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

[76] that a strong United States force should occupy the line of the Rio Grande, to check any hostile movement which France, under false pretences, might make into United States territory. This required the forces which would have been used against Mobile, and for these reasons Grant was obliged to abandon a movement which he believed desirable, and which under his direction would probably have met with early success. But he was called to take command of more important operations, and to win the more splendid victory at Chattanooga.

Having sent many of the troops with which he was temporarily reenforced back to their several departments, and having despatched others to reenforce Banks, Grant went to New Orleans to confer with the latter general. While in that city he was thrown from his horse at a review and severely injured. For a long time he was helpless; but he continued to direct the operations and movements of his command. Before he had recovered, he received urgent despatches from Halleck to send reenforcements to Rosecrans, who was at Chattanooga confronted by Bragg. The despatches to Grant were unaccountably delayed; but as soon as received, with his usual promptness he hurried forward the reenforcements under Sherman. But in the mean time Rosecrans had not proved equal to the task confided to him, and having suffered a severe repulse at Chickamauga, was shut up in Chattanooga, short of supplies and closely besieged. The government then determined to unite all the departments between the Alleghanies and the Mississippi in one grand division, as Grant had, many months before, suggested, though