U.S. Grant from April 15 -26, 1865

[loetar44]

(11-19-2014 02:16 PM)L Verge Wrote:  Where's Kees when I need him?

I just read your post, was pretty busy and my time was limited the last two weeks, so maybe you thought I vanished. But, I’m here, healthy and sound. Hope you are feeling better Laurie! Sorry not responding sooner....

Your question about Ulysses Grant is an intriguing and fascinating one. What did he do after arriving back in D.C.? What I know is that after the assassination he was back in D.C. arriving there by train from Burlington at 1 pm and checked in at his hotel. He immediately started with a directing order to Gen. Ord to arrest certain CSA officials in Richmond.

The following day (Sunday, April 16) he wrote to his wife Julia the following: “I got back here about 1 pm yesterday and was called immediately into the presence of our new President, who had already been qualified, and the Cabinet. I telegraphed you from Baltimore and told Beckwith [telegraph and cipher officer to Grant; he was nicknamed "Grant's shadow" by other staff officers] to do the same thing from here”. So Grant informed his wife of his safe arrival. He further wrote: “You no doubt received the dispatches. All seems very quiet here. There is but little doubt but that the plot contemplated the distruction (sic.) of more than the President and Sec. of State. I think now however it has expended itself and there is but little to fear. For the present I shall occupy a room in the office which is well guarded and will be occupied by Bowers [Colonel Bowers was Grant’s assistant Adjutant-General) and probably two or three others. I shall only go to the Hotel twice a day for my meals and will stay indoors of evenings.” He also informed his wife that he had to stay in D.C. for several days, maybe until Saturday (April 22), but if he could return sooner he certainly would do so. He wrote: “The change which has come upon the country so suddenly will make it necessary for me to remain in the City for several days yet. Gen. Halleck will go to Richmond to command there and Ord to Charleston. Other changes which will have to be made, and the apparent feeling that I should remain here until everything gets into working order under the new regime will probably detain me here until next Saturday.” Grant also hoped that his wife was safe in Philadelphia, when he did go home: “I hope you will be in your house in Phila when I do go home. The inconvenience of getting from the Phila depot to Burlington is about equal to the balance of the trip.”

On Friday April 21 Grant left D.C.at midnight, not to go home, to his wife, but he was sent by President Johnson to North Carolina to oversee resumption of hostilities. Again he had written to Julia, on April 20. “I had made up my mind to go home last night, but the Sec. of War wanted me to hold on here yet for a day or two. About the time, or before, I would have started I received a dispatch from Ft. Monroe stating that a messenger with very important dispatches from Gen. Sherman was on his way up. I would have been compelled to await these. The bearer of dispatches has not yet arrived.” Further he wrote: “I will go home as soon as I can but this time will not be able to remain long. It looks as if I never to have any rest. I can scarsely get to my meals without being followed up by dispatches that require instant attention. I hope this condition of things will change soon however.” Grant also said: “I have had but one letter from you since you got home. Expect one to-day and hope to hear that you are preparing to move to Phila”.

On April 22 (on his way to North C.), Grant is in Fort Monroe (instructing Gen. Halleck to send Sheridan to North C.) and on April 23 he is at Beaufort, North C. On April 24 he conferred with Sherman at Raleigh, North C. On April 26 Grant approved Sherman's second surrender agreement with Johnston. On Saturday April 29 Grant is back in D.C. and informed Julia that he is preparing to go home. At noon that day he telegraphed to Maj. Gen. Henry W. Halleck”: "Gen. Sheridan need not accompany his Cavalry across the Country but may return here by water with his Staff so soon as he sees his Cavalry started.” From his H.Q in D.C. Grant also directed (April 30) that special precautions had be taken to prevent Jefferson Davis from escaping.

On Monday May 1, late in the evening, Grant travelled to his wife in Burlington and together they went to their Philadelphia home, were they arrived on May 3. After Lincoln’s burial at Springfield (May 4) Grant is back in D.C. On May 9 he wrote to Julia that he could not leave Washington for Philadelphia. “I find a great deal to do here and will yet for a few weeks….”, he earlier wrote (May 7).