rived at Cairo he learned that Gen. Polk was
moving to take Paducah, at the mouth of the Tennessee River, 45 miles
above Cairo. This was a most important point, as a lodgment there would
have stopped navigation on the Ohio, and absolutely controlled that
on the Cumberland and Tennessee. Grant at once decided that he would
anticipate him and telegraphed for permission to St. Louis, but his
telegram and another one still more urgent received no attention, and
he proceeded to act on his own volition, loading his men on the steamers
and starting for Paducah in the night, arriving there in the morning,
thereby anticipating the rebel advance some six or eight hours. This was
characteristic of Grant's other operations around Cairo, and it was not
long until he had that point not only free from apprehension as to what
Polk might do against it with his mighty army, but he had Polk becoming
anxious as to what Grant might do against him at Columbus, which he had
proclaimed as the "Gibraltar of the West."

263

Everywhere in his district Grant had introduced the best discipline
into the force of 20,000 men which he had collected. He had looked
out carefully for their wants, and had them well supplied, and he was
gaining their confidence as well as his own by well directed movements
which always led to considerable results.

Fremont, who had at last started out in his grand movement against
Price, was fearful that Price's army might be strongly reinforced by
Polk from Columbus, and it was made Grant's duty to prevent this.

Grant with his habitual boldness had been desirous of moving directly
against Columbus, but the reputed strength of the works and the force
there made the suggestion carry shivers to the minds of his superiors,
where the memories of Bull Run and Ball's Bluff were so painfully
recent. But if Grant was not allowed to do one thing, he would always
do another. He heard of a force under M. J. Thompson, numbering about
3,000, on the St. Francois River, about 50 miles to the southwest of
Cairo, and promptly started Col. Richard J. Oglesby with about 3,000 men
to beat up Jeff Thompson and destroy him.

Later he ordered Col. W. H. L. Wallace to take the remainder of the
11th Ill., and some other troops to move after Oglesby, to give him help
should he need it.

Soon after, believing that Jeff Thompson had gotten out of Col.
Oglesby's reach, he sent another order to Oglesby to move directly upon
New Madrid and tak