Monday, January 17, 2022

Silas A. Hudson to Brigadier-General Grenville M. Dodge, July 11, 1863

Memphis Tennessee, July 11th, 186[3]*,
General Dodge:

I have just arrived here from Headquarters and am on my way home with Master Fred, the General's son, who will remain some time north for the benefit of his health.

Before leaving, I had a confidential interview with the General and it gives me pleasure to be able to inform you authoritively that your name will head the list to be sent forward by him for promotion to Major Generalship.  I am also authorized to say to you that his recent success gives him more real pleasure and gratification because it enable him to advance the interest of meritorious officers in his command who have nobly stood by him, and have so largely contributed to his present fame and position, than from any other consideration.  And although he has known you but little except in an official capacity, you have his full confidence, and he approves your management of the duty [assigned] you fully and completely.

We have taken 31,277 prisoners, one Lieut. Gen. and 14 Majors and Brig. Gen. and about 60 Cols. Etc.

So far as we are able to obtain record by actual count, we have 66,000 stands of arms, 173 Field and large guns, 660  bbls flour[,] corn in quantities, five million dollars in clothing—their invoice, 250,00 lbs. of sugar, large amou[n]ts of bacon, &c. &c. and ammunition sufficient for years, and of the best quality as are their arms, 30,000 of which have never been used, and which we will exchange our[s] for, and so make the caliber used by us uniform.

SOURCES: Grenville M. Dodge, Biography of Major General Grenville M. Dodge from 1831 to 1871: written and compiled by himself at different times and completed in 1914, p. 111 accessed on archive.org January 17, 2022. *General Dodge in this, his typewritten manuscript, misdates this letter as July 11, 1862.  John Y. Simon, Editor, The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 8, p. 145 places this letter in 1863.

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