Grant’s pulling all the troops that can be spared from northern Mississippi and west Tennessee and sending them down the river. He made up his mind that the way to Vicksburg would be via the river, not overland, and he didn’t hesitate to commit.
MEMPHIS, TENN., January 15, 1863-2.30 a. m.
Major General H. W. HALLECK, General-in-Chief:I will send McArthur’s division (all I have transports for) immediately join the expedition on Vicksburg; send Logan’s in a few days, and hold Quinby ready to embark when called for; abandon the railroad road north from Jackson at once, and move the machine-shop and public stores from that place here, and hold at the troops from Grand Junction around the railroad to Corinth in readiness to be placed on the line from here east. I will go down and take McPherson, leaving Hamilton to command and carry out instructions for those changes in the old District of West Tennessee.
U. S. GRANT,
Major-General.
I have been reading these posts for over a month now and thoroughly enjoy them. I especially like the back and forth between Grant and McClernand. McClernand is a forgotten leader in the war and his feud with Grant serves to highlight the challenges of political/civilian generals and the West Point trained commanders.
I’m not quite sure about McClernand’s complaint regarding a “West Point Clique” but he wasn’t the only one worried about it. However, Grant’s high esteem for John Logan (a former politician) is an exemption of that conspiracy.
Thank you very much for posting these and making them available.