The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-01
Yesterdays SECOND EDrFIoN.

YESTERDAYS SECOND EDITION.
EThe following items of news appeared in onr
Second Edition of Sunday:]
Relations OF Grant and HailecIr.
NEW York, Fab 27.-The North American
Review for March will contain some interesting
and hitherto unpublished correspondence be-
tween Generals Grant and Halleck. They are
introduced al follows:
Recent discussions have aroused widespread
interest in the question of the real relations
which existed between Generals Grant and Hal
leck during the war. The controversy has been
precipitated by the acknowledge friends of
Grant. These rest their whole case upon the
reports which General Halleck felt obliged to
send to Washington in regard to General Grant
Immediately after the fall of Fort Donelson.
Friends of General Haleck are understood to
take the ground that TO have done anything else
than he did do would have been a grave neglect
of duty; that Immediately afterward, instead OF
seeking to make trouble for General Grant, helm
terfered actively to save him from trouble; and
that their relations were very friendly subSe-
quently and throughout the war Friends of
General Halleck are known to hold, further.
that General Grants final belief that General
Halleck had been unfriendly to him at that time
was created by subordinates, who, for purposes
of their own, distorted the contents Of the official
records It is still further claimed by them that
no true friend of General Grant can contemplate
with pleasure q discussion which, if continued,
must, and should, result in establishing the ex-
act facts of the whole situation during the ten
days following the fab of Donelson."
The letter books which contain the original of
the private correspondence which passed be-
tween these two generals during the war have
been examined by writer in the North Ameri-
can Review. When General Grant was still
FESTIVE under his anomalous position of second
in command, after Shiloh, General Halleck
wrote him.
MONTEREY, Miss. May 1, 1862.
lam very much surprised, General, that you should
find any of complaint in the recent assignments
OF commands. You have precisely the position to
which your rank entities you. Had I given you the
right wing. or reserve only, it would have been re-
ducton rather than increase of command and could
not give you both without placing you in the position
you now occupy. You certainly will not suspect me
of any intention to iure feelings reputation
or do you any injustice; il SO, You will eventually
change your mind this subject. For the last three
months have done everything in my power to ward
off the attacks which made upon you. IF you be-
lieve me your friend, you will not require explana-
tion if not explanations on my part would be Of little
avail.
Fifteen months later the correspondence
shows the existence Of most cordial relations
The following letter from General Halleck is in
teresting in the friendliness of its address and
in the wish expressed at its close to be back with
Grant in the field. 1t further shows that Hal
leck suggested the letter from Grant in which
r6cOmme0Qeu
Pherson for promotion. while. at the same time.
Grants warm friendship for these comrades
shines out in every line of his compliance with
Hallecks wish:
HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, I
WASHINGTON, d. O., July IL, 1863.
Major general Grant, vicksburg, Miss:
My Dear General-Gen George G. Meade has been
appointed brigadiergeneral in the regular army at
the same time that you were made major,general.
There is still one vacant neutrality-suspicious., and
hope that Harvey Anderson and Cooke will soon be
retired, making three more vacancies. The most
prominent persons candidates for brigadier
in the regular army are w. T. Sherman. Mcpherson.
g. III. Thomas. Sedgwick and Hancock. L of the
opinion that Sherman and Mcpherson have rendered
the best service and should IN first If you
think write official letter to that effect, urging
their appointment to the first vacancy. State their
services pretty fully and mention the battles they
have been in under your command. The feeling is
very strong here in favor of your generals
We are anxiously awaiting to hear of the
fall of Port Hudson, and the entire opening of the
Mississippi river. The President will then issue
general order congratulatng the armies of the East
and West ON their recent victories. This consdera-
ton has prevented me from issuing one myself for
your army. preferred that 1T should come from the
President.
Meade has thus far proved excellent generals the
only one in fact who has fought the array of the
Potomac well. He seems the right man in the right
place. Hooker more than failure. Had he
NAMED in command, he would have lost the army and
the capital. Give my kindest regards to my old
friends among your officers. sincerely wish was
with you again In the West. utterly sick of this
political hell Yours, truly. H. W HALhEcK-
Upon receiving the above, General Grant
promptly wrote to President Lincoln, cordially
recommending the promotion Of Sherman and
Mcpherson.
Three weeks later, General Grant, in the midst
ola long official letter to General Halleck,
turned aside from the thread of the letter to
write:
VICKsBuRG. Miss, Aug. IA, 1863.
- feel under many obligations to you, Gen.
eral for the interest you have taken in my well
fare and that of the army have the honor to com
mand. will do the best know how to satisfy you
that your confidence has not been misplaced.
A few weeks later Halleck was thus privately
defending General Grant to Secretary Stanton
WASHINGTON D. c., Nov. Is, 1853
It has been alleged. and the allegation has
been widely circulated by the President that General
Grant in the conduct Of his campaign positively dis
obeyed the instructions of his superors. 1t is hardly
necessary to remark that General Grant never disc.
beyed order instruction but always carried out
made to him by the governments moreover, he has
complained that the did Lot furnish
him all the and assistance in its power to fac
itate the execution of any plan which he saw fit to
adopt.
When the war closed, Halleck is found prompt
to extend and Grant prompt to accept the hos
pitality of the formers home The following
kilograms tell of the incident:
WASHINGTON, May II, 1865, 9P. M.
Major general Halleck:
enerai Urant Is mere with ms wlIe ana is SICK IL
not safe for him to be at the hotel and he is reuc
tant to go into private family. He would go into
your house for while, if agreeable to you. Will you
write him to do so while your family ABSENT
E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.
RICHMOND, Va, May 1S. 1865.
lieutenant general Grant, Washington:
There are two servants and most of the furniture
and bedding in the house occupied in Georgetown.
suggest that while your wife is with you YOU move
right in and make yourself comfortable. Ny family
will not again occupy it, and do not need the furni
ture here at least for the present During the hot
weather you make yourself much more comforta-
BILE there than IN Washington.
FL. W. HALLEcK, Major general.
WASHINGTON, d. c., May Is, 1865.
Maior-general Halleck:
Your very kind dispatch placing your house at Mrs.
Grants disposal during her stay is received. have
not seen Mrs Grant, but / know that she will be de-
lighted to get out of the hotel for the few weeks she