The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-06-12

with authority to command all the armies
of the United States, under the direction
of the President This authority was can
ferrcd 10y act Of Congress: the office OF
Iieutcnant-Gen was revived. so as to
give ten. Grant rank superior to all
those who had preceded him i'll appoint,
mcnt as Major-Generals.
On March 10 Gen. Grant visited Gen.
Meade Mt Brandy Station. Va. 80 miles
from Washington. Meade and Grant had
not met since the Mexican War. They
conferred fully in regard to the military
situation. Gen. Meade spoke frankly in
regard to his own position at the head OF
the Army Of the Potomac, and slid. Il
ask you to remove me at once. if it suits
your plans:" but Gen. Grant assured
him that he,lad no desire TO remoTc him.
On March II, Gen. Grant returned to
Washington, and. eXcusing himself from
attending q state dinner with the Prcsi-
dent. started West that night. He tele-
grabbed Gen. Sherman to be in Nashville
by March II.
These two men met on that date. lhey
were soon TO part. Grant to have his head
quarters with the Army of the Potomac
same time commanding all the armies of
the United States: Sherman to command
the Military Division of the Mississippi.
with headquarters in the field. and NAL
Gen. james b. Mcpherson to command
the Department and Army of the Tennes-
see.
>, Thus the great Army of the Tennessee
gave to the country the COMMANDMENT
Chief of all the Armies, the Commander
of the four great departments. composing
the Military Division of the Mississippi,
and also the Commander of the Depart
mcnt of the Tennessee.
1t has always been great source of
pride and pleasure to me that my military
service fell under the command of these
great lcaders-Grant. Sherman. Mcrhcr-
soli--l,,mes that will stand out in our his
tory as long as time lasts.
CAMPAIGN OF 1864.
The military campaign of 1864 stands
out in history as one of the most dramatic
events in the stories of the wars of the
world.
The armies in the field on both sides OF
the great struggle were veteran armies.
and were commanded by men who take
rank in military history with the greatest
field marshals of the old world.
Gen. Grants theory of war was to make
the opposing armies his objective points;
to close with the armies. and to continue
the fight until victory was won.
He was not content to fight and gam
a battle, and then 20 into camp to rest,
recuperate and reinforce. He believed
in getting hold of the enemy and never
letting 20 until he had it oat with him.
As has been shown Lieut.-Gen. Grant con-
ferred with Maj-Gen. Meade on March
10. 1864. at the Headquarters of the
Army of the Potomac. at Brandy Station,
Va. around which place this great army
was encamped.
On the night of March II Gen. Grant
started West from Washington City to
meet Gen. Sherman. commander of the
Military Division of the Mississippi, COM
prising four great military departments.
They met at Nashville, Tenn, on March
IL The conferences between Grant and
Meade and Grant and Sherman settled
definitely the general course of military
operations of the Union armies for 1864.
The Mississippi River was to be kept
open and thoroughly policed, so as to pre-
vent troops and supplies from West
Louisiana. Arkansas and Texas passing
over to the relief of the Confederate
while the advantages gained by the Union
forces west of the Mississippi River were
not to be abandoned, the field of great
military operations was to be east of the
Mississippi against the armies led by Gen.
Lee in Virginia and by Gen. Joseph Il.
Johnston in Georgia.
The plan was to make the most
thorough preparations for the great task
of destroying those armies. 1t was ar
ranged that the campaign should open
about May 1, 1864, upon a signal to be
given by Gen. Grant. Meade's army and
Sherman's army were TO break camp and
move ont against the enemy on the morn
ing Of the same day. And the navy with
its ships and transports along the sea
coast and on the Western rivers was to
cooperate in this great campaign.
On May /, 1864, the officers and SOL
diers under command of Maj.-Gens,
Meade, Butler, Gilmore. Banks, Rose
Grams, Hunter, Anger, Dix and Sherman
were composed of S92 regiments Of infan-
try, AS regiments of cavalry and 249 bat
terics of artillery, with 402,502 men pres
ent and equipped ready for duty, and it
is an interesting fact that the great ma
jority of the organizations which took the
field at the beginning of the war were
still at the front. 1t is true that these
regiments and companies had met with
heavy losses in previous campaigns, but
they had lost none of their original en-
thusiasm and devotion to the cause Of the
Union, and now as veteran soldiers they
were ready 10 perform every duty and
encounter every hardship and danger
necessary for the complete triumph of the
National army.
The navy consisted of 500 vessels armed
with 3.349 guns. with 5000 officers and
10000 men, and constituted as capable
and gallant navy as ever sailed the
seas or fired n gun. Farragut, Porter,
Dahlgren, Dupont, Wordep, Foot, Wins
low, officers connected with the navy, are
names that will be remembered as long
ms gallant deeds interest and inspire
American manhood.
In speaking and writing of the opera
tions Of an army and navy, the matters
which are always uppermost in the mind
are the strategy, the genius of the com
Mandcrs and the valor, persistence and
endurance Of the soldiers; but no adequate
idea can be formed Of the tremendous prep
nrauons necessary to enable a competent
commander and valiant army to carry
TO successful issue a great campaign
without considering the means adopted
to secure that end. .
An army must be clothed, fed, shelter
ed, armed, transported and cared for
when sick or wounded. There were five
great departments having in charge the
business Of caring for the army.
The Quartermaster's Department pro-
yided clothing, food, shelter, transporta-
tion and forage for the army. All the
clothing, all the. tents, all the cooking
utensils, all the horses and mules all the
wagons and all the grain that was re-
quired for the animals were purchased by
the Quartermaster's Department, kept at
great depots at points convenient to the
field of operations and finally conveyed to
ia