Monterey Ten. May 4th 1862
D EAR J ULIA ,
Olando Ross has
just arrived bringing a letter for me from you and also one from father. The
latter seems very anxious that I should contradict the statements made by the
newspapers! Dont he know the best contradiction in the world is to pay no
attention to them? I am in the best health in the world. I think I must be
twenty pounds heavyer than when first arrived at Savanna. I was then much
reduced however from Diareah. My weight now must be 150 pounds. Orley says that
Missy is one of the smartest little girls to learn in Covington. I wrote to you
that when you heard of my arrival any place on the Mississippi river you might
join me. We now have our advance within three miles of Corinth. Every day our
column moves up closer to the enemy. It is a big job however to get a large
Army over country roads where it has been raining for the last five months. If
we could go strung along the road where there was no enemy to meet it would be
different. Here however the front must be kept compact and we do well to
approach a few miles every day. Yesterday Gen. Pope had quite a skirmish with
the rebels in getting possession of the town of Farmington three miles of
Corinth. Pope lost two men killed & twelve wounded whilst the enemy left
thirty dead on the field and lost quite a number taken prisoners. You will hear
the result of the attack on Corinth, by telegraph, before this reaches you.—I
sent you $250.00 by express the other day. Draw the $100.00 you got from Mr.
Safford as a matter of course. I want you to let father have all you can for us
to start on at the close of the war but dont stint yourself. I want you and the
children to dress well. You can say to father that Nelsons troops made a good
march on Saturday and were ordered that evening to march up the river to
opposite Pittsburg Landing the next morning, which they did starting at an
early hour. After the attack commenced orders were sent hurrying them up. But
it is no small matter to march 10,000 men nine miles and cross a river with
them when there are no ferry boats and but a small landing overcrouded with
steamers.
The papers will
get done with this thing after awhile and look upon the first days fight at
Pittsburg Landing as one of the best resistances ever made. The enemy
outnumbered us three to one that day and we held the field.
Kiss the children
for me. Give my love to all at home. Did you get Simp’s watch? I shall not want
my citizens clothing until my return to the loyal states. I hope and feel that
my return there is not going to be long defered. After one more big battle it
certainly cannot be necessary to keep this large army together and I am anxious
to go either to Texas or on the coast someplace. Kisses for yourself.
U LYS.
The letter I sent
you from Gen. Smith was probably the last he ever wrote. That was written by
himself but seeing how badly it was done he had it copied and signed it
himself. He was a gallant soldier and one whos esteem was worth having. In Gen.
Sherman the country has an able and gallant defender and your husband a true
friend.
U
SOURCES: Bruce Catton, “Grant Writes Home,” American Heritage, October 1973, Volume
24, Issue 6, p. 18; John Y. Simon, Editor, The Papers of Ulysses S.
Grant, Volume 5: April 1-August 31, 1862, p. 110-1;
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