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Recollections of the Civil War

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[Pg i] <h1>RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CIVIL WAR</h1> With the Leaders at Washington and in the Field in the Sixties BY <h2>CHARLES A. DANA</h2> ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF WAR FROM 1863 TO 1865 WITH PORTRAIT <div class="figcenter"> <ANTIMG src="images/seal.jpg" width-obs="150" height-obs="179" alt="Publisher's seal" /></div> NEW YORK D. Appleton and Company 1902 Copyright, 1898, By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY [Pg ii] [Pg iii] <div class="figcenter2" style="width: 400px;"> <ANTIMG src="images/frontis.jpg" width-obs="400" height-obs="622" alt="C. A. Dana" /></div> [Pg iv] RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CIVIL WAR <div class='bbox'> THE WORKS OF CHARLES A. DANA. Recollections of the Civil War. <div class='advert'> By Charles A. Dana. With Portrait. Large 12mo. Cloth, gilt top, uncut, $2.00. The late Charles A. Dana's "Recollections of the Civil War" forms one of the most remarkable volumes of historical, political, and personal reminiscences which have been given to the public. Mr. Dana was not only practically a member of the Cabinet and in the confidence of the leaders of Washington, but he was also the chosen representative of the War Department with General Grant and other military commanders, and he was present at many of the councils which preceded movements of the greatest importance. </div> Appletons' American Cyclopædia. <div class='advert'> A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge. Edited by Charles A. Dana and George Ripley. Complete in 16 volumes of over 800 pages each. Fully illustrated with several thousand Wood Engravings and numerous Colored Lithographic Maps. Sold only by subscription. </div> The Household Book of Poetry. <div class='advert'> Edited by Charles A. Dana. Illustrated with Steel Engravings. New and enlarged edition. Royal 8vo. Cloth, $5.00; morocco, antique, $10.00; tree calf, $12.00. </div> Fifty Perfect Poems. <div class='advert'> Selected and edited by Charles A. Dana and Rossiter Johnson. Royal 8vo. Illustrated. White silk, $10.00; morocco, $15.00. </div> The Household Book of Songs. <div class='advert'> Collected and arranged by Charles A. Dana and F. A. Bowman. Half roan, cloth sides, $2.50.</div> The Art of Newspaper Making. <div class='advert'> Three Lectures. 16mo. Cloth, $1.00. </div> Eastern Journeys. <div class='advert'> Some Notes of Travel in Russia, in the Caucasus, and to Jerusalem. 16mo. Cloth, $1.00. </div> D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK. </div> [Pg v] <h2>PREFACE.</h2> Mr. Dana wrote these Recollections of the civil war according to a purpose which he had entertained for several years. They were completed only a few months before his death on October 17, 1897. A large part of the narrative has been published serially in McClure's Magazine. In the chapter about Abraham Lincoln and the Lincoln Cabinet Mr. Dana has drawn from a lecture which he delivered in 1896 before the New Haven Colony Historical Society. The incident of the self-wounded spy, in the chapter relating to the secret service of the war, was first printed in the North American Review for August, 1891. A few of the anecdotes about Mr. Lincoln which appear in this book were told by Mr. Dana originally in a brief contribution to a volume entitled Reminiscences of Abraham Lincoln by Distinguished Men of his Time, edited by the late Allen Thorndike Rice, and published in 1886. Although Mr. Dana was in one sense the least reminiscent of men, living actively in the present, and[Pg vi] always more interested in to-morrow than in yesterday, and although it was his characteristic habit to toss into the wastebasket documents for history which many persons would have treasured, he found in the preparation of the following chapters abundant material wherewith to stimulate and confirm his own memory, in the form of his official and unofficial reports written at the front for the information of Mr. Stanton and Mr. Lincoln, and private letters to members of his family and intimate friends. Charles Anderson Dana was forty-four years old when his appointment as Assistant Secretary of War put him behind the scenes of the great drama then enacting, and brought him into personal relations with the conspicuous civilians and soldiers of the war period. Born in New Hampshire on August 8, 1819, he had passed by way of western New York, Harvard College, and Brook Farm into the profession which he loved and in which he labored almost to the last day of his life. When Secretary Stanton called him to Washington he had been engaged for nearly fifteen years in the management of the New York Tribune, the journal most powerful at that time in solidifying Northern sentiment for the crisis that was to come. When the war was over and the Union preserved, he returned at once to journalism. His career subsequently as the editor of The Sun for thirty years is familiar to most Americans. [Pg vii] It is proper to note the circumstance that the three years covered by Mr. Dana's Recollections as here recorded constitute the only term during which he held any public office, and the only break in more than half a century of continuous experience in the making of newspapers. His connection with the Government during those momentous years is an episode in the story of a life that throbbed from boyhood to age with intellectual energy, and was crowded with practical achievement. New York, October 17, 1898. [Pg viii] [Pg ix] <h2>CONTENTS.</h2> <table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="table of contents"> <tr> <td class='tdl'>Chap.</td> <td> </td> <td class='tdr'>Page</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>I.—From the Tribune to the War Department</td> <td class='tdr'>1</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>First meeting with Mr. Lincoln—Early correspondence with Mr. Stanton—A command obtained for General Frémont—The new energy in the military operations—Mr. Stanton disclaims the credit—The War Secretary's opinion of McClellan—Mr. Dana called into Government service—The Cairo investigation and its results—First acquaintance with General Grant.</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>II.—At the front with Grant's army</td> <td class='tdr'>16</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>War speculation in cotton—In business partnership with Roscoe Conkling—Appointed special commissioner to Grant's army—The story of a cipher code—From Memphis to Milliken's Bend—The various plans for taking Vicksburg—At Grant's headquarters—The beginning of trouble with McClernand.</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>III.—Before and Around Vicksburg</td> <td class='tdr'>35</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>The hard job of reopening the Mississippi—Admiral Porter runs the Confederate batteries—Headquarters moved to Smith's plantation—Delay and confusion in McClernand's command—The unsuccessful attack on Grand Gulf—The move to the east shore—Mr. Dana manages with Grant's help to secure a good horse.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>IV.—In camp and battle with Grant and his generals</td> <td class='tdr'>47</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Marching into the enemy's country—A night in a church with a Bible for pillow—Our communications are cut—Entering the capital of Mississippi—The War Department gives Grant full authority—Battle of Champion's Hill—General Logan's peculiarity—Battlefield incidents—Vicksburg invested and the siege begun—Personal traits of Sherman, McPherson, and McClernand.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>V.— Some contemporary portraits</td> <td class='tdr'>61</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Grant before his great fame—His friend and mentor, General Rawlins—James Harrison Wilson—Two semi-official letters to Stanton—Character sketches for the information of the President and Secretary—Mr. Dana's early judgment of soldiers who afterward won distinction.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>VI.—The siege of Vicksburg</td> <td class='tdr'>78</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Life behind Vicksburg—Grant's efforts to procure reinforcements—The fruitless appeal to General Banks—Mr. Stanton responds to Mr. Dana's representations—A steamboat trip with Grant—Watching Joe Johnston—Visits to Sherman and Admiral Porter—The negro troops win glory—Progress and incidents of the siege—Vicksburg wakes up—McClernand's removal.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>VII.—Pemberton's surrender</td> <td class='tdr'>91</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>The artillery assault of June 20th—McPherson springs a mine—Grant decides to storm the city—Pemberton asks for an interview and terms—The "unconditional surrender" note—At the meeting of Grant and Pemberton between the lines—The ride into Vicksburg and the Fourth of July celebration there.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>VIII.—With the Army of the Cumberland</td> <td class='tdr'>103</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Appointment as Assistant Secretary of War—Again to the far front—An interesting meeting with Andrew Johnson—Rosecrans's complaints—His view of the situation at Chattanooga—At General Thomas's headquarters—The first day of Chickamauga—The battlefield telegraph service—A night council of war at Widow Glenn's—Personal experiences of the disastrous second day's battle—The "Rock of Chickamauga."</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>IX.—The removal of Rosecrans</td> <td class='tdr'>120</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Preparing to defend Chattanooga—Effect on the army of the day of disaster and glory—Mr. Dana suggests Grant or Thomas as Rosecrans's successor—Portrait of Thomas—The dignity and loyalty of his character illustrated—The army reorganized—It is threatened with starvation—An estimate of Rosecrans—He is relieved of the command of the Army of the Cumberland.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>X.—Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge</td> <td class='tdr'>132</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Thomas succeeds Rosecrans in the Army of the Cumberland—Grant supreme at Chattanooga—A visit to the army at Knoxville—A Tennessee Unionist's family—Impressions of Burnside—Grant against Bragg at Chattanooga—The most spectacular fighting of the war—Watching the first day's battle—With Sherman the second day—The moonlight fight on Lookout Mountain—Sheridan's whisky flask—The third day's victory and the glorious spectacle it afforded—The relief of General Burnside.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XI.—The War Department in war times</td> <td class='tdr'>156</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Grant's plans blocked by Halleck—Mr. Dana on duty at Washington—Edwin McMasters Stanton—His deep religious feeling—His swift intelligence and almost superhuman energy—The Assistant Secretary's functions—Contract supplies and contract frauds—Lincoln's intercession for dishonest contractors with political influence—A characteristic letter from Sherman.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XII.—Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet </td> <td class='tdr'>168</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Daily intercourse with Lincoln—The great civil leaders of the period—Seward and Chase—Gideon Welles—Friction between Stanton and Blair—Personal traits of the President—Lincoln's surpassing ability as a politician—His true greatness of character and intellect—His genius for military judgment—Stanton's comment on the Gettysburg speech—The kindness of Abraham Lincoln's heart.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XIII.—The Army of the Potomac in '64</td> <td class='tdr'>186</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Mr. Lincoln sends Mr. Dana again to the front—General Halleck's character—First visit to the Army of the Potomac—General Meade's good qualities and bad—Winfield Scott Hancock—Early acquaintance with Sedgwick—His death—Humphreys's accomplishments as a soldier and as a swearer—Grant's plan of campaign against Lee—Incidents at Spottsylvania—The "Bloody Angle."</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XIV.—The great game between Grant and Lee</td> <td class='tdr'>200</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Maneuvering and fighting in the rain, mud, and thickets—Virginian conditions of warfare—Within eight miles of Richmond—The battle of Cold Harbor—The tremendous losses of the campaign—The charge of butchery against Grant considered in the light of statistics—What it cost in life and blood to take Richmond.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XV.—The march on Petersburg</td> <td class='tdr'>212</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>In camp at Cold Harbor—Grant's opinion of Lee—Trouble with newspaper correspondents—Moving south of the James River—The great pontoon bridge—The fighting of the colored troops—Failure to take Petersburg at first attack—Lee loses Grant and Beauregard finds him—Beauregard's service to the Confederacy.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XVI.—Early's raid and the Washington panic</td> <td class='tdr'>224</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>President Lincoln visits the lines at Petersburg—Trouble with General Meade—Jubal Early menaces the Federal capital—The excitement in Washington and Baltimore—Clerks and veteran reserves called out to defend Washington—Grant sends troops from the front—Plenty of generals, but no head—Early ends the panic by withdrawing—A fine letter from Grant about Hunter.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XVII.—The secret service of the war</td> <td class='tdr'>224</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Mr. Stanton's agents and spies—Regular subterranean traffic between Washington and Richmond—A man who spied for both sides—The arrest of the Baltimore merchants—Stanton's remarkable speech on the meaning of disloyalty—Intercepting Jefferson Davis's letters to Canada—Detecting the plot to burn New York, and the plan to invade Vermont—Story of the cleverest and pluckiest of spies and his remarkable adventures.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XVIII.—A visit to Sheridan in the valley</td> <td class='tdr'>224</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Mr. Dana carries to Sheridan his major-general's commission—A ride through the Army of the Shenandoah—The affection of Sheridan's soldiers for the general—How he explained it—His ideas about personal courage in battle—The War Department and the railroads—How the department worked for Lincoln's re-election—Election night of November, 1864—Lincoln reads aloud passages from Petroleum V. Nasby while the returns come in.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XIX.—"On to Richmond" at last!</td> <td class='tdr'>263</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>The fall of the Confederacy—In Richmond just after the evacuation—A search for Confederate archives—Lincoln's propositions to the Virginians—A meeting with the Confederate Assistant Secretary of War—Andrew Johnson turns up at Richmond—His views as to the necessity of punishing rebels—The first Sunday services at the Confederate capital under the old flag—News of Lee's surrender reaches Richmond—Back to Washington with Grant.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>XX.—The Closing Scenes at Washington</td> <td class='tdr'>273</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td class='tdl'>Last interview with Mr. Lincoln—Why Jacob Thompson escaped—At the deathbed of the murdered President—Searching for the assassins—The letters which Mr. Lincoln had docketed "Assassination"—At the conspiracy trial—The Confederate secret cipher—Jefferson Davis's capture and imprisonment—A visit to the Confederate President at Fortress Monroe—The grand review of the Union armies—The meeting between Stanton and Sherman—End of Mr. Dana's connection with the War Department.</td> </tr> <tr> <td class='tdl' colspan='2'>Index.</td> <td class='tdr'>293</td> </tr> <tr> <td> </td> <td> </td> <td> </td> </tr> </table> [Pg 1] RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CIVIL WAR. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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