to much fuller material than in the latter portions. The reports of many subordinate commanders, Union and Confederate, have been pub-

4: PREFACE.

lished, and there are even critical commoDtaries upon these, which guard the historian ag'ainst error. But in the latter parts, there i,s yet great dearth of detail. I have been obliged to depend, for the connected outline, upon the masterly — I may say, model — report of General Grant ; and for details to sucn materials as had been received, not ev^n including extended reports of the coi;ps-commander8.

It is not improba.ble, therefore, that, for want of such corrective matter in the details, I may have made occasional mistakes, in spite of my best efforts to avoid doing so.

When such errors are pointed out, they shall be corrected.

I must express my hearty thanks to General Grant for his kindness in sanctioning my attempt to portray his military career, and to Major-General Rawlins for his invaluable assistance in furnishing materials without which the work could not have been written. Most of this material could not have been otherwise obtained. For its use, and the form in which it is presented, I alone am responsible.

To my friend, Captain Thomas Mitchell, of Philadelphia, late a stafif-ofScer in the Army of the Potomac, I am indebted for valuable assistance in collecting notes, and in transcribing some of the earlier portions of the work.

I shall be amply paid for my labors, which have been arduous, if my simple narrative shall prove to the world the truth of the opinion, already very widely entertained, that Grant is the first soldier of the age, and the most distinguished American of the Regenerated Eepublic.

December 1, 1865.

' PREFACE TO THE EEVISED EDITION.

The pnblisliers having announced to the author their intention to issue

a new edition, he has felt it a duty to them, as well as to himself and to the

public, to correct all errors which have been pointed out to liini, or which

he has been able to discover. He has also availed himself of published

material which lias apjteared since the worli was written, especially in cor-

rcftliig and amending the latter portions.

Contents

CHAPTEK I.

THE GREAT WAR OPENS; '

RuFfiri's OAr-noN-. — Fort Shmtek. — The effect on the masses. — The Nation must BE SAVED-. — The attitude of the rebels. — Our own duty clear. — The rush tc ARifs. — Our ignorance of war. — The want of every thing. — The education