Grant Comes East - Civil War 02 Read Free Page B

done with the snap of a finger. If we lose this army now"—and he gestured out the window toward the boats discharging the soldiers of the West—"we will lose this war."
    "Congressman Washburne," Grant turned toward his old friend and mentor, "you must convey to the president that I fully understand the political crisis we are in and I will do everything I can, as quickly as possible, in response. The mere fact that we're coming east, even if with but one division to start, will send a message to Lee, and exert pressure on him as well. It will tell him we have not given up, not by a long shot, and will force him to perhaps act rashly.
    "However," Grant nodded toward Haupt, "as General Haupt can verify, it will take weeks to move a force of significant size and to assemble the fighting power needed to engage Lee.
    "The president should do all he can to protect Washington but be prepared to evacuate down the Potomac and shift the capital to Philadelphia if that becomes unavoidable.
    "Personally, I do not believe Lee can take Washington. Sherman and I spent months seizing Vicksburg and it was not nearly as well fortified as Washington.
    "I think Lee will presently discover he can bite at our capital but he can't swallow it in the time available before I arrive in the East."
    Grant reached into his pocket, pulled out a neatly folded telegram, and opened it up.
    "This was from the president," he announced, and put it on the table. "It authorizes me to come east, to take command of all forces, and, as the president himself said, to defeat General Lee's army. That, sir, is my mission."
    "And the capital?"
    "I hope it holds but I can do nothing for it now or for weeks to come. In fact I hope it barely hangs on."
    "Sir?"
    "Because it will keep Lee in place," Sherman said with a grin. "It'll be like the snake trying to swallow the hog. It's a meal too good to pass up, but once it is halfway down, he won't be able to swallow any more and he won't be able to disgorge and crawl away. He'll be stuck."
    A trace of a smile crossed Grant's features.
    "My mission is to destroy Lee, to bring this damned war to an end. That, sir, will take time."
    "Can you and Sherman not go to Washington now, sir?" Elihu asked. "Your presence would do much to boost morale."
    "It sounds like General Heintzelman is doing a good enough job as is, even though, from what I've heard, he's no great shakes as a field commander. Besides, Haupt, how long would it take to get me there?"
    "Four days at least, sir, if I cleared the line all the way to the Port Deposit on the Susquehanna. Then fast packet to the Anacostia Naval Yard."
    "It will already be decided by then," Grant replied, gaze fixed on the map. "Let's review the situation in Washington. What forces does Heintzelman have?"
    "The garrison in the city is approximately twenty-five thousand. Mostly heavy artillery regiments, several good units. Also some small naval and marine detachments."
    "Reinforcements?"
    Haupt turned the pages on his own oversized notebook and found the information.
    "Three thousand men hav e been dispatched from Fortress Monroe. They should be there by now. Halleck ordered that operations in front of Charleston be scaled back, half the men there, nearly ten thousand to be transported up as well. If need be, the operation in front of Charleston can be abandoned and the rest of the force brought up as well."
    Elihu cleared his throat and looked over at Grant.
    "Concerning Halleck."
    Sherman walked around behind Grant, who sat unperturbed, silently puffing away.
    Everyone knew of the deep tension that ran between Grant and Sherman on one side, and Halleck on the other. The year before, Halleck had worked vigorously to remove Grant from command of the Army of the Tennessee, blaming him for the first day's debacle at Shiloh.
    "Go on."
    "He has been removed from command, sir. The president will have accepted his resignation as of today; in fact the resignation was effective the moment you