Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 04.djvu/387

 GRANT

GRANT

appointed general-in-chief of all the Federal forces; on July 15 Grant returned to Coriutli as commander of the army of the Tennessee, and on October 25 he was made commander of the department of the Tennessee, hicludiug Cairo, Forts Donclson and Henry, Nortli Jlississippi, and Kentucky and Tennessee west of the Tennessee river. On Sept. 19-30. 1863, the battle of luka was fought and on October 3-4 the battle of Corinth, when the Confederates were repulsed with great loss, and on the 5th the battle of the llatchie River took place, which still further deiuonilized the Confederate forces and Grant piu-sued the retreat- ing army into Mississippi. On Nov. 4, 1863, he seized Grand Junction and La Grange, on the 13th the cavalry occupied Holly Springs, aiul on December 5 Grant reached Oxford. On the 8th he ordered Slierman to take transports down the Mississippi to co-operate in the attack on Vicks- burg, and on December 20 the Confederates recaptured Holly Springs where the Federal government had a large supply of stores. This determined Grant to abandon the land expedition and lie took personal command of the expedition down the Mississippi, establisliing his headquar- ters at Memphis, Jan. 10, 1863, and on the 39th with 50,000 men, in co-operation with Admiral Porter's gunboat fleet of 380 guns and 800 men and with the army of General Banks who was ascending the Mississippi from New Orleans to capture Port Hudson, he began the investment of Vicksburg, with the purpose of besieging the city from the high groimd to the east of the place. He constructed a canal across the penin- sular to open a line for supplies, but was detained by high water and constant breaking of the levees from carrying out the plan. He next undertook to turn the Mississiijpi from its course by opening a new channel to the Red river, but this plan, too, was abandoned. He then deter- mined to run the batteries of Vicksburg and ferry the army across the river thirty miles south of Vicksburg and march to the rear of the city by way of Port Gibson. He drove General Bowen, the Confederate commander, out of the place, routed his army, captured 650 prisoners, took possession. May 1, 1863, entering Grand Gulf on the 15tli. Pemberton was at Vicksburg with 53,000 men, Joseph E. Johnston at Jack.son with an equally effective army, and Grant placed his force between the two armies and determined to prevent their concentration. He defeated Johns- ton at Raymond, May 12, 1863, captured the city of Jackson on the 14th and attacked Pemberton at Champion's Hill on the 16th, defeating him and causing a Confederate loss Of 4000 killed and wounded, besides 3000 prisoners and 30 guns. He carried Big Black River bridge. May 17, where he captured 1757 prisoners and 18 guns

and on the 18tli drove Pemberton's army within the vrorks at Vicksburg. The siege began May 33 and by June 30 the Federal army had 320 field guns in position and 71,000 troops who, besides conducting the siege, had to defend their rear against the army of Johnston, work night and day in mining the enemy's works, and meet the con- stant assaults in front and rear. General Pember- ton surrendered July 4, 1863, with 31,600 officers and men, 173 cannon, 60,000 muskets and quan- tities of ammunition. On the fall of Vicksburg, Port Hudson surrendered to General Banks and the Mississippi river was opened to the Federal army. Grant was made a major-general in the regular army and congress voted a gold medal to him and its thanks to him and his army. He proposed to the government at Washington that he move on Mobile, but was overruled and his army was divided up to reinforce Banks and Schofield and for use in Kentucky. He then visited New Orleans where he was injured by a fall of his horse. On recovering from his injury he returned to Vicksburg and on Oct. 6, 1863, was directed to send what force he could to Chattanooga to co-operate with Rosecrans and to report at Cairo to take command of the military district of the Mississippi. He reached the place October 16 and on Oct. 33, 1863, assumed com- mand of the army at Chattanooga and concen- trated his troops around the place. The same day he assaulted the enemy's lines, continued the assault on the 34th, and on the 35th repelled the lines and drove the Confederates out of Tennessee after capturing 6443 men, 40 pieces of artillery, and 7000 stand of small arms. He was in Knox- ville, Tenu., December 35-38, and then went to Nashville where he established liis headquarters, Jan. 13, 1864. On March 1, 1864, he was nomi- nated by President Lincoln for lieutenant-gen- eral, the rank having b,>en revived by congi'ess, and on March 3 the appointment was confirmed by the senate. He arrived in Washington, D.C.,. on the 8th and there first met President Lincoln on the 9th and received from him his commission. He was given command of the entire Federal army, March 13, 1864, and establislied his head- quarters at Culpeper, Va., on the 36th. He planned a vigorous and continuous movement against the armies of the Confederacy wherever stationed, and assigned Sherman to move against Johnston, Banks to operate against Jlobile, Sigel against Breckinridge, Butler against Richmond from the south of the James, and Meade to cover Washing- ton and assume the offensive against the army of Lee —all to move, Maj' 4, 1864. Grant fought the battle of the Wilderness, May 5-6 and 7. On the morningof the llthhesentto Washington the famous sentence, " I propose to fight it- out on this line if it takes all summer," and there