208 The Mississippi Valley in the Civil War

were graduates of West Point, and most had servedtheir apprenticeship in Mexico . On the otherhand, our volunteer commanders who had had nospecial training seldom prospered in any higherposition than that of general of division. Therewere one or two exceptions, but this was the rule,and McClernand was a conspicuous instance of it.Fortunately his power for mischief was short-lived.In superseding him, Grant waited only to make uphis mind as to the best way of doing it. He seemsto have been governed purely by unselfish motives.He would have been glad to restore Sherman tothe command, and thus give him a chance to re-trieve himself, for people at the North were clam-orous with indignation over the failure at theChickasaw bayou. But on mature reflection heconcluded that he could best harmonize the jarringelements by assuming the immediate command inperson, and on the 30th of January he did so.

He prepared to withdraw the forces

Grant moves - ,, . . .

to the west from northern Mississippi and concen-

bank of the trate liis whole army at Young’s Point,Mississippi . opposite Vicksburg . The army wasreorganized in four corps, respectively commandedby McClernand , Sherman, Hurlbut, and McPher-son ; and thus McClernand ’s dream of glory wasabruptly ended. He protested bitterly, allegingthat he had been the originator of the Vicksburg