The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-06-18

NlCksDufQ. Upon reaching 0fduu OulIs uItef
running its batteries and fighting battle, re-
ceived n letter from Banks informing me that
ne could not be At Port Hudson under ten days,
and then with only fifteen thousand men, The
time was worth more than the re-enforcements
i therefore determined TO push into the mte-
rlor OF the enemy's country. With large river
behind us. held above and below by the enemy,
rapid movements were essential 10 success.
jackson was captured the day after new COM
mander had arrived and when large re-enforce-
ments were daily expected A rapid movement
west was made. and the garrison OF Vicksburg
was met in five battles and badly defeated. The
city was then successfully hes eyed
Following Is an account OF Gen. Grants APP
pointment as Lieutenant General: MY COM
mission as Lieutenant General was given to me
on the 9th 81 March. 1864. On the following day
/ visited Gen. Meade. commanding the Army of
the Potomac, at his headquarters at Brandy
Station, near the Rapldan. 1 had known Gen
Meade slightly in the Mexican war. but had not
met him since until this visit was a stranger
TO most of the Army OF the Potomac might
to all, except the officers OF the regular army
who had served in the Mexican war. Teere had
been some changes ordered In the organization
OF that army before my promotion. One was
the consolidation OF FIVE corps into three. thus
throwing some officers OF rank out OF important
commands Meade evidently thought i might
want 10 make still one more change not yet or
dered. He said to me that i might want AN
mentioning Sherman especially, TO take his
place. III SO. he begged NE not TO hesitate
about making the change.
No "Reminiscences OF war history will be read
with greater interest than Gen Grants account
OF his first meeting with Mr.. Lincoln, and MIR.
Lfncolns charge to him:
Although hailIng from Illinois myself, the
State OF the Pres dent, had never met Mr. Lin
coin until called to the capital TO receive my
commission as Lieutenant General / knew
him, however. very well and favorably from the
accounts given by officers under me at the West
who had known him all their lives. l had also
read the remarkable course of debates between
Lincoln and Douglas a few years before, when
they were rival candidates for the United States
Senate i was then a resident of Missouri,
that contest, but i recognized his great
ability In my first interview with Mr.. Lincoln
alone he stated that he had never professed TO
be a military man or to know how campaigns
should be conducted. and never wanted to in
terfere with them. but that procrastination on
the part OF the commanders and the pressure
OF the people at the North and of Congress,
which, like the poor, he had always with him.,
had forced him into issuing his well-known
series of executive orders He did not know
but they were all wrong. and did not doubt but
some or them were. All he wanted, or ever had
wanted, was that some one would take the
sponsibirity and act, and call on him for all the
assistance needed"
OF the Wilderness campaign the General
says:
Operating as we were in an enemy country,
and supplied always from a distant base, large
detachments had at all times to be sent from
the 'front.' rot only to guard the base of sup
plies and the roads leading 60 IL, but all the
roads leading TO our Hanks and rear. We were
also operating in a country unknown 10 US. and
without competent guides or maps showing the
TOdOS dCCufaItly. Estimating Lee y SITeuBIu III
the same manner as ours, the enemy had not
less than eighty thousand men at the start.
His re-enforcements during the campaign were
about equal to ours deducting our discharged
men and those sent back, Lee was on the de-
fensive and in country in which every
stream, every road, every obstacle to the
movements OF troops, and every natural
defense was familiar to him and
his army The citizens were all friendly to him
and his cause, and could and did furnish him
with accurate reports of our every movement.
Rear guards were not necessary for him. and,
having always railroad at his back large
wagon trains were not required. All circum-
| stances considered we did not have any adj
vantage OF numbers. On the morning of the
! eth we sent out pickets and skirmishers along
our entire front 10 discover the position OF the
enemy. Some went as far as mile and half
| before finding him. But Lee showed no dispo
| sition to cone out. There was no battle during
the day and but little firing. except in Ware n
| front about midday. Warren was directed
| TO make reconnaissance in force. This
drew some sharp firing, but there. was
no attempt the part OF the rebels to
drive them back. This ended the battle of the
Wilderness. More severe fighting has not been
| witnessed on this continent than that of the
| 9Th and 9Th of May, 1864. Our victory consisted
| in having successfully crossed a formidable
stream almost in the face OF the enemy, and in
| getting the army together afterward as n unit.
| We gained an advantage on q morning OF the
9th which, ii IL had been followed up. mus
have proven very decisive. In the evening the
enemy gained an advantage, but was speedily
repulse1. As we stood at the close, the two
| armies relatively in about the same condi-
| ton TO meet each other as when the river had
| divided them. but the fact of safely crossing
was victory. Our losses in the battle OF the
Wilderness were 2,26l killed, s,7s5 wounded, and
1902 missing probably nearly ali the latter
captured by the enemv
| Gen. Grant thus describes Gen. Lees surren-
| der:
Il found Gen. Lee had been brought into our
| lines and conducted TO a house belonging to a
! Mr.. Mclean, and was there with one OF his stan
| officers waiting NV arrival. The head OF his
column was occupying hill, PORTION OF which
| from the Court House. Sheridan's forces were
drawn up in line OF battle on the crest of the
hill, on the south side of the same valley. Be-
| fore stating what took place between Gen. Lee
and myself, will give all there is of the narra-
tive OF Gen. Lee ana the famous apple tree
] Wars produce many stories of fiction, some Of
| which are told until they are believed. The
| war OF the rebellion was fruitful in the same
way. The story OF the apple tree Is one of those
tictions; with a slight foundation of fact
! As have said there was an apple orchard on
the side of the hill occupied by the Confederate
| forces. Running diagonally up the hill was n
wagon road, which at one point ran very near one
Of the trees, that the wheels on that side had
cut of the roots Of the tree which made little
| embankment. Gen. Babcock reported TO me that
| when he met Gen. Lee he was sitting upon the
| embankment, with his feet on the road, and
! leaning against the tree. 1t was then that Lee
was conducted into the house, where L first
| met him. i had known Gen. Lee in the old
army. and had served with him in the Mexican
war, but did not suppose, owing to the differ
ences in our ages and rank. that he would
remember him more distinctly because
| he was the chief engineer on the staff
of General Scott in the Mexican war
| When left camp that morning had not ex-
pected the result so soon that was then taking
place. and, consequently was in rough garb,
| and without a sword. as L usually was when on
! horseback on the field, wearing a soldier
! blouse for a coat, with shoulder-straps OF my
rank to indicate who was to the army. When
! / went into the house j found Gen Lee. We
| greeted each other, and after shaking hands
took our seats What his feelings were do not
| know. Being man OF much dignity, and with
| an impenetrable face, II was impossible to say
| whether lac felt inwardly glad the end had
finally come, or whether he felt sadly
/ over the result and was too manly to
! show il. Whatever his feelings, they
| were entirely concealed from observation (;
! but my own feelings. which had been quite APP
parent on the receipt OF his letter, sad and
| depressed. felt like anything rather than re-
| joiclng at the downfall of foe that had fought
so long and CALAMITY, and had suffered so much
for a cause which believed to be one OF the
worst for which people ever fought, and for
| which there was nos the least pretext. j do not
| question, however, the sincerity of the great
| mass OF those who were opposed 10 us. Gen.
| Lee was dressed In full uniform entirely new,
! and wearing a sword OF considerable value I:
very likely the sword that had been presented
| by the State of Virginia. AT all events. 1t was
| an entirely different sword from the one
| that would ordinarily be worn in
| the field. In my rough travelling, suit.
| which was the uniform of a private with
| the straps OF a General, must have contrasted
| very strangely with n man SO handsomely