The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-09
A Number Of Intensely Interesting
Extracts from the First Volume.
The Union Troops at Shiloh Acted on the
Offensive, but Precautions for Defense
We're Not Neglected,
And Grant Did Not for a Moment Doubt
that He Would Win the Fight.
His Meeting with Stanton at Indianapolis
How Rosecrans Was Relieved-There
Was No Apple-Tree at Appomattox.

Was No Apple-Tree at Appomattox.
New YORK, June 8-The following extracts
have been obtained from the first volume Of
General Grants book Speaking of the battle
of Shiloh he says he considered the situation as
one in which the federal soldiers were on the
offensive, but asserts that no precautions for
defense were neglected. On this subject he con-
tinues as follows:
General Beaureguard was next in rank to
Johnston, and succeeded to the command, which
he retained to the close of the battle and during
the subsequent retreat on Corintb. as well as in
the siege of that place: His tactics tic
eral writer's, but l do not believe
his fallen chief could have done any better under
the circumstances Some of these critics claim
that Shiloh was won when Johnston fell and
that ii he had not fallen the army under me
defeated the confederates at Shiloh. There is
little doubt that we should have been disgrace
fully beaten if all the shells and bullets fired by
US had passed harmlessly over the enemy, and If
generals are liable to be killed during engage
| ments, and the fact that, when he was shot,
Johnston was leading a brigade to
induce it to make a charge which
had been repeatedly ordered, is evidence,
that there were neither the universal demorali-
Zation among the federals nor the uEbounded
confidence of success with the confederates that
was claimed. There was, in fact no hour dur
the day when l doubted the eventual defeat of
the enemy, though l was disappointed that the
reinforcements so near at hand did not arrive at
an earlier hour"
In this connection he refers to his article in
the Century and the remarks in it in regard to
| A Mcn IN co1
public comment He tells of the long march of
the day before, over muddy roads, by General
McCook's division. and of sits conspicuous acts
of gallantry" on the day of The battle, and con-
cludes in these words:
II refer to these circumstances with minute
ness, because did General McCook an injustice
extent one would suppose from the public press.
[ am not willing to do anyone an injustice, and.
if convinced that have done one, am always
willing to make the fullest admission"
Then follow accounts of the siege and capture
of Vicksburg; of his appointment as lieutenant
general. He then adds:
'In my first interview with Mr.. Lincoln alone,
he stated to me that he had never professed to
be a military man, or to know how campaigns
should be conducted, and never wanted to inter
fere with them, but procrastnation 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 is
suing his well known series Of executive orders.
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 need
ed"
Describing his command of the division of the
Mississippi, he tells how he met Secretary Stan
ton at Indianapolis, how they went together to
Louisville, and adds:
''Soon after we started the Secretary handed
me two orders, saying that l could take my
choice of them. The two were identical
created all tss but military 0ni p'r'sHas asson Both o
the Mississippi, giving me the command COM
posed OF the departments of the Ohio, the Cum
berland, and the Tennessee, and all the territory
from the Alleghenies to the Mississippi river,
One order left the department commanders as
they were, while the other relieved Rosecrans
and assigned Thomas to his place. / accepted
the latter"
He says Secretary Stanton caught a cold on
that trip from which he never recovered. He
gives graphic description of how Chattanooga
was saved, of how he was sent for in haste at
night by Secretary Stanton, whom he found
"pacing the floor rapidly, in about the garb Mr..
Jefferson Davis was wearing subsequently when
he was captured-a dressing gown-but without
the shawl and sunbonnet." General Grant adds
HE showed me the dispatches, saying that the
| retreat must be prevented. Immediately wrote
an order assuming command of the military
division of the Mississippi and telegraphed it to
General Rosecrans. / then telegraphed him the
the command of the army of the Cumberland
and to Thomas that he must hold Chattanooga
at all hazards"
NO APPLE TREE AT APPOMATToX.
He describes the Wilderness campaign, and
estimates Lees strength at $4,000 men. The
latter, he says, was operating in country with
which his army was thoroughly familiar, while
to the federal forces it was entirely unknown
He tells of General Lees surrender, and takes
occasion, in the course of it, to explode the fam
Gus story of the surrender under the apple tree
He says there was an apple orchard across the
little valley from the court house, one
tree of which was close to the
roadside; that General Babcock reported
to him Grant that he had found
General Lee sitting under this tree, and had
brought him within the federal lines to the house
of a man named Mclean. where the confederate
General and one of his staff were awaiting Gen.
Grant OF their interview he says:
when went into the house found General
Lee. We greeted each other, and, after shp'-
hands, took our seats. What his feelings were
l do not know, being man Of much dignity,
and with an impenetrabe face 1t was impos
sible to say wether he felt inwardly glad t,'at
the end had finally come, or whether he felt
sad over the result, 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 ap-
parent on the receipt of his letter, were sad and
depressed felt like anything rather than re-
joicing at the downfall of foe that had fought
SO long and gallantly, and had suffered so much
Cor a cause which / believed to be one of the
worst for which people ever fought, and for
which there was not the least 'pretext do
not question, however, the sincerity Of the
great mass of those who were opposed TO US.
General Lee was dressed in full uniform, en-
tirely new and wearing sword OF considerable