All of his
service had been in the West, and he first came into general
notice by his persistent and repeated efforts to capture
Vicksburg, on whose fall the opening of the Mississippi River
depended. Five different plans he tried before he finally
succeeded, the last one appearing utterly foolhardy, and seeming
to go against every known rule of military science. In spite of
this it was successful, the Union army and navy thereby gaining
control of the Mississippi River and cutting off forever from the
Confederacy a great extent of rich country, from which, up to
that time, it had been drawing men and supplies.
The North was greatly cheered by these victories, and all eyes
were turned upon the successful commander. No one was more
thankful than Mr. Lincoln. He gave Grant quick promotion, and
crowned the official act with a most generous letter. "I do not
remember that you and I ever met personally," he wrote. "I write
this now as a grateful acknowledgement for the almost inestimable
service you have done the country. I wish to say a word further."
Then, summing up the plans that the General had tried, especially
the last one, he added: "I feared it was a mistake. I now wish to
make the personal acknowledgement that you were right and I was
wrong."
Other important battles won by Grant that same fall added to his
growing fame, and by the beginning of 1864 he was singled out as
the greatest Union commander.
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