We reached Louisville after night and, if I remember rightly, in a cold, drizzling rain.

The Secretary of War told me afterwards that he caught a cold on that occasion from which he never expected to recover.

He never did.
A day was spent in Louisville, the Secretary giving me the military news at the capital and talking about the disappointment at the results of some of the campaigns.

By the evening of the day after our arrival all matters of discussion seemed exhausted, and I left the hotel to spend the evening away, both Mrs.Grant (who was with me) and myself having relatives living in Louisville.

In the course of the evening Mr.
Stanton received a dispatch from Mr.C.A.Dana, then in Chattanooga, informing him that unless prevented Rosecrans would retreat, and advising peremptory orders against his doing so.
As stated before, after the fall of Vicksburg I urged strongly upon the government the propriety of a movement against Mobile.