Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-07-30

moved his army GOWN tne Nesh DaAA Va sAe
liver. crossed to the east side at q point be-
low the city on the last day Of April, 1868,
defeated the enemy in the actions OF Kay
mois. Jackson, Champion Hill and Big Black,
nreventfnr General J. E Johnston from
toinipg Pemberton at Vicksburg, and laid
siege 70 that place May Is. The city was
surrendered, with about 1900 prisoners,
July 4, 1868. ThereuPon
Grant Was Promoted TO the Rank Of Major
General
in tl- regular army. In October he was placed
in command Of the military division of the
Mississippi, comprising the departments
commanded by Sherman, Thomas, Burnside
and Hooker. Immediately after the cap
ture of Vicksburg he had sent heavy rein
forcements to General Sherman Oh the Big
Black river, who was thereby enabled
to drive the Confederate force under
Johnston out of Jackson. Grant
concentrated his forces for the defense OF
Chattanooga, which was threatened by
Bragg, and the latter position on Mission
ary Ridge and Lookout mountain were car
ried by assault on November "a and Is.
Bragg's forces retreated to Dalton, Ga, being
followed as far as Ringgold. The pursuing
columns were then sent to the relief Of
Knoxville, which, held by Burnside, was
closely invested by Longstreet. General
HaIleck. in his. annual report said: Con
sidering the strength Of the rebel position
and the difficulty Of storming his intrench-
ments. the battle of Chattanooga must be
considered the most remarkable In history;
Not only did the officers and men exhibit
great skill and daring in their operations
on the field, but the highest praise is due to
the commanding general for his admirable
dispositions for dislodging the enemy from
q position apparently impfegnable. More
over, by turning his right flank and throw
ing him back upon Ringgold and Dalton,
Sherman's forces were interposed between
Bragg and Longstreet, SO as TO prevent any
possibility of their forming junction"
The first measure passed in the congressional
session of 1868 and 1864 was resolution pro-
viding that's
Gold Medal be Struck fer General Grant,
and returning thanks to him and his
army. Resolutions of thanks were also
passed by the Legislatures of New York and
Ohio. A bill reviYing the grade of lieutenant
general in the army was passed by Congress.
and cn March l, 1864, received the signature
of President Lincoln, who at once nomina-
ted General Grant for the position. The
Senate confirmed the nomination onthe fol-
lowing day. On the eve of starting for
Washington to receive the commission,
Grant wrote letter to General Sherman, in
which he said: sWhilst have been emil
nently successful in this war, in at least
gaining the confidence of the public, no one
feels more than how much is due to the
energy, skill, and the harmonious putting
forth of that energy and skill, of those whom
it has been my good fortune to have occupy
ing subordinate positions under me. There
applicable to q greater or less degree,
propertionate to their ability as soldiers,
but what want is to express my thanks to
you and Mcpherson as the men TO whom
above all others feel indebted for whatever
l have had of success"
Grant arrived in Washington on March 9,re-
celved his commission at the hands of the
President, and on the 18th issued his first gen.
eral order, dated at Nashville,
Assuming Command of the Armies of the
United States,
and announcing that headquarters would be
in the field, and until further orders with the
army of the Potomac. Not before during the
civil war had any one general in the field
commanded all the national armies.
Grant with nearly 100000 men
in the field, at once planned two
campaigns to be directed simultaneously
against vital points of the Confederacy by
the two chief armies under his command
the one under General Meade to operate
against Richmond, defended by Lee, the
other, under General Sherman, against At
lanta, defended by Johnston. At midnight
on May 9, Grant began the movement against
Richmond, crossing the Rapidan with the
Army of the Potomac, which was Joined two
days later by the Ninth corps under Burnside,
and, with an aggregate force OF 10000 men,
pushing through the Wilderness by the right
of Lees position, in the endeavor TO place
himself between the Confederate army and
the Confederate capital. Lee was apprised
of the movement on the morning of the 4th,
and boldly took the offensive, pusing east
ward to strike the federal army on the
march. The immediate result was the bloody
tattle of the aWilderness, which fOiled
Grants first attempt to interpose his array
between Lees and Richmond. Making an
other advance by the left flank, he was again
confronted by Lee at Spottsylvania, and af-
ter partial success and q bloody repulse he
repeated the movement again, only to find
Lee in strong position on the North Anna
river and still fourth advance brought the
Army of the Potomac before the absolutely
impregnable rife pits of Cold Harbor. After
a costly assault on these, Grant once more
moved his army by the left flank and cross
ed the James. The day after the success OF
Spottsylvania he had sent dispatch to the
government which closed with these words;
sT Propose to Fight it Out on this Line II it
Takes All summer"
His losses in the campaign from She
Rapidan to the James MAY 8 to june
15) were 54,55i killed, wounded and
missing. Lees losses were about Sc, ,000
Sherman opened his campaign toward At
lanta as soon as Grant telegraphed to him
that the Army of the Potoaac had crossed
the Rapidan At the same Sue Grant had
directed Sigel to advance I. ON Winchester
up the Shenandoah toward Steunton, and
Crook 10 advance from Charleston up the
Kanawha toward Lynchburg. But Sigel was
defeated at Newmarket by Breckenridge,
and Crook, after considerable fighting, Was
was compelled to retreat.
Meanwhile General Butler, with the Army
of the James, had been directed to capture
and hold Petersburg, and if possible to.inyest
Richmond closely from the south side. bat ka6
totally failed to do so All these fanking
movements being foiled, and Lee being nei-
ther defeated in open battle nor cat of from
Richmond, the great problem Of the war
instantly narrowed itself down to a siege of
u
attempt to create diversion by an invasion
of Maryland and sn attack on Washing
ton failed. Sheridan ultimately drix-
ing back the invaders up the
valley of the Shenaadoah; while in Georgia
Johnston was unable TO check the advances
of Sherman and his successor in command,
Hood, was forced to svasuate Atlanta, snd
lost his army before Nashville. The aisge
of Petersburg ended, after the victory a:
Five Forks, in the beginning of April, 1855
when Richmond was evacuated and Lee re-
treated westward toward DaAville, followed
closely by Grant, who finally
Forced the Surrender
of his remaining force, which took place at
Appomattox Court house, April 19.
After the war Grant fixed his headquarters
at Washington; and on July 25, 1885, he was
commissioned general of the United States
army, the rank having been created for him.
On August II, 1867, when President johnson.
suspended Secretary Stanton from Office,
General Grant was made secretary of war ad
interim, and held the position until January
IA, 1868, when he returned it to Mr.. Stanton,
whose removal the Senate had refused to
sanction. The President wished Grant to