John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[210] them fully, did not hesitate to make them his own. The words in which they were couched have become historical, and as they were the first of the kind to reach the secretary and the President, I give them as they were written:

... The attack on Grand Gulf will be led by McClernand, and though General Grant has not told me so, I conclude he intends the same officer to have command of the further movements against Port Hudson. I have remonstrated so far as I could properly do so against intrusting so momentous an operation to McClernand, and I know that Admiral Porter and prominent members of his staff have done the same, but General Grant will not be changed. McClernand is exceedingly desirous of this command. He is the senior of the other corps commanders. He is believed to be an especial favorite of the President, and the position his corps occupied on the ground here, when the movement was first projected, was such that the advance naturally fell to its lot; besides, he entered zealously into the plan from the first, while Sherman doubted and criticised, and McPherson, whom General Grant would really much prefer, is away at Lake Providence; and though I understand him to approve of the scheme, he has had no active part in it. ...

It is to be noted that while the secretary made haste to thank Dana for his several despatches, he cautioned him in reply that he should carefully avoid giving any advice in respect to the assignment of commands as likely “to lead to misunderstanding and troublesome complications.” From the form of this despatch, it may be assumed that the President at least was not favorably impressed with Dana's remonstrance, and preferred to hear no disparaging judgment in regard to his friend. The substance, if not the exact wording, of the secretary's despatch was promptly brought to Grant's ears, and in turn added to the caution of his procedure from that time forward in