Monday, February 16, 2015

Brigadier-General John A. Rawlins to Mary Emeline Hurlburt Rawlins, March 9, 1864

Washington, D. C., March 9, 1864.

. . . We arrived here yesterday evening, called at General Halleck's office, found he had gone, proceeded to his residence on Georgetown Heights; he was not there; returned to the President's house where a grand levee was being held, and oh what enthusiasm prevailed. The General was certainly, last night, more than President in the hearts of the immense concourse of ladies attending the White House. It would have filled Mrs. Grant with delight. After the Levee, we visited the Secretary of War.

To-day the General received and accepted his commission as Lieutenant General in the army of the United States. He talks of going out to visit the army of the Potomac to-morrow, but whether he will or not I am unable to say. I am doing all I can to get him away from here. To-night he dines with Mr. Seward, Secretary of State. I shall accompany him though it is not my pleasure to do so. You know where I am wine is not drunk by those with whom I have any influence. Were it otherwise I should consult my pleasure. The new order of things will necessitate breaking up our little home at Nashville, but not, I trust, before I see you again. . . .

SOURCE: James H. Wilson, The Life of John A. Rawlins, p. 402-3

1 comment:

Jim Miller said...

WooHoo!!! This is the 12,000th post on Civil War Notebook!