Grant claimed in his memoirs that he had undertaken these experiments primarily to keep his troops busy during the flooded and disease-laden winter months and that he had had no expectation of success.
I sine erindringer hævdede han, at han først og fremmest havde gennemført dem for at holde tropperne beskæftiget i de oversvømmede og sygdomsplagede vintermåneder, og at han ikke havde ventet at få succes med dem.