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. SEC. 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. SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives. H. HAMLIN, Vice-President of the United States and Approved, December 17, 1863: ABRAHAM LINCOLN. The design for this medal was made by Leutze, and is thus described: On one side was the profile of Grant, surrounded by a wreath of laurels, with his name, the year 1863, and a galaxy of stars; on the reverse, a figure of Fame, with a trump, and a scroll bearing the names of his victories. The motto was, “Proclaim Liberty throughout the Land." CHAPTER XXX. THE GRADE OF LIEUTENANT, GENERAL REVIVED. - GRANT SELECTED TO FILL IT. CORRESPONDENCE BETWEEN GRANT AND SHERMAN. — VISITS WASHINGTON AND RECEIVES HIS COMMISSION. On the 2d of March Grant received the intelligence, through rebel sources, of Sherman's successful return from his raid upon the railroads of Mississippi, and on the 3d was himself ordered to report to Washington in person, in the following despatch: "The Secretary of War directs that you report in person to the War Department as early as practicable, considering the condition of your command. If necessary, you will keep up telegraphic communication with your command while en route for Washington." The next day Grant started for the East, and before setting out sent his instructions to Sherman, directing him to use the negro troops, as far as practicable, in guarding the Mississippi, and to assemble the remainder of his command at Memphis, in order to "have them in readiness to join your column on this front, in the spring campaign." This was the campaign against Atlanta, which Grant intended to lead in person. His purpose was from there to advance against either Mobile or Savannah, as should seem best; and in this despatch to Sherman he says, "I am ordered to Washington; but as I am directed to keep up telegraphic communication with this command, I shall expect in the course of ten or twelve days to return to it." He was, however, to be called to another field of action. The necessity of some one commanding mind to combine the operations of all our armies had been for some time growing more and more evident. The approaching presidential nomination had increased and heightened the political dissensions, which, during the whole of the war, had been a hinderance in the way of the government, and had made too many military appointments wear a political aspect. There was wanting some one commanding mind to overlook the varied offensive operations of our armies, and direct them with a unity of purpose. Heretofore most of our armies had operated independently, and frequently to each other's injury. The advantage of some such arrangement, in a partial field, had been already seen in the successive enlargements of Grant's command, and it was proposed to carry out the same course of action, by putting all the armies under one control, and giving this control to Grant. At the session of Congress during the winter of 1863-64, Mr. Washburne, the representative of Illinois from Galena, Grant's place of residence, introduced a bill "to revive the grade of Lieutenant General of the army;" and the intention was, of course, to give the position to Grant. This grade in the army was created in 1798, for Washington, who held it but one year before his death. In 1855 it was bestowed, by brevet, upon General Scott. The debate upon the bill lasted some time, and finally on the 26th of February, 1864, received the sanction of both Houses of Congress, was approved on the 1st of March by the President, who nominated Grant for the position, and on the 2d the nomination was approved by the Senate. In the debate upon the bill in the House, before it was brought to a vote, Mr. Washburne, in the course of his remarks, spoke as follows: "I have spoken of the interest I feel in this bill, but, if I know myself, it is a feeling that rises far above the considerations of personal friendship which I entertain for the distinguished soldier whose name has been connected with it. I am not here to speak for General Grant. No man with his consent has ever mentioned his name in connection with any position. I say what I know to be true when I allege that every promotion he has received since he first entered the service to put down this rebellion, was moved without his knowledge or consent; and in regard to this very matter of Lieutenant General, after the bill was introduced and his name mentioned in connection therewith, he wrote me, and admonished me that he had been highly honored already by the government, and did not ask or deserve anything more in the shape of honors or promotion; and that a success over the enemy was what he craved above everything else; that he only desired to hold such an influence over those under his command, as to use them to the best advantage to secure that end. Such is the language of this patriotic and single-minded soldier, ambitious only of serving his country and doing his whole duty. Sir, whatever this House may do, the country will do justice to General Grant. We can see that. I think I can appreciate that myself." The bill, as finally passed, was worded as follows: Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the grade of Lieutenant General be, and the same is hereby, revived in the army of the United States of America; and the President is hereby authorized, whenever he shall deem it expo dient, to appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, a commander of the army, to be selected, during war, from among those officers in the military service of the United States, not below the grade of Major General, most distinguished for courage, skill, and ability; and who, being commissioned as Lieutenant General, shall be authorized, under the direction of the President, to command the armies of the United States. SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That the Lieutenant General, appointed as hereinbefore provided, shall be entitled to the pay, allowances, and staff specified in the fifth section of the act approved May 28, 1798; and also the allowances described in the sixth section of the act approved August 23, 1842, granting additional rations to certain officers: Provided, That nothing in this bill contained shall be construed in any way to affect the rank, pay, or allowances of Winfield Scott, Lieutenant General by brevet, now on the retired list of the army. Mr. Badeau, who was on Grant's staff at the time the debate upon the bill was in progress, writes, concerning Grant's behavior during this time, as follows: "Grant himself used no influence, wrote no line, spoke no word to bring about the result. I was with him while the bill was being debated, and spoke to him more than once on the subject. He never manifested any anxiety, or even desire, for the success of the bill; nor did he ever seem to shrink from the responsibilities it would impose upon him. If the country chose to call him to higher spheres and more important services, whatever ability or energy he possessed he was willing to devote to the task. If, on the contrary, he had been left at the post which he then held, he would not have felt a pang of disappointed pride." The day Grant left his department to report personally at Washington, he sent the following letter to Sherman : DEAR SHERMAN: The bill reviving the grade of Lieutenant General in the army has become a law, and my name has been sent to the Senate for the place. I now receive orders to report |