John Harrison Wilson, The life of Charles Henry Dana

[226] the day before, commented on the erroneous reports of McClernand and the disastrous results which followed the claim that he had carried and held the enemy's works in his front, explained the improvement in our position, the certainty of our final success, and the condition of the opposing forces. Almost daily thereafter he sent full accounts of the siege operations, the explosion of the mines under the works of the enemy, the movement of the troops, the cooperation of the gun-boats, the precautions against a sortie, the necessity for reinforcements, the condition of the enemy inside and outside of Vicksburg. Indeed, nothing of importance escaped his attention. He was on the alert night and day, and always going from one point of the lines to another. He was a constant companion of Grant and the working staff, and as a consequence there was nothing of which he was ignorant. He was treated by all as a trusted associate, and it was at this time that the secretary bestowed the rank of major upon him with liberty to report to General Grant if needed by him. In the same despatch the secretary, who was far from effusive, assured him officially that everything in the power of the government would be done to aid General Grant, that the emergency was not underrated at Washington, that his despatches were a great obligation and were looked for with deep interest, and that he could not thank him as much as he felt for the service he was then rendering.

In his correspondence with Stanton Dana gave his observations of men and events in a most interesting manner. As before related, Grant was from the beginning of the Vicksburg campaign more or less embarrassed by the conduct of McClernand, his senior corps commander. As that officer owed his assignment to the friendship of the President rather than to any special fitness according to the standards of the professional soldiers, and was from the first a disturbing element in that army, his behavior from