East Quincy. Mo.,
July 13th, 1861.
Dear Father:
I have just received yours and Mary's letters and really did
not know that I had been so negligent as not to have written to you before. I
did write from Camp Yates, but since receiving yours remember that I did not
get to finish it at the time, and have neglected it since. The fact is that
since I took command of this regiment I have had no spare time, and flatter
myself, and believe I am sustained in my judgment by my officers and men, that
I have done as much for the improvement and efficiency of this regiment as was
ever done for a command in the same length of time. — You will see that I am in
Missouri. Yesterday I went out as far as Palmyra and stationed my regiment
along the railroad for the protection of the bridges, trestle work, etc. The
day before I sent a small command, all I could spare, to relieve Colonel Smith
who was surrounded by secessionists. He effected his relief, however, before
they got there. Tomorrow I start for Monroe, where I shall fall in with Colonel
Palmer and one company of horse and two pieces of artillery. One regiment and a
battalion of infantry will move on to Mexico, North Missouri road, and all of
us together will try to nab the notorious Tom Harris with his 1200
secessionists. His men are mounted, and I have but little faith in getting many
of them. The notorious Jim Green who was let off on his parole of honor but a
few days ago, has gone towards them with a strong company well armed. If he is
caught it will prove bad work for him.
You no doubt saw from the papers that I started to march
across the country for Quincy. My men behaved admirably, and the lesson has
been a good one for them. They can now go into camp after a day’s march with as
much promptness as veteran troops; they can strike their tents and be on the
march with equal celerity. At the Illinois River, I received a dispatch at
eleven o’clock at night that a train of cars would arrive at half past eleven
to move my regiment. All the men were of course asleep, but I had the drum
beaten, and in forty minutes every tent and all the baggage was at the water's
edge ready to put aboard the ferry to cross the river.
I will try to keep you posted from time to time, by writing
either to you or to Mary, of my whereabouts and what I am doing. I hope you
will have only a good account of me and the command under my charge. I assure
you my heart is in the cause I have espoused, and however I may have disliked
party Republicanism there has never been a day that I would not have taken up
arms for a Constitutional Administration.
You ask if I should not like to go in the regular army. I
should not. I want to bring my children up to useful employment, and in the
army the chance is poor. There is at least the same objection that you find
where slavery exists. Fred, has been with me until yesterday; I sent him home
on a boat.
Yours &c.
U. S. GRANT.
SOURCE: Jesse Grant Cramer, Editor, Letters of
Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister, 1857-78, p. 40-2
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