ent itself, had already by his conduct lost their confidence. They
exchanged him for Grant with high satisfaction.

CHAPTER VIII

FROM SPRINGFIELD TO FORT DONELSON

The regiment remained at the camp, near Springfield, until the 3d of
July, being then in a good state of discipline, and officers and men
having become acquainted with company drill. It was then ordered to
Quincy, on the Mississippi River, and Colonel Grant, for reasons of
instruction, decided to march his regiment instead of going by the
railroad. So began his advance, which ended less than four years later
at Appomattox, when he was the captain of all the victorious Union
armies,--holding a military rank none had held since Washington,--and a
sure fame with the great captains of the world's history. The details of
this wonderful progress can only be sketched in this little volume. It
was not without its periods of gloom, and doubt, and check; but, on the
whole, it was steadily on and up.

His orders were changed at different times, until finally he was
directed to proceed with all dispatch to the relief of an Illinois
regiment, reported to be surrounded by rebels near Palmyra, Mo. Before
the place was reached, the imperiled regiment had delivered itself by
retreating. He next expected to give battle at a place near the little
town of Florida, in Missouri. As the regiment toiled over the hill
beyond which the enemy was supposed to be waiting for him, he "would
have given anything to be back in Illinois." Never having had the
responsibility of command in a fight, he really distrusted his untried
ability. When the top of the hill was reached, only a deserted camp
appeared in front. "It occurred to me at once that Harris had been as
much afraid of me as I had been of him.... From that event to the close
of the war," he says in his book, "I never experienced trepidation upon
confronting an enemy, though I always felt more or less anxiety. I never
forgot that he had as much reason to fear my forces as I had [to fear]
his."

On August 7 he was appointed by the President a brigadier-general of
volunteers, upon the unanimous recommendation of the congressmen from
Illinois, most of whom were unknown to him. He had not won promotion by
any fighting; but generals were at that time made with haste to meet
exigent requirement, a proportional number being selected from each
loyal State. Among those whom General Grant appointed on his staff was
John A. Rawli