The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876 Part 86

[_Victories of Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga._]

MAJOR GENERAL ULYSSES S. (_Simpson_) GRANT. JOINT RESOLUTION OF CONGRESS DECEMBER 17. 1863. Bust of General Grant, in uniform, facing the left. In the upper part of a circle, branches of laurel and oak; in the lower part, sugarcane, the cotton plant, tobacco leaves and wheat, united by the national flag; in a second circle, thirteen stars, emblematical of the thirteen original States of the Union.

ANTROBUS. D. (_delineavit._) PAQUET. F. (_fecit_).

America, personified as a maiden, is seated on a rainbow, with the eagle at her side. She holds in her left hand a cornucopia of flowers, and in her right a crown of laurel and the American shield, on which, in bend, is the word DONELSON. Below, dividing the medal into two parts, is a trophy of arms, surmounted by the cap of liberty, and protected by two sentinels kneeling; to the left is the city of Vicksburg, at the foot of which flows the Mississippi river, bearing two steamboats; VICKSBURG; to the right are Lookout Mountain and Missionary Ridge; the Federal army encamped on the banks of the Tennessee river; CHATTANOOGA. In a first circle the Mississippi river, on which are four steamers, two of which are gunboats; MISSISSIPPI RIVER; in a second, thirteen stars--emblematical of the thirteen original States of the Union.[117]

[Footnote 117: See INTRODUCTION, page viii.]

ANTROBUS, who designed the medal to General Grant, was living in (p. 371) Iowa in 1870.

ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT was born at Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio, April 27, 1822. He was graduated at West Point as second lieutenant in the 4th infantry, July 1, 1843, and served under General Taylor at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey, and in all General Scott's battles, from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. He was breveted first lieutenant at Molinos del Rey, and captain at Chapultepec, for gallantry in the field. He resigned in 1854, and in the early part of 1860 removed to Galena, Illinois. In the Civil War he entered the service as colonel of the 21st Illinois Volunteers, May, 1861. As brigadier-general of volunteers he fought the battle of Belmont, November 7, of the same year; captured Fort Donelson, February 16, 1862, for which he was appointed, on the same day, major-general of volunteers; and won the battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7, 1862. He took Vicksburg, and was made major-general in the United States Army, July 4, 1863; won the battle of Chattanooga, November 25, same year, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general. He became commander-in-chief of the army, March 17, 1864; fought the battles of the Wilderness, in May, and besieged Richmond, 1864-1865.

He received Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865.

Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a gold medal for Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga, December 17, 1863. In July, 1866, he was made general; acted as secretary of War _ad interim_ (12 August, 1867, February, 1868); President of the United States (first term), 1869-1873; (second term), 1873-1877.

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ORIGINAL DOc.u.mENTS.

_Resolutions of Congress Voting a Medal to General Grant._

_Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress a.s.sembled_: That the thanks of Congress be, and they hereby are, presented to Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, and through him to the officers and soldiers who have fought under his command during the rebellion, for their gallantry and good conduct in the battles in which they have been engaged; and that the President of the United States be (p. 372) requested to cause a gold medal to be struck, with suitable emblems, devices and inscriptions, to be presented to Major-General Grant.

SECTION 2. _And be it further resolved_, That, when the said medal shall have been struck, the President shall cause a copy of this joint resolution to be engrossed on parchment, and shall transmit the same, together with the said medal, to Major-General Grant, to be presented to him in the name of the people of the United States of America.

SECTION 3. _And be it further resolved_, That a sufficient sum of money to carry this resolution into effect is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.

Approved December 17, 1863.

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_General Grant to General Cullum._

Headquarters, District of West Tennessee, To Fort Donelson, February 16th, 1862.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL GEORGE W. CULLUM, Chief of Staff, Department of the Missouri.

General: I am pleased to announce to you the unconditional surrender, this morning, of Fort Donelson, with twelve to fifteen thousand prisoners, at least forty pieces of artillery, and a large amount of stores, horses, mules, and other public property.

I left Fort Henry on the 12th instant, with a force of about fifteen thousand men, divided into two divisions, under the command of Generals McClernand and Smith. Six regiments were sent around by water the day before, convoyed by a gunboat (or boats), and with instructions not to pa.s.s it.

The troops made the march in good order, the head of the column arriving within two miles of the fort at twelve o'clock, m. At this point the enemy's pickets were met and driven in. The fortifications of the enemy were from this point gradually approached and surrounded, with occasional skirmishing on the line. The following day, owing to the non-arrival of the gunboats and re-enforcements sent by water, no attack was made, but the investment was extended on the flanks of the enemy, and drawn closer to his works, with skirmishing all day. On the evening of the 13th, the gunboats and re-enforcements arrived. On the 14th a gallant attack was made by flag-officer Foote upon the enemy's river batteries with his fleet.

The engagement lasted probably one hour and a half, and bid fair to result favorably, when two unlucky shots disabled two of the armed boats, so that they were carried back by the current. The remaining two were very much disabled also, having received a number of heavy shots about the pilot-houses and other parts of the vessels. After these mishaps, I concluded to make the investment of Fort Donelson as perfect as possible, and partially fortify, and await repairs to the gunboats. This plan was frustrated, however, by the enemy making a most vigorous attack upon our right wing, commanded by Brigadier-General J. A. (p. 373) McClernand, and which consisted of his division and a portion of the force under General L. Wallace.

The enemy were repelled, after a closely contested battle of several hours, in which our loss was heavy. The officers suffered out of proportion. I have not the means of determining our loss, even approximately, but it cannot fall far short of twelve hundred killed, wounded and missing. I shall retain here enough of the enemy to exchange for them, as they were immediately shipped off, and not left for recapture.

About the close of this action the ammunition and cartridge boxes gave out, which, with the loss of many of the field officers, produced great confusion in the ranks. Seeing that the enemy did not take advantage of it, convinced me that equal confusion, and, consequently, great demoralization existed with him. Taking advantage of this fact, I ordered a charge upon our left (enemy's right) with the division under General C. F. Smith, which was most brilliantly executed, and gave to our arms full a.s.surance of victory. The battle lasted until dark, and gave us possession of part of the intrenchment. An attack was ordered from the flank after the charge by General Smith was commenced, by the divisions under McClernand and Wallace, which, notwithstanding hours of exposure to a heavy fire in the fore part of the day, was gallantly made, and the enemy further repulsed. At the points thus gained, night having come on, all the troops encamped for the night, feeling that a complete victory would crown their efforts at an early hour in the morning. This morning, at a very early hour, a note was received from General Buckner, under a flag of truce, proposing an armistice. A copy of the correspondence which ensued is herewith enclosed.

I could mention individuals who especially distinguished themselves, but will leave this to division and brigade commanders, whose reports will be forwarded as soon as received.

Of the division commanders, however, Generals Smith, McClernand and Wallace, I must do the justice to say that all of them were with their commands in the midst of danger, and were always ready to execute all orders, no matter what the exposure to themselves.

At the hour the attack was made on General McClernand's command, I was absent, having received a note from flag officer Foote, requesting me to go and see him, he being unable to call on me, in consequence of a wound received the day before.

My staff: Colonel J. D. Webster, first Illinois artillery, chief of staff; Captain J. A. Rawlins, a.s.sistant adjutant-general; first lieutenants C. B. Lagone and William S. Hillyer, aids; and Lieutenant Colonel J. B. McPherson, chief engineer and Colonel John Riggin, junior, volunteer aid, are all deserving of personal mention for their gallantry and services.

For details, see reports of engineers, medical director and commanders of divisions and brigades to follow.

I have the honor to be, General, very respectfully your obedient servant, U. S. GRANT, _Brigadier-General U. S. A._, _commanding_.

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[Copy.] (p. 374)

_General Buckner to General Grant._

Headquarters, Fort Donelson, To February 16th, 1862.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL U.S. GRANT, Commanding United States Forces near Fort Donelson.

Sir: In consideration of all the circ.u.mstances governing the present situation of affairs at this station, I propose to the commanding officer of the Federal forces the appointment of commissioners to agree upon terms of capitulation of the forces and post under my command, and in that view suggest an armistice until twelve o'clock to-day.

I am, Sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, S. B. BUCKNER, _Brigadier-General C. S. A._

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[Copy.]

_General Grant to General Buckner._

Headquarters, Army in the Field, To Fort Donelson, February 16th, 1862.

GENERAL S. B. BUCKNER, Confederate Army.

Sir: Yours of this date proposing armistice and appointment of commissioners to settle terms of capitulation, is just received.

No terms except unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works.

I am, Sir, very respectfully your obedient servant, U. S. GRANT, _Brigadier-General commanding_.

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[Copy.]

_General Buckner to General Grant._

Headquarters, Dover, Tennessee, To February 16th, 1862.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL GRANT, United States Army.

Sir: The distribution of the forces under my command, incident to an unexpected change of commanders, and the overwhelming force under your command, compel me, notwithstanding the brilliant success of the Confederate arms yesterday, to accept the ungenerous and unchivalrous terms which you propose.