Capture General Grant

[samgrant]

Found an odd bit browsing, then found confirmation in the ORs:

http://ehistory.osu.edu/osu/sources/...tent=/025/0667

The "major-general commanding" was Sterling Price. I could find no other reference to Capt. George L. Baxter in the ORs or on the web, nor could I find Baxter's original suggestion to Gen. Price.

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[OpnDownfall]

Very interesting and could actually be true.
Interestingly, the message from Gen. Snead to Capt. Baxter seems to be incomplete. The Chief of Staff, notes that the attempt to capture Grant was totally up to Capt. Baxter, writing that "While the exploit would be very brilliant, if successful, you to continue to show these qualities." It would seem the message was edited between "If successful," and "you continue to show these qualities."
I know that OR's can be changed to reflect later reconsiderations or incriminating statements (evidence) before or even after, being filed away.
I wonder what was excised, or could it have just been sloppy recording by the board?

[samgrant]

Excellent observation, OpnDownfall.

As a matter of fact, I first found that while browsing and where it is in a different form:

"While this was taking place in Tennessee, in Alabama, Captain George L. Baxter is hatching a plan to capture U.S. Grant. "The major-general commanding (Sterling Price)...submits its altogether to your discretion whether you make the attempt to capture General Grant or not. While the exploit would be very brilliant if successful, you must remember that failure might be disastrous to you and your men.""

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache...lnk&cd=1&gl=us

I chose to post the ORs version soley because of its provenance. The website (This Week in the Civil War) version makes more sense. I also wonder why the difference.

sam

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