Transcript:

Walnut Hills, Miss

June 15^th 1863

Dear Father,

I have received several letters from Mary and yourself but as I have to do with nineteen twentieths of them received have neglected to answer them.

All I can say is that I am well. Have the enemy closely hemmed in all round. My position is naturally strong and fortified against an attack from outside. I have been so strongly reinforced that Johnston will have to come with a mighty host to drive me away. I do not look upon the fall of Vicksburg as in the least doubtful. If however I could have carried the place on the 22^nd of last month I could by this time have made a campaign that would have made the state of Mississippi almost safe for a solitary horseman to ride over. As it is the enemy have a large army in it and the season has so far advanced that water will be difficult to find for an army marching besides the dust and heat that must be encountered. The fall of Vicksburg now will only result in the opening of the Miss. River and demoralization of the enemy. I intended more from it. I did my best however and looking back can see no blunder committed.

Ulysses.

Citation: Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), autograph letter signed to Jesse Root Grant. Walnut Hills, Miss., 15 June 1863. AMs 357/15

Transcript:

Head Qrs. Dept of the W.

Raymond Miss. May 13^th/63

Maj. Gen. J.A. McClernand

Comdr. 13^th Army Corps

Sir,

Col. Duff will point out to you where you can separate your command and march to this place in two columns. McPherson moves directly on Clinton. Sherman takes a right hand road about one mile from town and moves towards Jackson. I want you to place one Division at the point of divergence of the two advance corps and leave the balance in town and back towards my camp of last night. It would be well to leave one Division back at or near Dillon’s plantation. This is where Sherman camped last night.

Very respectfully

U.S. Grant

Maj. Gen

Citation: Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885.ALS, [18]63 May 13, to John Alexander McClernand. AMs 813/23

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HeadQuarters, Dept. of the W.

Hankinson’s Ferry, Miss. May 5^th 1863

The Provost Marshal General will pay to the bearer, J.M. Leeds, for services rendered the Government in obtaining information, and for long confinement suffered at the hands of the rebels whilst engaged in such services, one thousand (1000) dollars.

U.S. Grant

Maj. Gen.

Col. W.S. Hillyer

Provost Marshall

Grand Gulf. May 6, 1863

Maj. Bowers Gen Grants staff Milikens Bend

Will call on Lt. Col. Brigham and pay the above amount out of a package of money I left with him—W. S. Hillyer

Col & Prov Mar Gen’l

Citation: Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), autograph letter signed to William Silliman Hillyer.  Hankinson’s Ferry, Miss., 5 May 1863. AMs 813/7

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Head Quarters, Dept. of the Tenn.

Grand Gulf, Miss.

May 3,^rd 1863

Maj. Genl. W. T. Sherman,

Comdg. 15^th Army Corps.

Gen’l.

My base is now at this point, and in executing your orders for joining me, you will govern yourself according-ly.

I wish you to collect a train of one hundred and twenty (120) wagons, from those now in use between Milliken’s Bend, and Perkin’s Place, send them to Grand Gulf and there load them with rations as follows: One hundred thousand pounds of bacon, the balance, coffee, sugar, salt and hard bread. For your own use on the march from Grand Gulf, you will draw three days rations and see that they last five days.

It’s unnecessary for me to remind you of the overwhelming importance of celerity in your movements.

On the 1^st instant at 2 am I’ve met the rebels 11000 or 12000 men, under Bowen, with Green, Baldwin, and Tracey, in a very strong position near port Gibson, four miles south, and engaged them hotly all day, driving them constantly. One victory was complete; we cap-tured 300 prisoners, 1000 guns, killed General Tracey, and a large number of the enemy. Our own lost will not exceed 100 killed and 500 wounded.

The country is extremely broken and therefore very difficult to operate in.

Yesterday we pushed into Port Gibson, by 8 o’clock to find the enemy gone, and all the bridges across Bayou Pierre destroyed. The bridge has rebuilt, and our troops pushed into Willow Springs – Formed the fine bridge even the North Frank of Bayou Pierre destroyed –repaired it, and by 5 o’clock this morning, were in motion again; by 9 o’ clock this morning, we were at Willow Springs having met the enemy’s skirmishes just beyond the bayou. Logan is now on the main road from here to Jackson and McPhearson closely followed by McClernand is pursuing on the branch of the same road from Willow Springs.

The enemy is badly beaten, greatly, de-moralized and exhausted of ammunition. The road to Vicksburg is open; all we want now are men, ammunition and hard bread. We can subsist our horses in the country, and obtain considerable supplies for our troops.

Very Respectfully,

U. S. Grant

Maj. Gen. Cmndg.

Citation:  Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), letter signed to William T. Sherman. Grand Gulf, Miss, 3 May 1863. AMs 357/13

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Head Quarters, Dept. of Union [illeg.]

Millikin’s Bend, La. Apl. 9^th 63

Maj. Gen. S. A. Hurlbut,

Comdg 16^th Army Corps.

Gen.

Suppress the entire press of Memphis for giving aid and comfort to the enemy by publishing in their columns every move made here by troops and every work commenced. Arrest the editors of the Bulletin and send him here a prisoner, under guard, for his publication of present plans via New Carthage & Grand Gulf.

I am satisfied that much has found its way into the public press through that incoragibly gassy man Col. Bissell of the Long. Regt. I sent him to you thinking he could not do so much harm there as here. His tongue will have to be tied if there is anything going on where he is which you don’t want made public. I feel a strong inclination to arrest him and trust to find evidence against him afterwards.

Very respectfully

U. S. Grant

Maj. Gen.

Citation: Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), autograph letter signed to Stephen A. Hurlbut.Milliken’s Bend, La., 9 April [18]63. AMs 357/12

Transcript:

Oxford Mississippi

Dec. 15^th 1862

Dear Sister,

Yesterday I received a letter from you and the children and one from Uncle Samuel. Today I learn by telegraph that father is at Holly Springs thirty miles North of here. Julia is there and as I expect the rail-road to be completed to here by tomorrow I look for them soon. I shall only remain here tomorrow, or next day at farthest; so that Julia will go immediately back to Holly Springs. It was a pleasant place and she may as well stay there as elsewhere.

We are now having wet weather. I have a big Army in front of me as well as bad roads. I shall probably give a good account of myself however not with-standing all obstacles. My plans are all complete for weeks to come and I hope to have them all work out just as planned.

For a conscientious person, and I profess to be one, this is a most slavish life. I may be envied by ambitious persons but I in turn envy the person who can transact his daily business and retire to a quiet home without a feeling of responsibility for the morrow. Taking my whole department there are an immense number of lives staked upon my judgment and acts. I am extended now like a Peninsula into an enemies country with a large Army depending for their daily bread upon keeping open a line of rail-road running one hundred & ninety miles through an enemy’s country, or at least through territory occupied by a people terribly embittered and hostile to us. With all this I suffer the mortification of seeing myself attacked right and left by people at home professing patriotism and love of country who never heard the whistle of a hostile bullet. I pitty them and a nation dependant upon such for its existence. I am thankful however that although such people make a great noise the masses are not like them.

With all my other trials I have to contend against is added that of speculators whose patriotism is measured by dollars and cents. Country has no value with them compared with money. To illucidate this would take quires of paper so I will reserve this for an evenings conversation if I should be so fortunate as to again get home where I can have a day to myself.

Tell the children to learn their lessons, mind their grandma and be good children. I should like very much to see them. To me they are all obi-dient and good. I may be partial but they seem to me to be children to be proud of.

Remember me to all at home.

Your brother

Ulys.

Citation: Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), autograph letter signed to Mary Grant Cramer.Oxford, Miss.,15 December 1862. AMs 357/11

Transcript (excerpt) [Most of the first page is scribbled over, apparently to discourage casual readers, since it deals with sensitive family matters.  Grant takes his father to task for his condescending attitude toward his wife, Julia, and reminds him that his son is sensitive ]:

I wish you would have a bottle of Cod liver oil bought and have Fred. take a table spoonful three times a day in part of a glass of ale each dose. Dr. Pope of St. Louis says that he requires that treatment every little while and will continue to do so whilst he is growing…

Before you receive this I will again be in motion. I feel every confidence of success but I know that a heavy force is not to my front. If it is my good fortune to come out successfully I will try and find time to write Mary a long letter.

Citation: Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), autograph letter signed to Jesse Root Grant. La Grange, Tenn., 23 November 186[2]. AMs 357/10.

Transcript:

Jackson Ten.

October 16^th 1862

Dear Sister,

I received your letter by due course of mail and expected before this to have answered one of your questions in the shape of an official report. That is the part where you ask me the part I played at the battle of Iuka. When the reports of Subalterns come in I will make my report which no doubt will be published and will be a full answer to your question. I had no more to do with troops under Gen. Ord. than I had with those under Rosecrans but gave the order to both. The plan was admirably laid out for catching Price and his whole Army but owing to the nature of the ground, direction of the wind and Gen. Rosecrans having been so far behind where he was expected to be on the morning before the attack it failed. In the late battles we have gained such a moral advan-tage over them, however, with Van Dorn and Lovell added,  that I do not know but it may have been for the better.

I have written to Julia to come down here and spend a short time. It will probably be but a short time that she can stay but so long as I remain here this will be a pleasant place for her. If the children have not already been sent to Covington I told her to bring them with her. The last letter I received she said that she was about sending them to Covington.

I believe you have now got it all quiet on the Ohio! I hope it will soon be so every place else. It does look to me that we now have such an advantage over the rebels that there should be but little more hard fighting.

Give my love to all at home. Write often and without expecting either very prompt or very long replies.

Ulys.

Citation:Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885), autograph letter signed to Mary Grant Cramer. Jackson, Tenn., 16 October 1862. AMs 357/9