The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-09-24

father from Milliken s Bend, La,
during the Vicksburg campaign.
We print it just as it is, word for
word. We have no hesitation in
saving that more remarkable
document, and one that reflects
more credit upon the illustrious
writer, has not before been given
- the American people:
GEN. GRANTS LETTER.
MILLlKEN's BEND, La,
April FL, '63.
T. DEAR FATHER: Your letter OF
the 7th of April has just this day
reached me. / hasten to answer
your interrogations. Whom I left
Memphis, with my past experience
| prohibited trade below Helena.
Trade to that point had previously
been opened by the Treasury De-
partment. give no permits to
buy cotton, and if find any one
engaged in the business | send
them out of the Department and
seize their cotton for the Govern
ment. | have given a few families
permission to leave tho country
and to take with them so far as
Memphis their cotton. In doing
this | have been deceived by un.
,principled spectators, who have
successfully smuggled themselves
along with the army in spite ofor.
dcrs prohibiting them, and have
been compelled 10 suspend this ia.
vor 10 persons anxious to get out Of
Dixie. 3 b'n"a
l understand that the Govern.
mcnt has adopted some plan to
regulate getting the cotton out CT
tho country. do not know what
plan they have adopted, but am
satisfied that any that can be adopt
ed, except for Government TO take
tho cotton itself, and rule out spec
ulators altogether, will be bad
one. | feel that all army followers
who are engaged in speculating of
the misfortunes of thoir country,
and really aiding the enemy NOR Q
than they could possibly do by
open treason, should be drafted at
once and put in the first forlorn
hope. ' J
| move my headquarters to Now
Carthage tomorrow. This whole
country is under water, except
strips Of lands behind the levees,
along the river and bayous, and
makes operations almost impossi.
bic. struck upon a plan which
| thought would give mo foot.
hold on the east bank of the Mis-.
sissippi before tho enemy could Of.
fer any great resistance. But the
difficulty of the last one and a half
miles next to Carthage makes it
so tedious that tho onomy cannot
fail to discover my plans. / am
doing my bost, and am full of hope
for complete success. Time has
been consumed, but it was abso
lutely impossible to avoid it.
An attack upon the rebel works
at any timo since l arrived here
must inevitably have resulted in
the loss of a large portion of my
army, if not in an entire defeat.
There were but two points OF land,
Haines Bluff and ViCksburg itself
out of water at any place from
which troops could march. These
arc thoroughly fortified, and it
would be folly to attack them rs
long as there is q prospect Of turn.
ing their position. l never expect
to have an army under my com.
mand whipped unless it is worry
badly whipped and can't holp it,
but Ihavo no idea Of being driven
to do q desperate or foolish act by
the howlings Of tho press. 1t is
painful to mo, as matter of course
to see tho course pursued
by some of the papers. But
there is no ono less disturbed
by them than myself. l have new.
er sought q large command, and
have no ambitious ends to accom-. i.
plish.
Were it not for the very natural
desire Of proving myself equal to
anything expected OF mo, and the
evidence my removal would afford
that | was not thought equal to it,
| would gladly accept less re.
sponsihle position. ! have no do.
sire to be an object of onvy or jea-
lousy, nor to have this war contin.
ne. want and will do my par t
toward 1t, to put down the rebel
lion in the shortest possible time,
without expecting or desiring any
other recognition than u quiot ap.
proval OF my course.
| beg that you will destroy this
letter; ut least do not show it. "
Z Julia and tho children are here.
but will go up by tho first good
boat. / sent for her to como down
and got her instructions about
somo business l want ttendod to,
and see no Immediate prospect OF
attending to myself.
vtN @ q0eMe8 ULYSSES.
itrf ~ ------+--------.-sNS
Tho draft sneaks arc wonder.