A personal history of Ulysses S. Grant

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Preface

In 1861, when the guns of Sumter awoke the country, a resigned army captain, in his fortieth year, was living at Galena, Illinois. 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. Ht; 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 ;Jhad 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, relating incidents of the Mexican war and of garrison life in Oregon.

At the Military Academy hehad 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 distinguishing 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 Peeface.

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 him. In one year he was a laureled hero. In three, he had risen to the command of a million of soldiers. In seven lie 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 their civil affairs ; 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 the Union ! " and flaming out in proclamations which rang through the land like a trumpet — all in the 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-fires, at the most trying period of his life. Even then I defended him a little haltingly, against bitter assailants. I held 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 position 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. The world knows them by heart. I seek rather to show what made him the man he is — the stock from which he sprang; the molding influences of his boyhood ; his early military and civil life ; his intellectual growth, and political education during the great rebellion ; his opinions since on national and international affairs — chiefly the difficult and everchanging questions involved in the stupendous problem of re-adjusting the political and industrial relations of ten millions of people, occupying half a continent ; and through all, the little things indicating the interior life of the man — what he thought, and hoped, and feared. Hence I relate many incidents, believing that those, even, which seem trivial and pointless, may help to throw light upon his organization and development.

Personal histories so abound in colorings, suppressions, and half-truths, that it has been said, " A biography is either a satire or a panegyric." For example, documents still in existence prove the George Washington of popular repute as fabulous as Liliput or Bluebeard. There never was any such perfect, supra-human Washington. But there was a Washington, full of human weaknesses and faults, yet of such practical wisdom, such long-

Preface. vii

suffering patience, such radiant integrity, that those who knew hira best loved and honored — not the moral Apollo we substitute for him, 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, "Is 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 trustworthy, 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 hundreds 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 with remarks upon the 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, when he lias 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 thoughts in no flowers of rhetoric; 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 this 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 the matter-of-fact American to his shouting men after Port Gibson : " Soldiers, I thank you. That 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. He 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. He believes that " That which is, &." He accepts things just as he finds them, not troubling himself about the " Eternal Verities," but doing promptly, thoroughly, and subordinate^', 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 with 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."

Earely has so much greatness been disfigured by so few littlenesses ; so much goodness marred by so trivial faults. I believe Grant's characterpeculiarly 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, his lips, 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 his 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 shone 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 unaffected to-day as in his years of poverty and obscurity.

Our war might have developed a leader profligate, corrupt, or uneasily ambitious, as so many great captains have been in the past. 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 ?

" What is writ is writ ; would it were worthier."

It is the imperfect record of a life which carries a striking lesson of charity, of faith in human nature, of certainty that the highest talents may sleep undiscovered until opportunity comes, without which no man is great.

New York, August 1, 186S.

Contents

' CHAPTER I.— Genealogy.

PAGE

Matthew Grant lands at Nantasket — Milk one penny a quart — On the verge of Starvation — A Quaint old Epitaph — Fighting Famine and Indians — Surveyor, Town Clerk, and Church Clerk — Matthew Grant's Church Eecord — An Umbrella as a Weapon — 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 17

CHAPTER II. --Parentage and Birth

End of the last Century — How the People lived — Boston, Albany, and St. Louis — From Cincinnati to Pittsburg — A Glance at Famous Men — And those to become Famous — Many Digressions intended — Ingenuity of young Jesse — The Boy's Mother dies — How the 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 wisely — And Ulysses is Born 33

CHAPTER III.— Boyhood

The Baby Named by Ballot — Jesse moves to Georgetown — A great place for Drinking — " I can't take Powder " — A Correspondence in Rhyme — Ulysses the Favorite Child — Early 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 IV.— Early Youth

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

CHAPTER V.— West Point

Plans for Future Life — A Vacancy at West 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 73

CHAPTER VI.— Graduates

How Cadets are treated — Only an Inch to Spare — Routine of Study and Drill — How Offenses are punished — What the Graduate has learned — Ulysses thrashes a Classmate — Nicknames of the Cadets — " Leave it to Uncle Sam " — " I can't die but once." — Graduates and returns Home 85

CHAPTER VIL— Mexican War— with 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 Christi, Texas — How Taylor obtained x Contents.

PAGE

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

CHAPTER VIII. — Mexican War — with Scott

Taylor is attacked at Buena Vista — 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 Rey — Lively times for Lieutenant Grant — Chepultepec Stormed and Captured — Lieutenant Grant earns a Captaincy — End of the 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.— Marries

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 Pleasures — 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 the Isthmus — Grant's Energy and Resources displayed — Ravages of Cholera in his 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 Humbolt, 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 — Visits his Brothers at Galena — A Black Skin but a True Heart — Grant casts his First Vote — An Adventure with a Wood Thief — Grant and Boggs form a Partnership 151

CHAPTER XII— Real Estate Agent

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

CHAPTER XIII.— The Leather Store

The Captain disappointed again — Visits his Father at Covington — Settles in Galena, Illinois — A 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 169

CHAPTER XIV.— The Long Roll

Fort Sumter is fired on — Meeting in the Galena Court-House — A Grand Speech from Rawlins— Grant presides at another Meeting — He makes his First Speech — Goes with Washburne to Springfield — A Clerk in the Governor's Office — Made Colonel of the Twenty-first — His Men like Falstaff's Soldiers — Beginning of Washburne's Friendship — His Heart Tender and Lenient — Made Brigadier-General IT 7

CHAPTER XV.— Brigadier-General

Hillyer's Enthusiastic Client — A Trap for Jeff. Thompson — First Newspaper description of Grant — Occupies Paducah without Orders — Rawlins joins his Staff — How the General transacted Business — A Story of " Samaritan Oglesby" — Grant has Independence and Opportunity 189

Contents. xi

CHAPTER XVI.— Belmont. PAGE

Ordered to Hove at Last — Determines to Attack the Enemy— The Battle of Belmont begins — Enemy Driven, and his Camp Captured — "We'll cut our Way Out" — Grant lias a Narrow Escape— 1 ' Nigger wuf more to me" — Grant Delighted with his Troops 197

CHAPTER XVII.— Fort Henry

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 Correspondents — The Gun-boats capture Fort Henry 205

CHAPTER XVIIL— Donelson.

Grant starts for Donelson— Invests it with an Inferior Force— Our Gun-boats damaged and repulsed — A Narrow Escape from Defeat — " Are their Haversacks full?"—" Tell General Grant I'll do it "—The Stars and Stripes go up— Consternation in the Rebel Camp— An 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 Unchivalrous Terms"— Wonder of the Confederate Troops 21 •

CHAPTER XIX.— Curbed

An Emphatic Rebuke to Buckner— A Great Panic in Nashville— Halleck guilty of a Joke— The North wild with Delight— Grant's Praise on all Tongues- Encounters Sherman and McPherson— Shabby Treatment from Halleck— Commands a New Expedition— A bad Fall from his Horse— Buell's Army approaching in the Rear 233

CHAPTER XX.— Shiloh

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 Sidney Johnston— Union Troops make a Final 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 him from command — The Journalists in the Field — A couple of Horse Stories— Halleck's snail-like Movement— Divulging Military Information—Grant demands a Defined Position—" You fought the Battle of Corinth"— The Guerrillas after Grant— The Fourth of July Dinner in Memphis — Halleck leaves Grant in command 237

CHAPTER XXII. — Iuka and Corinth

An Order about Contrabands— The battle of Iuka— And Corinth— The historic Wisconsin Eagle — Grant occupies La Grange — Depredations by the Soldiers— The Humors of Cipher Telegraphing— The Country slow to appreciate Grant — Grant sets the Contrabands to work — History of the Jew Order— The President countermands it— A Grievance for Peace Democrats. 267

CHAPTER XXIIL— Vicksburg— Seven Attempts.

Purpose of Grant's movement — Vicksburg 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 xii Contents,

CHAPTER XXIV.— All on NOTHING

Grant favoring Negro Regiments — His anxiety about Yicksburg — "You will Sleep here. Steele "—A New and Daring Plan— The Rebels frightened by ft 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 *93

CHAPTER XXV.— The Dogs of Vail Grant's Baggage for the Campaign — MePherson 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 ( Javalry 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

CHAPTER XXVI.— The Game at Bay

Grant intercepts a Rebel Dispatch— The Battle of Champion Hill— Grant reaches the Big Black — Lawier makes a brilliant Charge — The Game entering the Trap — Vicksburg invested — Two unsuccessful Assaults — A Truce for burying the Dead — The opposing Tickets converse—" A good Moral Drink"— Mine Explosion under Port Hill— "The Lord and Joe Johnston. " 31 '

Tembeiton proposes to Capitulate — Grant meets him between the Lines — Result of the Interview — Grant's Instructions to his Pickets — The Union Army enters Vicksburg — Humors of the half-starved Rebels — The greatest Capture ever made — Sherman disperses Johnston's Army — Abraham Lincoln's Letter to Grant— " A grateful Acknowledgment '—" Vou were right and I was wrong " — Monument in Memory of the Surrender 329

CHAPTER XXVIII.— Promoted

Major-General in the Regular Army — A Lesson for Steamboat Men — Grant

deals with a Cotton Buyer — Soldiers to Vote as they pleased — His Views on

the Slavery Question — A very moderate Ambition — Grant feted in

. Memphis— Visits Xew Orleans— A bad Fall from his Horse — Inflicts no

Death Penalties 341

CHAPTER XXIX.— A Xew Field

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

Battle . . 351

CHAPTER XXX.— Chattanooga

The Blue-Coats mislead Grant — First and Second Days' Fighting— Hooker carries Lookout Mountain — Third Day — Sherman Fights Stubbornly — The Rebels roll down Rocks — The Grand Charge begins— The Troops carry the Rifle- Pits — And go up Missionary Ridge — " How do you do, Southern Confederacy ?"' — End of the "Wonderful Battle — Bragg retreats into Georgia — Longstreet is defeated at Knoxville 361

A Mountain Ride in "Winter — A Letter about the Presidency — The General visits St. Louis — Declines to make any Speeches — His Views on Strategy — The Grade of Lieutenant-General — Views of Leading Senators — Lincoln seuds for Grant's Friend—" This Presidential Grub "—Letter to Sherman and MePherson — Sherman sends a Reply — Grant's Reception in "Washington—Visits the Army of the Potomac—" Enough of the Show Business." . 373

COOTENTS. xiii

CHAPTER XXXIL— Wilderness.

PAGE

The General begins hi3 Task — - ; Mr. G-rant an Obstinate Man " — Northern Peace " Party growing — Lincoln and Grant correspond —What the General determined to do — Why he chose the Overland Route — The Army once more in Motion— Battle of the Wilderness Begins— Terrible but Indecisive Conflict

.Second Dav — Lee's Narrow Escape — Grant Whittles and Smokes — A

Talk before the Camp Fire — A Leader found at last — A Corresrxmdent comes to Grief ~ "- '

CHAPTER XXXIII. — Sp jItsylvania to Cold Harbor. •• Xot a Retreating Man "—Sheridan ordered to March—- g Killed— u Fight it Out on This Line"— Hancock's Splendid Charge — Orders from Meade and Lee— How Grant received a Stranger— -The feeling in Meade's Arrnv — Sheridan within the Enemy's Lines — Grant withdraw from North Anna— Terrible fighting at Cold Harbor— Relative strength of Grant and Lee 401

CHAPTER XXXIV. — Before Petersburg.

Lincoln's View of the Situation — Grant Changes his Base to the James— Smith'3 Failure at Petersburg — Butler "in a Bottle strongly Corked ' ; — Headquarters at Citv Point— A Letter from Winfield Scott— Early Invade3 Man-land — General McPherson is Killed— A Letter from hi3 Aged Grandmother — " You must throw away that Cigar " 413

CHAPTER XXXV.— Sheridan's Ride.

A Mine is Exploded— Hor: nes in the Crater — Sheridan sent to the Shenandoah— Great Explosion at City Point— Fighting on the Weldon Railwav — Sherman captures Atlanta — Sheridan is instructed to "go in ' He sends Earlv M 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 XXXVL— The Beginning- of t::z 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 — M How Sherman Marched Down 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 Seward — Lee proposes a Peace Conference — Grant asks Instructions — Stanton's ungenerous Conduct- 437

CHAPTER XXXVIL— Attention— March !

Sherman in the Carolinas — Sheridan Finishes up Early — Abraham Lincoln at Citv 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 ^ l

CHAPTER XXXVHL— Richmond Falls.

Lincoln's Farewell Words— •• I now feel like Ending the Matter ''—Sheridan driven back to D in widdie— Fights the Battle of Five Forks— Evening Scenes in his Camp — Grant breaks the Petersburg Lines — A. P. Hill is Killed— Jefferson Davis's Flight — "And Great was the Fall of it" — Lincoln's Reception in Richmond 4o9

CHAPTER XXXIX— The Hot Chasi.

" 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 Familv— Correspondence between Grant and Lee— Fac- simile of Lee's First Reply— The General thinks the •• Job finished xiv Contents.

CHAPTER XL.— The Last Ditch.

PAGE

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, Familiar Faces "— " All Quite along the Potomac." 43 1

CHAPTER XLL— The Assassination.

Relative Strength of Grant and Lee — Grant's total Losses in 1 8G4-65 — Compiled from the Official Records — Sheridan's Shenandoah Valley Losses — Rebel Prisoners Captured by Grant — The Generalship he displayed — His Feeling at the Close — Attends a Cabinet Meeting — Abraham Lincoln is Murdered — Profound Grief of the Country 49 1

CHAPTER XLIL— The French in Mexico.

Frantic Demands for Severity — Sherman's Treaty Disapproved — Grant Recommends Lee's Pardon — Farewell Order to the Army — Reception in New York — Sheridan on Mexican Affairs — Grant's Letter to the President — His Hostility to the French Invasion — Sheridan longs to cross the Rio Grande — Another Strong Letter from Grant 501

CHAPTER XLIIL— Laureled.

""Where none can follow you" — Grant at the Chicago Fair — He visits New England and Canada — " Captain Grant " returns to Galena — The Little White Pacer — The General's Southern Tour — His Report to the President — The Mexican Question again — Grant's Instructions to Sheridan — " This Rebel Emigration Scheme." 511