November 25, 1863
President Lincoln writes General Ulysses S. Grant about the Battle of Chattanooga: “Your despatches as to fighting on Monday & Tuesday are here. Well done. Many thanks to all. Remember Burnside.” Still ill, Lincoln expects war news in evening but goes to bed. Over the previous two days, Grant had sent two telegrams to General Henry W. Halleck. In the first wire in November 23, Grant wrote: “General Thomas’ troops attacked the enemy’s left at 2 p.m. to-day, carried the first line of riflepits running over the knoll, 1,200 yards in front of Fort Wood, and low ridge to the right of it, taking about 200 prisoners, besides killed and wounded. Our loss small. The troops moved under fire with all the precision of veterans on parade. Thomas’ troops will intrench themselves, and hold their position until daylight, when Sherman will join the attack from the mouth of the Chic[k]amauga, and a decisive battle will be fought.”
On November 24, Grant wrote: “The fight to-day progressed favorably. Sherman carried the end of Missionary Ridge, and his right is now at the tunnel, and left on Chicamauga Creek. Troops from Lookout Valley carried the point of the mountain, and now hold the eastern slope and point high up. I cannot yet tell the amount of casualties, but our loss is not heavy. Hooker reports 2,000 prisoners taken, besides which a small number have fallen into our hands from Missionary Ridge.”
President writes: “During the temporary absence of the Secretary of War [Edwin M. Stanton] his duties will be performed by Assistant Secretary P H Watson.”
Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War 
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