March 3, 1862 (Monday): Authority to Remove Grant

General Henry W. Halleck

General GEORGE B. MCCLELLAN,
Washington, D. C.:
    General Pope will attack New Madrid to-morrow. At the same time there will be a bombardment of Columbus.
    I have had no communication with General Grant for more than a week. He left his command without my authority and went to Nashville. His army seems to be as much demoralized by the victory of Fort Donelson as was that of the Potomac by the defeat of Bull Run. It is hard to censure a successful general immediately after a victory, but I think he richly deserves it. I can get no returns, no reports, no information of any kind from him. Satisfied with his victory, he sits down and enjoys it without any regard to the future. I am worn-out and tired with this neglect and inefficiency. C. F. Smith is almost the only officer equal to the emergency.



H. W. HALLECK.

WASHINGTON, March 3, 1862-6 p. m.
Major General H. W. HALLECK,
Saint Louis:
    Your dispatch of last evening received The future success of our cause demands that proceedings such as Grant's should at once be checked. Generals must observe discipline as will as private soldiers. Do not hesitate to arrest him at once if the good of the service requires it, and place C. F. Smith in command. You are at liberty to regard this as a positive order if it will smooth your way.
    I appreciate the difficulties you have to encounter, and will be glad to relieve you from trouble as far as possible.



GEO. B. MCCLELLAN,
Major-General, Commanding U. S. Army.

Approved:

EDWIN M. STANTON,
Secretary of War.

Series I., Vol. 7, Part 1, Page 680.

Grant had been sending updates to Halleck, but the telegraph operator in his section had deserted and (unknown to Grant) nothing was sent.  Grant had gone to Nashville to coordinate strategy with Buell and not, as Halleck assumed from reports, to get drunk.  Once Grant was able to explain all this to Halleck's satisfaction he was restored to command.