discussion of the
propriety of laws and official orders by the army. One enemy at a time
is enough and when he is subdued it will be time enough to settle
personal differences.

I do not want to command a department because I believe I can do
better service in the field. I do not expect to be overslaughed by a
junior and should feel exceedingly mortified should such a thing
occur, but would keep quiet as I have ever done heretofore.

I have just received a letter from Captain Foley about this same Holt
said to be in the Memphis post office. You may say that I shall refer
it to General Sherman with the direction to expel him if it is not
already done.

Julia and the children are well. I do not expect to remain here long
but when I will go I can't say now.

U.S. GRANT.

[In referring to this period, Grant says that it was the most anxious
time of the war when the Army of the Tennessee was guarding the
territory acquired by Corinth and Memphis, and before he was
sufficiently reinforced to take the offensive.

To his sister Mary.]

Corinth, Mississippi,
August 19th, 1862.

DEAR SISTER:

Julia and the children left here on Saturday last for St. Louis where
they will remain on a visit until about the last of the month. At the
end of that time they must be some place where the children can go to
school.--Mrs. Hillyer has a nice house in the city and is all alone
whilst her husband is on my staff, and it may be that she and Julia
will keep house together. If they do she would be very much pleased to
have you make her a long visit. Julia says that she is satisfied that
the best place for the children is in Covington. But there are so many
of them that she sometimes feels as if they were not wanted. Their
visit down here in Dixie was very pleasant and they were very loth to
leave. Things however began to look so threatening that I thought it
was best for them to leave. I am now in a situation where it is
impossible for me to do more than to protect my long lines of defence.
I have the Mississippi to Memphis, the railroad from Columbus to
Corinth, from Jackson to Bolivar, from Corinth to Decatur, and the
Tennessee and Cumberland rivers to keep open. Guerillas are hovering
around in every direction, getting whipped every day some place by
some of my command, but keeping us busy. The war is evidently growing
oppressive to the Southern people. Their _institution_[2] are
beginning to have ideas of their own; every