NOVELTY - Hydrothermal digestion (M1) of cellulosic biomass solids involves providing cellulosic biomass solids; converting the cellulosic biomass solids into a reaction product comprising a glycol; and at least partially drying the reaction product, thus forming a dried reaction product comprising a dried glycol.    USE - For hydrothermal digestion of cellulosic biomass solid for forming a dried reaction product comprising a dried glycol (claimed).    ADVANTAGE - The method allows efficient conversion of cellulosic biomass into fuel blends and other materials. Using the method, the slurry catalyst can be effectively distributed within cellulosic biomass solids using fluid flow to convey the slurry catalyst particulates into the interstitial spaces within a charge of cellulosic biomass solids. Although the slurry catalyst can be conveyed into the cellulosic biomass solids using fluid flow from any direction, it most effective to utilize upwardly directed fluid flow for this purpose, as this flow configuration can present a number of advantages. Specifically, it can promote expansion of the cellulosic biomass charge, thus overcomes settling and gravity-induced compaction that occurs during the addition and digestion of cellulosic biomass solids. In addition, by using upwardly directed fluid flow, there is a reduced need to utilize mechanical stirring or like mechanical agitation techniques that might otherwise be needed to obtain an adequate catalyst distribution. The ability to use no or limited mechanical agitation techniques can allow high loadings of cellulosic biomass solids relative to digestion solvent to be used, thus improving throughput and process economics. Using fluid flow to force a slurry catalyst to actively recirculate through a charge of digesting cellulosic biomass solids can ensure adequate catalyst distribution as well as advantageously reduce thermal gradients that occur during hydrothermal digestion. In addition, active recirculation of the slurry catalyst can address the problem created by the production of cellulosic biomass fines, since they can be co-circulated with the slurry catalyst for continued digestion to take place. Since digestion and catalytic reduction take place in the same vessel in an in situ catalytic reduction reaction process, there is minimal opportunity for heat transfer loss to take place, as would occur if the catalytic reduction reaction(s) were to be conducted in a separate location. In addition, the in situ catalytic reduction reaction(s) can provide a growing supply of the reaction product within the hydrothermal digestion unit, which can serve as and/or replenish the digestion solvent. Under such conditions, there is no express need to separate and recycle the digestion solvent from the reaction product before downstream processing takes place, which is further advantageous from an energy efficiency standpoint.    DETAILED DESCRIPTION - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a composition of matter comprising water; an organic component, miscible or immiscible with the water, derived from cellulosic biomass solids, where the organic component comprises ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and isopropanol; and a sulfided cobalt molybdate slurry catalyst.