that despite severe losses and several
weeks of constant fighting, the men liked
and trusted Grant in a way they had not
McClellan. Also according to Porter,
Grant was still working to rid the army of
political generals, although it became a
job even he and Lincoln together could
not complete.
By mid-June, Grant was maneuvering
between Petersburg and Richmond. Union
confidence and ability to fight grew, as did
casualty lists. The situation was precarious
for both Grant and the Union. A major
Federal reverse would jeopardize Lincoln’s
chances for reelection as well as the
momentum gained since early May. Porter
sympathized with what Grant had to do
militarily as well as politically. Still, he
rejoiced at the progress.
Porter recognized that Grant and Lincoln
were willing to make sacrifices necessary
to ensure victory, although they disdained
the suffering they ordered. About Grant,
Porter wrote: “No warrior was ever more
anxious for peace, and all of the general’sreferences to the pending strife evinced his
constant longing for the termination of the
struggle upon terms which would secure
forever the integrity of the Union.”
Porter was present during Lincoln’s visit
to Grant’s headquarters in June 1864. On
that occasion, he learned Lincoln’s view of
emancipation and its effect on American
foreign relations. He also learned more
about Lincoln’s simple and honest nature
when Lincoln asked to visit a typical offi-
cer’s field quarters, which turned out to be
Porter’s. Seeing various ordnance objects in
Porter’s tent, Lincoln asked about the pow-
der used in certain artillery shells. Porter
explained. He was impressed with the pres-
ident’s knowledge and interest in learning
about something as mundane as powder
grains from a young lieutenant colonel.
As a member of Grant’s military family
and staff, Porter continued to observe and
practice his mentor’s style of management.
Grant let Porter and his staff undertake
extensive duties and entrusted significant
responsibility to them. The Virginia cam-paign also gave Porter many opportunities
to see Grant in action and test his own
courage in battle. Grant did not pamper his
staff. He did not hesitate to ride along the
front of battle with his aides or dispatch
them on hazardous missions in the thick of
the fighting as Grant kept probing around
Lee’s left flank.
Ultimately lodged around Petersburg,
south of Richmond, Union forces planted
a huge mine beneath Confederate earth-
works. On July 27, 1864 Porter was dis-
patched to Maj. Gen. Winfield Hancock,
who commanded that point in the line, to
personally deliver orders for the attack set
for July 30. The explosion was timed for
just before dawn to create a gaping hole in
the Confederate lines in hopes of spread-
ing Southern fear of more detonations and
thus a general retreat. The explosives did
not detonate on time, however. Union engi-
neers bravely reentered the tunnel and reset
the fuse, but the delay enabled the Con-
federates to erect a second line of defense.
Finally, the mine exploded, blasting a hugePorter is seated second from the right
in this picture of Grant and his staff.
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