Oct 17 1863.  I have arrived in Cairo and have immediately received orders to proceed to Louisville KY.  Gen. Halleck wrote me the following,

Major-General GRANT,

Cairo, Ill.:

You will immediately proceed to the Galt House, Louisville, Ky., where you will meet an officer of the War Department with your orders and instructions. You will take with you your staff, &c., for immediate operations in the field. Wait at Louisville for officer of the War Department.

W. H. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 296

O.R., I, xxx, part 4, p 404

I have arrived in Cairo and have taken the opportunity to send a telegram to Gen. Halleck.  I wrote,

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Rebels seem to have moved north with most of the cavalry in Mississippi, and also with Loring’s division. Loring and a portion of the cavalry moved up the Mobile railroad; Chalmers and others, with 3,000 to 5,000 cavalry and some artillery, up the Mississippi Central. Their place back of Vicksburg is filled by two brigades of infantry. General McPherson moved out with all the force he could take, on the 12th, intending to drive the enemy from the Mississippi Central Railroad. He will stay several days at Canton, and send the cavalry as far to the east as they can safety go. The Charleston railroad was attacked at Collierville on the 11th. They were repulsed with a loss to us of about 100 killed and wounded, but after destroying one brigade and the camp and garrison equipage of the Sixty-sixth Indiana, Hatch got south of their force, and when I left Memphis had been fighting them for two days.

Brigadier-General Sweeny was near him with an infantry force, and I am in hopes this Chalmers’ force is entirely broken up. If the Columbus railroad is opened it will be necessary to abandon the railroad from Memphis. I would rather advise depending on the country, the Tennessee River, and the Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad supplying our armies. The Charleston railroad is completed to Iuka, and the work progressing eastward. General Sherman was at Corinth as I passed, with a portion of his force to the east of him. Price is reported to have left Arkadelphia and gone to Washington. I directed General Hurlbut to advise Steele to send a cavalry force to Arkadelphia and destroy the salt-works, powder-mills, &c.

Is it not practicable to withdraw a portion of Steele’s force.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 283-4

O.R., I, xxx, part 4, p 403

My family and I have finally arrived in Memphis.  The pilots of our boats did not want to travel at night because they felt it was too dangerous.  I assured them I had full confidence in their skill and ordered them to proceed upriver.  I dashed off a quick note to Gen. Sherman before we continue on to Cairo.

MEMPHIS, October 14, 1863- 11 a.m

Major-General SHERMAN:

Arrived this morning. Will be off in a few hours. My orders are only to go to Cairo, and report from there by telegraph. McPherson will be in Canton to-day. He will remain there until Sunday or Monday next, and reconnoiter as far eastward as possible with cavalry in the mean time.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 281

The Personal Memoirs of Julia Dent Grant, p 123

O.R., I, xxx, part 4, p 354

Oct 10 1863.  A Lt. Col. Wilson has come down to Vicksburg from Cairo Ill., carrying a dispatch from Gen. Halleck.  It reads,

WASHINGTON, October 3, 1863-11 a.m.

Lieutenant Colonel J. H. WILSON,

Cairo, Ill.:

Telegraph in general terms disposition of General Grant’s forces. Convey as soon as possible to General Grant the following: It is the wish of the Secretary of War that as soon as General Grant is able to take the field, he will come to Cairo and report by telegraph.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

 

I will turn over command of the forces around Vicksburg to Gen. McPherson.  I wrote him,

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Vicksburg, Miss., October 10, 1863.

Major General J. B. McPHERSON,

Commanding Seventeenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: Headquarters, &c., will be removed to Nashville, Tenn. All forces south of Helena, black and white, will be removed under General McPherson, as commander of the District of Vicksburg.

Complaints are made that raids go out from the west bank of the river into Macon County and bring in cotton, thus endangering the crops and personal property of the inhabitants there to seizure and destruction by the rebels. This is unauthorized, and General Hawkins should be instructed to use every effort to put a stop to it.

It would be advisable to send Osband’s cavalry to Skipwith’s Landing to remain for a few weeks, to give protection to the few deserving people in that country, and also to fill up his regiment from the plantations around owned by persons of disloyalty. Send them through by land, crossing the Yazoo about the mouth of Sunflower. They should be instructed to treat the people with kindness. A few on that side have protection papers. Such persons should receive the full benefit of them.

Where planters have hired their negroes in accordance with established regulations, recruiting officers should refuse to receive or harbor them about their camps. The Duncans have hired theirs in that way.

Headquarters may be established in Louisville for the purpose of receiving all reports, &c. This will be fully determined probably at Cairo.

In regard to the expedition going out to Canton, special directions cannot be given for it. After reaching that place, I would like, however, that everything possible should be done to create the impression that the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad was in danger.

The commanding general will of course keep headquarters informed of all movements of the enemy coming to his knowledge. He will also make such moves with his troops as the protection of the territory intrusted to his charge may require.

The marine fleet will habitually be kept on shore, and only go on their boats when sent for special duty. Details can be made from other forces to accompany them when necessary. The boats for the marine fleet can be used for transportation of troops when required, but habitually they will be kept ready to send them to other points on the river.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 276-78

O.R., I, xxx, part 4, p 55, 234-35

Oct 8 1863.  I wrote Gen. Hurlbut warning him to watch for any attempt to cut off Sherman’s troops before they can reach Chattanooga.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE,
Vicksburg, Miss, October 8, 1863.

Major General S. A. HURLBUT,

Comdg. Sixteenth Army Corps:

GENERAL: There is every indication that the enemy will make an effort to cut off communication between Memphis and Corinth, and also that he will endeavor to prevent Sherman from joining Rosecrans or getting near him to support him. They cavalry to my front have evidently gone north, 3,000 or 4,000 strong, and have been reenforced by two brigades of infantry.

I am also informed, and I believe reliably, that two divisions from Bragg’s army have gone up the Mobile and Ohio Railroad. Johnston is now with their troops in person. He was at Oxford a few days ago but has gone round to Okolona.

I am just sending out all the force that can be spared from here to drive the enemy from Canton and Jackson, with instructions to remain in Canton for a few days and scout with the cavalry as far eastward as possible.

Columbus, Miss.,is a point of vast importance to the enemy, and if threatened would necessarily cause the enemy to detain a large force at that point. The cavalry will try to create the impression that they are going there.

I presume you have full information of the movements of the enemy and are acting accordingly.

I further learn from Bragg’s army, that since the fight it has been reduced largely by sending off detachments, first to prevent re-enforcements being sent to Rosecrans from Corinth, and second to push a force across the Tennessee, west of any force Rosecrans has, with the view of getting to his rear. I do not know how reliable this may be, but send the information as I received it.

I wish you would forward this letter or a copy to Sherman, with the private letter for him accompanying.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 271-72

O.R., I, xxx, part 4, p 170-1

Oct 6 1863.  I have received a letter from Gen. Halleck dated Sept 29.  It orders me to go to Memphis to personally supervise the transfer of troops to Gen. Rosecrans in Tennessee.

Washington, September 29, 1863-11 a.m.

Major-General GRANT,

Vicksburg, Miss.:

The enemy seems to have concentrated upon General Rosecrans all his available forces from every direction. To meet him it is necessary that all the forces that can be spared in your department be sent to General Rosecrans’ assistance. He wishes them sent by Tuscumbia, Decatur, and Athens. As this requires the opening and running of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad east of Corinth, an able commander, like Sherman or McPherson, should be selected. As soon as your health will permit, I think you should go to Memphis and take the direction of this movement. Should Bragg move by Rome into Northern Alabama to turn Rosecrans’ right, your forces on that line may require all your assistance. Longstreet’s corps, I believe, is the only one withdrawn from Lee’s army, but almost everything has been taken from other places.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 275

O.R., I, xxx, part 3, p 923

Oct 3 1863.  Gen. Banks is requesting troops to help him in his campaign in Texas.  With Gen. Sherman’s corps on the way to Tennessee though, I have no troops to send.  I wrote him,

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE TENNESSEE, Vicksburg, Miss., October 3, 1863.

Major General N. P. BANKS,
Commanding Department of the Gulf:

GENERAL: I regret that recent events in Northern Georgia and consequent orders to me from headquarters of the army, prevent me entirely from keeping any portion of my promise to you in regard to furnishing you with any further aid. I am left in such a condition that I cannot even send a cavalry force, which I intended to clean out the country between the Mississippi River and the New Orleans and Jackson road as far south as Port Hudson.

The brigade which I ordered from West Tennessee never came, but in lieu of it General Hurlbut sent parts of three regiments, numbering about 1,000 men.

I have sent to Rosecrans’ aid one entire army corps from here, and part of the Sixteenth from West Tennessee. This leaves me a force of little over 16,000 men of all arms to guard the whole country from Helena to your lines. I have in my immediate front four brigades of rebel cavalry that I know of, and some twenty or more pieces of artillery.

I assure you, general, this is no less of a disappointment to me that to you. I was anxious to give you the aid to make the expedition a certain success, but my orders from Washington were peremptory to send every man I could east from Corinth. I informed the General-in-Chief that you had made a call upon me to furnish one division more, but received no reply.

I am very glad, to say that I have so far recovered from my injuries as to be able to move about on crutches. It will probably be some time before I will entirely recover.

I am, general, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 259-60

O.R., I, xxx, part 4, p 50-1

Oct 1 1863.  I have received word from Gen. Sherman.  He is having a difficult time navigating up the Mississippi.  He reports that his son is gravely ill as well.  He writes,

HEADQUARTERS FIFTEENTH ARMY CORPS, On board Atlantic, Helena, Ark., October 1, 1863-4 p.m.

DEAR GENERAL: My boat arrived here an hour ago, and the pilots are gone to sound the bar. River very low, and we will surely have to land our men and stock, and pass round the bar, and even then it is doubtful if this boat can pass. River is lower than ever known before. I have sent one of my staff up to General Buford to learn the news. I have papers of the 25th.

Rosecrans is at Chattanooga awaiting re-enforcements. Bragg threatens him close at hand. The newspapers announce that Rosecrans is already re-enforced by Burnside and Sherman. They will doubtless hold us accountable for not passing by magic from Black River to Chattanooga. It will be as much as I expect to get to Memphis to-morrow, and all the Second Division is behind me. We found plenty of wood at Griffin’s Landing, 10 miles below Greenville, and plenty here. The wood at Griffin’s is about a mile back, and is represented by one of my staff at 4,000 cords. It would well pay to send up and haul it to the bank. To move troops along the river, wood-yards must be established. It would be better for the Fourth Division to come on without waiting for the return of these boats, and work their way up on small boats as best they can. I will send your letters up to Cairo by a staff officer.

Minnie is much better, but Willie, my oldest boy, is very sick.

I will push matters from Memphis with all possible energy, but no amount of energy will move a sand-bar.

Yours, in haste,

W.T. SHERMAN,

Major-General, Commanding.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 9, p 274

O.R., I, xxx, part 4, p 3