Stephen A. Hurlbut to Richard Yates

Belvidere Ills, Aug. 7. 1864

Dear Sir

I am beginning to be weary & a little sulky at this continued idleness. I rather fear that orders have been issued for me & failed to reach me, yet I am aware that the Department know I am still here. Truth to say I am very far from being satisfied with the state of the War.

If Grant with all the army and immense material at his command can be stopped threatened & held in check by a fraction of Lee's reduced army and that fraction so small as to permit of detaching a reasonably

heavy Column to threaten Baltimore Washington Harrisburgh & Pittsburgh, why it results that Grant's Campaign on the Potomac has so far been a failure. Lee's entire force cannot exceed 90,000 men & is probably not to exceed 60,000. With these he holds us at bay at Petersburgh & Richmond & covers the Rail Road 22 miles between these places, and at the same time inflicts infinite humiliation & some disaster along the line of Maryland & Virginia. There is gross failure somewhere. Now it will be necessary to organize a force of say 60,000 men to move by the Valley of Virginia on Lynchburgh, cut the Canal & the lines of Rail Roads and invest Richmond on the South & West unless indeed Lee should be allowed to whip there before,

that junction is completed. What the plans may be I cannot say but if something thorough & decisive is not done, it will in no wise surprise me if a flying column of 30,000 should capture Pittsburgh, destroy all the Rail Roads upto the Lake and sweep off again through Ohio & Kentucky or Western Virginia back to Staunton, Lynchburgh & Richmond.

I have much more faith in Sherman than in Grant nor can I conceive any excuse for the Lieut Genl except the intense heat and drought. This will continue until the middle of September, so that I look for no distinguishing successes until after that time. The truth is that the Nation as a Nation is not punished Enough, they are not in Earnest and

until they are the War will linger along. Perhaps it is not desirable to have any very great successes until after August 29th. I see my rascully friend Washburne has been renominated to Congress whereby he keeps his anchor to windward & is ready to serve another time. I wonder what speculator he will go into partnership with next! He & Dr Ray made a very pretty operation in "highwines."

I am satisfied from all I can learn that there will be no open opposition to you this winter. Although there are several heads ready to fill the vacant chance if such there should be. It is however regarded as a very remote contingency.

If Uncle Sam don't set me to work pretty soon I propose to stir up the minds of the dear people by certain choice & terse articles full of the real issues of the present times for their thoughtful meditation, which, I suppose for the public good I must publish in that infamously conducted sheet the Chicago Tribune as I doubt if the Times will put them

in. The Key note of the Campaign is to be struck yet and I am afraid you gentlemen candidates won't do it. It is distinctly understood however that I take no patent on the invention but propose to have it open for general use of all clever people who may compose their own variations on it

Having myself the greatest faith in the necessity (so to speak) of this Country and its regenerated institutions to carry out the purposes of Heaven I do not despair of the Republic but believe that all the villanus voices Engendured or brought to the surface by this war will be made instruments of good, by reason of which comfortable faith I remain patiently

Your "Suspended" friend

S A Hurlburt

Abstract & return

Where is Hurlburt now?

New Orleans

Hurlbert J A. Genl

Belvidere Aug 7th 64

Is getting tired of idlengs & inactivity. would like to be ordered somewhere understand his friend Washburn is out again for Congress.

Thinks Grant is not distinguishing himself, in the Potomac campaigns Has more faith in Sherman

Hurlburt at New Orleans

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