Rensselaer Republican, Volume 22, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 February 1890 — BEFORE VICKSBURG. [ARTICLE]

BEFORE VICKSBURG.

How Gen. Grant Sncsesded in Getting Bainforoanmts. Hs Wanted 10,000 Kore Man, and Knit Have Them. —Stantan, Leggett and Lincoln—Strategy Needed Outside of Battle. In the last part of 1862, when Gen. Grant was preparing to make a mover meat by land to reach the rear of Yicksburg, in accordance with the plans he had made for the capture of that stronghold, says a Washington correspondent to the New York Times, who gives the story first to the public, he saw that he did not have a sufficient number of men to command success, and that it was imperative he should have 3,000 or 10,000 more. His plans had been sent to Washington and approved, but to his request for men the answer came that he must go ahead with the force he had. In response Grant informed the president that he could not do it, the attempt would end in failure, and the expedition had better be abandoned than attempted without reinforcements. Determined that the war department should fully understand the situation, he ordered a former member of his staff, Gen. M. D. of Ohio, then commanding one of his brigades, to proceed to Washington and lay the whole matter before the president and secretary of war. Gen. Leggett had a personal acquaintance with Mr. Stanton, and knew there was little hope of changing his mind when once made up, and accordingly decided to train access to the president before the secretary should forestall him by the presentation of the war-department side of the case. He therefore called upon the secretary at 8 o’clock in the morning, after his arrival, and said to him: “Mr. Stanton, I wish you would take me to Mr. Lincoln and introduce me and let me do the talking. I don’t want you to destroy my case with objeciiona” “Allright,” was the response, and the call was made. Gen. Leggett was permitted to present Gen. Grant’s ideas as fully and as clearly as possible, while Mr. Lincoln listened with the closest attention.

When he had concluded the president took him in hand and gavo him the most severe and critical cross-ex-amination he had ever undergone as to the situation in the west, Grant’s purposes, etc. Mr. Stanton aaded several questions of biß own, and when he had ended the president thought for a moment and then said decidedly: “Very well; he must have the troopa" “But where will you get them?” asked the secretary. Turning to Gen. Leggett the president said: “How many must we have?” "Sixteen thousand,” Gen. Leggett responded, setting a high figure for the purpose of future compromise if need be. Turning to thm secretary the president asked a series of questions as to the disposition of certain forces not then in the field. How many are at Cleveland? how many at DetroitP How many here? and how many there? until he had gone over the available force in the west and had demonstrated that 12,000 or 16,000 could be sent on to Grant. Then Mr. Lincoln turned to Gen. Leggett and asked him when he intended to leave Washinton. “At 5 p. m.” “Well, I want you until then.” A carriage was ordered and the two entered it and were driven to the soldier’s home, where the president was then living. Of all the quizzings and close examinations Gen. Leggett ever experienced those of that day were the most severe. It must be borne in mind that the Grant who was then planning so great and important a move as the reduction of Vicksburg, was not the Grant of Appomattox, but only of Donetson and Henry, and known then to neither Mr. Lincoln nor fame, as in the latter days, but the president was determined to learn all he could from the witness then present, and, as Gen. Leggett was loyal in heart as in speech to hi 9 chief, and had already had a dawning realization of the great figure Grant was destined to cut in the civil war, his responses were clear and to the point, and visibly impressed Mr. Lincoln as being as true as they were complimentary. Gen. Leggett returned to the west, and when the union troops marched to Vicksburg 1 he had the honor, although suffering from severe wounds, to ride into the city at the head of the first brigade, which was granted the privilege of being the first to enter, receive the surrender, and raise the union flag.