Nashville, Tenn.,
Feby. 20th, 1864.
DEAR FATHER:
I have received your letter and those accompanying, to wit, Mr. Newton's and I.N. Morris'. I may write to Mr. Newton but it will be different from what he expects. I am not a candidate for any office. All I want is to be left alone to fight this war out; fight all rebel opposition and restore a happy Union in the shortest possible time. You know, or ought to know, that the public prints are not the proper mediums through which to let a personal feeling pass. I know that I feel that nothing personal to myself could ever induce me to accept a political office.
From your letter you seem to have taken an active feeling, to say the least, in this matter, that I would like to talk to you about. I could write, but do not want to do so. Why not come down here and see me?
I did tell Julia to make a visit to Cincinnati, Batavia, Bethel and Georgetown.
ULYSSES.
[The rank of Lieutenant-General had been conferred upon Washington in 1798 when our relations with France appeared threatening. In 1852, it had been conferred upon General Scott, by brevet, as a recognition of his great services in the Mexican War. The full rank was revived February 26, 1864, for Grant, who received his commission March 3d. After Grant this rank was held by Sherman and also Sheridan, by promotion; since then the title has not been revived. By this rank Grant was authorized to command all the armies of the United States. Mr. Washburne, who introduced the bill into Congress for restoration of the grade of Lieutenant-General, said that Grant wrote to him that he did not ask or deserve anything more in the shape of honors or promotion; that he only desired to hold such an influence over those under his command as to use them to the best advantage to secure a decisive victory.
Grant's new policy was now to secure co-operative movements of all the armies East and West—these had heretofore worked independently—and to have a continuous and concentrated action against the chief armies of the enemy. His first work was to reorganize the Army of the Potomac, which in April began the campaign against Lee and Richmond. He accompanied the army in person, having movable headquarters in the field. From March to May his headquarters were at Culpeper Court-House, Va. It was shortly after leaving these headquarters that he wrote from the field, May 11, 1864, "I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.">[
The Editor desires to make correction of an error in the reference on page 102 to the rank of Lieutenant-General. The statement should of course read that the rank of General was conferred upon Washington ... and had later been held by Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan. The rank of Lieutenant-General has been held not only by Washington, Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan, but also by Schofield, Miles, Young, Chaffee, Bates, and MacArthur.