Ian Cellman 🇺🇦

General Halleck on 3//30/1863 explained to Grant that slaves had to be used to win the war. He even says that the slaves were mistreated by the Union and were returning to their masters. Halleck told Grant not to question these decisions.

Early in the war, Brig. Gen. Randall L. Gibson met Ulysses Grant, with whom he would later have friendly post-war relations. General Leonidas Polk chose him to accompany Gen. Frank Cheatham for a prisoner exchange meeting after the battle of Belmont. Under a flag of truce, they met with the Federals at a location between Columbus, Kentucky, and Cairo, Illinois. In a December 9, 1861, letter to his father, Tobias, Gibson described his remarkable meeting with the future President: “General Grant has somewhat the appearance of a gentleman, but the rest seemed to me impudent upstarts. Some among them made known their confidence in their 'on to New Orleans intention, and all of them declared they were fighting for us-that they came to save, not destroy. Genl Grant even saying he would resign his commission if war should be made against slavery-but it was evident from the whole tenor of their remarks that their purpose individually was subjugation & confiscation. I was thoroughly disgusted with the whole party.” ~ Randall Gibson to Tobias Gibson, Dec. 9, 1861