First he went by train to Louisville to meet with Secretary of War Stanton. The secretary informed Grant that he could choose whom he wished to command the Army of the Cumberland, but that he was now in charge of all Union armies between the Appalachian Mountains and the Mississippi River. This was a huge change; Grant was the first person to be entrusted with such a variety of commands. Although Stanton made it seem like a choice, Grant knew he had to replace General Rosecrans because of his poor performance at the Battle of Chickamauga. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea of using Major-General Thomas who had been the “Rock of Chickamauga.”

Departing Stanton, Grant again went by steamer, but there was a point where he could only go by horse. Accompanied only by a few aides, he made the difficult, dangerous journey on horseback, arriving at Chattanooga on October 23, 1863. He did it in typical style, which is to say there were no theatrics or calling attention to his recent injury.