Chapter XXIII: Preface

"Man proposes and God disposes." There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice.

Although frequently urged by friends to write my memoirs I had determined never to do so, nor to write anything for publication. At the age of nearly sixty-two I received an injury from a fall, which confined me closely to the house while it did not apparently affect my general health. This made study a pleasant pastime. Shortly after, the rascality of a business partner developed itself by the announcement of a failure. This was followed soon after by universal depression of all securities, which seemed to threaten the extinction of a good part of the income still retained, and for which I am indebted to the kindly act of friends. At this juncture the editor of the Century Magazine asked me to write a few articles for him. I consented for the money it gave me; for at that moment I was living upon borrowed money. The work I found congenial, and I determined to continue it. The event is an important one for me, for good or evil; I hope for the former.

In preparing these volumes for the public, I have entered upon the task with the sincere desire to avoid doing injustice to any one, whether on the National or Confederate side, other than the unavoidable injustice of not making mention often where special mention is due. There must be many errors of omission in this work, because the subject is too large to be treated of in two volumes in such way as to do justice to all the officers and men engaged. There were thousands of instances, during the rebellion, of individual, company, regimental and brigade deeds of heroism which deserve special mention and are not here alluded to. The troops engaged in them will have to look to the detailed reports of their individual commanders for the full history of those deeds.

The first volume, as well as a portion of the second, was written before I had reason to suppose I was in a critical condition of health. Later I was reduced almost to the point of death, and it became impossible for me to attend to anything for weeks. I have, however, somewhat regained my strength, and am able, often, to devote as many hours a day as a person should devote to such work. I would have more hope of satisfying the expectation of the public if I could have allowed myself more time. I have used my best efforts, with the aid of my eldest son, F. D. Grant, assisted by his brothers, to verify from the records every statement of fact given. The comments are my own, and show how I saw the matters treated of whether others saw them in the same light or not.

With these remarks I present these volumes to the public, asking no favor but hoping they will meet the approval of the reader.

U. S. GRANT.

MOUNT MACGREGOR, NEW YORK, July 1, 1885.

CONTENTS VOLUME I.

CHAPTER I. ANCESTRYBIRTHBOYHOOD.

CHAPTER II. WEST POINTGRADUATION.

CHAPTER III. ARMY LIFECAUSES OF THE MEXICAN WARCAMP SALUBRITY.

CHAPTER IV. CORPUS CHRISTIMEXICAN SMUGGLINGSPANISH RULE IN MEXICOSUPPLYING TRANSPORTATION.

CHAPTER V. TRIP TO AUSTINPROMOTION TO FULL SECOND-LIEUTENANTARMY OF OCCUPATION.

CHAPTER VI. ADVANCE OF THE ARMYCROSSING THE COLORADOTHE RIO GRANDE.

CHAPTER VII. THE MEXICAN WARTHE BATTLE OF PALO ALTOTHE BATTLE OF RESACA DE LA PALMAARMY OF INVASIONGENERAL TAYLORMOVEMENT ON CAMARGO.

CHAPTER VIII. ADVANCE ON MONTEREYTHE BLACK FORTTHE BATTLE OF MONTEREYSURRENDER OF THE CITY.

CHAPTER IX. POLITICAL INTRIGUEBUENA VISTAMOVEMENT AGAINST VERA CRUZSIEGE AND CAPTURE OF VERA CRUZ.

CHAPTER X. MARCH TO JALAPABATTLE OF CERRO GORDOPEROTEPUEBLASCOTT AND TAYLOR.

CHAPTER XI. ADVANCE ON THE CITY OF MEXICOBATTLE OF CONTRERASASSAULT AT CHURUBUSCONEGOTIATIONS FOR PEACEBATTLE OF MOLINO DEL REYSTORMING OF CHAPULTEPECSAN COSMEEVACUATION OF THE CITYHALLS OF THE MONTEZUMAS.

CHAPTER XII. PROMOTION TO FIRST LIEUTENANTCAPTURE OF THE CITY OF MEXICOTHE ARMYMEXICAN SOLDIERSPEACE NEGOTIATIONS.

CHAPTER XIII. TREATY OF PEACEMEXICAN BULL FIGHTSREGIMENTAL QUARTERMASTERTRIP TO POPOCATAPETLTRIP TO THE CAVES OF MEXICO.

CHAPTER XIV. RETURN OF THE ARMYMARRIAGEORDERED TO THE PACIFIC COASTCROSSING THE ISTHMUSARRIVAL AT SAN FRANCISCO.

CHAPTER XV. SAN FRANCISCOEARLY CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCESLIFE ON THE PACIFIC COASTPROMOTED CAPTAINFLUSH TIMES IN CALIFORNIA.

CHAPTER XVI. RESIGNATIONPRIVATE LIFELIFE AT GALENATHE COMING CRISIS.

CHAPTER XVII. OUTBREAK OF THE REBELLIONPRESIDING AT A UNION MEETINGMUSTERING OFFICER OF STATE TROOPSLYON AT CAMP JACKSONSERVICES TENDERED TO THE GOVERNMENT.

CHAPTER XVIII. APPOINTED COLONEL OF THE 21ST ILLINOISPERSONNEL OF THE REGIMENTGENERAL LOGANMARCH TO MISSOURIMOVEMENT AGAINST HARRIS AT FLORIDA, MO.GENERAL POPE IN COMMANDSTATIONED AT MEXICO, MO.

CHAPTER XIX. COMMISSIONED BRIGADIER-GENERALCOMMAND AT IRONTON, MO.JEFFERSON CITYCAPE GIRARDEAUGENERAL PRENTISSSEIZURE OF PADUCAHHEADQUARTERS AT CAIRO.

CHAPTER XX. GENERAL FREMONT IN COMMANDMOVEMENT AGAINST BELMONTBATTLE OF BELMONTA NARROW ESCAPEAFTER THE BATTLE.

CHAPTER XXI. GENERAL HALLECK IN COMMANDCOMMANDING THE DISTRICT OF CAIROMOVEMENT ON FORT HENRYCAPTURE OF FORT HENRY.

CHAPTER XXII. INVESTMENT OF FORT DONELSONTHE NAVAL OPERATIONSATTACK OF THE ENEMYASSAULTING THE WORKSSURRENDER OF THE FORT.

CHAPTER XXIII. PROMOTED MAJOR-GENERAL OF VOLUNTEERSUNOCCUPIED TERRITORYADVANCE UPON NASHVILLESITUATION OF THE TROOPSCONFEDERATE RETREATRELIEVED OF THE COMMANDRESTORED TO THE COMMANDGENERAL SMITH.

CHAPTER XXIV. THE ARMY AT PITTSBURG LANDINGINJURED BY A FALLTHE CONFEDERATE ATTACK AT SHILOHTHE FIRST DAY'S FIGHT AT SHILOHGENERAL SHERMANCONDITION OF THE ARMYCLOSE OF THE FIRST DAY'S FIGHTTHE SECOND DAY'S FIGHTRETREAT AND DEFEAT OF THE CONFEDERATES.

CHAPTER XXV. STRUCK BY A BULLETPRECIPITATE RETREAT OF THE CONFEDERATESINTRENCHMENTS AT SHILOHGENERAL BUELLGENERAL JOHNSTONREMARKS ON SHILOH.

CHAPTER XXVI. HALLECK ASSUMES COMMAND IN THE FIELDTHE ADVANCE UPON CORINTHOCCUPATION OF CORINTHTHE ARMY SEPARATED.

CHAPTER XXVII. HEADQUARTERS MOVED TO MEMPHISON THE ROAD TO MEMPHISESCAPING JACKSONCOMPLAINTS AND REQUESTSHALLECK APPOINTED COMMANDER-IN-CHIEFRETURN TO CORINTHMOVEMENTS OF BRAGGSURRENDER OF CLARKSVILLETHE ADVANCE UPON CHATTANOOGASHERIDAN COLONEL OF A MICHIGAN REGIMENT.

CHAPTER XXVIII. ADVANCE OF VAN DORN AND PRICEPRICE ENTERS IUKABATTLE OF IUKA.

CHAPTER XXIX. VAN DORN'S MOVEMENTSBATTLE OF CORINTHCOMMAND OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE.

CHAPTER XXX. THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST VICKSBURGEMPLOYING THE FREEDMENOCCUPATION OF HOLLY SPRINGSSHERMAN ORDERED TO MEMPHISSHERMAN'S MOVEMENTS DOWN THE MISSISSIPPIVAN DORN CAPTURES HOLLY SPRINGSCOLLECTING FORAGE AND FOOD.

CHAPTER XXXI. HEADQUARTERS MOVED TO HOLLY SPRINGSGENERAL MCCLERNAND IN COMMANDASSUMING COMMAND AT YOUNG'S POINTOPERATIONS ABOVE VICKSBURGFORTIFICATIONS ABOUT VICKSBURGTHE CANALLAKE PROVIDENCEOPERATIONS AT YAZOO PASS.

CHAPTER XXXII. THE BAYOUS WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPICRITICISMS OF THE NORTHERN PRESSRUNNING THE BATTERIESLOSS OF THE INDIANOLADISPOSITION OF THE TROOPS.

CHAPTER XXXIII. ATTACK ON GRAND GULFOPERATIONS BELOW VICKSBURG.

CHAPTER XXXIV. CAPTURE OF PORT GIBSONGRIERSON'S RAIDOCCUPATION OF GRAND GULFMOVEMENT UP THE BIG BLACKBATTLE OF RAYMOND.

CHAPTER XXXV. MOVEMENT AGAINST JACKSONFALL OF JACKSONINTERCEPTING THE ENEMYBATTLE OF CHAMPION'S HILL.

CHAPTER XXXVI. BATTLE OF BLACK RIVER BRIDGECROSSING THE BIG BLACKINVESTMENT OF VICKSBURGASSAULTING THE WORKS.

CHAPTER XXXVII. SIEGE OF VICKSBURG.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. JOHNSTON'S MOVEMENTSFORTIFICATIONS AT HAINES'S BLUFFEXPLOSION OF THE MINEEXPLOSION OF THE SECOND MINEPREPARING FOR THE ASSAULTTHE FLAG OF TRUCEMEETING WITH PEMBERTONNEGOTIATIONS FOR SURRENDERACCEPTING THE TERMSSURRENDER OF VICKSBURG.

CHAPTER XXXIX. RETROSPECT OF THE CAMPAIGNSHERMAN'S MOVEMENTSPROPOSED MOVEMENT UPON MOBILEA PAINFUL ACCIDENTORDERED TO REPORT AT CAIRO.

VOLUME II.

CHAPTER XL. FIRST MEETING WITH SECRETARY STANTONGENERAL ROSECRANSCOMMANDING MILITARY DIVISION OF MISSISSIPPIANDREW JOHNSON'S ADDRESSARRIVAL AT CHATTANOOGA.