by H. W. Brands
“Should your honorable body see proper”: to St. Louis County Board of Commissioners, Aug. 15, 1859.
“He always maintained”: Reynolds to Board of County Commissioners, Aug. 1, 1859, Papers of Grant, 1:348-49n.
“The question has at length been settled … will support me”: to Jesse Grant, Sept. 23, 1859.
“I am still unemployed … when you were here”: to Simpson Grant, Oct. 24, 1859.
“They were very poor in money”: Louisa Boggs interview.
PART TWO: THE RAGE OF ACHILLES
CHAPTER 12
“Talk! talk! talk!”: Stephen B. Oates, To Purge This Land with Blood: A Biography of John Brown (1970), 272.
“You will never get out alive”: Evan Carton, Patriotic Treason, 288.
“Reached Harpers Ferry at 11 p.m.”: Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee, ed. Robert E. Lee (Jr.) (1905), 22.
“I see a book kissed”: Oates, To Purge This Land with Blood, 327.
“The irrepressible conflict … at the South”: Oates, To Purge This Land with Blood, 354-55.
“preposterous”: Oswald Garrison Villard, John Brown (1910), 568.
“fervid Union man … and northern outrage”: James M. McPherson, This Mighty Scourge: Perspectives on the Civil War (2007), 36; Joseph Carlyle Sitterson, The Secession Movement in North Carolina (1939), 152.
“I arrived here”: to Julia Dent Grant, March 14, 1860.
“emancipated the one slave he personally owned”: Manumission of Slave, undated (March 29, 1859).
“Papa was not willing”: Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant, 82-83.
“In my new employment”: to unrecorded addressee, undated (Dec. 1860).
“He was a bit shorter than Orvil”: Mary Grant (Mrs. Orvil Grant) interview, Troy Intelligencer, April 17, 1892, granthomepage.com.
“I told the Captain … his father to arise”: Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant, 84-86.
CHAPTER 13
“I would as soon try the faro table”: Home Letters of General Sherman (1909), 151-53.
“Avoid the subject … and the Northwest”: The Sherman Letters (1894), 55; John E. Marszalek, Sherman (1994), 109; Lloyd Lewis, Sherman (1932), 119; Home Letters, 163.
“Colonel Sherman … not possibly be cultivated”: Memoirs of General W. T. Sherman (1990 ed.), 167-68.
“When Lincoln rose to speak … since St. Paul”: Noah Brooks, Abraham Lincoln (1901), 123-24.
“Since leaving St. Louis”: to Mr. Davis, Aug. 7, 1860.
“My pledges would have compelled me”: Memoirs, 144-45.
“Should a Black Republican President”: Steven A. Channing, Crisis of Fear: Secession in South Carolina (1974), 161, 280-82.
“The union now subsisting”: South Carolina ordinance of secession, Dec. 20, 1861.
CHAPTER 14
“How do you feel … all the present difficulty”: to unknown addressee, undated (Dec. 1860).
“I declare to you this morning”: David Herbert Donald, Lincoln (1995), 256.
“take from the disunionists … in their hands”: Works of Lincoln, 4:134-35.
“Each and all of the States”: Works of Lincoln, 4:141.
“This is just as I expected”: Works of Lincoln, 4:146.
“The President of the United States is no emperor”: The Rebellion Record, ed. Frank Moore (1861), 1:220.
“The country is certainly in great peril”: John G. Nicolay and John Hay, Abraham Lincoln (1890), 3:271.
“Do the people in the South … is the rub”: Works of Lincoln, 4:160.
“The political horizon looks dark”: Works of Lincoln, 4:160.
“Let there be no compromise”: Works of Lincoln, 4:149-50.
“Hold firm”: Works of Lincoln, 4:151.
“They won’t give up the offices”: David Potter, The Impending Crisis, 1848-1861 (1976), 432.
“My opinion”: Works of Lincoln, 4:154.
“If the United States should merely hold”: New York Times, Feb. 13, 1861.
“I have no purpose … of our nature”: Lincoln’s first inaugural address, March 4, 1861, Public Papers.
CHAPTER 15
“It was generally believed … must be the result”: Memoirs, 145-47.
“We are at the end”: Works of Lincoln, 4:317-18.
“A State for a fort”: David Herbert Donald, Lincoln (1995), 290.
“I appeal to all loyal citizens”: Works of Lincoln, 4:331-32.
“We solemnly resolve … the God of battles”: Albert D. Richardson, A Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant (1868), 170-71.
“The sole reason”: Memoirs, 152.
“In these exciting times … worth fighting over again”: to Frederick Dent, April 19, 1861.
“We are now in the midst … with the latter”: to Jesse Grant, April 21, 1861.
CHAPTER 16
“On account of the cars”: to Julia Dent Grant, April 27, 1861.
“The evening I was to quit”: Memoirs, 154.
“The only place I ever found”: Memoirs, 154.
“I am convinced”: to Mary Grant, April 29, 1861.
“Galena has several more companies … up to log-rolling”: to Jesse Grant, May 2, 1861.
“My own opinion”: to Jesse Grant, May 6, 1861.
“Kiss the children for me”: to Julia Dent Grant, May 15, 1861.
“After listening to his remarks … has assigned me”: Recollections and Letters of General Robert E. Lee, ed. Robert E. Lee (Jr.) (1905), 24-28.
“Having served for fifteen years”: to Lorenzo Thomas, May 24, 1861.
“I felt some hesitation”: Memoirs, 159.
“Your father is in the room … strong for the Union”: to Julia Dent Grant, May 10, 1861.
“I went down to the arsenal”: Memoirs, 155-56.
“Up to this time … young man subsided”: Memoirs, 156-57.
“I was in hopes”: Memoirs, 159.
“In accepting this command”: Orders no. 7, June 18, 1861.
“Hereafter no passes”: Orders no. 8, June 19, 1861.
“It is with regret”: Orders no. 14, June 26, 1861.
“The guard house was not large enough”: Papers of Grant, 2:46-47n1.
“It was in a terribly disorganized state”: to Julia Dent Grant, July 7, 1861.
“It breathed a loyalty”: Memoirs, 162.
CHAPTER 17
“These measures … suppress a rebellion”: Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, 4:426-39.
“Fred was delighted”: to Julia Dent Grant, June 26, 1861.
“The soldiers and officers”: to Julia Dent Grant, July 7, 1861.
“I thought it would be good preparation”: Memoirs, 162.
“which he did in double-quick time”: Jacksonville Journal, July 11, 1861, Papers of Grant, 2:59.
“Fred started home”: to Julia Dent Grant, July 13, 1861.
“Do not send him home … his own knapsack”: Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant, 92.
“Last night we had an alarm”: to Julia Dent Grant, July 13, 1861.
“My sensations as we approached … and ran away”: Memoirs, 163.
“Tomorrow I start for Monroe”: to Jesse Grant, July 13, 1861.
“When we got on the road … as I had his”: Memoirs, 164-65.
CHAPTER 18
“I have never been a politician … as you best can”: Memoirs of Sherman, 174, 185-86.
“I hold myself now … render most service”: Memoirs of Sherman, 189.
“Their uniforms were as various”: Memoirs of Sherman, 196.
“We start forth today”: The Sherman Letters (1894), 125.
“For the first time … he would do it”: Memoirs of Sherman, 201-08.
CHAPTER 19
“Colonel Grant is an old army officer”: Pope to Frémont, Aug. 5, 1861, Papers of Grant, 2:86n.
“Fighting here looks to me”: Edward Castle to Frémont, Aug. 8, 1861, Papers of Grant, 2:87n.
“No wandering will be permitted”:
General Orders No. 1, July 25, 1861.
“When we first come”: to Julia Dent Grant, July 19, 1861.
“The majority in this part”: to Jesse Grant, Aug. 3, 1861.
“I see from the papers”: to Jesse Grant, Aug. 3, 1861.
“I certainly feel very grateful”: to Julia Dent Grant, Aug. 10, 1861.
“I took it in a very disorganized”: to Jesse Grant, Aug. 3, 1861.
“People here will be glad”: to Julia Dent Grant, Aug. 3, 1861.
“I called to see Harry Boggs”: to Julia Dent Grant, Aug. 10, 1861.
“You ask my views”: to Mary Grant, Aug. 12, 1861.
“The last we heard of him”: Ron Powers, Mark Twain (2005), 98.
“In time I came to learn”: Mark Twain, “The Private History of a Campaign That Failed” (1885).
CHAPTER 20
“My present command”: to Julia Dent Grant, Aug. 10, 1861.
“Many of the officers”: to John Kelton (for Frémont), Aug. 9, 1861.
“Commanders will see that the men”: General Orders No. 9, Aug. 9, 1861.
“Order was soon restored”: Memoirs, 171.
“As I turned the first corner”: Memoirs, 172-73.
“When I came to know him better”: Memoirs, 173.
“There was no time for delay”: Memoirs, 174.
“Found numerous secession flags”: to Frémont, Sept. 6, 1861.
“I have come among you”: Proclamation, Sept. 6, 1861.
“You have seen my move”: to Julia Dent Grant, Sept. 8, 1861.
“All is quiet here now”: to Julia Dent Grant, Sept. 20, 1861.
“I am very sorry”: to Julia Dent Grant, Oct. 20, 1861.
“But after we started”: Memoirs, 178.
“At daylight we proceeded”: to Brigadier General Seth Williams, Nov. 10, 1861.
“We fought the rebels slowly but steadily”: The War of the Rebellion: The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1:3:296-97.
“The officers and men”: Memoirs, 179-80.
“I saw at the same time … lodged in the floor”: Memoirs, 180-84.
“All the troops behaved”: to Seth Williams, Nov. 10, 1861.
“The two objects”: Memoirs, 185.
CHAPTER 21
“By some strange operation of magic”: The Civil War Papers of George B. McClellan: Selected Correspondence, 1860-1865, ed. Stephen W. Sears (1992), 70.
“serious disaster”: McClellan to Lincoln, Oct. 22, 1861, Lincoln Papers, Library of Congress.
“a great national idea”: Catherine Coffin Phillips, Jessie Benton Frémont (1995), 250.
“The late battle at Belmont … lauding his gallantry”: New York Times, Nov. 11, 1861; from Chicago Journal, Nov. 7, 1861, in Times, Nov. 12, 1861.
“All with you have done honor”: Lincoln to McClernand, Nov. 10, 1861, Lincoln Papers.
“An energetic, enterprising and judicious commander”: McClernand to Lincoln, Nov. 22, 1861, Lincoln Papers.
“If a department could be established there”: John Logan to McClernand, Jan. 14, 1862, Papers of Grant, 3:207n.
“The victory was most complete”: to Jesse Grant, Nov. 8, 1861.
“You will send reports in writing”: from Halleck, Nov. 21, 1861, Papers of Grant, 3:202n.
“The true line of operations”: Memoirs, 185.
“I have now a larger force”: to Mary Grant, Jan. 23, 1862.
“I was received”: Memoirs, 190.
“Two ironclad gunboats”: Smith to John Rawlins, Jan. 21, 1862, Papers of Grant, 4:91n.
“Fort Henry on the Tennessee … of this week”: Foote to Halleck, Jan. 28 and 29, 1862, Papers of Grant, 4:99n.
“I would respectfully suggest”: to Halleck, Jan. 29, 1862.
“Make your preparations”: from Halleck, Jan. 30, 1862, Papers of Grant, 4:104n.
“Very little preparation”: to Smith, Jan. 31, 1862.
“I will leave here”: to Halleck, Feb. 1, 1862.
“No firing”: General Orders No. 7, Feb. 2, 1862.
“On your arrival at Paducah”: to McClernand, Feb. 3, 1862.
“I went up on the Essex”: to Halleck, Feb. 4, 1862.
“All the troops will be up”: to Julia Dent Grant, Feb. 4, 1862.
“The sight of our campfires … of Fort Henry”: to Julia Dent Grant, Feb. 5, 1862. Grant actually wrote “4,000 troops” but doubtless meant “40,000,” as the former number would not have impressed the Confederate defenders.
“The fire on both sides … as long as possible”: Tilghman report, Feb. 12, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:140-41.
“Fort Henry is ours”: to Halleck, Feb. 6, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:124.
“Fort Henry is ours … never be removed”: Halleck to McClellan, Feb. 7, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:590.
“Thank Grant”: McClellan to Halleck, Feb. 7, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:591.
CHAPTER 22
“I was very impatient … of National troops”: Memoirs, 196-97, 206.
“At present we are perfectly locked”: to George W. Cullum, Feb. 8, 1862.
“You have no conception”: to Mary Grant, Feb. 9, 1862.
“From the first his silence was remarkable”: Lew Wallace, “The Capture of Fort Donelson,” Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (1887), 1:404-05.
“Last night was very severe”: to Halleck, Feb. 14, 1862.
“The enemy was running from his batteries”: Foote to Halleck, Feb. 15, 1862, Official Records, 1:22:584-85.
“The fort cannot hold out twenty minutes”: Floyd to Johnston, Feb. 14, 1862, Official Records, 1:52(2):274.
“The enemy had been much demoralized”: Memoirs, 203.
“The gunboats have been driven back”: Floyd to Johnston, Feb. 14, 1862, Official Records, 1:52(2):274.
“If all the gunboats that can”: to Foote, Feb. 15, 1862.
“Appearances now indicate”: to Cullum, Feb. 15, 1862.
“Here and there the musicians”: Wallace, “Capture of Fort Donelson,” 415.
“The first charge against him was repulsed”: “Capture of Fort Donelson,” 417.
“Just then General Grant”: “Capture of Fort Donelson,” 421-22.
“There was now no doubt”: Memoirs, 206.
“No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender”: to Buckner, Feb. 16, 1862.
“ungenerous and unchivalrous”: Buckner to Grant, Feb. 16, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:161.
“He said to me”: Memoirs, 212.
CHAPTER 23
“Honor to the brave!”: New York Tribune, Feb. 18, 1862.
“You have Fort Donelson safe”: Lincoln to Halleck, Feb. 16, 1862, Lincoln Papers.
“Give me command in the West”: Halleck to McClellan, Feb. 17, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:628.
“Give it to me”: Halleck to McClellan, Feb. 19, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:636.
“I must have command”: Halleck to McClellan, Feb. 20, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:641.
“General Halleck did not approve”: Memoirs, 197.
“I received no other recognition”: Memoirs, 214.
“After the fall of Fort Donelson”: Memoirs, 214.
“ ‘Secesh’ is now about on its last legs”: to Julia Dent Grant, Feb. 24, 1862.
“General Halleck is clearly the same way”: to Julia Dent Grant, Feb. 24, 1862.
“Don’t be rash”: G. W. Cullum (for Halleck) to Grant, Feb. 15, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:619.
“Smith, by his coolness and bravery”: Halleck to McClellan, Feb. 19, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:637.
“This operator afterwards proved”: Memoirs, 219.
“Why do you not obey my orders … at Fort Henry”: from Halleck, March 4, 1862, Official Records, 1:10(2):3.
“Your going to Nashville”: from Halleck, March 6, 1862, Official Records, 1:10(2):15.
“I am not aware”: to Halleck, March 5, 1862.
“I am in a very poor humor”: to Julia Dent Grant, March 5, 1862.
“I have done my very best”: to Halleck, March 7, 1862.
“You are mistaken”: Halleck to Grant, March 8, 1862, Official Records, 1:10(2):21.
“I renew my application”: to Halleck, March 9, 1862.
“You cannot be relieved”: Halleck to Grant, March 13, 1862, Official Records, 1:10(2):32.
CHAPTER 24
“I should like to hear from you”: Sherman to Grant, Feb. 15, 1862, Papers of Grant, 4:215n.
“They are all friends … on reaching Washington”: Memoirs of Sherman, 219-20.
“I know that others than yourself”: Sherman to John Sherman, Nov. 21, 1861, The Sherman Letters (1894), 135.
“General Sherman was completely ‘stampeded’ ”: Halleck to McClellan, Dec. 2, 1861, Official Records, 1:52(1):198.
“insane”: Cincinnati Commercial, Dec. 11, 1861, in James Ford Rhodes, History of the United States from the Compromise of 1850 (1906), 5:5.
“These newspapers have us in their power”: Sherman to Halleck, Dec. 12, 1861, Official Records, 1:8:819.
“The newspaper attacks are certainly shameless”: Halleck to Sherman, Dec. 18, 1861, Official Records, 1:8:445.
“As evidence that I have every confidence”: Halleck to Thomas Ewing, Feb. 15, 1862, Memoirs of Sherman, 236.
“one of the noblest men…‘none to give you’ ”: Jefferson Davis, The Rise and Fall of the Confederate Government (1881), 2:38.
“We have suffered great anxiety”: Davis to Johnston, March 12, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:257-58.
“The test of merit in my profession”: Johnston to Davis, March 18, 1862, Official Records, 1:7:261.
“If we obtained possession of Corinth”: Memoirs, 222.
“When all reinforcements”: Memoirs, 223.
“I would fight them if they were a million”: William Preston Johnston, “Albert Sidney Johnston at Shiloh,” Battles and Leaders of the Civil War (1887), 1:555.
“We had just left the bleak, frozen North … to give up that they were whipped”: Leander Stillwell, Personal Recollections of the Battle of Shiloh (1892), 7-17.