immediately after the action by Generals Thomas, Smith, and McArthur, uniting in a telegram to the President requesting his promotion.

The Minnesota troops received highly honorable mention in the official reports of the battle of Nashville, in which occur the following:

General John McArthur, commanding the First Division of the Sixteenth Army Corps, said: "I wish particularly to mention the gallant conduct of Col. William R. Marshall, Seventh Minnesota Infantry Volunteers, commanding the Third Brigade, called to take command during the first day's battle and continuing throughout. His admirable management and example stamp him as an officer of rare merit."

General A. J. Smith, commanding the Sixteenth Army Corps, said: "Col. L. F. Hubbard had three horses shot under him on the 16th. Going into action with a total of 1,421 muskets in his brigade, he captured over 2,000 prisoners, 9 pieces of artillery, and 7 stands of colors, and the casualties of his brigade number 315." The following was sent by telegraph to President Lincoln:

Head Quarters, First Division, Detachment Army of the Tennessee. In the field near Nashville, Tenn., Dec. 17, 1864.

Abraham Lincoln,

President of the United States,

Smith's "Guerrillas" again did a noble work yesterday, not the least portion of which is due the First Division. I respectfully ask, as an act of justice and honor fairly won, that Col. W. L. McMillan, Ninetyfifth Regiment, Ohio Infantry Volunteers, Col. L. F. Hubbard, Fifth Regiment, Minnesota Infantry Volunteers, commanding the First and Second brigades respectively, be appointed Brigadier Generals; also Col. S. G. Hill, Thirty-fifth Regiment, Iowa Infantry Volunteers, who commanded the Third Brigade and was killed while gallantly charging the enemy's works, I would recommend to be gazetted as Brigadier General. JOHN MCARTHUR, Brigadier General, U. S. Vols.

I heartily concur in the recommendation of General McArthur, and respectfully request the appointments may be made.

A. J. SMITH,

Major General.

I witnessed the assault on the enemy's works conducted by the above named officers, and unhesitatingly commend them for their gallant bearing. GEORGE H. THOMAS, Major General, U. S. Vols., Commanding Department of the Cumberland.

The success of General Thomas naturally restored equanimity at official headquarters, and changed the tone of the dispatches that came from the east. The following are samples that indicate the general character of the greetings which now cheered the victor of Nashville:

Washington, Dec. 15, 1864.

Major General George H. Thomas, Nashville,

I was just on my way to Nashville, but receiving a dispatch detailing your splendid success of today I shall go no farther. Push the enemy now and give him no rest.

Major General Thomas:

U. S. GRANT,

Lieut. General.

Washington, Dec. 15, 1864.

I rejoice in tendering to you and the gallant officers and soldiers of your command, the thanks of this department for the brilliant achievement of this day. .

in the morning.

We shall give you a hundred guns

E. M. STANTON, Secretary of War.

Washington, Dec. 16, 1864.

To Major General Thomas:

Please accept for yourself, officers, and men, the nation's thanks for your work of yesterday. You made a magnificent beginning. grand consummation is within your reach.

A

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

V.

MINNESOTA IN THE CAMPAIGN OF MOBILE, 1865.*

The early months of the year 1865 found the Southern Confederacy in a condition that portended a rapidly approaching dissolution. The trend of events during the preceding year had been of a character to impress the popular mind with the fact that the pretense of an independent sovereignty on the part of the seceded states could not much longer be maintained, and that the end of the Civil War was near at hand. While the Confederate authorities still maintained an attitude of defiance and manifested a determination to continue the contest indefinitely, yet to the dispassionate observer of the situation it seemed that the only hope remaining to stimulate further resistance to national authority was to secure a possible modification of the terms of final surrender. Even this hope was practically extinguished by the return to Richmond in February, 1865, of the Peace Commission, headed by Alexander H. Stevens, bringing the ultimatum of President Lincoln.

Though General Lee still held General Grant at bay before Petersburg and Richmond, and there was yet one point of some strategic importance in possession of the Confederates in the Southwest, at Mobile, Ala., in practically all the remaining territory of the so-called Confederacy the armed forces of the enemy had been successively defeated and had become disorganized and scattered. General Sherman had successfully accomplished his march to the sea, had captured Savannah, Ga., forced the evacuation of Charleston, S. C., and was on his march through the Carolinas to cooperate with General Grant in Virginia. The western armies of the Union had successfully performed and practically completed the work assigned them. The Confederate armies in the West had been overwhelmed and shattered, and the waning hopes of the enemy in three-fourths of the area of the seceded states were well nigh extinguished. In the central and western areas of conflict the armies of the Union had opened the Mississippi to the commerce

*Read by Gen. L. F. Hubbard at the monthly meeting of the Executive Council, February 10, 1908.