Extra Credit Questions

[David Lockmiller]

At a cabinet meeting on July 7, 1863 [Lincoln's] expression was one of "sadness and despondency," according to Welles, "that Meade still lingered at Gettysburg, when he should have been at Hagerstown or near the Potomac, in an effort to cut off the retreating army of Lee." That afternoon he was conferring with Chase and a few others in his office, pointing out Grant's progress to date on a map of Mississippi, when Welles came running into the room with a broad smile on his face and a telegram from Porter in his hand. The admiral had sent a fast boat up to Cairo, the Memphis wirehead having broken down, and beat the army in getting the news to Washington: "I have the honor to inform you that Vicksburg has surrendered to the U.S. forces on this 4th day of July."

Lincoln rose at once. "I myself will telegraph this news to General Meade," he said, then took his hat as if to go, but paused and turned to Welles, throwing one arm across the shoulders of the bearer of good tidings. "What can we do for the Secretary of the Navy for this glorious intelligence?" He is always giving us good news. I cannot in words tell you my joy over this result. It is great!" The Secretary beamed as he walked to the telegraph office with his chief, who could not contain his pleasure at the outcome of Grant's campaign. "This will relieve Banks. It will inspire me," he said as he strode along. He thought it might also inspire Meade, and he had Halleck pass the word to him that Vicksburg had surrenedered; "Now if General Meade can complete his work so gloriously prosecuted thus far . . . the rebellion will be over."

A wire also went to Grant: "It gives me great pleasure to inform you that you have been appointed a major general in the Regular Army, to rank from July 4, the date of your capture of Vicksburg." Moreover, on Grant's recommendation, Sherman and McPherson soon were made permanent brigadiers, the reward that had gone to Meade at Frederick that same day.

(Source: "The Civil War, A Narrative, Gettysburg to Vicksburg, Unvexed to the Seat," by Shelby Foote, Random House, 1963, at pages 303-04.)

Unfortunately, the great historian and excellent Civil War history commentator on Ken Burns "Civil War" documentary series does not provide his academic source in his own Civil War books series. I presume that the original source of the quoted material was all from Secretary of Navy Welles. But the narrative which I transcribed was "pure Shelby Foote" as if he were speaking before the camera to Ken Burns.