Lincoln's trip to visit Grant was to be as secretive as possible. It was probably June 18 or 19 when Lincoln decided to go. He called on his go-to man or nautical matters, Assistant Secretary of the Navy Gustavus V. Fox to make the arrangements.
Fox secured the USS Baltimore, a capture Confederate sidewheel steamer that had been pressed into Navy service for carrying everything from supplies to personnel. Lincoln already was familiar with this ship, having been ferried to Hampton Roads in 1862, not long after the battle between the CSS Virginia and USS Monitor.
Lincoln asked Fox to accompany him and the President also brought along his son Tad.
Great pains were taken to keep this secret, but the editor of Washington, D.C.'s Daily National Republican found out about it, but kept quite as per Lincoln's request.
When Fox's boss, Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles, found out about it, h was not happy, believing Fox had "favored and encouraged the President in this step.... It has been my policy to discourage the President in these excursions."
--Old B-Runner
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