The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-04


burg. July 80, 1864 After telling of the battles
caused in extending the lines around Richmond
and Petersburg, General Grant describes Sher-
mans march to the sea- and the capture OF At
lanta and Savannah, with particulars of the
operations IN Georgia and North and South Car
olina and his meeting Sherman at City Point.
chapter is given to Sheridan's operations in
the Shenandoah valley, the battle of Five Forks,
and the capture of the intrenchments at Peters
burg Next follows an account of the fall OF
Richmond. the negotiations at Appomattox and
Lees surrender, with vivid description of the
scene at McLeans house. The closing chapters
of the volume refer to the Generals arrival at
Washington, Lincolns assassination, Johnson's
presidency, the surrender of Johnston's army
the capture of jefferson Davis and the fall of
Mobile. The volume ends with an account Of
the grand review of the armies at Washington
An interesting incident of the volume is Gen.
Grants first meeting with President Lincoln
It was when he called to Washington to
receive his commission as lieutenant general, on
March 8, 1864 although hailing from Illinois
myself. the State of the President" he writes,
II had never met Mr.. Lincoln 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 had also read the
remarkable course of debates between Lin
coin and Douglas. few years before. when
they were rival candidates for the United
States Senate. / then resident of Mis-
souri,, and by no means Lincoln man in that
contest. But recognized then his great ability.
In my first interview with Mr.. Lincoln alone. ne
stated to me that he had never professed to be
military man, or to know how campaigns should
be conducted. and never wanted to interfere in
them, but the procrastination on the part of
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 or
ders.' He did not know but they were all wrong,
and did know that some of them were. All he
wanted or had ever wanted, he said, was that
some one would take the responsibility and act,
and call on him for all the assistance needed,
pledging himself to use all the power of the gov
eminent
up to this time no hint had been given me of
what was wanted after 1 left Vicksburg except
the suggestion in one of Hallecks dispatches that
had better go to Nashville and superintend the
operation OF the troops sent to relieve Rosecrans
But soon after we started the Secretary handed
me two orders, saying that 1 could take my
choice of them. The two were identical in all
but one particular. Both created the Military
Division Of the Mississippi giving the com
maud, composed of the departments of the Ohio,
the Cumberland and the Tennessee, and all the
| territory from the Alleghenles to the Mississippi
river north of Banks's command in the South
west One orderleft the department commanders
| as they were, while the other relieved Rosecrans
and assigned Thomas to his place. l accepted
the latter We reached Louisville after light,
and if remember rightly, in a cold, dismal rain.
At all events the Secretary of War told me af-
forwards that he caught cold on that occasion
from which he never expected to recover. He
never did"
| General Grants eye for the humorous as we'll
as his decision of character are shown in his
account Of the excitement of Secretary Stanton
| at the moment when 1T was feared that the army
must retreat from Chattanooga "On the re-
ceipt of Mr. Dana's dispatch" he writes "Mr
Stanton sent for me- Finding that 1 was out
he became nervous and excited, inquiring of
every person he met, including guests of the
house, whether they knew where l was, and
bidding them find me and send me to him at
once. About ii o'clock / returned to the hotel
and on my way, when rear the louise every per
son met was messenger from th,. Secretary
apparently partaking of his impotence w see
me. fastened to the room of the Secretary.
and found him pacing the room rapidly, in about
the garb Mr.. Jefferson Davis was wearing sub
sequently, when he was captured; dressing
gown. but without the shawl and sunbonnet.
He showed me the dispatch, saying that a re-
treat must be prevented. I Immediately wrote
an order assuming command of the Military
Division of the Mississippi and telegraphed it to
General Rosecrans l then telegraphed him the
order from WasL .ngton, assigning Thomas to the
command of the Army of the Cumberland; and
to Thomas that he must hold Chattanooga at all
hazards"
Lees surrender is referred to at considerable
length, and in most interesting manner, by
General Grant In telling how he met Lee at
been brought into our lines and conducted to a
house belonging to Mr.. Mclean, and was there
with one of bis staff officers waiting my arrival.
The head Of his column was occupying hill, a
portion OF which was an apple orchard, across
the little valley from the court house. Sheri-
dams forces were drawn up in line Of battle on
the crest of the hill on the south side of the
same valley. Wars produce many
stories of fiction, some of which are told until
they are believed. The war of the Rebellion was
w no cfn IF fho
apple tree is one of those fctions with
slight foundation of fact. AS l have said, there
was an apple orchard the side of the hill occu-
pied by the confederate force. Running diagon-
ally up the hill was gon-road, which at one
point ran very near one of the trees, so that the
wheels on that side had cut off the roots of the
tree, which made a little embankment. General
Babcock reported to me that when he first met
ment with his feet in the road, and leaning
against the tree. 1t was then that Lee
was conducted into the house where I first
met him. / had known General Lee in
the old army and served with him in the Mexi-
can war; but did hot suppose owing to the differ
ence in our age and rank, that he would probably
remember me; while l would remember him
more distinctly, because he was the chief engi-
neer on the staff of General Scott in the Mexi-
can war. When had left the camp that morn
ing had not expected the result so soon, that
then was taking place, and consequently was in
rough garb and, believe, without sword, as |
usually was when on horseback on the field,
wearing a soldiers blouse for 1. coat, with
shoulder straps of my rank 10 indicate who l
was to the army. When went into the house l
found General Lee. We greeted each other,
and after shaking hands took our seats
What his feelings were I do not know;
being man. of much dignity and with an
lmpenetrable face, it was impossible to say
whether he felt rwardly glad that the end had
finally come or whether he felt sadly over the re-
suit and was too manly to show it. Whatever
his feelings were they were entirely concealed
from observation; but my own feelings, which
had been quite apparent the receipt of his let
ter, were sad and depressed. 1 felt like any
thing rather than rejoicing at the downfall of a
foe that had fought so long and CALAMITY and
lieved to be of the worst for which people
ever fought and for which there was the least
pretext. | do not question, however, the sin