The Man Who Saved the Union (104 page)

“He said that with the great responsibilities”
: Charles S. Venable, “General Lee in the Wilderness Campaign,”
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War
(1887), 4:240.

“The reports of General Lee’s scouts … which confronted them”
: John B. Gordon,
Reminiscences of the Civil War
(1904), 235-36.

“Each plan presents great advantages”
: to Meade, April 9, 1864.

“What I ask is that”
: to Butler, April 16, 1864.

“I will move against Lee’s army”
: to Halleck, April 29, 1864.

“This is my forty-second birthday”
: to Julia Dent Grant, April 27, 1864.

“Before you receive this”
: to Julia Dent Grant, May 2, 1864.

“Not expecting to see you”
: Lincoln to Grant, April 30, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:324.

“The confidence you express”
: to Lincoln, May 1, 1864.

“The movement of this Army”
: to Burnside, May 2, 1864.

“The crossing of Rapidan effected”
: to Halleck, May 4, 1864.

“It was uneven”
: Alexander S. Webb, “Through the Wilderness,”
Battles and Leaders of the Civil War
, 4:154.

“My command had cut its way”
: Gordon,
Reminiscences
, 239-41.

“By the blessing of God”
: Lee report, May 5, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:36(1):1028.

“We have engaged with the enemy”
: to Halleck, May 6, 1864.

“The enemy advanced”
: Lee report, May 6, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:36(1):1028.

“Yesterday the enemy attacked our lines”
: to Halleck, May 7, 1864.

“More desperate fighting has not been witnessed”
:
Memoirs
, 534.

“We are very much troubled”
: Charles A. Dana,
Recollections of the Civil War
(1899), 188, 194.

“He discussed the dominant characteristics”
: Gordon,
Reminiscences
, 267-68.

“General Grant is not going to retreat … answer—Spotsylvania”
: Gordon,
Reminiscences
, 268-70.

“Rank after rank”
: Horace Porter,
Campaigning with Grant
(1907), 110-11.

“Firing into one another’s faces”
: Gordon,
Reminiscences
, 284.

“The ground around the salient”
: Dana,
Recollections
, 196-97.

“Our losses have been heavy … takes all summer”
: to Stanton, May 11, 1864.

CHAPTER 40

“I am satisfied the enemy are very shaky”
: to Halleck, May 11, 1864.

“The world has never seen”
: to Julia Dent Grant, May 13, 1864.

“Lee’s army is really whipped”
: to Halleck, May 26, 1864.

“One of the most important results”
: Charles A. Dana,
Recollections of the Civil War
(1899), 204.

“There has been a very severe battle”
: to Julia Dent Grant, June 1, 1864.

“In passing along on foot”
: Horace Porter,
Campaigning with Grant
(1907), 174-75.

“The Second Corps assaulted the enemy’s position”
: Hancock report, Nov. 8, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:36(1):366-67.

“Our loss was not severe”
: to Halleck, June 3, 1864.

“I have always regretted”
:
Memoirs
, 588.

“the very bad news from Fort Pillow”
: John Sherman to William Sherman, April 17, 1864,
The Sherman Letters
(1894), 233.

“The river was dyed”
: Forrest to Thomas Jack, April 15, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:32(1):610.

“Three hundred blacks murdered”
: from Sherman, April 15, 1865,
Official Records
, 1:32(3):367.

“We all feel that we must disband”
: John Sherman to William Sherman, April 17, 1864,
Sherman Letters
, 233-34.

“Having determined to use the negro”
: Lincoln speech, April 18, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:302.

“Lincoln drafted an order”
: Lincoln to Stanton, May 17, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:345.

CHAPTER 41

“I now find … without this protection”
: to Halleck, June 5, 1864.

“But the move had to be made”
:
Memoirs
, 591.

“We must destroy this army”
:
Personal Reminiscences, Anecdotes and Letters of Gen. Robert E. Lee
, comp. J. William Jones (1875), 40.

“Every rail on the road”
: to Meade (instructions for Sheridan), June 5, 1864.

“The complete destruction of this road … destroy the canal”
: to Hunter, June 6, 1864.

“His cigar had been thrown aside”
: David Porter,
Campaigning with Grant
(1907), 199-200.

“Since Sunday we have been engaged”
: to Julia Dent Grant, June 15, 1864.

“The enemy show no signs”
: to Halleck, June 14, 1864.

“I begin to see it”
: Lincoln to Grant, June 15, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:393.

“I believed then”
:
Memoirs
, 599.

“We will rest the men”
: to Meade, June 18, 1864.

“Our work progresses here slowly”
: to Julia Dent Grant, June 22, 1864.

“You people up North”
: to J. Russell Jones, July 5, 1864.

“The immense slaughter of our brave men”
: Welles diary, June 2, 1864,
Diary of Gideon Welles
(1911), 2:44.

“I hope you are very well … that very stuff”
: Porter,
Campaigning with Grant
, 217.

“Like most men … a genuine friendship”
: Porter,
Campaigning with Grant
, 218-24.

CHAPTER 42

“immediate efforts be made”
: Democratic platform, Aug. 29, 1864.

“It was the saddest affair”
: to Halleck, Aug. 1, 1864.

“Admiral Porter has always said”
: Welles diary, Aug. 2, 1864,
Diary of Gideon Welles
(1911), 2:92.

“I write to put you in possession”
: Smith to Foot, July 30, 1864,
Papers of Grant
, 11:207-09n.

“The General was at the front today”
: Rawlins to Mrs. Rawlins, June 29, 1864, in James Harrison Wilson,
The Life of John A. Rawlins
(1916), 239.

“There never was any such happening”
:
Autobiography and Personal Reminiscences of Major-General Benjamin F. Butler
(1892), 698, 713.

“I have sometimes thought … are upon us”
: Welles diary, July 6, 8, 11, 1864,
Diary of Welles
, 2:68-72.

“Let us be vigilant”
: Lincoln to Thomas Swann et al., July 10, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:438.

“General Halleck says”
: Lincoln to Grant, July 10, 1864, ibid., 437.

“I have sent from here”
: to Lincoln, July 10, 1864.

“Could see the line of pickets”
: Welles diary, July 11, 1864,
Diary of Welles
, 2:72-73.

“We haven’t taken Washington”
:
The Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864
, ed. Gary W. Gallagher (2006), xi.

“The Rebels have lost”
: Welles diary, July 11, 1864,
Diary of Welles
, 2:73.

“The sun was just sinking”
: Isaac N. Arnold,
The Life of Abraham Lincoln
(1885), 375.

“The people are wild for peace … hope of success”
: Weed to Seward, Aug. 22, 1864, in John G. Nicolay and John Hay, “Abraham Lincoln: A History,”
Century
(1889), 548.

“No, sir…
badly beaten
”
: J. K. Herbert to Benjamin Butler, Aug. 11, 1864,
Private and Official Correspondence of General Benjamin F. Butler
(1917), 5:35.

“This morning, as for some days past”
: Lincoln memorandum, Aug. 23, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:514.

“I would say … my own conscience”
: John Hay diary, Nov. 11, 1864,
Inside Lincoln’s White House: The Complete Civil War Diary of John Hay
, ed. Michael Burlingame and John R. Turner Ettlinger (1997), 248.

CHAPTER 43

“It is enough to make the whole world start”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, June 30, 1864,
Home Letters of General Sherman
(1909), 299.

“Dalton will be our first point”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, April 27, 1864,
Home Letters
, 289.

“Thomas is my centre”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, May 22, 1864,
Home Letters
, 292-93.

“I cannot leave the railroad”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, June 30, 1864,
Home Letters
, 299-300.

“All of Georgia”
: Sherman to John Sherman, June 9, 1864,
The Sherman Letters
(1894
)
, 235-36.

“I propose to study the crossings”
: Sherman to Halleck, July 6, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:38(5):65-66.

“I immediately inquired of General Schofield”
:
Memoirs of Sherman
, 543-44.

“McPherson was then in his prime”
:
Memoirs of Sherman
, 550.

“Poor Mac”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, July 26, 1864,
Home Letters
, 303.

“He was not out of his place”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, no date given,
Home Letters
, 302n.

“I know the country swarms with thousands”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, June 26, 1864,
Home Letters
, 298.

“We have Atlanta close aboard”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, July 26, 1864,
Home Letters
, 302-03.

“Atlanta is on high ground”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, Aug. 2, 1864,
Home Letters
, 305-06.

“I have no faith”
: Sherman to Thomas Ewing, Aug. 11, 1864,
Home Letters
, 307.

“I sometimes think our people”
: Sherman to Ellen Sherman, Aug. 2, 1864,
Home Letters
, 306.

“It was the Gordian knot”
: Sherman to Thomas Ewing, Aug. 11, 1864,
Home Letters
, 307.

“That night I was so restless”
:
Memoirs of Sherman
, 581.

“Atlanta is ours, and fairly won”
: Sherman to Halleck, Sept. 3, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:38(5):777.

“The marches, battles, sieges”
: Lincoln order of thanks to Sherman et al., Sept. 3, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:533.

“In honor of your great victory”
: to Sherman, Sept. 4, 1864.

“As soon as your men are properly rested”
: to Sherman, Sept. 10, 1864.

CHAPTER 44

“highly spiced … and do it”
: David Porter,
Campaigning with Grant
(1907), 84.

“I want Sheridan put in command”
: to Halleck, Aug. 1, 1864.

“This, I think, is exactly right”
: Lincoln to Grant, Aug. 3, 1864,
Works of Lincoln
, 7:476.

“Carry off the crops … hang them without trial”
: to Sheridan, Aug. 16, 1864 (two messages).

“Do all the damage to railroads”
: to Sheridan, Aug. 26, 1864.

“I endorsed the program”
:
Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan
(1888), 1:487-88.

“Mr. Stanton kept reminding me”
:
Memoirs of Sheridan
, 2:6.

“I have just received”
: to Sheridan, Sept. 20, 1864.

“Be ready to move”
: H. G. Wright to Sheridan, Oct. 16, 1864,
Memoirs of Sheridan
, 2:63.

“I noticed that there were many women … almost irresistible”
:
Memoirs of Sheridan
, 2:72-81.

“Turning what bid fair”
: to Stanton, Oct. 20, 1864.

CHAPTER 45

“All we want now”
: to Washburne, Aug. 16, 1864.

“I have no objection”
: to Washburne, Sept. 21, 1864.

“I hope it is not the intention”
: to Stanton, Sept. 11, 1864.

“The first, third, and fourth regiments”
: Stanton to Grant, Oct. 27, 1864,
Papers of Grant
, 12:353n.

“The exercise of the right of suffrage”
: to Stanton, Sept. 27, 1864.

“The Government is bound”
: to Lee, Oct. 3, 1864.

“I shall always regret”
: to Lee, Oct. 20, 1864.

“Congratulate the President for me”
: to Stanton, Nov. 10, 1864.

CHAPTER 46

“It would have gladdened my heart”
: Davis speech, Sept. 23, 1864,
Papers of Jefferson Davis
(2004), 11:61.

“Davis seemed to be perfectly upset”
:
Memoirs of Sherman
, 616.

“It once in our possession”
: Sherman to Grant, Sept. 20, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:39(2):411-13.

“It will be better to drive Forrest”
: to Sherman, Sept. 26, 1864.

“I take it for granted”
: Sherman to Halleck, Sept. 29, 1864,
Memoirs of Sherman
, 619.

“It was by such acts”
:
Memoirs of Sherman
, 626.

“It will be a physical impossibility”
: Sherman to Grant, Oct. 9, 1864,
Official Records
1:39(3):162.

“I do not believe”
: to Sherman, Oct. 11, 1864.

“We cannot now remain on the defensive”
: Sherman to Grant, Oct. 11, 1864,
Official Records
, 1:39(3):202.