John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[201] as it is set forth above. How the real purport of Dana's mission reached the army before he did it is impossible to state, but immediately after it became known that he was coming, it also became known that his mission was largely a personal one, which could not fail to affect Grant and his army most seriously.

I had joined Grant's staff in October, 1862, and had been at once received into his official family on the most friendly footing. As there was at the time only three other regular officers or graduates of West Point on the staff, one absent sick and two with the supply departments, I was intrusted with many confidential duties. No secrets were withheld from me. Every plan of operation and every important movement was necessarily made known to me, and as I was besides an Illinoisian well acquainted with most of the leading generals, several of whom were my warm personal friends, I soon became well informed as to the undercurrents and feelings of the army. It is now a matter of history that from October, 1862, to June, 1863, or for a period of eight months, Grant's tenure of command was uncertain, and that at times he was in imminent danger of being removed, not only for personal reasons, but because the country needed success which he had not so far been able to achieve. Hence, as soon as it became known that Dana was coming, it was believed by many that if he did not bring plenary authority to actually displace Grant, the fate of that general would certainly depend upon the character of the reports which the special commissioner might send to Washington in regard to him.

About that time I became inspector-general of Grant's army, and my relations with Rawlins, who was not only the adjutant-general but the actual chief of staff, were necessarily of the most intimate character. Headquarters were then at Milliken's Bend, and I was temporarily away, but the first night we got together we went over the entire