I sent my dispatches, including a report of the forces and their disposition, to Washington at once, and the next day received a telegraphic order directing Grant to go by the way of Cairo, Louisville, and Nashville to Chattanooga. With this I started at once by the same steamer to Vicksburg, but on account of low water, slow speed and inefficient officers I did not reach Memphis till noon of the 6th, nor Vicksburg till just before noon of the 10th. I found Grant prepared for the orders I carried, and in pursuance thereof we started north that night at eleven o'clock with the entire staff, but did not reach Cairo till the 16th. Thus it will be seen that three full weeks, or more than twice as much time as necessary, were spent in carrying dispatches up and down the Mississippi and in getting Grant in communication with the Washington authorities. This was due partly to low water, but mainly to slow and disabled steamers and to the unwillingness of captains and pilots to run at night. I had a strenuous and disheartening time, but by persuasion, threats, and an occasional appeal to military authority I finally got the officers and boats to put forth their best efforts. Being somewhat of a river man myself, I knew what could and what could not be done quite as well as the masters themselves, and insisted on having my way.

Leaving Cairo on October 17, we arrived at Indianapolis on the morning of the 18th, and were there met by Mr. Stanton, the Secretary of War. He had never seen Grant nor any of the staff except Rawlins, but on coming to our car, instead of asking for Grant, he rushed up to Doctor Kittoe, the staff surgeon, who also wore an army hat and

full whiskers, seized him by the hand, and said impulsively: "How do you do, General Grant? I recognize you from your pictures."

The scene which followed was an embarrassing one. Kittoe was quite as modest as Grant and all three were momentarily confused. While they were blushing and Rawlins was straightening out the mistake, the rest of the staff could hardly conceal their smiles. A perceptible interval elapsed before the introductions were completed and the great men of the meeting got down to business. Grant, although entirely without pretension, had been sensibly disconcerted, while the Secretary became at once less talkative and more reserved than had apparently been his intention, but long before they reached Louisville they had recovered and either talked themselves out or become wary of each other. Of course, no one overheard what passed between Grant and Stanton, but it is certain that none of the staff looked upon what occurred on the train or afterward at Louisville as having established close or sympathetic relations between them. The simple fact is, without reference to the cause or to the idiosyncrasies of these two great characters, that they never became close personal friends. They supported each other loyally and efficiently to the end of the war, but neither ever became a devoted ally of the other.

The night we arrived at Louisville, Grant and most of the staff went to the theater, but Rawlins disapproved highly and did not hesitate to inveigh against it as a thoughtless and undignified proceeding. He was at best rather inclined to be taciturn and moody. Deeply impressed by the combined

wickedness and strength of the rebellion and the necessity of putting it down at whatever cost, he allowed himself but little relaxation and no dissipation. He seemed to think it rather a time for penance and prayer than for enjoyment, however innocent, and was unusually concerned for Grant and the outcome of the new responsibilities which had just been imposed upon him. He realized that his general was now face to face with the greatest task of his life. The four military departments of the Mississippi valley had at last been consolidated into a great military division as Grant had recommended the year before, and Grant had been placed in chief command, as he had not recommended. The military administration in Washington, rather than in the field, had been out-maneuvered and beaten by the Government at Richmond. Ten weeks had been lost by the Army of the Tennessee. Rosecrans had been defeated before the reënforcements so tardily ordered from Grant's Department could reach him. The chief point of interest-the strategic center of the entire western theater of war-was now at Chattanooga, where the beaten army had been shut up and besieged. To meet this great emergency plenary power and authority had been imposed upon Grant, and no one knew better than Rawlins what this new responsibility implied. He had personally promised "the eyes of the Government" that his chief, notwithstanding his infirmities, would make good, and his promise had been redeemed in a manner and by means to which no individual had contributed more and of which none knew the details so fully as himself. It is not strange that Rawlins, who had the more sensitive conscience, should that

night at Louisville have denied himself and taken a serious view of the new campaign, the heaviest details of which were sure to fall upon himself.

I spent the evening with him and Bowers conferring about the necessity of reconstructing the staff and of putting brains and respectability into such vacancies as we could find or make. We three had been of one mind from the first as to the men surrounding the General, and now that he was on the threshold of a still greater career we felt deeply concerned that he should find the right sort of officers to assist in the great work before him.

Just before midnight, October 19, 1863, I wrote a friend hurriedly to make certain that he would understand the newspaper reports correctly:

General Grant takes command of the Departments and Armies of the Tennessee, Cumberland and Ohio, as the Military Division of the Mississippi, headquarters in the field. Rosecrans is relieved and Major General George H. Thomas takes his place. Sherman commands the Department of the Tennessee. These changes are radical, of vast moment and most intimately concern the Nation's welfare. I think they are in the right direction and if properly backed ought to give us most decisive results. There are many things connected with them I should like to write-but cannot for want of time. We start for the front at daylight.

X

THE CHATTANOOGA CAMPAIGN

Rosecrans relieved-Thomas succeeds-"Will hold Chattanooga till we starve"-Grant and staff arriveMeet Thomas-Ride to Chattanooga-Recommended for promotion-Porter introduced-Grant and Thomas -Baldy Smith-Opening the Cracker Line-Ride to Knoxville-Orders for Burnside.

Before leaving Louisville a telegram from Dana reached us indicating that the hard-pressed army at Chattanooga was so in need of food and forage that it might have to give up the place and fall back to a new base on the railroad from Nashville to Chattanooga, and it was this dispatch that called forth Grant's celebrated order: "Hold Chattanooga at all hazards," as well as Thomas' characteristic reply: "I will hold the town till we starve!"

These two messages tell the story. Rosecrans, never having had Grant's full confidence, and not having yet recovered from the stunning blow inflicted on him at Chickamauga, had been relieved from command; the enemy had closed in and the national troops were on short rations, but it was a great satisfaction to know that the imperturbable Thomas would hold the town till he and his army starved. With that stern assurance we made the