The bill establishing the new rank was as follows:

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the grade of lieutenantgeneral be, and the same is hereby, revived in the Army of the United States of America; and the President is hereby authorized, whenever he shall deem it expedient, to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a commander of the army, to be selected during war, from among those of ficers in the military service of the United States, not below the grade of major-general, most distinguished for courage, skill, and ability; and who, being commissioned as lieutenant-general, shall be authorized, under the direction of the President, to command the armies of the United States.

While the bill was under discussion, Mr. Ross offered an amendment recommending General Grant for the new rank. The amendment was adopted by a large majority, and on the 2d of March, 1864, General Grant was confirmed by the Senate as Lieutenant-General, giving him rank over all our other generals.

GENERAL GRANT GOES TO WASHINGTON.

He was immediately notified, and late in the afternoon of Tuesday, March 8th, he arrived in Washington, for the purpose of receiving his commission and instructions. His arrival was unheralded, and he took his seat at the dinner-table of Willard's Hotel unnoticed.

Though four years in the service, and the most successful and popular of all our generals, he had been so little in Washington that he was known to but few. It happened, however, that there was seated near him at the table a gentleman who had made his acquaintance at New Orleans. He soon spread the information, and in a few minutes the

dining-room was ringing with cheers for the hero of Vicksburg. General Grant modestly acknowledged the honor, and soon withdrew.

RECEIVES HIS COMMISSION.

The next day he was received by President Lincoln in the cabinet chamber and presented with his commission. In doing this, President Lincoln said:

"General Grant-The Nation's appreciation of what you have done, and its reliance upon you for what remains to be done in the existing great struggle, are now presented with this commission, constituting you Lieutenant-General in the army of the United States. With this high honor devolves upon you also a corresponding responsibility. As the country herein trusts you, so, under God, it will sustain you. I scarcely need to add, that, with what I here speak for the nation, goes my own hearty personal concur

rence."

To this, General Grant responded as follows:

"Mr. President-I accept the commission, with gratitude for the high honor conferred. With the aid of the noble armies that have fought on so many fields for our common country, it will be my earnest endeavor not to disappoint your expectations. I feel the full weight of the responsibilities now devolving on me; and I know that if they are met, it will be due to those armies, and, above all, to the favor of that Providence which leads both nations and men."

THE DIFFICULTIES OF HIS POSITION.

The position to which General Grant was thus called was one of grave responsibility, attended by numerous and serious embarrassments. A confiding nation had, as it were, placed its destinies in his hands, and the public expectation was such that only great achievements would satisfy it. The enemy was brave, active, vigilant, full of confidence in its own power, and actuated by a blind faith in its commander. Having the advantage of position, acting on the offensive or defensive with equal facility, possessing the means of communication which enabled it to rapidly shift its armies from one exposed point to another, it was, though inferior in numbers in the aggregate, able to meet its opponents with equal forces on the most important field of operations.

HIS PLAN FOR THE CAMPAIGN.

Fully conscious of these points of advantage possessed by his enemy, General Grant immediately formed his plans for meeting them.

First-To counterpoise the Rebels' interior advantages and prevent them from shifting their forces to relieve the most hard-pressed points in their line of defense, he resolved to attack their whole line simultaneously at all points.

Second-To make constant and unrelenting war upon his main enemy's armies, particularly the forces General Lee in Virginia and of General Johnson of