The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-06-04
word of Pemberton's defent at Yicksburg.

WOTu OI emp ue1eat at lckSDurg
As a reward for this victory, Grant, in
his own modest words, was added to the
Major Generals already appointed for the
regular army, but unlike the time when
he was commissioned Major General Of
Volunteers, no fortune now could doom
him to inactivity. Before he was or
dered to assume command at Chattanooga,
after the unfortunate battle of Chicka-
maga, President Lincoln wrote him a
characteristic letter. 1t was dated July
13, 1868, and was as follows:-
"My Dear General IL do not re-
member that you and ever met person
ally. [ write this now as a grateful ac-
acknowledgement for the almost inestimable
service you have done the country. I
wish to say word further. When you
first reached the vicinity of Vicksburg, l
thought you should do what you finally
did = march the troops across the neck,
run the batteries with the transports, and
thus go below, and never had any faith,
except general hope that you knew
better than |, that the Yazoo expedition
and the like could succeed. When you
got below and took Fort Gibson, Grand
Gulf and vicinity, l thought you should
go down the river and join General
Banks; and when you turned northward,
east of the Big Black, | thought it was
mistake. L now wish to make the per-
sonal acknowledgment that you were
right and [ was wrong"
A victory which could call forth such
letter as this from President Lincoln
would produce in the mind of the Execu-
tive the most unbounded confidence in
the capacity of the commander by whom
it was gained. 1t is gratifying that that
confidence was never betrayed and never
disappointed. He first justified the Presi-
dents faith, soon after he assumed the
chief command in Tennessee, by the
brilliant victory at Lookout Mountain,
driving the Rebel General Bragg from
the Chattanooga Valley and Mission
Ridge, and opened up the way for Sher-
mans great march to the sea. Then the
National House of Representatives passed
a unanimous vote of thanks to General
Grant for his victories, and ordered
medal to be struck in his honor, while
both Houses of Congress concurred in
pdcSdt Va al uSt dAO
of Lieutenant General, rank never held
by any one except Washington, and
Grant was recommended for the post, it
being prescribed that the Lieutenan- Gen-
eral should have command of the armies.
President Lincoln formally presented him
with his commission March 9, 1864, and
having opened up the path to the final
victory in the Southwest, he at once pro-
ceeded to pave the way to success in the
Southeast.
The Grand Army of the Potomac,
smartiug under its many misfortunes,
Notwithstanding the bright spot of Get
tysburg upon its banners, and its imper-
ishable record for heroism, needed the pres
tige of Gen. Grant to give it confidence
in itself. Those noble veterans felt that
success was assured when they found him
willing to join his great fame with theirs,
and to link his destinies with their for
tunes. He received his commission from
the hands of the President with but few
words, and without Indicating his pur-
pose, left the Executive presence to be-
gin his advance upon Richmond. The
Rapidan was crossed, and Lee fought in
the terrible battle of the Wilderness;
then he advanced to the North Anna
river, and making flank movement upon
Coal Harbor, fought another sanguinary
battle, the assault upon the Rebel works
at that place; and then swinging around
the trenched lines of the enemy, he cross
ed the James and invested Petersburg
Desperate engagements followed, and
during the investment, he mined and
blew up Fort He'll, Rebel stronghold,
with the view of taking the town by as
sault; but the operation failed, with Sc
we're punishment on our side, and heavy
losses to the enemy. This, together with
the desperate straits to which Lee was
reduced, emboldened him to take the Of
fensive, and on the night of the 9th of
March, 1865, he moved three divisions
of his troops before Fort Steadman, and
surprised and captured the position. Be-
fore night it had been retaken, and at
the same time the battle of Hatcher s
Run was fought, continuing until even
ing. On the I'd of April the Rebel in
trenchments, with 5000 men, at Big
Five Forks, were captured, and an at
tack was ordered along the whole line,
under General Grants direction, which
ended in driving Lee from his works and
the abandonment Of Richmond. Lees
retreat was cut off by the rapid movements
which Grant instituted, and on the 9th
of April, just one week after the last
great battle, the Army of Northern Vir
ginia capitulated. Soon after the Rebel
| General Johnston surrendered TO General
Sherman, on the same terms granted by
General Grant to Lee, and the great civil
war was ended.
If General Grant was appointed to the
command Of the armies with q rank never
held by any one before except Washing
ton, greater honor if possible was IL
store for him. He is now simply Genera
of the United States Army, and soon will
be President of the United States.