I received the following report of possible reinforcements for Gen. Longstreet or Gen. Johnston, who has replaced Bragg.

WASHINGTON, January 28, 1864-1.24 p. m.

Major-General GRANT,

Saint Louis, Mo.:

Major-General Sedgwick telegraphs that two brigades of Ewell’s corps have left for Johnston or Longstreet, one on the 20th and one on the 25th. Assistant Adjutant-General Anderson telegraphs from Lexington of an expected raid by Morgan through Stone or Sounding Gap, into Kentucky.

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

 

I replied,

SAINT LOUIS, MO., January 28, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Before leaving Chattanooga I directed one division to move between the Chickamauga and the Hiwassee to cover the river, and to be on the road if it should prove necessary to re-enforce Foster. Thomas was to make a demonstration toward Dalton at the same time. These moves may induce the enemy to re-enforce Johnston, as his army is rapidly dissolving by desertion. I also made arrangements for pushing though to Knoxville as many rations as possible, to support re-enforcements if they should have to go. A cavalry raid in the direction named in your telegraph is almost impossible with the present state of the roads. Fearing it might be attempted, however, I directed General Ammen, before I left Tennessee, to watch closely, and to call the Kentucky forces to meet it if attempted.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

I also forwarded the warning to Gen. Thomas.

SAINT LOUIS, January 28, 1864.

Major-General THOMAS:

General Halleck telegraphs that one brigade left Ewell’s corps on the 17th and one on the 20th, to re-enforce Longstreet or Joe Johnston. If the former, the moves indicated before I left should commence as soon as possible.

Telegraph any information you have and what you are doing.

GRANT.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 71-2

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 244-5, 247

I have learned that Gen. Schofield has been placed under my command.  I believe he will best use to relieve Gen. Foster until he can recover from his leg injury.  I wrote Gen. Halleck,

SAINT LOUIS, MO., January 27, 1864.

Major-General HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

Understanding that General Schofield is ordered to report to me, I would request that he be assigned to the command of the Department of the Ohio and General Stoneman ot command of Twenty-third Army Corps. No objection to General Foster, but I fear that if he does not attend soon to his wounded leg it will be too late, and he is now entirely unfit for field duty.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

I received a response directly from the Secretary of War.

WASHINGTON, D. C., January 27, 1864-7.50 p. m.

Major General U. S. GRANT,

Saint louis, Mo.:

Your telegram of this date to General Halleck has just been received. According to your request General Schofield is assigned to the command of the Department of the Ohio and General Foster relieved. General Stoneman is assigned to the command of the Twenty-third Army Corps. The official orders will be transmitted to-morrow, the General-in-Chief having gone to his residence in the country this evening.

EDWIN M. STANTON,

Secretary of War.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 67-8

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 229-30

Upon my arrival here in St. Louis, I found that Fred is recovering nicely from his illness and is out of danger.  I received the following letter from several prominent citizens of St. Louis.

“Your fellow citizens of St. Louis, in common with all loyal men of the Republic, have witnessed with the highest admiration your patriotic devotion, unsurpassed service and commanding success in the various military positions occupied by you from the commencement of the existing war. They remember the alacrity with which you sprung to arms at the first call of your country, placing yourself at its disposal to aid in suppressing this most unjustifiable and gigantic rebellion. As citizens of Missouri they can never forget the promptness and skill with which you aided in defending this State at the beginning of the conflict, when the means at the command of those in authority were wholly inadequate to the great work committed to them; and as citizens of the great Valley of the Mississippi, they owe you unbounded gratitude, not only for the first signal victories which, under your auspices, crowned our arms and thrilled the nation with joy, but also for those later and unparalleled triumphs which gave again freedom to western commerce, from the source of its great rivers to the Gulf. Not with more certainty is the indivisibility of the Mississippi Valley proclaimed by its geographical features, than by the devoted loyalty of the North West, which demands that from the Lakes to the Gulf, along its broad rivers and over its fertile plains, only one flag shall be known, and that the glorious banner of our Republic—’one and indivisible.’ You have borne that flag victoriously with your heroic legions until the Mississippi goes ‘unvexed to the sea’; and looking down from the mountain heights of Tennessee upon the States between you and the Gulf in one direction and the Atlantic in the other, you have, with the inspiration which the past glories of that State should ever arouse, made at Chattanooga a glorious response to that grand utterance of an immortal hero which crushed out incipient rebellion years gone by:—’The Federal Union: It shall be preserved.’ As citizens of a Republic consecrated to constitutional liberty, and duly appreciating the destinies of the future for our own and other lands which hang upon the results of the present conflict, we glory in the brilliant deeds and unparalleled triumphs of yourself, officers and men. To you and the gallant soldiers whom you have led, a nation’s honors and gratitude are due. In the name of ourselves and of St. Louis, we earnestly request that you will, before leaving this city, once your home, meet your fellow citizens at a public dinner, where old personal friendships may be renewed and new ones formed, and where congratulations over the successes of the past and the hopes of the future may be freely interchanged. We have the honor to be, with sentiments of profound regard,”

I replied,

Your highly complimentary invitation to meet “old acquaintances and to make new ones” at a dinner to be given by citizens of St. Louis, is just received.
I will state that I have only visited St. Louis on this occation to see a sick child. Finding however that he has passed the crisis of his disease, and is pronounced out of danger by his physician, I accept the invitation. My stay in in the City will be short, probably not beyond the 1st proximo. On to-morrow I shall be engaged. Any other day of my stay here, and any place selected by the Citizens of St. Louis, it will be agreeable for me to meet them.
I have the honor to be very respectfully your obt. svt.
U. S. Grant
Maj. Gen. U. S. A.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 69-70

My son Fred is seriously ill with typhoid, but I have been unable to visit him while Longstreet is threatening Knoxville.  Now that the threat seems to have subsided and Gen. Thomas is prepared to take command, I am leaving to visit Fred in St. Louis.  I wrote Gen. Halleck,

LOUISVILLE, KY.., January 25, 1864-7.40 p. m.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief:

I left Chattanooga 6.30 p. m. yesterday. General Thomas has full instructions to go in person to Foster’s aid if necessary, and, in case he does, not to leave until Longstreet is driven form Tennessee. I go on to-night to Saint Louis. Will keep up telegraphic communication with my command, and should Thomas go into East Tennessee I will go immediately to Chattanooga. Thomas will be ready to move his troops at once, should the emergency arise.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 66

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 207

It is becoming clear that Gen. Foster’s injury will prevent him from playing an active role in the field.  I wrote Gen. Thomas to prepare to take command in East Tennessee if necessary.

CHATTANOOGA, January 24, 1864.

Major General GEORGE H. THOMAS,

Chattanooga:

Should the advance of Longstreet upon Knoxville make re-enforcements to Foster necessary, send the remainder of the Fourth Corps, except artillery. I do not deem more artillery necessary under any circumstances, unless you should deem it advisable as safeguard whilst on the march. Should the exigencies of Foster’s position make more re-enforcements necessary send such of the troops as you can spare.

In case you are called on for troops to go into East Tennessee I wish you to take the command in person, and on arrival at Knoxville to take command of all the forces.

The condition Foster is now in makes it impossible for him to take the field. In justice to himself, and as I want Longstreet routed and pursued beyond the limits of the State of Tennessee, it is necessary to have a commander physically able for the task.

Troops started from Chattanooga with three days’ rations in haversacks will be able to make the trip to Loudon, drawing the balance of their supplies from the country. Receipts should be given in all cases where supplies are taken from loyal persons to enable them to get their pay in accordance with existing orders.

I wish it impress this fact: If further re-enforcements are send from here to East Tennessee, Longstreet is to be driven beyond the reach of doing further harm in this State. Troops enough should beset to secure this result.

Should taking such a force weaken Chattanooga dangerously, I will order such force from Logan’s command to their place as will secure it.

In drawing troops from Chattanooga it would not be necessary to wait the arrival of their substitutes. The fact of their being on the way wold be sufficient. I would advise that immediate attention be given to preparations for moving troops, so that they may be got off, if required, on the shortest possible notice.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 64-5

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 193-4

I wrote again to Gen. Foster, urging action.

CHATTANOOGA, January 24, 1864 – 3 p. m.

Major-General FOSTER:

Can you not now organize a cavalry force to work its way past Longstreet south of him, to get into his rear and destroy railroad and transportation, or cannot Willcox do this from the north? Either this should be done or battle given where Longstreet now is. Let me know what you think about this.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

He replied,

KNOXVILLE, January 24, 1864.

Major-General GRANT:

Your dispatch of tree 2nd is received; also one without date ordering an advance. I have telegraphed the results of the past week’s movements. the whole force is now distributed to their positions to obtain forage and thereat which men and animals so much need. The roads are very bad, and after a rain will become impassable. the animals are in a very bad condition. Very little of the artillery can be taken forward at this time on a march. the bread thus far received from Chattanooga has not amounted to one-tenth of the rations. We now have only enough for the hospitals. I make the above representation in justice to the men, who have already suffered much, and would earnestly urge that they be allowed some weeks to rest.

J. G. FOSTER,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 58,60

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 193-4

I wrote Gen. Foster, urging him to take the offensive.

CHATTANOOGA, January 22, 1864.

Major General J. G. FOSTER,

Knoxville:

Facilities will be given you of getting supplies, either by transferring boats to your quartermaster or having them use for your benefit. Move forward and attack Longstreet as soon as you can, and if more troops are required send to me for them.

Do you not think it practicable to collect Willcox’s forces and move them by Jonesville to Abingdon? If they could destroy the road from Abingdon to Saltwille it would be worth taking a great risk.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 58

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 173

Apparently the reports of Longstreet being reinforced were in error.  I received the following from Gen. Foster.

KNOXVILLE, January 20, 1864 – 12 m.

Major-General GRANT:

No evidence has reached me to prove that either Ewell or A. P. Hill have re-enforced Longstreet, although scouts and deserters report troops from both corps. I am not convinced that he has received anything but the Third Division of his corps. I am doubtful of his intention to attack us here. He will certainly meet with defeat if he does. I am now moving cavalry up the south side of the French Broad to secure the forage grounds in that section. As soon as the infantry can retire from Strawberry Plains, after first taking down the bridge and sending the material here to be used in the bridge at this place, I shall send the Fourth and Twenty-third Corps to forage up the French Broad, retaining the Ninth Corps as garrison at this place, Lenoir’s, and Loudon.

J. G. FOSTER.

 

We may be able to go on the offensive in East Tennessee after all.  I wrote Gen. Halleck,

CHATTANOOGA, TENN., January 22, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK, Washington, D. C.:

General Foster’s last dispatch states that he thinks Longstreet had not been re-enforced from Ewell’s corps. Foster is now withdrawing from Dandridge and Strawberry Plains to cross at Knoxville and move east on south side of French Broad. I have instructed him to get ready and attack as soon as possible. With Anderson as manager of railroads we can never accumulate supplies, nor even supply full rations from day to day.

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 54-5

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 151, 171-2

I have received yet another letter inquiring if I would run for President in the upcoming election.  Nothing could be farther from my desire.

Nashville Tennessee,
January 20 1864
Hon. I. N. Morris,
Dear Sir.

Your letter of the 29th of December I did not see until two days ago. I receive many such but do not answer. Yours however, is written in such a kindly spirit, and as you ask for an answer confidentially, I will not withhold it. Allow me to say however that I am not a politician, never was and hope never to be, and could not write a political letter. My only desire is to serve the country in her present trials. To do this efficiently it is necessary to have the confidence of the Army and the people. I know no way to better to secure this end than by a faithful performance of my duties. So long as I hold my present position I do not believe that I have the right to criticize the policy or orders of those above me, or to give utterance to views of my own except to the authorities at Washington, through the General in Chief of the Army. In this respect I know I have proven myself a “good soldier.” In your letter you say that I have it in my power to be the next President! This is the last thing in the world I desire. I would regard such a consummation as being highly unfortunate for myself if not for the country. Through Providence I have attained to more than I ever hoped, and with the position I now hold in the Regular Army, if allowed to retain it will be more than satisfied. I certainly shall never shape a sentiment, or the expression of a thought with the view of being a candidate for office. I scarcely know the inducement that could be held out to me to accept office, and unhesitatingly say that I infinitely prefer my present position to that of any civil office within the gift of the people.
This is a private letter to you, not intended for others to see or read, because I want to avoid being heard from by the public except through acts in the performance of my legitimate duties.
I have the honor to be

Very respectfully

Your obdt servt

U S Grant

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 52-3

Illinois State Historical Library

It now seems clear that not only will we be unable to drive Longstreet from East Tennessee, but it also seems he is assuming the offensive.  I wrote Gen. Halleck,

HDQRS. MILITARY DIVISION OF THE MISSISSIPPI,
Nashville, Tenn., January 20, 1864.

Major General H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief of the Army:

GENERAL: From dispatches just received from General Foster, the siege of Knoxville is about to be renewed. It was a great oversight in the first place to have ever permitted Longstreet to come to a stop within the State of Tennessee after the siege was raised. My instructions were full and complete on this subject. Sherman was sent with forces sufficient alone to defeat Longstreet, and, notwithstanding the long distance his troops had marched, proposed to go on and carry out my instructions in full. General Burnside was sanguine that no stop would be made by the enemy in the valley. Sherman them proposed to leave any amount of force Burnside thought might be necessary to make his position perfectly secure. He deemed two division ample. These were left, numbering about 11,000 men for duty, besides Elliott’s cavalry division of about 3,000 present effective men. All this force is still with Foster. I regretted from the start that Longstreet was permitted to come to a halt in the valley, but was in hopes the judgment of General Burnside would prove correct. General Wilson nd Mr. Dana were both present at the interview between Generals Burnside and Sherman on this subject, and can give all the reasons assigned for the course pursued. My official report will be accompanied by all the dispatches and orders given to Burnside and Sherman, but I write this now more particularly to show that the latter-named officer is in no wise to blame for the existing state of affairs in East Tennessee. I feel no alarm for the safety of East Tennessee, but the presence of Longstreet has been embarrassing in forcing me to keep more troops there than would been otherwise necessary, and in preventing other movements taking place. It has also taxed some of the most loyal people in the United States to support a cause they detest.

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

U. S. GRANT,

Major-General.

 

The Papers of Ulysses S Grant, Vol 10, p 51-2

O.R., I, xxxii, part 2, p 149-50