The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1897-09-02

staff, occupying a pretty group of huts
on the bank of James River, overlook.
ing the harbor, which was full of vessels
of all classes, both war and merchant,
with wharves and warehouses on an ex,
tensive scale. The General received me
most heartily, and we talked over mat
tiers very fully.
After | had been with him an hour or so,
he remarked that the President, Mr.. Lin
coin, was then on board the steamer River
Queen, lying at the wharf, and he pro-
prosed that we should call and see him.
We walked down to the wharf went on
board, and found Mr.. Lincoln alone, in
the after-cabin. lie remembered me
perfectly, and at once engaged in a most
interesting conversation. He was full of
curiosity about the many incidents of
our great march, which had reached him
officially and through the newspapers,
and seemed to enjoy very much the more
ludicrous parts-about the "bummers,"
and their devices to collect food and
forage when the outside world supposed
us to be starving, but at the same
time he expressed a good deal of anx-
iety lest some accident might happen to
the army in North Carolina during my
absence.
l explained to him that that army
was snug and comfortable in good
camps at Goldsboro' that it would re-
quire some days to collect forage and
food for another march and that Gen.
Sehoield was fully competent to COM
mand it in my absence. Having made
good, long social visit, we took our
leave and returned to Gen. Grants quar-
ters, where Mrs. Grant had provided
tea. While at the table, Mrs. Grant
inquired if we had seen Mrs. Lincoln.
No." said the General, "I did not
ask for her y; and | added that | did
not even know that she was on board.
Mrs. Grant then exclaimed: Well,
you are pretty pair " and added that
our neglect was objectionable, when the
General said we would call again the
next day and make amends for the un-
intended slight.
on BOARD THE RIVER QUEEN.
Early the next day, March %, all the
principal officers of the army and navy
called to see me-Gens Meade, Ord,
Ingalls,, etc, and Admiral Porter. At
this time the River Queen was at anchor
ba ha ,1,or
and we again started to visit Mr.. and
Mrs. Lincoln. Admiral Porter accom-
panied us. We took small tug at the
wharf, which conveyed US on board,
where we were again received most
courteously by the President, who con-
Quoted us to the after After the
general compliments, Gen. Grant in
quired after Mrs. Lincoln, when the
President went to her stateroom, re-
turned, and begged us to excuse her, as
she was not well.
We then again entered upon gen.
eral conversation, during which Gen.
Grant explained to the President that
at that very instant of time Gen. Sheri-
dan was crossing James River from the
north. by a pontoon bridge below City
Point; that he had a large, well-ap-
pointed force Of cavalry, with which he
proposed to strike the Southside and
Danville Railroads, by which alone
Gen. Lee, in Richmond, supplied his
army; and that, in his judgment mat
ters were drawing to a crisis, his only
apprehension being that Gen. Lee would
not wait long enough.
! also explained that my army at
Goldsboro' was strong enough to fight
Lees army and Johnston's combined,
provided that Gen. Grant could come
up within a day or SO that if Lee
would only remain in Richmond an
other fortnight | could march up to
Burkesville, when Lee would have to
starve inside Of his lines, or come out from
his intrenchments and fight us on equal
terms.
Both Gen. Grant and myself sup
posed that one or the other of us would
have to fight one more bloody battle,
and ;hat it would be the last. Mr. Lin
coin exclaimed more than once that
there had been blood enough shed, and
asked us if another battle could not be
avoided. / remember well to have said
that we could not control that event !;
that this necessarily rested with our
enemy; and | inferred that both Jeff
Davis and Gen. Lee would be forced to
fight one more desperate and bloody
battle. | rather supposed it would fall
on me, somewhere near Raleigh; and
Gen. Grant added that if Lee would
only wait few more days he would
have his army so disposed that if the
enemy should abandon Richmond, and
attempt to make junction with Gen. Jos.
Johnston in North Carolina, he (Gen.
Grant, would be on his heels.
ITO be continued)