Rebellion Record: a Diary of American Events: Poetry and Incidents., Volume 8.
Frank Moore, Ed.

Anecdote of General Grant.--A gentleman from the front tells the following good story of General Grant: A visitor to the army called upon him one morning, and found the General sitting in his tent smoking and talking to one of his staff-officers. The stranger approached the chieftain, and inquired of him as follows: “General, if you flank Lee and get between him and Richmond, will you not uncover Washington, and leave it a prey to the enemy?” General Grant, discharging a cloud of smoke from his mouth, indifferently replied: “Yes, I reckon so.” The stranger, encouraged by a reply, propounded question number two: “General, do you not think Lee can detach sufficient force from his army to reinforce Beauregard and overwhelm Butler?” “Not a doubt of it,” replied the General. Becoming fortified by his success, the stranger propounded question number three, as follows: “General, is there not dancer that Johnston may come up and reinforce Lee, so that the latter will swing round and cut off your conmunications, and seize your supplies?” “Very likely,” was L the cool reply of the General, and he knocked the ashes from the end of his cigar. The stranger, horrified at the awful fate about to befall General Grant and his army, made his exit, and hastened to Washington to communicate the news.