end of the country to the other. It was not yet
a year since he had been an obscure citizen of an obscure town. Already
many regarded him as the nation's hope. A phrase from his note to
General Buckner was fitted to his initials, and he was everywhere hailed
as "Unconditional Surrender" Grant.

In this campaign he first revealed the peculiar traits of his military
genius, clear discernment of possibilities, comprehension of the
requirements of the situation, strategical instinct, accurate estimate
of the enemy's motive and plan, sagacious promptness of action in
exigencies, staunch resolution, inspiring energy, invincible poise. For
his achievement he was promoted to be a major-general of volunteers. He
had found himself now.

CHAPTER IX

SHILOH, CORINTH, IUKA

On the 4th of March, sixteen days after his victory, he was in disgrace.
General Halleck ordered him to turn over the command of the army to
General C. F. Smith and to remain himself at Fort Henry. This action of
Halleck was the consequence partly of accidents which had prevented
communication between them and caused Halleck to think him
insubordinate, partly of false reports to Halleck that Grant was
drinking to excess, partly of Halleck's dislike of Grant,--a
temperamental incapacity of appreciation. After Donelson he issued a
general order of congratulation of Grant and Foote for the victory, but
he sent no personal congratulations, and reported to Washington that the
victory was due to General Smith, whose promotion, not Grant's, he
recommended. As to the reports of Grant's drinking, they were
decisively contradicted by Rawlins, to whom the authorities in
Washington applied for information. He asserted that Grant had drunk no
liquor during the campaign except a little, by the surgeon's
prescription, on one occasion when attacked by ague. The fault of
failing to report his movements and to answer inquiries was later found
to be due to a telegraph operator hostile to the Union cause, who did
not forward Grant's reports to Halleck nor Halleck's orders to Grant.

Grant's mortification was intense. Since the fall of Donelson he had
been full of activities. The enemy had fallen back, his first line being
broken, and Grant was scheming to follow up his advantage by pushing on
through Tennessee, driving the discouraged Confederate forces before
him. He had visited Nashville to confer with General Buell, who had
reached that city, and it was on his retur