“ I felt that 15,000 men on the 8th would be more effective than 50,000 a month later. ”
Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant (1885). copy citation
| Author | Ulysses S. Grant |
|---|---|
| Source | Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant |
| Topic | speed battle war |
| Date | 1885 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/4367/4367-h/4367-h.htm |
Context
“He informed Buell on the 7th that I would march against Fort Donelson the next day; but on the 10th he directed me to fortify Fort Henry strongly, particularly to the land side, saying that he forwarded me intrenching tools for that purpose. I received this dispatch in front of Fort Donelson.
I was very impatient to get to Fort Donelson because I knew the importance of the place to the enemy and supposed he would reinforce it rapidly. I felt that 15,000 men on the 8th would be more effective than 50,000 a month later. I asked Flag-officer Foote, therefore, to order his gunboats still about Cairo to proceed up the Cumberland River and not to wait for those gone to Eastport and Florence; but the others got back in time and we started on the 12th.” source
I was very impatient to get to Fort Donelson because I knew the importance of the place to the enemy and supposed he would reinforce it rapidly. I felt that 15,000 men on the 8th would be more effective than 50,000 a month later. I asked Flag-officer Foote, therefore, to order his gunboats still about Cairo to proceed up the Cumberland River and not to wait for those gone to Eastport and Florence; but the others got back in time and we started on the 12th.” source
Meaning and analysis
