William A. Crafts, Life of Ulysses S. Grant: His Boyhood, Campaigns, and Services, Military and Civil.

[100] the campaign there, he issued his first orders, assuming command of all the. armies, at Nashville, on the 17th of March. In those orders he announced, “My headquarters will be in the field, and until further orders, will be with the army of the Potomac.”

This announcement was highly gratifying to the army of the Potomac and to the loyal people, whose confidence in Grant was such that they believed the brave soldiers of that noble but too often unfortunate army, under his able and persistent lead, would achieve a signal success, which should not only foil an invasion of the north by the rebels, but ultimately defeat them utterly and forever.

General Grant, indeed, entered upon his heavy responsibilities and duties under all the advantages of entire trust on the part of the government and a majority of the people, and their determination to sustain him to the extent of their power. Every exertion was made to strengthen the armies, and to give effect to all the measures which he proposed. The nature of his relations with his only superior officer, the President, is shown by the following correspondence, which took place on the eve of the great campaign against Richmond. Those cordial relations were maintained through the life of President Lincoln.

executive Mansion, Washington, April 30, 1864.

Lieutenant General Grant: Not expecting to see you before the spring campaign opens, I wish to express in this way my entire satisfaction with what you have done up to this time, so far as I understand it. The particulars of your plan I neither know nor seek to know.