Recollections of the Civil War / With the Leaders at Washington and in the Field in the Sixties

by Charles A. Dana

RECOLLECTIONS
OF THE CIVIL WAR

With the Leaders at Washington
and in the Field in the Sixties

BY

[CHARLES A. DANA]

ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF WAR FROM 1863 TO 1865

WITH PORTRAIT

NEW YORK
D. Appleton and Company
1902

Copyright, 1898,
By D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CIVIL WAR

THE WORKS OF CHARLES A. DANA.

Recollections of the Civil War.

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.

Appletons' American Cyclopædia.

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.

The Household Book of Poetry.

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.

Fifty Perfect Poems.

Selected and edited by Charles A. Dana and Rossiter Johnson. Royal 8vo. Illustrated. White silk, $10.00; morocco, $15.00.

The Household Book of Songs.

Collected and arranged by Charles A. Dana and F. A. Bowman. Half roan, cloth sides, $2.50.

The Art of Newspaper Making.

Three Lectures. 16mo. Cloth, $1.00.

Eastern Journeys.

Some Notes of Travel in Russia, in the Caucasus, and to Jerusalem. 16mo. Cloth, $1.00.

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, NEW YORK.

[PREFACE.]

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 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.

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.

[CONTENTS.]

Chap.		Page
I.—From the Tribune to the War Department		[1]
	First meeting with Mr. Lincoln—Early correspondencewith Mr. Stanton—A command obtained for General Frémont—Thenew energy in the military operations—Mr.Stanton disclaims the credit—The War Secretary's opinionof McClellan—Mr. Dana called into Government service—TheCairo investigation and its results—First acquaintancewith General Grant.
II.—At the front with Grant's army		[16]
	War speculation in cotton—In business partnershipwith Roscoe Conkling—Appointed special commissionerto Grant's army—The story of a cipher code—From Memphisto Milliken's Bend—The various plans for takingVicksburg—At Grant's headquarters—The beginning oftrouble with McClernand.
III.—Before and Around Vicksburg		[35]
	The hard job of reopening the Mississippi—AdmiralPorter runs the Confederate batteries—Headquarters movedto Smith's plantation—Delay and confusion in McClernand'scommand—The unsuccessful attack on Grand Gulf—Themove to the east shore—Mr. Dana manages withGrant's help to secure a good horse.
IV.—In camp and battle with Grant and his generals		[47]
	Marching into the enemy's country—A night in achurch with a Bible for pillow—Our communications arecut—Entering the capital of Mississippi—The War Departmentgives Grant full authority—Battle of Champion'sHill—General Logan's peculiarity—Battlefield incidents—Vicksburginvested and the siege begun—Personal traitsof Sherman, McPherson, and McClernand.
V.— Some contemporary portraits		[61]
	Grant before his great fame—His friend and mentor,General Rawlins—James Harrison Wilson—Two semi-officialletters to Stanton—Character sketches for the informationof the President and Secretary—Mr. Dana's earlyjudgment of soldiers who afterward won distinction.
VI.—The siege of Vicksburg		[78]
	Life behind Vicksburg—Grant's efforts to procure reinforcements—Thefruitless appeal to General Banks—Mr.Stanton responds to Mr. Dana's representations—A steamboattrip with Grant—Watching Joe Johnston—Visits toSherman and Admiral Porter—The negro troops win glory—Progressand incidents of the siege—Vicksburg wakesup—McClernand's removal.
VII.—Pemberton's surrender		[91]
	The artillery assault of June 20th—McPherson springsa mine—Grant decides to storm the city—Pemberton asksfor an interview and terms—The "unconditional surrender"note—At the meeting of Grant and Pemberton betweenthe lines—The ride into Vicksburg and the Fourthof July celebration there.
VIII.—With the Army of the Cumberland		[103]
	Appointment as Assistant Secretary of War—Again tothe far front—An interesting meeting with Andrew Johnson—Rosecrans'scomplaints—His view of the situation atChattanooga—At General Thomas's headquarters—Thefirst day of Chickamauga—The battlefield telegraph service—Anight council of war at Widow Glenn's—Personalexperiences of the disastrous second day's battle—The"Rock of Chickamauga."
IX.—The removal of Rosecrans		[120]
	Preparing to defend Chattanooga—Effect on the armyof the day of disaster and glory—Mr. Dana suggests Grantor Thomas as Rosecrans's successor—Portrait of Thomas—Thedignity and loyalty of his character illustrated—Thearmy reorganized—It is threatened with starvation—Anestimate of Rosecrans—He is relieved of the commandof the Army of the Cumberland.
X.—Chattanooga and Missionary Ridge		[132]
	Thomas succeeds Rosecrans in the Army of the Cumberland—Grantsupreme at Chattanooga—A visit to thearmy at Knoxville—A Tennessee Unionist's family—Impressionsof Burnside—Grant against Bragg at Chattanooga—Themost spectacular fighting of the war—Watchingthe first day's battle—With Sherman the second day—Themoonlight fight on Lookout Mountain—Sheridan'swhisky flask—The third day's victory and the gloriousspectacle it afforded—The relief of General Burnside.
XI.—The War Department in war times		[156]
	Grant's plans blocked by Halleck—Mr. Dana on duty atWashington—Edwin McMasters Stanton—His deep religiousfeeling—His swift intelligence and almost superhumanenergy—The Assistant Secretary's functions—Contractsupplies and contract frauds—Lincoln's intercessionfor dishonest contractors with political influence—A characteristicletter from Sherman.
XII.—Abraham Lincoln and his cabinet		[168]
	Daily intercourse with Lincoln—The great civil leadersof the period—Seward and Chase—Gideon Welles—Frictionbetween Stanton and Blair—Personal traits of thePresident—Lincoln's surpassing ability as a politician—Histrue greatness of character and intellect—His geniusfor military judgment—Stanton's comment on the Gettysburgspeech—The kindness of Abraham Lincoln's heart.
XIII.—The Army of the Potomac in '64		[186]
	Mr. Lincoln sends Mr. Dana again to the front—GeneralHalleck's character—First visit to the Army of the Potomac—GeneralMeade's good qualities and bad—WinfieldScott Hancock—Early acquaintance with Sedgwick—Hisdeath—Humphreys's accomplishments as a soldier and asa swearer—Grant's plan of campaign against Lee—Incidentsat Spottsylvania—The "Bloody Angle."
XIV.—The great game between Grant and Lee		[200]
	Maneuvering and fighting in the rain, mud, and thickets—Virginianconditions of warfare—Within eight milesof Richmond—The battle of Cold Harbor—The tremendouslosses of the campaign—The charge of butchery againstGrant considered in the light of statistics—What it cost inlife and blood to take Richmond.
XV.—The march on Petersburg		[212]
	In camp at Cold Harbor—Grant's opinion of Lee—Troublewith newspaper correspondents—Moving south ofthe James River—The great pontoon bridge—The fightingof the colored troops—Failure to take Petersburg at firstattack—Lee loses Grant and Beauregard finds him—Beauregard'sservice to the Confederacy.
XVI.—Early's raid and the Washington panic		[224]
	President Lincoln visits the lines at Petersburg—Troublewith General Meade—Jubal Early menaces theFederal capital—The excitement in Washington and Baltimore—Clerksand veteran reserves called out to defendWashington—Grant sends troops from the front—Plentyof generals, but no head—Early ends the panic by withdrawing—Afine letter from Grant about Hunter.
XVII.—The secret service of the war		[224]
	Mr. Stanton's agents and spies—Regular subterraneantraffic between Washington and Richmond—A man whospied for both sides—The arrest of the Baltimore merchants—Stanton'sremarkable speech on the meaning of disloyalty—InterceptingJefferson Davis's letters to Canada—Detectingthe plot to burn New York, and the plan toinvade Vermont—Story of the cleverest and pluckiest ofspies and his remarkable adventures.
XVIII.—A visit to Sheridan in the valley		[224]
	Mr. Dana carries to Sheridan his major-general's commission—Aride through the Army of the Shenandoah—Theaffection of Sheridan's soldiers for the general—Howhe explained it—His ideas about personal courage in battle—TheWar Department and the railroads—How the departmentworked for Lincoln's re-election—Election night ofNovember, 1864—Lincoln reads aloud passages from PetroleumV. Nasby while the returns come in.
XIX.—"On to Richmond" at last!		[263]
	The fall of the Confederacy—In Richmond just afterthe evacuation—A search for Confederate archives—Lincoln'spropositions to the Virginians—A meeting with theConfederate Assistant Secretary of War—Andrew Johnsonturns up at Richmond—His views as to the necessity ofpunishing rebels—The first Sunday services at the Confederatecapital under the old flag—News of Lee's surrenderreaches Richmond—Back to Washington with Grant.
XX.—The Closing Scenes at Washington		[273]
	Last interview with Mr. Lincoln—Why Jacob Thompsonescaped—At the deathbed of the murdered President—Searchingfor the assassins—The letters which Mr. Lincolnhad docketed "Assassination"—At the conspiracytrial—The Confederate secret cipher—Jefferson Davis'scapture and imprisonment—A visit to the ConfederatePresident at Fortress Monroe—The grand review of theUnion armies—The meeting between Stanton and Sherman—Endof Mr. Dana's connection with the War Department.
Index.		[293]

RECOLLECTIONS OF THE CIVIL WAR.

[CHAPTER I.]