The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-09
BOOKS OF THE TIME.
General Grants Letters to the Hon.
Elihu b. Wnahburne.


Of breach of confdence-not necessarily
real breach of confidence, but a suggestion
Of it. For it stands to reason that the
writer of the letters was not consulted in
regard to their publication, and possibly he
might have objected. But, however that
may be, such letters have been published
in a great many instances, and they are
most interesting and valuable feature of
biographical literature. In fact biography
would be comparatively barren without
them. Many lives of General Grant have
been written, and he left his own Memoirs,
but nothing has been written about him
which reveals his true character as clearly
from the inside, as it were, as a recent pub
lieation entitled General Grants Letters
to a Friend: 1S61-S0." The friend was Hon.
e. b. Washburne, of Illinois, between whom
and Grant there existed an intimate friend
ship, alike honorable to both, during long
term Of years. AS an influential member of
Congress and friend of Lincolns, Wash
burne was of great service to Grant when
the latter needed friends, and Grant repaid
his service, first, in trying to discharge in
the fullest degree every obligation of duty
put upon him, and later by friendly service
in return. The relations between the two
were apparently as sincere as they were in
innate, and their friendship was without a
flaw. The letters in this volume cover
period of nineteen years, beginning in 1861
and ending in 1880. yet they are not numer-
Gus and none of them long. Grant probably
wrote Washburne other letters during this
period which are not published but for OBJ
vious reasons during much of the time he
was too busy to write often or much. The
volume contains forty-eight letters. or parts
Of letters. Those written during the war
are dated, in many instances from famous
battlefields, as Fort Donelson, Shiloh. Vicks-
burg, Chattanooga and the Wilderness, and
reveal, Incidentally some of the strongest
and most admirable traits Of Grants char
acter. Later letters, written during his trip
around the world or after his return, con-
tain his views on men and affairs, very
wrote line calculated to lower him in the
esteem of his countrymen 1t does not APP
pear in any If these letters. Through them
all his true character appears-modest but
self-reliant never seeking nor evading re-
sponsibidty, disinterested in his devotion to
country and friends, gentle. brave, loyal,
sincere, Indifferent to unjust criticism ana
confident of his vindcation, doing his duty
regardless Of consequences, equal to every
emergency and master of every situation
in short, Americas greatest soldier ana the
In the opening letter of this collection, GATED
HEADQUARTERS District Of Cairo; Cairo,
Jan. 70, 1867, d1Ler MI. w SSii-
burne for 1.-The part you have taken in givv-
ing me my present position; ne says:
can assure you my whole heart is IN the
cause which we are fighting for, and
pledge myself that, if equal to the task be-
fore me, you shall never have cause 10 re-
greet the part you have taken. From Fort
Donelson Feb 81 1862. he writes: "On the
18th, 14th and 18th our volunteers fought a
battle that would figure we'll with many OF
those fought in Europe, where large stand anu
ing armies are maintained. feel very
f11l tO having placed
position to have had the honor OF command
ing such an army and at such a time.
APPOINT you Not a word of description or
detail of three days fighting. he con-
Guides: THE road to Nashville is now
clear, but whether my destination viii be
there or farther west can't yet be told:
want to move early, and no doubt will.
In a letter written March e. 1852, ne denies
slaves adding: so long as 1 hold a com
mission in the army have no views OF my
own to carry out Whatever may De Lne
orders of my superiors and law l VIII exc
cute No man can be efficient as COM
mander who sets his own notions a0oVe
law and those whom he has sworn TO opey.
for f1 nm me to execute, I will resign" After
Donelson there was perlou oL ms I u5luSL
Standing between General Halleck at WASH
ington and Grant. Halleck sent MN zen Gen,
serious dispatch and Grant writes: MOI
seeing the Justice of it, l retorted, and asked
to be relieved Three kilograms passed III
to he relieved. All is now understood, now
ever and l feel assured that Haleck Is
fully satisfied. In fact, he wrote me LEA
ter. saving that 1 could not be relieved, ana
otherwise quite complimentary. rms let
ter closes with an assurance tnat you slel.
not be disappointed In me II II IS III my
tR.Near Corinth, Miss, May IA. 1862" he says
'sThe great number of attacks mace upon
me by the press of the country Is my ap Sn-
ogy for not writing to you oftener' not us,
string to give any contradiction to them
myself You have interested yoursed 50
much as my friend that snonia Ia S say Of IN
NV behalf / would scorn being my own
defender against such attacks, ,except
through the record when mas nee be yam
Ined at Washington at any time. Iorsay
that | have not been distressed at ines
attacks upon ME Woui6 De ls4sS, ,i LUn l wbo
raad them and are distressed by them, and
7 necessarily share with them In It.. Ihen,
TOO all subject to my orders read these
charges. and it is calculated to weaken tlell
confdence in me and weaken my ability 70
render efficient service in our present cause.
One thing l will assure you OF, noWeSe I.
I cannot be driven from rendering the pes
service within my ability to suppress tne
present rebellion, and, when 1t is over, retlr-
ING TO the same quiet the rebellion Iound
me enjoying Notoriety has no charms for
Services 5eT' lD that hope LIT It has as be esp
hst cause without being known in the mat;
ter. it would be infinitely preferaple 70 me.
Some of these attacks charged 0eneral
Grant with Incompetence, with needless sac
rifice of his men, etc. He says: Those peo-
nile who expect a field of battle to be main
tanned for a whole day with about thirty
thousand troops, most of them entirely raw,
against fifty thousand. as was the case at
Pittsburg Landing, while waiting Tor rem
forcements to come up wlthout loss od me- L
know little of war" In later letter ne
says: 1T is hard to say what would be the
most wise policy to pursue towards THESE
(Southern) people, but for soldier his Gu.
ties are plain. He is to obey the orders OF
all those placed over him, and whip the en-
eny wherever he meets him. AGAIN ne
writes: 'You will see by the papers that
am on the move. If troops are furnished
me to keep open my lines of communica-
ton. there will be no delays in this depart
ment'' He would do his part. After the Fall
Of VickSburg the people began 10 look upon
Grant as the coming general, ana tnere
was a popular demand that he be placed in
command of the Army of the Potomac. NO
doubt his friend Washburne shared IN this
desire as did many other friends. PROBABLY
President Lincoln did. But there were some,
high in position. who did not. Grant him
self did not desire the transfer. He would
have preferred to remain where ne was.
Senator Wilson, OF Massachusetts, tad
written to Washburne on the subject, and
Washburne incosed his letter to Grant. The
latter, writing from Vicksburg, Aug. 80,
1853 SAYS: Il fully appreciate all Senator
Wilson says. Had it not been for General
Haileck and Dana, think it altogether
likely I would have been ordered to the
Potomac. My going could do no possible
good They have there able officers, VINO
have been brought up with that army, and
to import a commander to place over them
certainly could produce no good. While |
would not positively disobey an order,
would have objected most vehemently to
taking that command or any other, except
the one / have. l can do more with this
armv than il would be possible for me to