A personal history of Ulysses S. Grant, and sketch of Schuyler Colfax

Front matter

Book- >K^2p

PUBLISHERS' ANNOUNCEMENT.

Ricliai-dson's "Field. Dimsicou and Escape," which we issued in 1865, readied the enormous sale of upwards of ninety thousand copies. His " Beyond the Mississippi," in no wise a sensational boolv, and lnouuht out during the dull season of 1867, circulated seventy thousand copies within tlie lirst thirteen months— a sale unequalled by any other American work during the same period— and is still, in the midst of a Presidential campaign, selling at the rate of three thousand copies a mouth.

Preface

In 18G1, when the guns of Sumter awoke the country, a resigned army captain, in his fortieth year, was living at Galena, lUinois. His civil life of seven years had been a hard struggle. Though healthy, temperate, and most industrious, he had found serious difficulty in supporting the wife and children to whom he was devotedly attached. He had failed as a farmer, and as a real-estate agent, and was now clerk in his father's leather store, at a salary of eight hundred dollars per year.

He was hardly known to a hundred persons in the little city. His few intimates esteemed and loved him ; but he seemed so out of place in the scramble of life, that even they regarded him with something of that patronizing sympathy which those who earn their bread and butter easily, feel for the "unpractical " who are baffled by that first problem of existence.

He had shown little interest in politics, and had never voted but once. Though a very close reader of newspapers, he lacked the culture derived from books. In hours of leisure he wooed not history, philosophy, nor poetry — but euchre, whist, and chess ; smoking his clay pipe, and, between the games, relatingincideutsof theMexican war and of garrison life in Oregon.

At the Military Academy he had been unnoticeable, and he graduated near the middle of a class which was by no means brilliant. His military life of eleven years gave no distinguisliing promise. His reputation was very high for amiability, truthfulness, and fair-mindedness. "While campaigning in Mexico, and while busy as a quartermaster both in Mexico and on the frontier, it was above the average for bravery, energy, and business efficiency ; but in the idle routine of a line-captain during his last year in the army, and in the circumstances of his leaving it, this had been something marred.

And now when he offered his services to the Government, the adjutant-general did not even answer his letter ; his native Ohio had no commission for him, and the governor of his adopted Illinois gave him a half-clerical, half-advisory position, only on the persisting demands of two Galena, gentlemen.

" Many meet the gods, but few salute them.'' The obscure ex-captain had reached middle life without much honor, either in his own country or vi Preface.

anywhere else. Had he died then, he would have been remembered only as a pure, shy, kindly gentleman, of moderate abilities.

But a destiny almost incredible awaited hira. In one year he was a laureled hero. In three, he had risen to the command of a million of soldiers. In seven he was the predestined President of the Great Republic. At a period requiring the highest statesmanship, he had won the enthusiastic confidence of thirty millions of people in his ability to conduct tlieir civil afifairs; and the leather-dealer's clerk was the foremost man of all the world. The bare outline of this strange, eventful history, reads like a leaf from the Arabian Nights. I have endeavored to fill in details which make it more intelligible.

I first met General Grant on his way to Donelson. His unassuming modesty, and a certain quiet earnestness, which seemed to "mean business," won greatly upon me, but kindled no suspicion that he was the Coming Man. My fancy painted that expected hero in the good old colors, as quite the opposite of this prosaic brigadier. In my mind's eye I saw him charging at the head of his body-guard in the supreme moment of battle, while he cried, " God and tlie Union ! " and flaming out in proclamations which rang througli the land like a trumpet — all in tlie high Roman fashion.

But every general of whom I predicted greatness, failed to achieve it. Meanwhile, I saw more of Grant, sitting beside him around nightly camp-tires, at the most trying period of liis life. Even then I defended him a little haltingly, against bitter assailants. I lield him a pure man, an energetic fighter, but by no means one of the few, th' immortal names. At last, educated to humility of opinion through "the long, dull anguish of patience," it dawned upon me that he was winning great successes, because he was a great general — rising into the key jjositioa of the national batteries, solely because he was our gun of heaviest metal and largest caliber. In these pages I do not give all the minute details of his achievements in the field. Tiio world knows them by heart. I seek rather to show what made him tlie man he is — the stock from Avhich he sprang; the molding influences of his boyhood; his early military and civil life ; his intellectual growLli, and political education during tlie great rebellion ; his opinions since on national and international aflfairs — chiefly the difficult and everchanging questions involved in the stupendous problem of re-adjusting the l>olitical and iiulustrial relations of ten millions of ])oople, occupying half a continent; and through all, the little things indicating the interior life of the man — wliat ho thought, and hoi)ed, and feared. Hence I relate many incidents, believing that those, even, which seem trivial and pointless, may lielp to tlirow liglit upon his organization and dcvolopment.

Personal liistories so abound in colorings, su[)pressions, and half-truths, tliat it lias been said, " A biograiihy is either a satire or a panegyric." For e.xampk', documents still in existence i)rove the George Washington of ]>opular rcpiitu as fabulous as Lili|)ut or Bhu-beard. There never was any Kucii perfect, sni)ru-human Washington. Ihit tliere was a Washington, full of humun weaknesses and faults, yet of such jiractical wisdom, such long-

Preface. vii

suffering patience, such radiant integrity, tliat tliose who knew him best k)ved and lionored — not the moral Apollo we substitute for liiin, but the living man, infirmities and all, just as he was.

I can not hope to have escaped altogether the dangers which beset this path of literature. But I have tried to write without any theory to vindicate, any case to make out, or any party to serve. I have not asked "Whom will this or that fact help or injure?'' but only, "/s it a fact?" I have consciously added nothing, concealed nothing, explained away nothing. I have endeavored, not to paint the ideal, but to photograph the man — or, rather, to let the man photograph himself. "Wherever it was practicable, I have copied verbatim from his letters, orders, and reports. In conversations I have not professed to give his language in a single case, unless some record, or some person I believe trustworthj-, has given his language to me.

In consulting previous works, I have drawn most upon Badeau's admirable volume. For new material, official records have been opened to me with great freedom and kindness, enabling me to use many letters and dispatches upon important points of our recent history, never before given to the public. I have journeyed thousands of miles to visit the various scenes of Grant's checkered life, and talked with liundreds of his life-long acquaintances, civil and military. All have afforded me cheerful assistance, and all have .expressed hearty love and admiration for his character.

There are men who still see in him only the darling of fortune — energetic Mediocrity which has blundered into success. I think such are misled by two of his peculiar qualities : —

I. He is unimaginative. When he has nothing to say, he says nothing. In private he fills no interstices of conversation witli remarks upon tlie weather, or inquiries after the babies of his visitor. In public he can make no speeches simply of form or compliment; and since the world cared to hear his opinions on affairs, his official position has seldom allowed him to speak freely. But in public or in private, Avhen lie has any thing to utter by tongue or pen, he says it with extreme rapidity and clearness, in terse, marrowy, idiomatic English. His final report as lieutenant-general, his correspondence on the Mexican question, his instructions to military subordinates in the South, and other documents in the closing chapters of this volume, afford many examples. But he clothes his thouglits in no liowers of rlietoric; he presents them in the plainest, homeliest words. Napoleon's memorable sayings are all of this order : '• From these summits forty centuries look down upon you."' '• We will carry our victorious eagles beyond the pillars of Hercules." Grant's are the exact antipodes: "I have no terms but unconditional surrender." " I propose to move immediately upon your works." " I shall fight it out on tliis line if it takes all summer." The armies were "like a balky team." His army was "in a bottle strongly corked." Said the dramatic Corsican after Austerlitz : " Soldiers, I am satisfied with you. You have decorated your eagles with immortal glory." Said tlie matter-of-fact American to his sliouting men after Port Gibson : " Soldiers, I thank you. Tliat is all I can say. You have done a good day's viii Preface.

work to-day, but you must do a better one to-morrow." No gushing rhetoric — only the simple, unadorned fact.

II. lie is utterly undramatic. Scott was nicknamed by his enemies, "Fuss and Feathers." Grant has less fuss and fewer feathers than any other public man of his day. lie believes that " That which is, is." He accepts things just as he finds them, not troubling himself about the " Eternal Verities," but doing promptly, thoroughly, and subordinately, the duty which lies right before him, however prosaic and disagreeable. He acts his convictions instead of talking them. So he is called " common-place:" for we Americans are prone to confound brilliancy v.nth greatness ; to admire any special shining gift, even though accompanied by some corresponding weakness, rather than that large development and harmonious adjustment of all the faculties — clear judgment, or good common-sense. But even genius, according to Buffon, is "only great patience."

Rarely has so much greatness been disfigured by so few littlenesses ; so much goodness marred by so trivial faults. I believe Grant's character — l)eculiarly unique and American — one of the most beautiful in history; a worthy companion to that of the great President, murdered through the foul conspiracy which was aimed at his life also. Happily he remains to complete the work of Abraham Lincoln — to whom he is so unlike, and yet so like — with the same steadfastness and sagacity, the same "charity for all, and malice toward none."

He is singularly genuine and guileless. He still preserves in his high estate the sweetness and simplicity of his country boyhood. Altogether free from cant, Ills li[)s, obeying the teachings of his mother, have uttered no oath, been soiled by no coarseness. He is a miracle of serenity and self-poise. During the terrors of Belmont, when an aide, with pallid cheeks, cried, ""Why, General, we are surrounded!" there was no perceptible change in liis pleasant face or calm voice as he answered, " Then we will cut our way out." Nearly four years later, as he read Lee's dispatch proposing the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia, he was equally unmoved ; no elation sliono in his face, or sounded in the ordinary tone in which he asked : *' Well, General Rawlins, how do you think that will do ?" " Tried by both extremes of fortune, and never disturbed by either," he remains as simple and unallected to-d.ay as in his years of poverty and obscurity.

Our war might liavo developed a leader profligate, corrupt, or uneasily ambitious, as so many great captains have been in the i»ast. It gave us instead this pure, modest, simple-hearted man, who is loyal and admirable in private life, who loves himself last, and who believes most enthusiastically in the United States of America. Invincibility in war, magnanimity in victory, wisdom in civil government, and unselfishness in all things — what are these, if they be not greatness ?

It is the inqierfoct record of a life which carries a striking lesson of charity, of faitb in human nature, of certainty that the higiiest talents may Bleep undiscovered until opportunity comes, without which no man is great.

OOISTTEI^TS.

CHAPTER I. — Genealogy. PAGE

Matthew Grant lands at Xantasket— Milk one penny a quart— On the verge of Starvation— A Quaint old Epitaph— Fighting Famine and Indians— Survevor, Town Clerk, and Church Clerk— Matthew Grant's Church Record— An Umbrella as a AVeapon — Solomon Grant makes his Will — Noah Grant's Handwriting— Solomon and Noah Grant killed— Noah Grant, junior, in the Revolution— Settles in Western Pennsylvania- Removes to .the Ohio Wilderness— The Grant Genealogical Record IT

CHAPTER II.— Parextage akd Birth

End of the last Centurv— How the People lived— Boston, Albany, and St. Louis— From Cmcinnati to Pittsburg— .V (ilance at Famous Men— And those to become Famous— Many Digressions intended— Ingenuity of young Jesse— The Boy's Mother dies— How tlie Ohio Settlers lived— Jesse on Spoons and Bowls— The last "War with England— Jesse looks for a Wife— And meets with Ill-Fortune— But finally Marries wiselj^- And Ulysses is

Born 2^

CHAPTER III.— Boyhood

•The Babv Named bv Ballot— Jesse moves to Georgetown— A great place for Drinking—" I can't take Powder "—A Correspondence in Rhyme— Ulysses the Favorite Child— Earlv exploits with Horses— Boyish feats of Horsemanship—A curious juvenile Bargain— Skating, Fishing, and Swimming— A New and Improved Version — " When the Cat's away " 49

CHAPTER lY.— Earlt Youth.

A Journey to Deerfield — A thoroughly boyish Trick— Working in the Bark Mill—'- Dave and Me "-Ulysses sent to Louisville— Driving a good Barijain— The Hills '-Judgment and Mercy "—Ulysses' Father and Mother— At School and Iq Sports— The Military Spirit fervent— A Student at Maysville and Ripley — Ulysses' standing at Seventeen. 61

CHAPTER Y.— West Poixt.

Plans for Future Life — A Vacancy at AVest Point — Ulysses " Simpson " Grant Appointed — Reaches the Military Academy — Its Scenery and Stirring Memories — Moll Pitcher's Life and Death — Obstructing Rivers with Chains — Darkest days of the Revolution — Arnold escapes to the Enemy — The Romantic Memory of Andre- Winfield Scott on West Point— West Point

saves the Country

CH.VPTER VL— Graduates.

How Cadets are treated- Oulv an Inch to Spare— .Routine of Study and Drill- How Offenses are punished — What the Graduate has learned— Ulysses tlirashes a Classmate- Nicknames of the Cadets— " Leave it to Uncle gam "— " I cau"t die but once." — Graduates and returns Home ^•>

CHAPTER VII.— Mexican W.\.r— witu Taylor.

Lieutenant Grant at Jefferson Barracks— Where he falls in Love— Origin of the Mexican War — How Annexation was received — Lieutenant Grant and his jovial Colonel— Stationed at Corpus Chrisli, Texas— How Taylor obtamed

X Contents.

PAOH

Mules — The Army marches for Mexico — And encamps opposite Mataitioras — Grant lights his first Battle — And the next day his second — War "upon our own Soil" — Scoti's '-Fire in the Rear" — Pillow's Ditcli and Breastwork — The Battle of Monterey — Three Days of Hard Fighting — Grant runs a Gantlet of Death — " Green " rendered into Spanisli 95

CHAPTER YIII. — Mexican "Wak— with Scott.

Taylor is attacked at Buena Yista — And wins a Splendid Victory — "Generals made out of any thing " — The battle of Cerro Gordo — A Solitary Relic of the Aztecs — Grant's Regiment seizes San Augustine — Battles of Contreras and Churubusco — The Attack on Molino del Roy — Lively times for Lieutenant Grant — Chepultepec Stormed and Capttired — Lieutenant Grant earns a Captaincy — End of tlie Mexican War — What it Lost and Gained us — Taylor nominated for the Presidency — Quartermaster Grant is robbed — Returns home and defends Taylor 113

CHAPTER IX.— Marriks.

"Wedding— Winter at Sackett's Harbor — The new Couple begin Housekeeping — And a Son is Born to them — Grant's Life in Detroit — Outdoor and Indoor Pleasiu'es — A Quarrel with Zachary Chandler — Chandler fined six cents and costs — Grant at Sackett's Harbor — Odd Fellow and Son of Temperance — A very Uneventful Life 129

CHAPTER X.— Resigns.

Ordered to the Pacific Coast — How the Ladies crossed tlio Isthmus — Grant's Energy and Resources displayed — Ravages C)f Cholera in liis Regiment — His Kindness to the Suffering Men — Stationed on the Columbia River — Entertains George B. McClellan — "How clear-headed Sam Grant is!"' — A Captain at Fort Ilnmbolt, California — Living on the Fat of the Land — Resigns and returns Home — His Fortunes at a low Ebb 139

CHAPTER XL— Farmer.

Four Years' Residence at Gravois — Builds a House and hauls Wood — His Heart Warm toward old Comrades — Yisits his Brothers at Galena — .V Black Skin but a True Heart — Grant casts his First Yote — An Adventure with a Wood Thief — Grant and Boggs form a Partnersliip 151

CHAPTER XIL— Real Estate Agent.

Grant lives in Camp Stylo — Conducts Business in Boggs's absence — Suffers from Ague and Rheumatism — Trades oft" Hardscrabble — How his Friends regarded him — Applies for the County Engincership — Indorsements on tlie Application — '" Leading Citizens " who seconded it — Why it was Unsuccessful — Boggs and Grant dissolve Partnership 159 .^

CHAPTER XIII.— The Leather Stoke. 11

The Captain disappointed again — Yisits his Father at Covington — Settles in (Jalena, Hlinois — .V Clerk in the Leather Store — A Hard Struggle for a Living — Grant is a Douglas Democrat — But is Converted to Republicanism — Disturbed about Public Affairs 1G9

CHAPTER XIY.— The Long Roll.

Fort Sumter is fired on — ileeting in the Galena Court-IIouse — .\ Grand Speech from Rawlins — Grant i)resides at anotiier Meeting — He makes Ids First Speech — Gees with Wasliburne to Springlield — A Clerk in the Governor's Ollice — Made Colnnel (if the Twenly-lirst — His Men like FaistalVa Soldiers — Beginning of Washbunie's Friendsliip — His Heart Tender and Lenient — Made lirigadier-( loucral 177

CHAPTER XY.— BuiOAmEK-GENERAL.

HUlyer's Enthusiastic Client — \ Trap for Jeff. Thompson — First Xewspaperdcscripiion of Grant — i )ccn])i<s I'aducah without Orders — Rawlins joins his iifAiY — How the General transacteil Business — A Story of " Samaritan Oglesby" — Grant lias Independence and Opportuuiiy 1S9

Contents. xi

en AFTER XY I. —Belmont.

PAGE

Ordered to Move at Last — Determines to Attack- the Enemy — The Battle of Belmont bepins — Eaemy Driven, and his Camp Captured — " We'll cut our AVay Out" — Grant has a Narrow Escape — " Nigger wuf more to rne" — Grant Delighted with his Troops 197

CHAPTER XTTL— Fort IIexry.

Halleck's " Order Number Three " — Grant avoids the Appearance of Evil — His Loyalty to his Old Instructor — His Narrow Escape from Guerrillas — A Little Newspaper Rivalry — Deals with Fugitive-Slave Cases — Bitter Hostility of Contractors — An Expedition into Kentucky — "Who Stole the Honey ?" — Grant has Permission to Move — A New Rule for the Correi'pondeuts — The Gun-boats capture Fort Henry 205

CHAPTER XVIII.— DON-ELSOX.

Grant starts for Donelsou — Invests it wiih an Inferior Force — Our Gun-boats damaged and repulsed — .-V Narrow Escape fiom Defeat — "Are their Haversacks full?" — '■ Tell General Grant I'll do it " — The Stars and Stripes go up — Consternation in the Rebel Camp — .\n Intelligent Contraband's Information — Grant and Buckner correspond — Fort Donelson Surrenders — " I propose to move immediately upon your works " — "Compel me to accept the Ungenerous and Uuchivalrous Terms"— Wonder of the Confederate Troops 217

CHAPTER XIX.— Curbed.

An Emphatic Rebuke to Buckner — A Great Panic in Nashville — Halleck giulty of a Joke — The North wild witli Delight — Grant's Praise on all Tongues — Encounters Sherman and McPherson — Shabby Treatment from Halleck — Commands a New E.Ypedition — A bail Fall from his Horse — Buell's Army approaching in the Rear 2.'53

CHAPTER XX.— Shiloii.

A Rebel Council in the Woods — Sunday Morning Dawns — The Roar of Battle begins — Grant reaches the Field-^Vigor of the Rebel Assault — Sherman wins Green. Laurels — " I havn't despaired of whipping them" — Death of Albert Sidne.v Johnston — Union Troops make a Fmal Stand — The Night after the Battle — Second Day — "The last of them" — Beauregard's bitter Disappointment — The summing up of Shiloh — Hue and Cry against Grant. 243

CHAPTER XXL— Shackled.

Halleck removes Iiim from command — Tlie Journalists in the Field-^A couple of Horse Stories — HaUeck's snail-like Movement — Divulging Military Information — Grant demands a Defined Position — " You fought the Battle of Corinth " — Tlie (iuerrillas after Grant — The Fourth of July Dinner in Memphis — Halleck leaves Grant in command 237

CHAPTER XXII.— lUK.A. AND COUIXTII.

An Order about Contrabands — The battle of luka — And Corinth — The historic Wisconsin Kagle — Grant occupies La Grange — Depredations by the Soldiers — The Humors of Cipher Telegraphing — The Country slow to appreciate Grant — Grant sets tlie Contrabands to work — History of the Jew Order — The President countermands it— A Grievance for Peace Democrats. 2('.7

CH.VPTER XXIIL — Yicksburg — Seven Attempts.

Purpose of Grant's movement — Yicksburg and its Approaches — Sherman ordered to take it — The Rebels threaten Grant — And capture Holly Springs — He subsists on the Country — Sherman's Repulse at Chickasaw Bayou — Grant takes Command of the Front— A new Bed for the Mississippi — The Mississippi declines it — Toiling among the Swamps — Repulsed at Fort Pemberton — The Pleasures of Bayou Navigation—" I rather like the man. , , , ■^ '*'

xii Contents.

CHAPTER XXIV.— All or Xothixg.

PAGE

Grant favoring Negro Regiments — His anxiety about Vicksburg — "You will Sleep here, Steele " — A New and Daring Plan — The Rebels Irighteued by a, Barge — The Queen passes their Batteries — Varied Capacity of each Regiment — Seven Transports run the Gantlet — " Where does he get his Whisky?" — Porter's Repulse at Grand Gulf — Thorough Loyalty of the Negroes — The River crossed at last 293

CHAPTER XXV.— The Dogs of War.

Grant's Baggage for the Campaign — McPherson charges the Rebel Rear — A Victory and a Speech — Grant enters Port Gibson — A Bridge built in Four Hours — The Requests of a Rebel Prisoner — Grierson's daring Cavalry Raid — The Battle of Raymond — Grant cuts loose from his Base — The Battle of Jackson — Grant in the Capital of Mississippi — Why the Rebels burned a Hotel 305

CHAPTER XXVI.— The Game at Bay.

Grant intercepts a Rebel Dispatch — The Battle of Champion Hill — Grant reaches the Big Black — Lawler makes a brilliant Charge — The Game entering the Trap — Vicksburg invested — Two unsuccessful Assaults — A Truce for bmying the Dead — The opposing Pickets converse — " A good Moral Drink" — Mine Explosion under Fort HiU — "The Lord and Joe Johnston." 317

CHAPTER XXVIL— lo Triumphs !- Pembei ton proposes to Capitulate — Grant meets him between the Lines — Result of the Interview — Grant's Instructions to his Picket.s — The Union Army enters Vicksburg — Humors of the half-slarved Rebels — The greatest Capture ever made — Sherman disperses Johnston's Army — Abraham Lincoln's Letter to Grant — "A grateful Acknowledgment'" — "You were liglit aud I was wrong " — Monument in Memory of the Surrender 329

CHAPTER XXVIII.— Promoted.

Major-Gencral in the Regular Army — A Lesson for Steamboat Men — Grant deals with a Cotton Buyer — Soldiers to Vote as they pleased — His Views on tlie Slavery Question — A very moderate Ambition — Grant feted in Memphis — Visits New Orleans — A bad Fall from his Horse — Inflicts no Death Penalties 341

CHAPTER XXIX.— A New Field.

Tlie Peril in Tennessee — The whole West under Grant — Hard Journey to Chattanooga — Pliil. Sheridan becoming known — The Army almost Starving — The Town invcsteil by Bragg — Grant seizes Lookout Valley — The Charge of the Mule Brigade — The Question of Supplies settled— Grant prepares for Battle 351

The Bluo-roats mislead Grant — First aud Second Days' Fighting— Hooker carries Lookout lilountain — Third Day — Sherman Figlils Stubbornly — Tho Rebels roll d(nvn Rock.s — Tho flraml ("liargo I'egins — Tho Troojis carry tho RiHo-Piis — And go up Missionary Rid^jo — " How do you do, Southern Confederacy ?' — Eiul of tlio Wonderful Battle — Bragg retreats into Georgia — Longstroet is defeated at Kno.wille 3G1

A Mountain Rido in Winter — A Letter aliout tho Prer/idencj- — The General visits St. Louis — Declines to make anySpeeclii>8 — His Views on Strategy — Tho Grade of Lieutenant-Gencral — Views of Loading Senators — Lincoln sends for Grant's Frieml — "This Prosidpiitial Grub "'—Letter to Sherman and McPherson — Sherman sends a Reply — Grant'.s deception in Washington — Visits the Anny of tho Potomac — "' Enough of tho Show Business.". 373

Contents. xiii

CHAPTER XXXII.— Wilderness.

PAGE

The General begins his Task — " Mr. Grant an Obstinate Man " — Northern Tcace Party growing — Lincoln and Grant correspond —What the General determined to do^Why he chose the Overland Ronte — Tiie Army once more in Motion — Battle of the Wilderness Begins — Terrible bnt Indecisive Conflict — Second Day — Lee's Narrow Escape — Grant Whittles and Smokes — A Talk before the Camp Eire — A Leader found at last — A Correspondent comes to Grief 381

CHAPTER XXXIII. — Spottsylvaxia to Cold Harbor. " Not a Retreating Man " — Sheridan ordered to March — Sedgwick is Killed — "Fight it Out on This Line" — Hancock's Splendid Charge — Orders from Meade and Lee — How Grant received a Stranger — The feeling ia Meade's Army — Sheridan within the Enemy's Lines — Grant withdraws from North Anna — Terrible fighting at Cold Harbor — Relative strength of Grant and Lee ^101

CHAPTER XXXIV.— Before Petersburg.

Lincoln's View of tlie Situation — Grant Changes his Base to the James — Smith's Failure at Petersburg — Butler "in a Bottle strongly Corked" — Headquarters at City Point — A Letter from Winfield Scott — Early Invades Maryland — General lilcPherson is Killed — A Letter from his Aged Grandmother — " You must throw away that Cigar " 413

CHAPTER XXXY.— Sheridan's Ride.

A Mine is Exploded — Horrible Scenes in the Crater — Sheridan sent to the Shenandoah — Great Explosion at City Point — Figiiting on the Weldon Railway — Sherman captures Atlanta — Slieridan is instructed to "go in" He sends Early " whirling " Southward — Grant's Views on Soldiers' Voting ■ — His Operations in September — Early attacks Sheridan's Army — Sheridan arrives and routs him — " Up from the South at break of day " 423

CHAPTER XXXVI. — The Beginnixo of the End.

Grant refuses to argue with Lee — End of the active Fall Campaign — Humor of the Soldiers in the Field — Hood proposes to Invade the North — " How Sherman Marched Dow^u to the Sea " — Thomas's splendid Victory at Nashville — Butler's Failure at Fort Fisher — Grant in Washington and New York — Philadelphians present him a House — Three Rebel Peace Commissioners — Confer with Lincoln and Sew^ard — Lee proposes a Peace Conference — Grant asks Instructious — Stanton's ungenerous Conduct 43T

CHAPTER XXXVII.— Attention— March 1 Sherman in the Carolinas — Slieridan Finishes up Early — Abraham Lincoln at City Point — Grant's Orders for the Final Campaign — Lee's Repulse at Fort Steadman — Sherman arrives for Conference — Grant's Hopes and Fears — His final Orders for the March 451

CHAPTER XXXVIIL— Richmond Falls.

Lincoln's Farewell Words — " I now feel like Ending the Matter " — Sheridan driven back to Dinwiddio — Fights the Battle of Five Forks — Evening Scenes in his Camp — Grant breaks the Petersbiu-g Lines — A. P. Hill is Killed — Jefiferson Davis's Flight — "And Great was the Fall of it" — Lincoln's Reception in Richmond 459

CHAPTER XXXIX.— The Hot Chase.

" Siftin Souf, Sah"— Sheridan on Lee's Front— "Our Army is Ruined, I fear " — Grant goes forward to Sheridan — Gallant Exploit of Read's Brigade — Battle of Sailor's Creek — Important Letter from Lincoln — Sheridan and the Old Virginian — A Friend of the Family — Correspondence between Grant and Lee — Fac-simile of Lee's First Reply — The General thinks the " Job " finished 469 xiv Contents.

CHAPTER XL.— TuE Last Ditch.

PA<JB

Lee Determines " to be frank " — Grant receives an Important Letter — Sheridan in at the Death — " South Carolinians never surrender " — Grant and Lee have an Interview — It results in Lee's Capitulation — Satisfaction of Lee's Soldiers — "I Want to Go Home " — " The Old, Famihar Faces" — "All Quite along the Potomac." 481