Major—GeneralGRANT。
MyDEARSIR:Ihavejustreceivedyournote，andamrejoicedatyourconclusiontoremain;foryoucouldnotbequietathomeforaweekwhenarmiesweremoving，andrestcouldnotrelieveyourmindofthegnawingsensationthatinjusticehadbeendoneyou。
MyordersatChewallaweretorescuethewreckedtrainsthere，toreconnoitrewestwardandestimatetheamountofdamagetotherailroadasfarasGrandJunction，aboutfiftymiles。Wecampedourtroopsonhigh，healthygroundtothesouthofChewalla，andafterIhadpersonallyreconnoitredthecountry，detailsofmenweremadeandvolunteerlocomotiveengineersobtainedtosuperintendtherepairs。Ifoundsixlocomotivesandaboutsixtycars，thrownfromthetrack，partsofthemachinerydetachedandhiddeninthesurroundingswamp，andalldamagedasmuchbyfireaspossible。ItseemsthatthesetrainswereinsideofCorinthduringthenightofevacuation，loadingupwithallsortsofcommissarystores，etc。，andaboutdaylightwerestartedwest;butthecavalry—picketstationedattheTuscumbiabridgehad，bymistakeorpanic，burnedthebridgebeforethetrainsgottothem。Thetrains，therefore，werecaught，andtheengineersandguardshastilyscatteredthestoresintotheswamp，anddisabledthetrainsasfarastheycould，beforeourcavalryhaddiscoveredtheircriticalsituation。Theweatherwashot，andtheswampfairlystunkwiththeputridflourandfermentingsugarandmolasses;Iwassomuchexposedthereinthehotsun，pushingforwardthework，thatIgotatouchofmalarialfever，whichhungonmeforamonth，andforcedmetoridetwodaysinanambulance，theonlytimeIeverdidsuchathingduringthewholewar。Bythe7thIreportedtoGeneralHalleckthattheamountofworknecessarytoreestablishtherailroadbetweenCorinthandGrandJunctionwassogreat，thatheconcludednottoattemptitsrepair，buttorelyontheroadbacktoJackson（Tennessee），andforwardtoGrandJunction;andIwasorderedtomovetoGrandJunction，totakeuptherepairsfromtheretowardMemphis。
TheevacuationofCorinthbyBeauregard，andthemovementsofGeneralMcClernand’sforcetowardMemphis，hadnecessitatedtheevacuationofFortPillow，whichoccurredaboutJune1st;soonfollowedbythefurtherwithdrawaloftheConfederatearmyfromMemphis，byreasonofthedestructionoftherebelgunboatsintheboldanddashingattackbyourgun。boatsundercommandofAdmiralDavis，whohadsucceededFoote。ThisoccurredJune7th。AdmiralFarraguthadalsocapturedNewOrleansaftertheterriblepassageofFortsJacksonandSt。PhiliponMay24th，andhadascendedtheriverashighasVicksburg;sothatitseemedasthough，beforetheendofJune，weshouldsurelyhavefullpossessionofthewholeriver。ButitisnowknownthattheprogressofourWesternarmieshadarousedtherebelgovernmenttotheexerciseofthemoststupendousenergy。EverymancapableofbearingarmsattheSouthwasdeclaredtobeasoldier，andforcedtoactassuch。Alltheirarmiesweregreatlyreenforced，andthemostdespoticpowerwasgrantedtoenforcedisciplineandsupplies。BeauregardwasreplacedbyBragg，amanofmoreability——ofgreaterpowersoforganization，ofaction，anddiscipline——butnaturallyexactingandsevere，andnotpossessingthequalitiestoattracttheloveofhisofficersandmen。HehadahardtasktobringintoorderanddisciplinethatmassofmentowhosecommandhesucceededatTupelo，withwhichheafterwardfairlyoutmanoeuvredGeneralBuell，andforcedhimbackfromChattanoogatoLouisville。Itwasafatalmistake，however，thathaltedGeneralHalleckatCorinth，andledhimtodisperseandscatterthebestmaterialsforafightingarmythat，uptothatdate，hadbeenassembledintheWest。
DuringthelatterpartofJuneandfirsthalfofJuly，IhadmyownandHurlbut’sdivisionsaboutGrandJunction，Lagrange，Moscow，andLafayette，buildingrailroad—trestlesandbridges，fightingoffcavalrydetachmentscomingfromthesouth，andwaginganeverlastingquarrelwithplantersabouttheirnegroesandfences——