The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-01-15
Halleok's Envy Of Grant
WALLACE CHARGES THAT HE WAS WILL
ING TO SACRIFICE GRANT IN 1864.

General Lew Wallace uses the follow
sng startling language IN an interview
printed in the Commercial Gazette:
"Geuelal Grant, in his report Of 1860,
says emphaticaly that the battle of
Monocacy on July 0, 1864, did save
Washington. have no hesitancy in
saying that it saved the capital, con
trary to the wishes of Halleck. am
convinced that at the time, out of jea.
ousy Of Grant, Halleck was willing 10
betray the country AID permit Wash
ington to be captured, knowing that
such thing would destroy Grant.
"Until Grant was called East Hal.
leck had been commander-in-chief.
He was then let down with the title of
chief of staff, but nobody has ever
been able to discover whose staff he
was chief of. 1t was this that made
him envious of Grant. In June 1864,
when Early made his movement on
Washington the first information of it
was when he appeared before Martins
burg and drove Sipgel out. Siegel
telegraphed to Halleck that Early,
with 10000 men, was in his front and
was bent on going either to Washing
ton or Baltimore. Halleck refused TO
believe the report, and said Siegel was
scared at a small raiding party. He
also failed to notify Grant of what
Siegel had reported. Siegel telegraph.
,,I hn th,,,fv trN at Rnlttp,nra
l thought would satisfy myself. but
knew if went in the daytime Halleck
would hear of it aud remove me. So
| went out to Monocacy, the limit of
my department, in the nighttime
| soon became satisfied that the enemy
was moveing in force, but just what
his objective point was could not be 50
readily determined. | Immediately be
gan concentrating my small force at
the crossing of the Monocacy, near
Frederick. The road to Baltimore
and the road to Washington cross the
river on bridges not far apart. 1t was
an excellent place for defense':.and by
the morning of the 9th Of July | had
$500 men well posted. A great part
of my men were only l00.day men
aud had never been under fife. The
rebels began the attack early in the
morning with about 10000 men, with
several thousand more at Frederick.
The battle lasted until in the evening
when withdrew without the loss of a
gun or flag. The enemy was SO
much discouraged by the stubborn
resistance that they did not cross the
river until noon of the next day. Thus
they were delayed thirty-six hours
l mad succeeded in making Early show
his force and demonstrate his real OBJ
jective point.
81 Immediately telegraphed to Grant
the result of the matter, He did not
disbelieve my report, as Halleck had
pretended to do that of Siegel, but at
once despatched by transports an army
corps to Washington, aud it arrive d
just in time, as Early was skirmishing
at the outworks when the reinforce.
ments dsembarked. Just then was
where Grant showed his wonderful
genius. Other commanders in at
tempting to take Richmond had al
ways LETT behind large army to de-
fend Washington. Grant was determ
med to utilize his forces, and he kept a
fleet of transports at City Point under
steam at all times by which to send
men back to defend Washington, bu,
IN 1864 he would have been too late il
had not telegraphed to him instead Of
Halleck. For winning that battle
Halleck removed me from command.
but Grant telegraphed an order re-
storing me and inviting me to spend a
week or two with him at City Point.
1t was the first communication we had
had for two years.