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

[39] of the victory; but he made no mention of Grant, who had not yet been promoted. Yet Halleck had nothing to do with the operations against Fort Donelson, except to send forward reinforcements. Grant was the projector of the movement as well as the commanding officer; and all the operations and attacks, including the assault by Smith's division, were ordered by him. Smith did not claim the honor, but declared that he only obeyed orders; and he was subsequently recommended by Grant, who was always generous to his subordinates, for promotion for his services. Smith was Grant's senior in years and in the service. He was commandant at West Point when Grant was a cadet, and the latter felt some delicacy in assuming command over his old instructor. But the veteran soldier was trained to subordination, and he soon put at rest all Grant's doubts, and carried out his orders with the greatest vigor and alacrity.

Grant appears to have had at that time, as at all times during the war and since, secret enemies, who depreciated his abilities and his achievements, and did not hesitate to circulate malignant calumnies concerning him. They were either jealous of his success, or were the enemies of the country, who did not wish to have the rebels conquered, and therefore hated an officer who was disposed to seek out the enemy and defeat him. These same enemies have followed him through all his career, no less since the war than during its continuance, only, as his reputation increased and he became firmly fixed in the affections of the people, their attacks have been more wary and insidious. Then there were others who detracted from his real