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+MEMOIRS OF GENERAL SHERIDAN, Vol. II., Part 5
+
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan,
+Vol. II., Part 5, by P. H. Sheridan
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan, Vol. II., Part 5
+
+Author: P. H. Sheridan
+
+Release Date: June 7, 2004 [EBook #5858]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GENERAL SHERIDAN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Widger
+
+
+
+
+PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF
+
+P. H. SHERIDAN
+
+Volume II.
+
+Part 5
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+Battle of Dinwiddie Court House—Pickett Repulsed —Reinforced by the
+Fifth Corps—Battle of Five Forks—Turning the Confederate Left—An
+Unqualified Success—Relieving General Warren—The Warren Court of
+Inquiry—General Sherman's Opinion
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+Result of the Battle of Five Forks—Retreat of Lee —An Intercepted
+Despatch—At Amelia Court House —Battle of Sailor's Creek—The
+Confederates' Stubborn Resistance—A Complete Victory —Importance of the
+Battle
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+Lincoln's Laconic Despatch—Capturing Lee's Supplies —Delighted
+Engineers—The Confederates' Last Effort—A Flag of Truce—General Geary's
+"Last Ditch" Absurdity—Meeting of Grant and Lee —The Surrender—Estimate
+of General Grant
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+Ordered to Greensboro', N. C.—March to the Dan River—Assigned to the
+Command West of the Mississippi—Leaving Washington—Flight of General
+Early—Maximilian—Making Demonstrations on the Upper Rio
+Grande—Confederates Join Maximilian—The French Invasion of Mexico, and
+its Relations to the Rebellion—Assisting the Liberals—Restoration of
+the Republic
+
+CHAPTER X.
+A. J. Hamilton Appointed Provisional Governor of Texas—Assembles a
+Constitutional Convention —The Texans
+Dissatisfied—Lawlessness—Oppressive
+Legislation—Ex-Confederates—Controlling Louisiana—A Constitutional
+Convention—The Meeting Suppressed—A Bloody Riot—My Reports of the
+Massacre—Portions Suppressed by President Johnson—Sustained by a
+Congressional Committee —The Reconstruction Laws
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+Passage of the Reconstruction Act Over the President's Veto—Placed in
+Command of the Fifth Military District—Removing Officers—My Reasons for
+Such Action—Affairs in Louisiana and Texas —Removal of Governor
+Wells—Revision of the jury Lists—Relieved from the Command of the Fifth
+Military District
+
+ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+Belle-Grove House. General Sheridan's Headquarters at Cedar Creek
+Portrait of General Horatio G. Wright
+
+LIST OF MAPS
+
+Battle-field of Dinwiddie Court House
+Battle-field of Five Forks
+Battle-field of Sailor's Creek
+Seventh Expedition—The Appomattox Campaign
+Eighth Expedition—To the Dan River and Return
+
+
+
+
+Volume II.
+
+Part 5
+
+By Philip Henry Sheridan
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+
+BATTLE OF DINWIDDIE COURT HOUSE—PICKETT REPULSED—REINFORCED BY THE
+FIFTH CORPS—BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS—TURNING THE CONFEDERATE LEFT—AN
+UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS—RELIEVING GENERAL WARREN—THE WARREN COURT OF
+INQUIRY—GENERAL SHERMAN'S OPINION.
+
+The night of March 30 Merritt, with Devin's division and Davies's
+brigade, was camped on the Five Forks road about two miles in front of
+Dinwiddie, near J. Boisseau's.  Crook, with Smith and Gregg's brigades,
+continued to cover Stony Creek, and Custer was still back at Rowanty
+Creek, trying to get the trains up.  This force had been counted while
+crossing the creek on the 29th, the three divisions numbering 9,000
+enlisted men, Crook having 3,300, and Custer and Devin 5,700.
+
+During the 30th, the enemy had been concentrating his cavalry, and by
+evening General W. H. F. Lee and General Rosser had joined Fitzhugh Lee
+near Five Forks.  To this force was added, about dark, five brigades of
+infantry—three from Pickett's division, and two from Johnson's—all
+under command of Pickett.  The infantry came by the White Oak road from
+the right of General Lee's intrenchments, and their arrival became
+positively known to me about dark, the confirmatory intelligence being
+brought in then by some of Young's scouts who had been inside the
+Confederate lines.
+
+On the 31st, the rain having ceased, directions were given at an early
+hour to both Merritt and Crook to make reconnoissances preparatory to
+securing Five Forks, and about 9 o'clock Merritt started for the
+crossroads, Davies's brigade supporting him.  His march was necessarily
+slow because of the mud, and the enemy's pickets resisted with
+obstinacy also, but the coveted crossroads fell to Merritt without much
+trouble, as the bulk of the enemy was just then bent on other things. 
+At the same hour that Merritt started, Crook moved Smith's brigade out
+northwest from Dinwiddie to Fitzgerald's crossing of Chamberlain's
+Creek, to cover Merritt's left, supporting Smith by placing Gregg to
+his right and rear.  The occupation of this ford was timely, for
+Pickett, now in command of both the cavalry and infantry, was already
+marching to get in Merritt's rear by crossing Chamberlain's Creek.
+
+To hold on to Fitzgerald's ford Smith had to make a sharp fight, but
+Mumford's cavalry attacking Devin, the enemy's infantry succeeded in
+getting over Chamberlain's Creek at a point higher up than Fitzgerald's
+ford, and assailing Davies, forced him back in a northeasterly
+direction toward the Dinwiddie and Five Forks road in company with
+Devin.  The retreat of Davies permitted Pickett to pass between Crook
+and Merritt, which he promptly did, effectually separating them and
+cutting off both Davies and Devin from the road to Dinwiddie, so that
+to get to that point they had to retreat across the country to B.
+Boisseau's and then down the Boydton road.
+
+Gibbs's brigade had been in reserve near the intersection of the Five
+Forks and Dabney roads, and directing Merritt to hold on there, I
+ordered Gregg's brigade to be mounted and brought to Merritt's aid, for
+if Pickett continued in pursuit north of the Five Forks road he would
+expose his right and rear, and I determined to attack him, in such
+case, from Gibbs's position.  Gregg arrived in good season, and as soon
+as his men were dismounted on Gibbs's left, Merritt assailed fiercely,
+compelling Pickett to halt and face a new foe, thus interrupting an
+advance that would finally have carried Pickett into the rear of
+Warren's corps.
+
+It was now about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and we were in a critical
+situation, but having ordered Merritt to bring Devin and Davies to
+Dinwiddie by the Boydton road, staff-officers were sent to hurry Custer
+to the same point, for with its several diverging roads the Court House
+was of vital importance, and I determined to stay there at all hazards.
+ At the same time orders were sent to Smith's brigade, which, by the
+advance of Pickett past its right flank and the pressure of W. H. F.
+Lee on its front, had been compelled to give up Fitzgerald's crossing,
+to fall back toward Dinwiddie but to contest every inch of ground so as
+to gain time.
+
+When halted by the attack of Gregg and Gibbs, Pickett, desisting from
+his pursuit of Devin, as already stated, turned his undivided attention
+to this unexpected force, and with his preponderating infantry pressed
+it back on the Five Forks road toward Dinwiddle, though our men,
+fighting dismounted behind barricades at different points, displayed
+such obstinacy as to make Pickett's progress slow, and thus give me
+time to look out a line for defending the Court House.  I selected a
+place about three-fourths of a mile northwest of the crossroads, and
+Custer coming up quickly with Capehart's brigade, took position on the
+left of the road to Five Forks in some open ground along the crest of a
+gentle ridge.  Custer got Capehart into place just in time to lend a
+hand to Smith, who, severely pressed, came back on us here from his
+retreat along Chamberlain's "bed"—the vernacular for a woody swamp such
+as that through which Smith retired.  A little later the brigades of
+Gregg and Gibbs, falling to the rear slowly and steadily, took up in
+the woods a line which covered the Boydton Road some distance to the
+right of Capehart, the intervening gap to be filled with Pennington's
+brigade.  By this time our horse-artillery, which for two days had been
+stuck in the mud, was all up, and every gun was posted in this line.
+
+It was now near sunset, and the enemy's cavalry thinking the day was
+theirs, made a dash at Smith, but just as the assailants appeared in
+the open fields, Capehart's men opened so suddenly on their left flank
+as to cause it to recoil in astonishment, which permitted Smith to
+connect his brigade with Custer unmolested.  We were now in good shape
+behind the familiar barricades, and having a continuous line, excepting
+only the gap to be filled with Pennington, that covered Dinwiddie and
+the Boydton Road.  My left rested in the woods about half a mile west
+of the Court House, and the barricades extended from this flank in a
+semicircle through the open fields in a northeasterly direction, to a
+piece-of thick timber on the right, near the Boydton Road.
+
+A little before the sun went down the Confederate infantry was formed
+for the attack, and, fortunately for us, Pennington's brigade came up
+and filled the space to which it was assigned between Capehart and
+Gibbs, just as Pickett moved out across the cleared fields in front of
+Custer, in deep lines that plainly told how greatly we were
+outnumbered.
+
+Accompanied by Generals Merritt and Custer and my staff, I now rode
+along the barricades to encourage the men.  Our enthusiastic reception
+showed that they were determined to stay.  The cavalcade drew the
+enemy's fire, which emptied several of the saddles—among others Mr.
+Theodore Wilson, correspondent of the New York Herald, being wounded. 
+In reply our horse-artillery opened on the advancing Confederates, but
+the men behind the barricades lay still till Pickett's troops were
+within short range.  Then they opened, Custer's repeating rifles
+pouring out such a shower of lead that nothing could stand up against
+it.  The repulse was very quick, and as the gray lines retired to the
+woods from which but a few minutes before they had so confidently
+advanced, all danger of their taking Dinwiddie or marching to the left
+and rear of our infantry line was over, at least for the night.  The
+enemy being thus checked, I sent a staff-officer—Captain Sheridan—to
+General Grant to report what had taken place during the afternoon, and
+to say that I proposed to stay at Dinwiddie, but if ultimately
+compelled to abandon the place, I would do so by retiring on the Vaughn
+road toward Hatcher's Run, for I then thought the attack might be
+renewed next morning.  Devin and Davies joined me about dark, and my
+troops being now well in hand, I sent a second staff-officer—Colonel
+John Kellogg—to explain my situation more fully, and to assure General
+Grant that I would hold on at Dinwiddie till forced to let go.
+
+
+
+
+pb154.jpg (144K)
+Full Size
+
+
+
+
+By following me to Dinwiddie the enemy's infantry had completely
+isolated itself, and hence there was now offered the Union troops a
+rare opportunity.  Lee was outside of his works, just as we desired,
+and the general-in-chief realized this the moment he received the first
+report of my situation; General Meade appreciated it too from the
+information he got from Captain Sheridan, en route to army headquarters
+with the first tidings, and sent this telegram to General Grant:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
+"March 31, 1865.  9:45 p.m.
+
+"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT:
+
+"Would it not be well for Warren to go down with his whole corps and
+smash up the force in front of Sheridan?  Humphreys can hold the line
+to the Boydton plank-road, and the refusal along with it.  Bartlett's
+brigade is now on the road from G. Boisseau's, running north, where it
+crosses Gravelly Run, he having gone down the White Oak road. Warren
+could go at once that way, and take the force threatening Sheridan in
+rear at Dinwiddie, and move on the enemy's rear with the other two.
+
+"G. G. MEADE, Major-General."
+
+An hour later General Grant replied in these words:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+"DABNEY'S MILLS, March 311, 1865.  10:15 P. M.
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL MEADE,
+"Commanding Army of the Potomac.
+
+Let Warren move in the way you propose, and urge him not to stop for
+anything.  Let Griffin (Griffin had been ordered by Warren to the
+Boydton road to protect his rear) go on as he was first directed.
+
+"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General."
+
+These two despatches were the initiatory steps in sending the Fifth
+Corps, under Major-General G. K. Warren, to report to me, and when I
+received word of its coming and also that Genera Mackenzie's cavalry
+from the Army of the James was likewise to be added to my command, and
+that discretionary authority was given me to use all my forces against
+Pickett, I resolved to destroy him, if it was within the bounds of
+possibility, before he could rejoin Lee.
+
+In a despatch, dated 10:05 p.m., telling me of the coming of Warren and
+Mackenzie, General Grant also said that the Fifth Corps should reach me
+by 12 o'clock that night, but at that hour not only had none of the
+corps arrived, but no report from it, so believing that if it came all
+the way down to Dinwiddie the next morning, our opportunity would be
+gone, I concluded that it would be best to order Warren to move in on
+the enemy's rear while the cavalry attacked in front, and, therefore,
+at 3 o'clock in the morning of April 1 sent this despatch to General
+Warren:
+
+
+"CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS, DINWIDDIE C. H.,
+"April 1, 1865—3. A.M.
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL WARREN, "Commanding Fifth Army Corps.
+
+"I am holding in front of Dinwiddie Court House, on the road leading to
+Five Forks, for three-quarters of a mile with General Custer's
+division.  The enemy are in his immediate front, lying so as to cover
+the road just this side of A. Adams's house, which leads across
+Chamberlain's bed, or run.  I understand you have a division at J.[G]
+Boisseau's; if so, you are in rear of the enemy's line and almost on
+his flank.  I will hold on here.  Possibly they may attack Custer at
+daylight; if so, attack instantly and in full force.  Attack at
+daylight anyhow, and I will make an effort to get the road this side of
+Adams's house, and if I do, you can capture the whole of them. Any
+force moving down the road I am holding, or on the White Oak road, will
+be in the enemy's rear, and in all probability get any force that may
+escape you by a flank movement.  Do not fear my leaving here.  If the
+enemy remains, I shall fight at daylight.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+
+With daylight came a slight fog, but it lifted almost immediately, and
+Merritt moved Custer and Devin forward.  As these divisions advanced
+the enemy's infantry fell back on the Five Forks road, Devin pressing
+him along the road, while Custer extended on the left over toward
+Chamberlain's Run, Crook being held in watch along Stony Creek,
+meanwhile, to be utilized as circumstances might require when Warren
+attacked.
+
+The order of General Meade to Warren the night of March 31—a copy being
+sent me also—was positive in its directions, but as midnight came
+without a sign of or word from the Fifth Corps, notwithstanding that
+was the hour fixed for its arrival, I nevertheless assumed that there
+were good reasons for its non-appearance, but never once doubted that
+measures would be taken to comply with my despatch Of 3 A. M. and
+therefore hoped that, as Pickett was falling back slowly toward Five
+Forks, Griffin's and Crawford's divisions would come in on the
+Confederate left and rear by the Crump road near J.[G] Boisseau's
+house.
+
+But they did not reach there till after the enemy had got by.  As a
+matter of fact, when Pickett was passing the all-important point
+Warren's men were just breaking from the bivouac in which their chief
+had placed them the night before, and the head of Griffin's division
+did not get to Boisseau's till after my cavalry, which meanwhile had
+been joined by Ayres's division of the Fifth Corps by way of the
+Boydton and Dabney roads.  By reason of the delay in moving Griffin and
+Crawford, the enemy having escaped, I massed the Fifth Corps at J.[G]
+Boisseau's so that the men could be rested, and directed it to remain
+there; General Warren himself had not then come up.  General Mackenzie,
+who had reported just after daybreak, was ordered at first to stay at
+Dinwiddie Court House, but later was brought along the Five Forks road
+to Dr. Smith's, and Crook's division was directed to continue watching
+the crossings of Stony Creek and Chamberlain's Run.
+
+That we had accomplished nothing but to oblige our foe to retreat was
+to me bitterly disappointing, but still feeling sure that he would not
+give up the Five Forks crossroads without a fight, I pressed him back
+there with Merritt's cavalry, Custer advancing on the Scott road, while
+Devin drove the rearguard along that leading from J.[G] Boisseau's to
+Five Forks.
+
+By 2 o'clock in the afternoon Merritt had forced the enemy inside his
+intrenchments, which began with a short return about three-quarters of
+a mile east of the Forks and ran along the south side of the White Oak
+road to a point about a mile west of the Forks.  From the left of the
+return over toward Hatcher's Run was posted Mumford's cavalry,
+dismounted.  In the return itself was Wallace's brigade, and next on
+its right came Ransom's, then Stewart's, then Terry's, then Corse's. On
+the right of Corse was W. H. F. Lee's division of cavalry.  Ten pieces
+of artillery also were in this line, three on the right of the works,
+three near the centre at the crossroads, and four on the left, in the
+return.  Rosser's cavalry was guarding the Confederate trains north of
+Hatcher's Run beyond the crossing of the Ford road.
+
+I felt certain the enemy would fight at Five Forks—he had to—so, while
+we were getting up to his intrenchments, I decided on my plan of
+battle.  This was to attack his whole front with Merritt's two cavalry
+divisions, make a feint of turning his right flank, and with the Fifth
+Corps assail his left.  As the Fifth Corps moved into action, its right
+flank was to be covered by Mackenzie's cavalry, thus entirely cutting
+off Pickett's troops from communication with Lee's right flank, which
+rested near the Butler house at the junction of the Claiborne and White
+Oaks roads.  In execution of this plan, Merritt worked his men close in
+toward the intrenchments, and while he was thus engaged, I ordered
+Warren to bring up the Fifth Corps, sending the order by my engineer
+officer, Captain Gillespie, who had reconnoitred the ground in the
+neighborhood of Gravelly Run Church, where the infantry was to form for
+attack.
+
+Gillespie delivered the order about 1 o'clock, and when the corps was
+put in motion, General Warren joined me at the front.  Before he came,
+I had received, through Colonel Babcock, authority from General Grant
+to relieve him, but I did not wish to do it, particularly on the eve of
+battle; so, saying nothing at all about the message brought me, I
+entered at once on the plan for defeating Pickett, telling Warren how
+the enemy was posted, explaining with considerable detail, and
+concluding by stating that I wished his troops to be formed on the
+Gravelly Church road, near its junction with the White Oak road, with
+two divisions to the front, aligned obliquely to the White Oak road,
+and one in reserve, opposite the centre of these two.
+
+General Warren seemed to understand me clearly, and then left to join
+his command, while I turned my attention to the cavalry, instructing
+Merritt to begin by making demonstrations as though to turn the enemy's
+right, and to assault the front of the works with his dismounted
+cavalry as soon as Warren became engaged.  Afterward I rode around to
+Gravelly Run Church, and found the head of Warren's column just
+appearing, while he was sitting under a tree making a rough sketch of
+the ground.  I was disappointed that more of the corps was not already
+up, and as the precious minutes went by without any apparent effort to
+hurry the troops on to the field, this disappointment grew into
+disgust.  At last I expressed to Warren my fears that the cavalry might
+expend all their ammunition before the attack could be made, that the
+sun would go down before the battle could be begun, or that troops from
+Lee's right, which, be it remembered, was less than three miles away
+from my right, might, by striking my rear, or even by threatening it,
+prevent the attack on Pickett.
+
+Warren did not seem to me to be at all solicitous; his manner exhibited
+decided apathy, and he remarked with indifference that "Bobby Lee was
+always getting people into trouble."  With unconcern such as this, it
+is no wonder that fully three hours' time was consumed in marching his
+corps from J.[G]  Boisseau's to Gravelly Run Church, though the
+distance was but two miles.  However, when my patience was almost worn
+out, Warren reported his troops ready, Ayres's division being formed on
+the west side of the Gravelly Church road, Crawford's on the east side,
+and Griffin in reserve behind the right of Crawford, a little different
+from my instructions.  The corps had no artillery present, its
+batteries, on account of the mud, being still north of Gravelly Run. 
+Meanwhile Merritt had been busy working his men close up to the
+intrenchments from the angle of the return west, along the White Oak
+road.
+
+About 4 o'clock Warren began the attack.  He was to assault the left
+flank of the Confederate infantry at a point where I knew Pickett's
+intrenchments were refused, almost at right angles with the White Oak
+road.  I did not know exactly how far toward Hatcher's Run this part of
+the works extended, for here the videttes of Mumford's cavalry were
+covering, but I did know where the refusal began.  This return, then,
+was the point I wished to assail, believing that if the assault was
+made with spirit, the line could be turned.  I therefore intended that
+Ayres and Crawford should attack the refused trenches squarely, and
+when these two divisions and Merritt's cavalry became hotly engaged,
+Griffin's division was to pass around the left of the Confederate line;
+and I personally instructed Griffin how I wished him to go in, telling
+him also that as he advanced, his right flank would be taken care of by
+Mackenzie, who was to be pushed over toward the Ford road and Hatcher's
+Run.
+
+The front of the corps was oblique to the White Oak road; and on
+getting there, it was to swing round to the left till perpendicular to
+the road, keeping closed to the left.  Ayres did his part well, and to
+the letter, bringing his division square up to the front of the return
+near the angle; but Crawford did not wheel to the left, as was
+intended.  On the contrary, on receiving fire from Mumford's cavalry,
+Crawford swerved to the right and moved north from the return, thus
+isolating his division from Ayres; and Griffin, uncertain of the
+enemy's position, naturally followed Crawford.
+
+The deflection of this division on a line of march which finally
+brought it out on the Ford road near C. Young's house, frustrated the
+purpose I had in mind when ordering the attack, and caused a gap
+between Ayres and Crawford, of which the enemy quickly took advantage,
+and succeeded in throwing a part of Ayres's division into confusion. 
+At this juncture I sent word to General Warren to have Crawford
+recalled; for the direction he was following was not only a mistaken
+one, but, in case the assault at the return failed, he ran great risk
+of capture.  Warren could not be found, so I then sent for
+Griffin—first by Colonel Newhall, and then by Colonel Sherman—to come
+to the aid of Ayres, who was now contending alone with that part of the
+enemy's infantry at the return.  By this time Griffin had observed and
+appreciated Crawford's mistake, however, and when the staff-officers
+reached him, was already faced to the left; so, marching across
+Crawford's rear, he quickly joined Ayres, who meanwhile had rallied his
+troops and carried the return.
+
+When Ayres's division went over the flank of the enemy's works, Devin's
+division of cavalry, which had been assaulting the front, went over in
+company with it; and hardly halting to reform, the intermingling
+infantry and dismounted cavalry swept down inside the intrenchments,
+pushing to and beyond Five Forks, capturing thousands of prisoners. 
+The only stand the enemy tried to make was when he attempted to form
+near the Ford road.  Griffin pressed him so hard there, however, that
+he had to give way in short order, and many of his men, with three
+pieces of artillery, fell into the hands of Crawford while on his
+circuitous march.
+
+
+
+
+pb164.jpg (151K)
+Full Size
+
+
+
+The right of Custer's division gained a foothold on the enemy's works
+simultaneously with Devin's, but on the extreme left Custer had a very
+severe combat with W. H. F. Lee's cavalry, as well as with Corse's and
+Terry's infantry.  Attacking Terry and Corse with Pennington's brigade
+dismounted, he assailed Lee's cavalry with his other two brigades
+mounted, but Lee held on so obstinately that Custer gained but little
+ground till our troops, advancing behind the works, drove Corse and
+Terry out.  Then Lee made no further stand except at the west side of
+the Gillian field, where, assisted by Corse's brigade, he endeavored to
+cover the retreat, but just before dark Custer, in concert with some
+Fifth Corps regiments under Colonel Richardson, drove ihe last of the
+enemy westward on the White Oak road.
+
+Our success was unqualified; we had overthrown Pickett, taken six guns,
+thirteen battle-flags, and nearly six thousand prisoners.  When the
+battle was practically over, I turned to consider my position with
+reference to the main Confederate army.  My troops, though victorious,
+were isolated from the Army of the Potomac, for on the 31st of March
+the extreme left of that army had been thrown back nearly to the
+Boydton plank-road, and hence there was nothing to prevent the enemy's
+issuing from his trenches at the intersection of the White Oak and
+Claiborne roads and marching directly on my rear. I surmised that he
+might do this that night or early next morning. It was therefore
+necessary to protect myself in this critical situation, and General
+Warren having sorely disappointed me, both in the moving of his corps
+and in its management during the battle, I felt that he was not the man
+to rely upon under such circumstances, and deeming that it was to the
+best interest of the service as well as but just to myself, I relieved
+him, ordering him to report to General Grant.
+
+I then put Griffin in command of the Fifth Corps, and directed him to
+withdraw from the pursuit as quickly as he could after following the
+enemy a short distance, and form in line of battle near Gravelly Run
+Church, at right angles with the White Oak road, with Ayres and
+Crawford facing toward the enemy at the junction of the White Oak and
+Claiborne roads, leaving Bartlett, now commanding Griffin's division,
+near the Ford road.  Mackenzie also was left on the Ford road at the
+crossing of Hatcher's Run, Merritt going into camp on the Widow
+Gillian's plantation.  As I had been obliged to keep Crook's division
+along Stony Creek throughout the day, it had taken no active part in
+the battle.
+
+Years after the war, in 1879, a Court of Inquiry was given General
+Warren in relation to his conduct on the day of the battle.  He assumed
+that the delay in not granting his request for an inquiry, which was
+first made at the close of the war, was due to opposition on my part. 
+In this he was in error; I never opposed the ordering of the Court, but
+when it was finally decided to convene it I naturally asked to be
+represented by counsel, for the authorization of the Inquiry was so
+peculiarly phrased that it made me practically a respondent.
+
+
+"NEW YORK CITY, May 3, 1880
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. HANCOCK, U. S. A.
+"President Court of Inquiry, Governor's Island.
+
+"Sir: Since my arrival in this city, under a subpoena to appear and
+testify before the Court of which you are president, I have been
+indirectly and unofficially informed that the Court some time ago
+forwarded an invitation to me (which has not been received) to appear
+personally or by counsel, in order to aid it in obtaining a knowledge
+as to the facts concerning the movements terminating in the battle of
+'Five Forks,' with reference to the direct subjects of its inquiry. Any
+invitation of this character I should always and do consider it
+incumbent on me to accede to, and do everything in my power in
+furtherance of the specific purposes for which courts of inquiry are by
+law instituted.
+
+"The order convening the Court (a copy of which was not received by me
+at my division headquarters until two days after the time appointed for
+the Court to assemble) contemplates an inquiry based on the application
+of Lieutenant Colonel G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers, as to his
+conduct while major-general commanding the Fifth Army Corps, under my
+command, in reference to accusations or imputations assumed in the
+order to have been made against him, and I understand through the daily
+press that my official report of the battle of Five Forks has been
+submitted by him as a basis of inquiry.
+
+"If it is proposed to inquire, either directly or indirectly, as to any
+action of mine so far as the commanding general Fifth Army Corps was
+concerned, or my motives for such action, I desire to be specifically
+informed wherein such action or transaction is alleged to contain an
+accusation or imputation to become a subject of inquiry, so that,
+knowing what issues are raised, I may intelligently aid the Court in
+arriving at the facts.
+
+"It is a long time since the battle of Five Forks was fought, and
+during the time that has elapsed the official reports of that battle
+have been received and acknowledged by the Government; but now, when
+the memory of events has in many instances grown dim, and three of the
+principal actors on that field are dead—Generals Griffin, Custer, and
+Devin, whose testimony would have been valuable—an investigation is
+ordered which might perhaps do injustice unless the facts pertinent to
+the issues are fully developed.
+
+"My duties are such that it will not be convenient for me to be present
+continuously during the sessions of the Court.  In order, however, that
+everything may be laid before it in my power pertinent to such specific
+issues as are legally raised, I beg leave to introduce Major Asa Bird
+Gardner as my counsel.
+
+"Very respectfully,
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Lieut.-General."
+
+Briefly stated, in my report of the battle of Five Forks there were
+four imputations concerning General Warren.  The first implied that
+Warren failed to reach me on the 1st of April, when I had reason to
+expect him; the second, that the tactical handling of his corps was
+unskillful; the third, that he did not exert himself to get his corps
+up to Gravelly Run Church; and the fourth, that when portions of his
+line gave way he did not exert himself to restore confidence to his
+troops.  The Court found against him on the first and second counts,
+and for him on the third and fourth.  This finding was unsatisfactory
+to General Warren, for he hoped to obtain such an unequivocal
+recognition of his services as to cast discredit on my motives for
+relieving him.  These were prompted by the conditions alone—by the
+conduct of General Warren as described, and my consequent lack of
+confidence in him.
+
+It will be remembered that in my conversation with General Grant on the
+30th, relative to the suspension of operations because of the mud, I
+asked him to let me have the Sixth Corps to help me in breaking in on
+the enemy's right, but that it could not be sent me; it will be
+recalled also that the Fifth Corps was afterward tendered and declined.
+ From these facts it has been alleged that I was prejudiced against
+General Warren, but this is not true.  As we had never been thrown much
+together I knew but little of him.  I had no personal objection to him,
+and certainly could have none to his corps.  I was expected to do an
+extremely dangerous piece of work, and knowing the Sixth Corps well—my
+cavalry having campaigned with it so successfully in the Shenandoah
+Valley, I naturally preferred it, and declined the Fifth for no other
+reason.  But the Sixth could not be given, and the turn of events
+finally brought me the Fifth after my cavalry, under the most trying
+difficulties, had drawn the enemy from his works, and into such a
+position as to permit the realization of General Grant's hope to break
+up with my force Lee's right flank.  Pickett's isolation offered an
+opportunity which we could not afford to neglect, and the destruction
+of his command would fill the measure of General Grant's expectations
+as well as meet my own desires.  The occasion was not an ordinary one,
+and as I thought that Warren had not risen to its demand in the battle,
+I deemed it injudicious and unsafe under the critical conditions
+existing to retain him longer.  That I was justified in this is plain
+to all who are disposed to be fair-minded, so with the following
+extract from General Sherman's review of the proceedings of the Warren
+Court, and with which I am convinced the judgment of history will
+accord, I leave the subject:
+
+
+"....It would be an unsafe and dangerous rule to hold the commander of
+an army in battle to a technical adherence to any rule of conduct for
+managing his command.  He is responsible for results, and holds the
+lives and reputations of every officer and soldier under his orders as
+subordinate to the great end—victory.  The most important events are
+usually compressed into an hour, a minute, and he cannot stop to
+analyze his reasons.  He must act on the impulse, the conviction, of
+the instant, and should be sustained in his conclusions, if not
+manifestly unjust.  The power to command men, and give vehement impulse
+to their joint action, is something which cannot be defined by words,
+but it is plain and manifest in battles, and whoever commands an army
+in chief must choose his subordinates by reason of qualities which can
+alone be tested in actual conflict.
+
+"No one has questioned the patriotism, integrity, and great
+intelligence of General Warren.  These are attested by a long record of
+most excellent service, but in the clash of arms at and near Five
+Forks, March 31 and April 1, 1865, his personal activity fell short of
+the standard fixed by General Sheridan, on whom alone rested the great
+responsibility for that and succeeding days.
+
+"My conclusion is that General Sheridan was perfectly justified in his
+action in this case, and he must be fully and entirely sustained if the
+United States expects great victories by her arms in the future."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+
+RESULT OF THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS—RETREAT OF LEE—AN INTERCEPTED
+DESPATCH—AT AMELIA COURT HOUSE—BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK—THE
+CONFEDERATES' STUBBORN RESISTANCE—A COMPLETE VICTORY—IMPORTANCE OF THE
+BATTLE.
+
+When the news of the battle at Five Forks reached General Grant, he
+realized that the decisive character of our victory would necessitate
+the immediate abandonment of Richmond and Petersburg by the enemy; and
+fearing that Lee would escape without further injury, he issued orders,
+the propriety of which must be settled by history, to assault next
+morning the whole intrenched line.  But Lee could not retreat at once. 
+He had not anticipated, disaster at Five Forks, and hence was
+unprepared to withdraw on the moment; and the necessity of getting off
+his trains and munitions of war, as well as being obliged to cover the
+flight of the Confederate Government, compelled him to hold on to
+Richmond and Petersburg till the afternoon of the 2d, though before
+that Parke, Ord, and Wright had carried his outer intrenchments at
+several points, thus materially shortening the line of investment.
+
+The night of the 1st of April, General Humphreys's corps—the Second—had
+extended its left toward the White Oak road, and early next morning,
+under instructions from General Grant, Miles's division of that corps
+reported to me, and supporting him with Ayres's and Crawford's
+divisions of the Fifth Corps, I then directed him to advance toward
+Petersburg and attack the enemy's works at the intersection of the
+Claiborne and White Oak roads.
+
+Such of the enemy as were still in the works Miles easily forced across
+Hatcher's Run, in the direction of Sutherland's depot, but the
+Confederates promptly took up a position north of the little stream,
+and Miles being anxious to attack, I gave him leave, but just at this
+time General Humphreys came up with a request to me from General Meade
+to return Miles.  On this request I relinquished command of the
+division, when, supported by the Fifth Corps it could have broken in
+the enemy's right at a vital point; and I have always since regretted
+that I did so, for the message Humphreys conveyed was without authority
+from General Grant, by whom Miles had been sent to me, but thinking
+good feeling a desideratum just then, and wishing to avoid wrangles, I
+faced the Fifth Corps about and marched it down to Five Forks, and out
+the Ford road to the crossing of Hatcher's Run.  After we had gone,
+General Grant, intending this quarter of the field to be under my
+control, ordered Humphreys with his other two divisions to move to the
+right, in toward Petersburg.  This left Miles entirely unsupported, and
+his gallant attack made soon after was unsuccessful at first, but about
+3 o'clock in the afternoon he carried the point which covered the
+retreat from Petersburg and Richmond.
+
+Merritt had been sent westward, meanwhile, in the direction of Ford's
+Station, to break the enemy's horse which had been collecting to the
+north of Hatcher's Run.  Meeting, with but little opposition, Merritt
+drove this cavalry force in a northerly direction toward Scott's
+Corners, while the Fifth Corps was pushed toward Sutherland's depot, in
+the hope of coming in on the rear of the force that was confronting
+Miles when I left him.  Crawford and Merritt engaged the enemy lightly
+just before night, but his main column, retreating along the river road
+south of the Appomattox, had got across Namozine Creek, and the
+darkness prevented our doing more than to pick up some stragglers.  The
+next morning the pursuit was resumed, the cavalry again in advance, the
+Fifth Corps keeping up with it all the while, and as we pressed our
+adversaries hundreds and hundreds of prisoners, armed and unarmed, fell
+into our hands, together with many wagons and five pieces of artillery.
+ At Deep Creek the rearguard turned on us, and a severe skirmish took
+place.  Merritt, finding the enemy very strong, was directed to await
+the arrival of Crook and for the rear division of the Fifth Corps; but
+by the time they reached the creek, darkness had again come to protect
+the Confederates, and we had to be content with meagre results at that
+point.
+
+From the beginning it was apparent that Lee, in his retreat, was making
+for Amelia Court House, where his columns north and south of the
+Appomattox River could join, and where, no doubt, he expected to meet
+supplies, so Crook was ordered to march early on April 4 to strike the
+Danville railroad, between Jettersville and Burkeville, and then move
+south along the railroad toward Jettersville, Merritt to move toward
+Amelia Court House, and the Fifth Corps to Jettersville itself.
+
+The Fifth Corps got to Jettersville about 5 in the afternoon, and I
+immediately intrenched it across the Burkeville road with the
+determination to stay there till the main army could come up, for I
+hoped we could force Lee to surrender at Amelia Court House, since a
+firm hold on Jettersville would cut him off from his line of retreat
+toward Burkeville.
+
+Accompanied only by my escort—the First United States Cavalry, about
+two hundred strong—I reached Jettersville some little time before the
+Fifth Corps, and having nothing else at hand I at once deployed this
+handful of men to cover the crossroads till the arrival of the corps. 
+Just as the troopers were deploying, a man on a mule, heading for
+Burkeville, rode into my pickets.  He was arrested, of course, and
+being searched there was found in his boots this telegram in duplicate,
+signed by Lee's Commissary General.
+
+
+"The army is at Amelia Court House, short of provisions.  Send 300,000
+rations quickly to Burkeville Junction." One copy was addressed to the
+supply department at Danville, and the other to that at Lynchburg.  I
+surmised that the telegraph lines north of Burkeville had been broken
+by Crook after the despatches were written, which would account for
+their being transmitted by messenger.  There was thus revealed not only
+the important fact that Lee was concentrating at Amelia Court House,
+but also a trustworthy basis for estimating his troops, so I sent word
+to Crook to strike up the railroad toward me, and to Merritt—who, as I
+have said, had followed on the heels of the enemy—to leave Mackenzie
+there and himself close in on Jettersville.  Staff-officers were also
+despatched to hurry up Griffin with the Fifth Corps, and his tired men
+redoubled their strides.
+
+My troops too were hard up for rations, for in the pursuit we could not
+wait for our trains, so I concluded to secure if possible these
+provisions intended for Lee.  To this end I directed Young to send four
+of his best scouts to Burkeville Junction.  There they were to
+separate, two taking the railroad toward Lynchburg and two toward
+Danville, and as soon as a telegraph station was reached the telegram
+was to be transmitted as it had been written and the provisions thus
+hurried forward.
+
+Although the Fifth Corps arrived at Jettersville the evening of April
+4, as did also Crook's and Merritt's cavalry, yet none of the army of
+the Potomac came up till about 3 o'clock the afternoon of the 5th, the
+Second Corps, followed by the Sixth, joining us then.  General Meade
+arrived at Jettersville an hour earlier, but being ill, requested me to
+put his troops in position.  The Fifth Corps being already intrenched
+across the Amelia Court House road facing north, I placed the Sixth on
+its right and the Second on its left as they reached the ground.
+
+As the enemy had been feeling us ever since morning—to learn what he
+was up to I directed Crook to send Davies's brigade on a reconnoissance
+to Paine's crossroads.  Davies soon found out that Lee was trying to
+escape by that flank, for at the crossroads he found the Confederate
+trains and artillery moving rapidly westward.  Having driven away the
+escort, Davies succeeded in burning nearly two hundred wagons, and
+brought off five pieces of artillery.  Among these wagons were some
+belonging to General, Lee's and to General Fitzhugh Lee's headquarters.
+ This work through, Davies withdrew and rejoined Crook, who, with Smith
+and Gregg, was established near Flat Creek.
+
+It being plain that Lee would attempt to escape as soon as his trains
+were out of the way, I was most anxious to attack him when the Second
+Corps began to arrive, for I felt certain that unless we did so he
+would succeed in passing by our left flank, and would thus again make
+our pursuit a stern-chase; but General Meade, whose plan of attack was
+to advance his right flank on Amelia Court House, objected to assailing
+before all his troops were up.
+
+I then sent despatches to General Grant, explaining what Davies had
+done, and telling him that the Second Corps was arriving, and that I
+wished he himself was present.  I assured him of my confidence in our
+capturing Lee if we properly exerted ourselves, and informed him,
+finally, that I would put all my cavalry, except Mackenzie, on my left,
+and that, with such a disposition of my forces, I could see no escape
+for Lee.  I also inclosed him this letter, which had just been
+captured:
+
+
+"AMELIA C. H., April 5, 1865.
+
+"DEAR MAMMA:
+
+"Our army is ruined, I fear.  We are all safe as yet.  Shyron left us
+sick.  John Taylor is well—saw him yesterday.  We are in line of battle
+this morning.  General Robert Lee is in the field near us.  My trust is
+still in the justice of our cause, and that of God.  General Hill is
+killed.  I saw Murray a few minutes since.  Bernard, Terry said, was
+taken prisoner, but may yet get out.  I send this by a negro I see
+passing up the railroad to Mechlenburg.  Love to all.
+
+"Your devoted son,
+
+"Wm. B. TAYLOR, Colonel."
+
+General Grant, who on the 5th was accompanying General Ord's column
+toward Burkeville Junction, did not receive this intelligence till
+nearly nightfall, when within about ten miles of the Junction.  He set
+out for Jettersville immediately, but did not reach us till near
+midnight, too late of course to do anything that night.  Taking me with
+him, we went over to see Meade, whom he then directed to advance early
+in the morning on Amelia Court House.  In this interview Grant also
+stated that the orders Meade had already issued would permit Lee's
+escape, and therefore must be changed, for it was not the aim only to
+follow the enemy, but to get ahead of him, remarking during the
+conversation that, "he had no doubt Lee was moving right then." On this
+same occasion Meade expressed a desire to have in the proposed attack
+all the troops of the Army of the Potomac under his own command, and
+asked for the return of the Fifth Corps.  I made no objections, and it
+was ordered to report, to him.
+
+When, on the morning of the 6th, Meade advanced toward Amelia Court
+House, he found, as predicted, that Lee was gone.  It turned out that
+the retreat began the evening of the 5th and continued all night.
+Satisfied that this would be the case, I did not permit the cavalry to
+participate in Meade's useless advance, but shifted it out toward the
+left to the road running from Deatonsville to Rice's station, Crook
+leading and Merritt close up.  Before long the enemy's trains were
+discovered on this road, but Crook could make but little impression on
+them, they were so strongly guarded; so, leaving Stagg's brigade and
+Miller's battery about three miles southwest of Deatonsville—where the
+road forks, with a branch leading north toward the Appomattox—to harass
+the retreating column and find a vulnerable point, I again shifted the
+rest of the cavalry toward the left, across-country, but still keeping
+parallel to the enemy's line of march.
+
+Just after crossing Sailor's Greek, a favorable opportunity offering,
+both Merritt and Crook attacked vigorously, gained the Rice's Station
+road, destroyed several hundred wagons, made many prisoners, and
+captured sixteen pieces of artillery.  This was important, but more
+valuable still was the fact that we were astride the enemy's line of
+retreat, and had cut off from joining Longstreet, waiting at Rice's
+Station, a corps of Confederate infantry under General Ewell, composed
+of Anderson's, Kershaw's, and Custis Lee's divisions. Stagg's brigade
+and Miller's battery, which, as I have said, had been left at the forks
+of the Deatonsville road, had meanwhile broken in between the rear of
+Ewell's column and the head of Gordon's, forcing Gordon to abandon his
+march for Rice's Station, and to take the right-hand road at the forks,
+on which he was pursued by General Humphreys.
+
+The complete isolation of Ewell from Longstreet in his front and Gordon
+in his rear led to the battle of Sailor's Creek, one of the severest
+conflicts of the war, for the enemy fought with desperation to escape
+capture, and we, bent on his destruction, were no less eager and
+determined.  The capture of Ewell, with six of his generals and most of
+his troops, crowned our success, but the fight was so overshadowed by
+the stirring events of the surrender three days later, that the battle
+has never been accorded the prominence it deserves.
+
+The small creek from which the field takes its name flows in a
+northwesterly direction across the road leading from Deatonsville to
+Rice's Station.  By shifting to the left, Merritt gained the Rice's
+Station road west of the creek, making havoc of the wagon-trains, while
+Crook struck them further on and planted himself square across the
+road.  This blocked Ewell, who, advancing Anderson to some high ground
+west of the creek, posted him behind barricades, with the intention of
+making a hard fight there, while the main body should escape through
+the woods in a westerly direction to roads that led to Farmville.  This
+was prevented, however, by Crook forming his division, two brigades
+dismounted and one mounted, and at once assaulting all along Anderson's
+front and overlapping his right, while Merritt fiercely attacked to the
+right of Crook.  The enemy being thus held, enabled the Sixth
+Corps—which in the meantime I had sent for—to come upon the ground, and
+Ewell, still contending with the cavalry, found himself suddenly beset
+by this new danger from his rear.  To, meet it, he placed Kershaw to
+the right and Custis Lee to the left of the Rice's Station road, facing
+them north toward and some little distance from Sailor's Creek,
+supporting Kershaw with Commander Tucker's Marine brigade.  Ewell's
+skirmishers held the line of Sailor's Creek, which runs through a
+gentle valley, the north slope of which was cleared ground.
+
+By General Grant's directions the Sixth Corps had been following my
+route of march since the discovery, about 9 o'clock in the morning,
+that Lee had decamped from Amelia Court House.  Grant had promptly
+informed me of this in a note, saying, "The Sixth Corps will go in with
+a vim any place you may dictate," so when I sent word to Wright of the
+enemy's isolation, and asked him to hurry on with all speed, his
+gallant corps came as fast as legs could carry them, he sending to me
+successively Major McClellan and Colonel Franklin, of his staff, to
+report his approach.
+
+
+
+
+pb273-Wright.jpg (76K)
+
+
+
+I was well advised as to the position of the enemy through information
+brought me by an intelligent young soldier, William A. Richardson,
+Company "A," Second Ohio, who, in one of the cavalry charges on
+Anderson, had cleared the barricades and made his way back to my front
+through Ewell's line.  Richardson had told me just how the main body of
+the enemy was posted, so as Seymour's division arrived I directed
+General Wright to put it on the right of the road, while Wheaton's men,
+coming up all hot and out of breath, promptly formed on Seymour's left.
+ Both divisions thus aligned faced southwest toward Sailor's Creek, and
+the artillery of the corps being massed to the left and front of the
+Hibbon house, without waiting for Getty's division—for I feared that if
+we delayed longer the enemy might effect his escape toward
+Farmville—the general attack was begun.  Seymour and Wheaton, moving
+forward together, assailed the enemy's front and left, and Stagg's
+brigade, too, which in the mean time had been placed between Wheaton's
+left and Devin's right, went at him along with them, Merritt and Crook
+resuming the fight from their positions in front of Anderson.  The
+enemy, seeing little chance of escape, fought like a tiger at bay, but
+both Seymour and Wheaton pressed him vigorously, gaining ground at all
+points except just to the right of the road, where Seymour's left was
+checked. Here the Confederates burst back on us in a counter-charge,
+surging down almost to the creek, but the artillery, supported by
+Getty, who in the mean time had come on the ground, opened on them so
+terribly that this audacious and furious onset was completely broken,
+though the gallant fellows fell back to their original line doggedly,
+and not until after they had almost gained the creek.  Ewell was now
+hemmed in on every side, and all those under his immediate command were
+captured.  Merritt and Crook had also broken up Anderson by this time,
+but he himself, and about two thousand disorganized men escaped by
+making their way through the woods toward the Appomattox River before
+they could be entirely enveloped.  Night had fallen when the fight was
+entirely over, but Devin was pushed on in pursuit for about two miles,
+part of the Sixth Corps following to clinch a victory which not only
+led to the annihilation of one corps of Lee's retreating army, but
+obliged Longstreet to move up to Farmville, so as to take a road north
+of the Appomattox River toward Lynchburg instead of continuing toward
+Danville.
+
+
+
+
+pb185.jpg (43K)
+
+
+
+At the close of the battle I sent one of my staff—Colonel Redwood
+Price—to General Grant to report what had been done; that we had taken
+six generals and from nine to ten thousand prisoners.  On his way Price
+stopped at the headquarters of General Meade, where he learned that not
+the slightest intelligence of the occurrence on my line had been
+received, for I not being under Meade's command, he had paid no
+attention to my movements.  Price gave the story of the battle, and
+General Meade, realizing its importance, sent directions immediately to
+General Wright to make his report of the engagement to the headquarters
+of the Army of the Potomac, assuming that Wright was operating
+independently of me in the face of Grant's despatch Of 2 o'clock, which
+said that Wright was following the cavalry and would "go in with a vim"
+wherever I dictated.  Wright could not do else than comply with Meade's
+orders in the case, and I, being then in ignorance of Meade's reasons
+for the assumption, could say nothing. But General Grant plainly
+intending, and even directing, that the corps should be under my
+command, remedied this phase of the matter, when informed of what had
+taken place, by requiring Wright to send a report of the battle through
+me.  What he then did, and what his intentions and orders were, are
+further confirmed by a reference to the episode in his "Memoirs," where
+he gives his reasons for ordering the Sixth Corps to abandon the move
+on Amelia Court House and pass to the left of the army.  On the same
+page he also says, referring to the 6th of April: "The Sixth Corps now
+remained with the cavalry under Sheridan's direct command until after
+the surrender."  He unquestionably intended all of this, but his
+purpose was partly frustrated by General Meade's action next morning in
+assuming direction of the movements of the corps; and before General
+Grant became aware of the actual conditions the surrender was at hand.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+
+LINCOLN'S LACONIC DESPATCH—CAPTURING LEE'S SUPPLIES—DELIGHTED
+ENGINEERS—THE CONFEDERATES' LAST EFFORT—A FLAG OF TRUCE—GENERAL GEARY'S
+"LAST DITCH" ABSURDITY—MEETING OF GRANT AND LEE—THE SURRENDER—ESTIMATE
+OF GENERAL GRANT.
+
+The first report of the battle of Sailor's Creek that General Grant
+received was, as already stated, an oral message carried by Colonel
+Price, of my staff.  Near midnight I sent a despatch giving the names
+of the generals captured.  These were Ewell, Kershaw, Barton, Corse,
+Dubose, and Custis Lee.  In the same despatch I wrote: "If the thing is
+pressed, I think that Lee will surrender."  When Mr. Lincoln, at City
+Point, received this word from General Grant, who was transmitting
+every item of news to the President, he telegraphed Grant the laconic
+message: "Let the thing be pressed." The morning of the 7th we moved
+out at a very early hour, Crook's division marching toward Farmville in
+direct pursuit, while Merritt and Mackenzie were ordered to Prince
+Edward's Court House to anticipate any effort Lee might make to escape
+through that place toward Danville since it had been discovered that
+Longstreet had slipped away already from the front of General Ord's
+troops at Rice's Station.  Crook overtook the main body of the
+Confederates at Farmville, and promptly attacked their trains on the
+north side of the Appomattox with Gregg's brigade, which was fiercely
+turned upon and forced to re-cross the river with the loss of a number
+of prisoner's, among them Gregg himself.  When Crook sent word of this
+fight, it was clear that Lee had abandoned all effort to escape to the
+southwest by way of Danville.  Lynchburg was undoubtedly his objective
+point now; so, resolving to throw my cavalry again across his path, and
+hold him till the infantry could overtake him, I directed everything on
+Appomattox depot, recalling Crook the night of the 7th to Prospect
+Station, while Merritt camped at Buffalo Creek, and Mackenzie made a
+reconnoissance along the Lynchburg railroad.
+
+At break of day, April 8, Merritt and Mackenzie united with Crook at
+Prospect Station, and the cavalry all moved then toward Appomattox
+depot.  Hardly had it started when one of the scouts—Sergeant
+White—informed me that there were four trains of cars at the depot
+loaded with supplies for Lee's army; these had been sent from
+Lynchburg, in compliance with the telegram of Lee's commissary-general,
+which message, it will be remembered, was captured and transmitted to
+Lynchburg by two of Young's scouts on the 4th.  Sergeant White, who had
+been on the lookout for the trains ever since sending the despatch,
+found them several miles west of Appomattox depot feeling their way
+along, in ignorance of Lee's exact position.  As he had the original
+despatch with him, and took pains to dwell upon the pitiable condition
+of Lee's army, he had little difficulty in persuading the men in charge
+of the trains to bring them east of Appomattox Station, but fearing
+that the true state of affairs would be learned before long, and the
+trains be returned to Lynchburg, he was painfully anxious to have them
+cut off by breaking the track west of the station.
+
+The intelligence as to the trains was immediately despatched to Crook,
+and I pushed on to join him with Merritt's command.  Custer having the
+advance, moved rapidly, and on nearing the station detailed two
+regiments to make a detour southward to strike the railroad some
+distance beyond and break the track.  These regiments set off at a
+gallop, and in short order broke up the railroad enough to prevent the
+escape of the trains, Custer meanwhile taking possession of the
+station, but none too soon, for almost at the moment he did so the
+advance-guard of Lee's army appeared, bent on securing the trains. 
+Without halting to look after the cars further, Custer attacked this
+advance-guard and had a spirited fight, in which he drove the
+Confederates away from the station, captured twenty-five pieces of
+artillery, a hospital train, and a large park of wagons, which, in the
+hope that they would reach Lynchburg next day, were being pushed ahead
+of Lee's main body.
+
+Devin coming up a little before dusk, was put in on the right of
+Custer, and one of Crook's brigades was sent to our left and the other
+two held in reserve.  I then forced the enemy back on the Appomattox
+road to the vicinity of the Court House, and that the Confederates
+might have no rest, gave orders to continue the skirmishing throughout
+the night.  Meanwhile the captured trains had been taken charge of by
+locomotive engineers, soldiers of the command, who were delighted
+evidently to get back at their old calling.  They amused themselves by
+running the trains to and fro, creating much confusion, and keeping up
+such an unearthly screeching with the whistles that I was on the point
+of ordering the cars burned.  They finally wearied of their fun,
+however, and ran the trains off to the east toward General Ord's
+column.
+
+The night of the 8th I made my headquarters at a little frame house
+just south of the station.  I did not sleep at all, nor did anybody
+else, the entire command being up all night long; indeed, there had
+been little rest in the, cavalry for the past eight days.  The
+necessity of getting Ord's column up was so obvious now that
+staff-officer after staff-officer was sent to him and to General Grant
+requesting that the infantry be pushed on, for if it could get to the
+front, all knew that the rebellion would be ended on the morrow.
+Merritt, Crook, Custer, and Devin were present at frequent intervals
+during the night, and everybody was overjoyed at the prospect that our
+weary work was about to end so happily.  Before sun-up General Ord
+arrived, and informed me of the approach of his column, it having been
+marching the whole night.  As he ranked me, of course I could give him
+no orders, so after a hasty consultation as to where his troops should
+be placed we separated, I riding to the front to overlook my line near
+Appomattox Court House, while he went back to urge along his weary
+troops.
+
+The night before General Lee had held a council with his principal
+generals, when it was arranged that in the morning General Gordon
+should undertake to break through my cavalry, and when I neared my
+troops this movement was beginning, a heavy line of infantry bearing
+down on us from the direction of the village.  In front of Crook and
+Mackenzie firing had already begun, so riding to a slight elevation
+where a good view of the Confederates could be had, I there came to the
+conclusion that it would be unwise to offer more resistance than that
+necessary to give Ord time to form, so I directed Merritt to fall back,
+and in retiring to shift Devin and Custer to the right so as to make
+room for Ord, now in the woods to my rear.  Crook, who with his own and
+Mackenzie's divisions was on my extreme left covering some by-roads,
+was ordered to hold his ground as long as practicable without
+sacrificing his men, and, if forced to retire, to contest with
+obstinacy the enemy's advance.
+
+As already stated, I could not direct General Ord's course, he being my
+senior, but hastily galloping back to where he was, at the edge of the
+timber, I explained to him what was taking place at the front.
+Merritt's withdrawal inspired the Confederates, who forthwith began to
+press Crook, their line of battle advancing with confidence till it
+reached the crest whence I had reconnoitred them.  From this ground
+they could see Ord's men emerging from the woods, and the hopelessness
+of a further attack being plain, the gray lines instinctively halted,
+and then began to retire toward a ridge immediately fronting Appomattox
+Court House, while Ord, joined on his right by the Fifth Corps,
+advanced on them over the ground that Merritt had abandoned.
+
+I now directed my steps toward Merritt, who, having mounted his
+troopers, had moved them off to the right, and by the time I reached
+his headquarters flag he was ready for work, so a move on the enemy's
+left was ordered, and every guidon was bent to the front.  As the
+cavalry marched along parallel with the Confederate line, and in toward
+its left, a heavy fire of artillery opened on us, but this could not
+check us at such a time, and we soon reached some high ground about
+half a mile from the Court House, and from here I could see in the low
+valley beyond the village the bivouac undoubtedly of Lee's army.  The
+troops did not seem to be disposed in battle order, but on the other
+side of the bivouac was a line of battle—a heavy
+rear-guard—confronting, presumably, General Meade.
+
+I decided to attack at once, and formations were ordered at a trot for
+a charge by Custer's and Devin's divisions down the slope leading to
+the camps.  Custer was soon ready, but Devin's division being in rear
+its formation took longer, since he had to shift further to the right;
+Devin's preparations were, therefore, but partially completed when an
+aide-decamp galloped up to with the word from Custer, "Lee has
+surrendered; do not charge; the white flag is up."  The enemy
+perceiving that Custer was forming for attack, had sent the flag out to
+his front and stopped the charge just in time.  I at once sent word of
+the truce to General Ord, and hearing nothing more from Custer himself,
+I supposed that he had gone down to the Court House to join a mounted
+group of Confederates that I could see near there, so I, too, went
+toward them, galloping down a narrow ridge, staff and orderlies
+following; but we had not got half way to the Court House when, from a
+skirt of timber to our right, not more than three hundred yards
+distant, a musketry fire was opened on us.  This halted us, when,
+waving my hat, I called out to the firing party that we were under a
+truce, and they were violating it.  This did not stop them, however, so
+we hastily took shelter in a ravine so situated as to throw a ridge
+between us and the danger.
+
+
+
+
+pb195.jpg (113K)
+Full Size
+
+
+
+We traveled in safety down this depression to its mouth, and thence by
+a gentle ascent approached the Court House.  I was in advance, followed
+by a sergeant carrying my battleflag.  When I got within about a
+hundred and fifty yards of the enemy's line, which was immediately in
+front of the Court House, some of the Confederates leveled their pieces
+at us, and I again halted.  Their officers kept their men from firing,
+however, but meanwhile a single-handed contest had begun behind me, for
+on looking back I heard a Confederate soldier demanding my battle-flag
+from the color-bearer, thinking, no doubt, that we were coming in as
+prisoners.  The sergeant had drawn his sabre and was about to cut the
+man down, but at a word from me he desisted and carried the flag back
+to my staff, his assailant quickly realizing that the boot was on the
+other leg.
+
+These incidents determined me to remain where I was till the return of
+a staff-officer whom I had sent over to demand an explanation from the
+group of Confederates for which I had been heading.  He came back in a
+few minutes with apologies for what had occurred, and informed me that
+General Gordon and General Wilcox were the superior officers in the
+group.  As they wished me to join them I rode up with my staff, but we
+had hardly met when in front of Merritt firing began. At the sound I
+turned to General Gordon, who seemed embarrassed by the occurrence, and
+remarked: "General, your men fired on me as I was coming over here, and
+undoubtedly they are treating Merritt and Custer the same way.  We
+might as well let them fight it out."  He replied, "There must be some
+mistake."  I then asked, "Why not send a staff-officer and have your
+people cease firing; they are violating the flag." He answered, "I have
+no staff-officer to send."  Whereupon I said that I would let him have
+one of mine, and calling for Lieutenant Vanderbilt Allen, I directed
+him to carry General Gordon's orders to General Geary, commanding a
+small brigade of South Carolina cavalry, to discontinue firing.  Allen
+dashed off with the message and soon delivered it, but was made a
+prisoner, Geary saying, "I do not care for white flags: South
+Carolinians never surrender...."  By this time Merritt's patience being
+exhausted, he ordered an attack, and this in short order put an end to
+General Geary's "last ditch" absurdity, and extricated Allen from his
+predicament.
+
+When quiet was restored Gordon remarked: "General Lee asks for a
+suspension of hostilities pending the negotiations which he is having
+with General Grant."  I rejoined: "I have been constantly informed of
+the progress of the negotiations, and think it singular that while such
+discussions are going on, General Lee should have continued his march
+and attempted to break through my lines this morning.  I will entertain
+no terms except that General Lee shall surrender to General Grant on
+his arrival here.  If these terms are not accepted we will renew
+hostilities."  Gordon replied: "General Lee's army is exhausted.  There
+is no doubt of his surrender to General Grant."
+
+It was then that General Ord joined us, and after shaking hands all
+around, I related the situation to him, and Gordon went away agreeing
+to meet us again in half an hour.  When the time was up he came back
+accompanied by General Longstreet, who brought with him a despatch, the
+duplicate of one that had been sent General Grant through General
+Meade's lines back on the road over which Lee had been retreating.
+
+General Longstreet renewed the assurances that already had been given
+by Gordon, and I sent Colonel Newhall with the despatch to find General
+Grant and bring him to the front.  When Newhall started, everything on
+our side of the Appomattox Court House was quiet, for inevitable
+surrender was at hand, but Longstreet feared that Meade, in ignorance
+of the new conditions on my front might attack the Confederate
+rearguard.  To prevent this I offered to send Colonel J. W. Forsyth
+through the enemy's lines to let Meade know of my agreement, for he too
+was suspicious that by a renewed correspondence Lee was endeavoring to
+gain time for escape.  My offer being accepted, Forsyth set out
+accompanied by Colonel Fairfax, of Longstreet's staff, and had no
+difficulty in accomplishing his mission.
+
+About five or six miles from Appomattox, on the road toward Prospect
+Station near its intersection with the Walker's Church road, my
+adjutant-general, Colonel Newhall, met General Grant, he having started
+from north of the Appomattox River for my front the morning of April 9,
+in consequence of the following despatches which had been sent him the
+night before, after we had captured Appomattox Station and established
+a line intercepting Lee:
+
+
+"CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS, April 8, 1865—9:20 P. M.
+
+"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT,
+"Commanding Armies of the U.  S.
+
+"General: I marched early this morning from Buffalo Creek and Prospect
+Station on Appomattox Station, where my scouts had reported trains of
+cars with supplies for Lee's army.  A short time before dark General
+Custer, who had the advance, made a dash at the station, capturing four
+trains of supplies with locomotives.  One of the trains was burned and
+the others were run back toward Farmville for security.  Custer then
+pushed on toward Appomattox Court House, driving the enemy—who kept up
+a heavy fire of artillery—charging them repeatedly and capturing, as
+far as reported, twenty-five pieces of artillery and a number of
+prisoners and wagons.  The First Cavalry Division supported him on the
+right.  A reconnoissance sent across the Appomattox reports the enemy
+moving on the Cumberland road to Appomattox Station, where they expect
+to get supplies.  Custer is still pushing on.  If General Gibbon and
+the Fifth Corps can get up to-night, we will perhaps finish the job in
+the morning.  I do not think Lee means to surrender until compelled to
+do so.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY, April 8, 1865—9:40 p.m.
+
+"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT.
+"Commanding Armies U. S.
+
+"GENERAL: Since writing the accompanying despatch, General Custer
+reports that his command has captured in all thirty-five pieces of
+artillery, one thousand prisoners—including one general officer—and
+from one hundred and fifty to two hundred wagons.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+
+In attempting to conduct the lieutenant-general and staff back by a
+short route, Newhall lost his bearings for a time, inclining in toward
+the enemy's lines too far, but regained the proper direction without
+serious loss of time.  General Grant arrived about 1 o'clock in the
+afternoon, Ord and I, dismounted, meeting him at the edge of the town,
+or crossroads, for it was little more.  He remaining mounted, spoke
+first to me, saying simply,
+
+"How are you, Sheridan?"  I assured him with thanks that I was
+"first-rate," when, pointing toward the village, he asked, "Is General
+Lee up there?" and I replied: "There is his army down in that valley,
+and he himself is over in that house (designating McLean's house)
+waiting to surrender to you."  The General then said, "Come, let us go
+over," this last remark being addressed to both Ord and me. We two then
+mounted and joined him, while our staff-officers followed,
+intermingling with those of the general-in-chief as the cavalcade took
+its way to McLean's house near by, and where General Lee had arrived
+some time before, in consequence of a message from General Grant
+consenting to the interview asked for by Lee through Meade's front that
+morning—the consent having been carried by Colonel Babcock.
+
+When I entered McLean's house General Lee was standing, as was also his
+military secretary, Colonel Marshall, his only staff-officer present. 
+General Lee was dressed in a new uniform and wore a handsome sword. 
+His tall, commanding form thus set off contrasted strongly with the
+short figure of General Grant, clothed as he was in a soiled suit,
+without sword or other insignia of his position except a pair of dingy
+shoulder-straps.  After being presented, Ord and I, and nearly all of
+General Grant's staff, withdrew to await the agreement as to terms, and
+in a little while Colonel Babcock came to the door and said, "The
+surrender had been made; you can come in again."
+
+When we re-entered General Grant was writing; and General Lee, having
+in his hand two despatches, which I that morning requested might be
+returned, as I had no copies of them, addressed me with the remark: "I
+am sorry.  It is probable that my cavalry at that point of the line did
+not fully understand the agreement." These despatches had been sent in
+the forenoon, after the fighting had been stopped, notifying General
+Lee that some of his cavalry in front of Crook was violating the
+suspension of hostilities by withdrawing.  About 3 o'clock in the
+afternoon the terms of surrender were written out and accepted, and
+General Lee left the house, as he departed cordially shaking hands with
+General Grant.  A moment later he mounted his chunky gray horse, and
+lifting his hat as he passed out of the yard, rode off toward his army,
+his arrival there being announced to us by cheering, which, as it
+progressed, varying in loudness, told he was riding through the bivouac
+of the Army of Northern Virginia.
+
+The surrender of General Lee practically ended the war of the
+rebellion.  For four years his army had been the main-stay of the
+Confederacy; and the marked ability with which he directed its
+operations is evidenced both by his frequent successes and the length
+of time he kept up the contest.  Indeed, it may be said that till
+General Grant was matched against him, he never met an opponent he did
+not vanquish, for while it is true that defeat was inflicted on the
+Confederates at Antietam and Gettysburg, yet the fruits of these
+victories were not gathered, for after each of these battles Lee was
+left unmolested till he had a chance to recuperate.
+
+The assignment of General Grant to the command of the Union armies in
+the winter of 1863-64 gave presage of success from the start, for his
+eminent abilities had already been proved, and besides, he was a tower
+of strength to the Government, because he had the confidence of the
+people.  They knew that henceforth systematic direction would be given
+to our armies in every section of the vast territory over which active
+operations were being prosecuted, and further, that this coherence,
+this harmony of plan, was the one thing needed to end the war, for in
+the three preceding years there had been illustrated most lamentable
+effects of the absence of system.  From the moment he set our armies in
+motion simultaneously, in the spring of 1864, it could be seen that we
+should be victorious ultimately, for though on different lines we were
+checked now and then, yet we were harassing the Confederacy at so many
+vital points that plainly it must yield to our blows.  Against Lee's
+army, the forefront of the Confederacy, Grant pitted himself; and it
+may be said that the Confederate commander was now, for the first time,
+overmatched, for against all his devices—the products of a mind fertile
+in defense—General Grant brought to bear not only the wealth of
+expedient which had hitherto distinguished him, but also an
+imperturbable tenacity, particularly in the Wilderness and on the march
+to the James, without which the almost insurmountable obstacles of that
+campaign could not have been overcome.  During it and in the siege of
+Petersburg he met with many disappointments—on several occasions the
+shortcomings of generals, when at the point of success, leading to
+wretched failures.  But so far as he was concerned, the only apparent
+effect of these discomfitures was to make him all the more determined
+to discharge successfully the stupendous trust committed to his care,
+and to bring into play the manifold resources of his well ordered
+military mind. He guided every subordinate then, and in the last days
+of the rebellion, with a fund of common sense and superiority of
+intellect, which have left an impress so distinct as to exhibit his
+great personality.  When his military history is analyzed after the
+lapse of years, it will show, even more clearly than now, that during
+these as well as in his previous campaigns he was the steadfast Centre
+about and on which everything else turned.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+
+ORDERED TO GREENSBORO', N. C.—MARCH TO THE DAN RIVER—ASSIGNED TO THE
+COMMAND WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI—LEAVING WASHINGTON—FLIGHT OF GENERAL
+EARLY—MAXIMILIAN—MAKING DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE UPPER RIO
+GRANDE—CONFEDERATES JOIN MAXIMILIAN—THE FRENCH INVASION OF MEXICO AND
+ITS RELATIONS TO THE REBELLION—ASSISTING THE LIBERALS—RESTORATION OF
+THE REPUBLIC.
+
+
+
+
+pb207.jpg (121K)
+Full Size
+
+
+
+The surrender at Appomattox put a stop to all military operations on
+the part of General Grant's forces, and the morning of April 10 my
+cavalry began its march to Petersburg, the men anticipating that they
+would soon be mustered out and returned to their homes.  At Nottoway
+Court House I heard of the assassination of the President.  The first
+news came to us the night after the dastardly deed, the telegraph
+operator having taken it from the wires while in transmission to
+General Meade.  The despatch ran that Mr. Lincoln had been, shot at 10
+o'clock that morning at Willard's Hotel, but as I could conceive of
+nothing to take the President there I set the story down as a canard,
+and went to bed without giving it further thought.  Next morning,
+however, an official telegram confirmed the fact of the assassination,
+though eliminating the distorted circumstances that had been
+communicated the night before.
+
+When we reached Petersburg my column was halted, and instructions given
+me to march the cavalry and the Sixth Corps to Greensboro', North
+Carolina, for the purpose of aiding General Sherman (the surrender of
+General Johnston having not yet been effected), so I made the necessary
+preparations and moved on the 24th of April, arriving at South Boston,
+on the Dan River, the 28th, the Sixth Corps having reached Danville
+meanwhile.  At South Boston I received a despatch from General Halleck,
+who immediately after Lee's surrender had been assigned to command at
+Richmond, informing me that General Johnston had been brought to terms.
+ The necessity for going farther south being thus obviated we retraced
+our steps to Petersburg, from which place I proceeded by steamer to
+Washington, leaving, the cavalry to be marched thither by easy stages.
+
+The day after my arrival in Washington an important order was sent me,
+accompanied by the following letter of instructions, transferring me to
+a new field of operations:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES.
+"Washington, D. C., May 17, 1865.
+
+"GENERAL: Under the orders relieving you from the command of the Middle
+Military Division and assigning you to command west of the Mississippi,
+you will proceed without delay to the West to arrange all preliminaries
+for your new field of duties.
+
+"Your duty is to restore Texas, and that part of Louisiana held by the
+enemy, to the Union in the shortest practicable time, in a way most
+effectual for securing permanent peace.
+
+"To do this, you will be given all the troops that can be spared by
+Major-General Canby, probably twenty-five thousand men of all arms; the
+troops with Major-General J. J. Reynolds, in Arkansas, say twelve
+thousand, Reynolds to command; the Fourth Army Corps, now at Nashville,
+Tennessee, awaiting orders; and the Twenty-Fifth Army Corps, now at
+City Point, Virginia, ready to embark.
+
+"I do not wish to trammel you with instructions; I will state, however,
+that if Smith holds out, without even an ostensible government to
+receive orders from or to report to, he and his men are not entitled to
+the considerations due to an acknowledged belligerent.  Theirs are the
+conditions of outlaws, making war against the only Government having an
+existence over the territory where war is now being waged.
+
+"You may notify the rebel commander west of the Mississippi—holding
+intercourse with him in person, or through such officers of the rank of
+major-general as you may select—that he will be allowed to surrender
+all his forces on the same terms as were accorded to Lee and Johnston. 
+If he accedes, proceed to garrison the Red River as high up as
+Shreveport, the seaboard at Galveston, Malagorda Bay, Corpus Christi,
+and mouth of the Rio Grande.
+
+"Place a strong force on the Rio Grande, holding it at least to a point
+opposite Camargo, and above that if supplies can be procured.
+
+"In case of an active campaign (a hostile one) I think a heavy force
+should be put on the Rio Grande as a first preliminary.  Troops for
+this might be started at once.  The Twenty-Fifth Corps is now
+available, and to it should be added a force of white troops, say those
+now under Major-General Steele.
+
+"To be clear on this last point, I think the Rio Grande should be
+strongly held, whether the forces in Texas surrender or not, and that
+no time should be lost in getting troops there.  If war is to be made,
+they will be in the right place; if Kirby Smith surrenders, they will
+be on the line which is to be strongly garrisoned.
+
+"Should any force be necessary other than those designated, they can be
+had by calling for them on Army Headquarters.
+
+"U. S. GRANT,
+"Lieutenant-General.
+
+
+"To MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"United States Army."
+
+On receipt of these instructions I called at once on General Grant, to
+see if they were to be considered so pressing as to preclude my
+remaining in Washington till after the Grand Review, which was fixed
+for the 23d and 24th of May, for naturally I had a strong desire to
+head my command on that great occasion.  But the General told me that
+it was absolutely necessary to go at once to force the surrender of the
+Confederates under Kirby Smith.  He also told me that the States lately
+in rebellion would be embraced in two or three military departments,
+the commanders of which would control civil affairs until Congress took
+action about restoring them to the Union, since that course would not
+only be economical and simple, but would give the Southern people
+confidence, and encourage them to go to work, instead of distracting
+them with politics.
+
+At this same interview he informed me that there was an additional
+motive in sending me to the new command, a motive not explained by the
+instructions themselves, and went on to say that, as a matter of fact,
+he looked upon the invasion of Mexico by Maximilian as a part of the
+rebellion itself, because of the encouragement that invasion had
+received from the Confederacy, and that our success in putting down
+secession would never be complete till the French and Austrian invaders
+were compelled to quit the territory of our sister republic. With
+regard to this matter, though, he said it would be necessary for me to
+act with great circumspection, since the Secretary of State, Mr.
+Seward, was much opposed to the use of our troops along the border in
+any active way that would be likely to involve us in a war with
+European powers.
+
+Under the circumstances, my disappointment at not being permitted to
+participate in the review had to be submitted to, and I left Washington
+without an opportunity of seeing again in a body the men who, while
+under my command, had gone through so many trials and unremittingly
+pursued and, assailed the enemy, from the beginning of the campaign of
+1864 till the white flag came into their hands at Appomattox Court
+House.
+
+I went first to St. Louis, and there took the steamboat for New
+Orleans, and when near the mouth of the Red River received word from
+General Canby that Kirby Smith had surrendered under terms similar to
+those accorded Lee and Johnston.  But the surrender was not carried out
+in good faith, particularly by the Texas troops, though this I did not
+learn till some little time afterward when I was informed that they had
+marched off to the interior of the State in several organized bodies,
+carrying with them their camp equipage, arms, ammunition, and even some
+artillery, with the ultimate purpose of going to Mexico.  In
+consequence of this, and also because of the desire of the Government
+to make a strong showing of force in Texas, I decided to traverse the
+State with two columns of cavalry, directing one to San Antonio under
+Merritt, the other to Houston under Custer.  Both commands were to
+start from the Red River—Shreveport and Alexandria—being the respective
+initial points—and in organizing the columns, to the mounted force
+already on the Red River were added several regiments of cavalry from
+the east bank of the, Mississippi, and in a singular way one of these
+fell upon the trail of my old antagonist, General Early.  While
+crossing the river somewhere below Vicksburg some of the men noticed a
+suspicious looking party being ferried over in a rowboat, behind which
+two horses were swimming in tow.  Chase was given, and the horses,
+being abandoned by the party, fell into the hands of our troopers, who,
+however, failed to capture or identify the people in the boat.  As
+subsequently ascertained, the men were companions of Early, who was
+already across the Mississippi, hidden in the woods, on his way with
+two or three of these followers to join the Confederates in Texas, not
+having heard of Kirby Smith's surrender.  A week or two later I
+received a letter from Early describing the affair, and the capture of
+the horses, for which he claimed pay, on the ground that they were
+private property, because he had taken them in battle.  The letter also
+said that any further pursuit of Early would be useless, as he
+"expected to be on the deep blue sea" by the time his communication
+reached me.  The unfortunate man was fleeing from imaginary dangers,
+however, for striking his trail was purely accidental, and no effort
+whatever was being made to arrest him personally.  Had this been
+especially desired it might have been accomplished very readily just
+after Lee's surrender, for it was an open secret that Early was then
+not far away, pretty badly disabled with rheumatism.
+
+By the time the two columns were ready to set out for San Antonio and
+Houston, General Frank Herron,—with one division of the Thirteenth
+Corps, occupied Galveston, and another division under General Fred
+Steele had gone to Brazos Santiago, to hold Brownsville and the line of
+the Rio Grande, the object being to prevent, as far as possible, the
+escaping Confederates from joining Maximilian.  With this purpose in
+view, and not forgetting Grant's conviction that the French invasion of
+Mexico was linked with the rebellion, I asked for an increase of force
+to send troops into Texas in fact, to concentrate at available points
+in the State an army strong enough to move against the invaders of
+Mexico if occasion demanded.  The Fourth and Twenty-fifth army corps
+being ordered to report to me, accordingly, I sent the Fourth Corps to
+Victoria and San Antonio, and the bulk of the Twenty-fifth to
+Brownsville.  Then came the feeding and caring for all these troops—a
+difficult matter—for those at Victoria and San Antonio had to be
+provisioned overland from Indianola across the "hog-wallow prairie,"
+while the supplies for the forces at Brownsville and along the Rio
+Grande must come by way of Brazos Santiago, from which point I was
+obliged to construct, with the labor of the men, a railroad to
+Clarksville, a distance of about eighteen miles.
+
+The latter part of June I repaired to Brownsville myself to impress the
+Imperialists, as much as possible, with the idea that we intended
+hostilities, and took along my chief of scouts—Major Young—and four of
+his most trusty men, whom I had had sent from Washington.  From
+Brownsville I despatched all these men to important points in northern
+Mexico, to glean information regarding the movements of the Imperial
+forces, and also to gather intelligence about the ex-Confederates who
+had crossed the Rio Grande.  On information furnished by these scouts,
+I caused General Steele to make demonstrations all along the lower Rio
+Grande, and at the same time demanded the return of certain munitions
+of war that had been turned over by ex-Confederates to the Imperial
+General (Mejia) commanding at Matamoras.  These demands, backed up as
+they were by such a formidable show of force created much agitation and
+demoralization among the Imperial troops, and measures looking to the
+abandonment of northern Mexico were forthwith adopted by those in
+authority—a policy that would have resulted in the speedy evacuation of
+the entire country by Maximilian, had not our Government weakened;
+contenting itself with a few pieces of the contraband artillery
+varnished over with the Imperial apologies.  A golden opportunity was
+lost, for we had ample excuse for crossing the boundary, but Mr. Seward
+being, as I have already stated, unalterably opposed to any act likely
+to involve us in war, insisted on his course of negotiation with
+Napoleon.
+
+As the summer wore away, Maximilian, under Mr. Seward's policy, gained
+in strength till finally all the accessible sections of Mexico were in
+his possession, and the Republic under President Juarez almost
+succumbed.  Growing impatient at this, in the latter part of September
+I decided to try again what virtue there might be in a hostile
+demonstration, and selected the upper Rio Grande for the scene of my
+attempt.  Merritt's cavalry and the Fourth Corps still being at San
+Antonio, I went to that place and reviewed these troops, and having
+prepared them with some ostentation for a campaign, of course it was
+bruited about that we were going to invade Mexico. Then, escorted by a
+regiment of horse I proceeded hastily to Fort Duncan, on the Rio Grande
+just opposite the Mexican town of Piedras Negras.  Here I opened
+communication with President Juarez, through one of his staff, taking
+care not to do this in the dark, and the news, spreading like wildfire,
+the greatest significance was ascribed to my action, it being reported
+most positively and with many specific details that I was only awaiting
+the arrival of the troops, then under marching orders at San Antonio,
+to cross the Rio Grande in behalf of the Liberal cause.
+
+Ample corroboration of the reports then circulated was found in my
+inquiries regarding the quantity of forage we could depend upon getting
+in Mexico, our arrangements for its purchase, and my sending a pontoon
+train to Brownsville, together with which was cited the renewed
+activity of the troops along the lower Rio Grande.  These reports and
+demonstrations resulted in alarming the Imperialists so much that they
+withdrew the French and Austrian soldiers from Matamoras, and
+practically abandoned the whole of northern Mexico as far down as
+Monterey, with the exception of Matamoras, where General Mejia
+continued to hang on with a garrison of renegade Mexicans.
+
+The abandonment of so much territory in northern Mexico encouraged
+General Escobedo and other Liberal leaders to such a degree that they
+collected a considerable army of their followers at Comargo, Mier, and
+other points.  At the same time that unknown quantity, Cortinas,
+suspended his free-booting for the nonce, and stoutly harassing
+Matamoras, succeeded in keeping its Imperial garrison within the
+fortifications.  Thus countenanced and stimulated, and largely supplied
+with arms and ammunition, which we left at convenient places on our
+side of the river to fall into their hands, the Liberals, under General
+Escobedo—a man of much force of character—were enabled in northern
+Mexico to place the affairs of the Republic on a substantial basis.
+
+But in the midst of what bade fair to cause a final withdrawal of the
+foreigners, we were again checked by our Government, as a result of
+representations of the French Minister at Washington.  In October, he
+wrote to Mr. Seward that the United States troops on the Rio Grande
+were acting "in exact opposition to the repeated assurances Your
+Excellency has given me concerning the desire of the Cabinet at
+Washington to preserve the most strict neutrality in the events now
+taking place in Mexico," and followed this statement with an emphatic
+protest against our course.  Without any investigation whatever by our
+State Department, this letter of the French Minister was transmitted to
+me, accompanied by directions to preserve a strict neutrality; so, of
+course, we were again debarred from anything like active sympathy.
+
+After this, it required the patience of Job to abide the slow and poky
+methods of our State Department, and, in truth, it was often very
+difficult to restrain officers and men from crossing the Rio Grande
+with hostile purpose.  Within the knowledge of my troops, there had
+gone on formerly the transfer of organized bodies of ex-Confederates to
+Mexico, in aid of the Imperialists, and at this period it was known
+that there was in preparation an immigration scheme having in view the
+colonizing, at Cordova and one or two other places, of all the
+discontented elements of the defunct Confederacy—Generals Price,
+Magruder, Maury, and other high personages being promoters of the
+enterprise, which Maximilian took to readily.  He saw in it the
+possibilities of a staunch support to his throne, and therefore not
+only sanctioned the project, but encouraged it with large grants of
+land, inspirited the promoters with titles of nobility, and, in
+addition, instituted a system of peonage, expecting that the silver
+hook thus baited would be largely swallowed by the Southern people.
+
+The announcement of the scheme was followed by the appointment of
+commissioners in each of the Southern States to send out emigrants; but
+before any were deluded into starting, I made to General Grant a report
+of what was going on, with the recommendation that measures be taken,
+through our State Department, looking to the suppression of the colony;
+but, as usual, nothing could be effected through that channel; so, as
+an alternative, I published, in April, 1866, by authority of General
+Grant, an order prohibiting the embarkation from ports in Louisiana and
+Texas, for ports in Mexico, of any person without a permit from my
+headquarters.  This dampened the ardor of everybody in the Gulf States
+who had planned to go to Mexico; and although the projectors of the
+Cordova Colonization Scheme—the name by which it was known—secured a
+few innocents from other districts, yet this set-back led ultimately to
+failure.
+
+Among the Liberal leaders along the Rio Grande during this period there
+sprang up many factional differences from various causes, some
+personal, others political, and some, I regret to say, from downright
+moral obliquity—as, for example, those between Cortinas and
+Canales—who, though generally hostile to the Imperialists, were
+freebooters enough to take a shy at each other frequently, and now and
+then even to join forces against Escobedo, unless we prevented them by
+coaxing or threats.  A general who could unite these several factions
+was therefore greatly needed, and on my return to New Orleans I so
+telegraphed General Grant, and he, thinking General Caravajal (then in
+Washington seeking aid for the Republic) would answer the purpose,
+persuaded him to report to me in New Orleans.  Caravajal promptly
+appeared, but he did not impress me very favorably.  He was old and
+cranky, yet, as he seemed anxious to do his best, I sent him over to
+Brownsville, with credentials, authorizing him to cross into Mexico,
+and followed him myself by the next boat.  When I arrived in
+Brownsville, matters in Matamoras had already reached a crisis. General
+Mejia, feeling keenly the moral support we were giving the Liberals,
+and hard pressed by the harassing attacks of Cortinas and Canales, had
+abandoned the place, and Caravajal, because of his credentials from our
+side, was in command, much to the dissatisfaction of both those chiefs
+whose differences it was intended he should reconcile.
+
+The, day after I got to Brownsville I visited Matamoras, and had a long
+interview with Caravajal.  The outcome of this meeting was, on my part,
+a stronger conviction than ever that he was unsuitable, and I feared
+that either Canales or Cortinas would get possession of the city. 
+Caravajal made too many professions of what he would do—in short,
+bragged too much—but as there was no help for the situation, I made the
+best of it by trying to smooth down the ruffled feathers of Canales and
+Cortinas.  In my interview with Caravajal I recommended Major Young as
+a confidential man, whom he could rely upon as a "go-between" for
+communicating with our people at Brownsville, and whom he could trust
+to keep him informed of the affairs of his own country as well.
+
+A day or two afterward I recrossed the Gulf to New Orleans, and then,
+being called from my headquarters to the interior of Texas, a fortnight
+passed before I heard anything from Brownsville.  In the meanwhile
+Major Young had come to New Orleans, and organized there a band of men
+to act as a body-guard for Caravajal, the old wretch having induced him
+to accept the proposition by representing that it had my concurrence. 
+I at once condemned the whole business, but Young, having been
+furnished with seven thousand dollars to recruit the men and buy their
+arms, had already secured both, and was so deeply involved in the
+transaction, he said, that he could not withdraw without dishonor, and
+with tears in his eyes he besought me to help him.  He told me he had
+entered upon the adventure in the firm belief that I would countenance
+it; that the men and their equipment were on his hands; that he must
+make good his word at all hazards; and that while I need not approve,
+yet I must go far enough to consent to the departure of the men, and to
+loan him the money necessary to provision his party and hire a schooner
+to carry them to Brazos.  It was hard in deed to resist the appeals of
+this man, who had served me so long and so well, and the result of his
+pleading was that I gave him permission to sail, and also loaned him
+the sum asked for; but I have never ceased to regret my consent, for
+misfortune fell upon the enterprise almost from its inception.
+
+By the time the party got across the Gulf and over to Brownsville,
+Caravajal had been deposed by Canales, and the latter would not accept
+their services.  This left Young with about fifty men to whom he was
+accountable, and as he had no money to procure them subsistence, they
+were in a bad fix.  The only thing left to do was to tender their
+services to General Escobedo, and with this in view the party set out
+to reach the General's camp, marching up the Rio Grande on the American
+side, intending to cross near Ringgold Bar racks.  In advance of them,
+however, had spread far and wide the tidings of who they were, what
+they proposed to do, and where they were going, and before they could
+cross into Mexico they were attacked by a party of ex-Confederates and 
+renegade Mexican rancheros.  Being on American soil, Young forbade his
+men to return the fire, and bent all his efforts to getting them over
+the river; but in this attempt they were broken up, and became
+completely demoralized.  A number of the men were drowned while
+swimming the river, Young himself was shot and killed, a few were
+captured, and those who escaped—about twenty in all—finally joined
+Escobedo, but in such a  plight as to be of little use.  With this
+distressing affair came to an end pretty much all open participation of
+American sympathizers with the Liberal cause, but the moral support
+afforded by the presence of our forces continued, and this was
+frequently supplemented with material aid in the shape of munitions of
+war, which we liberally supplied, though constrained to do so by the
+most secret methods.
+
+The term of office of Juarez as President of the Mexican Republic
+expired in December, 1865, but to meet existing exigencies he had
+continued himself in office by proclamation, a course rendered
+necessary by the fact that no elections could be held on account of the
+Imperial occupation of most of the country.  The official who, by the
+Mexican Constitution, is designated for the succession in such an
+emergency, is the President of the Supreme Court, and the person then
+eligible under this provision was General Ortega, but in the interest
+of the Imperialists he had absented himself from Mexico, hence the
+patriotic course of Juarez in continuing himself at the head of affairs
+was a necessity of the situation.  This action of the President gave
+the Imperialists little concern at first, but with the revival of the
+Liberal cause they availed themselves of every means to divide its
+supporters, and Ortega, who had been lying low in the United States,
+now came forward to claim the Presidency.  Though ridiculously late for
+such a step, his first act was to issue a manifesto protesting against
+the assumption of the executive authority by Juarez.  The protest had
+little effect, however, and his next proceeding was to come to New
+Orleans, get into correspondence with other disaffected Mexicans, and
+thus perfect his plans.  When he thought his intrigue ripe enough for
+action, he sailed for Brazos, intending to cross the Rio Grande and
+assert his claims with arms. While he was scheming in New Orleans,
+however, I had learned what he was up to, and in advance of his
+departure had sent instructions to have him arrested on American soil. 
+Colonel Sedgwick, commanding at Brownsville, was now temporary master
+of Matamoras also, by reason of having stationed some American troops
+there for the protection of neutral merchants, so when Ortega appeared
+at Brazos, Sedgwick quietly arrested him and held him till the city of
+Matamoras was turned over to General Escobedo, the authorized
+representative of Juarez; then Escobedo took charge, of Ortega, and
+with ease prevented his further machinations.
+
+During the winter and spring of 1866 we continued covertly supplying
+arms and ammunition to the Liberals—sending as many as 30,000 muskets
+from Baton Rouge Arsenal alone—and by mid-summer Juarez, having
+organized a pretty good sized army, was in possession of the whole line
+of the Rio Grande, and, in fact, of nearly the whole of Mexico down to
+San Louis Potosi.  Then thick and fast came rumors pointing to the
+tottering condition of Maximilian's Empire-first, that Orizaba and Vera
+Cruz were being fortified; then, that the French were to be withdrawn;
+and later came the intelligence that the Empress Carlotta had gone home
+to beg assistance from Napoleon, the author of all of her husband's
+troubles.  But the situation forced Napoleon to turn a deaf ear to
+Carlotta's prayers.  The brokenhearted woman besought him on her knees,
+but his fear of losing an army made all pleadings vain.  In fact, as I
+ascertained by the following cablegram which came into my hands,
+Napoleon's instructions for the French evacuation were in Mexico at the
+very time of this pathetic scene between him and Carlotta.  The
+despatch was in cipher when I received it, but was translated by the
+telegraph operator at my headquarters, who long before had mastered the
+key of the French cipher:
+
+
+"PARIS, January 10, 1867.  FRENCH CONSUL, New Orleans, La.
+
+"To GENERAL CASTELNAU, at Mexico.
+
+"Received your despatch of the 9th December.  Do not compel the Emperor
+to abdicate, but do not delay the departure of the troops; bring back
+all those who will not remain there.  Most of the fleet has left.
+
+"NAPOLEON."
+
+This meant the immediate withdrawal of the French.  The rest of the
+story—which has necessarily been but in outline—is soon told.
+Maximilian, though deserted, determined to hold out to the last, and
+with the aid of disloyal Mexicans stuck to his cause till the spring.
+When taken prisoner at Queretaro, he was tried and executed under
+circumstances that are well known.  From promptings of humanity
+Secretary Seward tried hard to save the Imperial prisoner, but without
+success.  The Secretary's plea for mercy was sent through me at New
+Orleans, and to make speed I hired a steamer to proceed with it across
+the Gulf to Tampico.  The document was carried by Sergeant White, one
+of my scouts, who crossed the country from Tampico, and delivered it to
+Escobedo at Queretaro; but Mr. Seward's representations were without
+avail—refused probably because little mercy had been shown certain
+Liberal leaders unfortunate enough to fall into Maximilian's hands
+during the prosperous days of his Empire.
+
+At the close of our war there was little hope for the Republic of
+Mexico.  Indeed, till our troops were concentrated on the Rio Grande
+there was none.  Our appearance in such force along the border
+permitted the Liberal leaders, refugees from their homes, to establish
+rendezvous whence they could promulgate their plans in safety, while
+the countenance thus given the cause, when hope was well-nigh gone,
+incited the Mexican people to renewed resistance. Beginning again with
+very scant means, for they had lost about all, the Liberals saw their
+cause, under the influence of such significant and powerful backing,
+progress and steadily grow so strong that within two years Imperialism
+had received its death-blow.  I doubt very much whether such, results
+could have been achieved without the presence of an American army on
+the Rio Grande, which, be it remembered, was sent there because, in
+General Grant's words, the French invasion of Mexico was so closely
+related to the rebellion as to be essentially a part of it.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+
+A. J. HAMILTON APPOINTED PROVISIONAL GOVERNOR OF TEXAS—ASSEMBLES A
+CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION—THE TEXANS
+DISSATISFIED—LAWLESSNESS—OPPRESSIVE LEGISLATION—EX-CONFEDERATES
+CONTROLLING LOUISIANA—A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION—THE MEETING
+SUPPRESSED—A BLOODY RIOT—MY REPORTS OF THE MASSACRE—PORTIONS SUPPRESSED
+BY PRESIDENT JOHNSON—SUSTAINED BY A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE—THE
+RECONSTRUCTION LAWS.
+
+Although in 1865-66 much of my attention was directed to international
+matters along the Rio Grande, the civil affairs of Texas and Louisiana
+required a certain amount of military supervision also in the absence
+of regularly established civil authority.  At the time of Kirby Smith's
+surrender the National Government had formulated no plan with regard to
+these or the other States lately in rebellion, though a provisional
+Government had been set up in Louisiana as early as 1864.  In
+consequence of this lack of system, Governor Pendleton Murray, of
+Texas, who was elected under Confederate rule, continued to discharge
+the duties of Governor till President Johnson, on June 17, in harmony
+with his amnesty proclamation of May 29, 1865, appointed A. J. Hamilton
+provisional Governor.  Hamilton was empowered by the President to call
+a Constitutional convention, the delegates to which were to be elected,
+under certain prescribed qualifications, for the purpose of organizing
+the political affairs of the State, the Governor to be guided by
+instructions similar to those given the provisional Governor of North
+Carolina (W. W. Holden), when appointed in May.
+
+The convening of this body gave rise to much dissatisfaction among the
+people of Texas.  They had assumed that affairs were to go on as of
+old, and that the reintegration of the State was to take place under
+the administration of Governor Murray, who, meanwhile, had taken it
+upon himself, together with the Legislature, to authorize the election
+of delegates to a State Convention, without restriction as to who
+should be entitled to vote.  Thus encouraged, the element but lately in
+armed rebellion was now fully bent on restoring the State to the Union
+without any intervention whatever of the Federal Government; but the
+advent of Hamilton put an end to such illusions, since his proclamation
+promptly disfranchised the element in question, whose consequent
+disappointment and chagrin were so great as to render this factor of
+the community almost uncontrollable.  The provisional Governor at once
+rescinded the edict of Governor Murray, prohibited the assembling of
+his convention, and shortly after called, one himself, the delegates to
+which were to b chosen by voters who could take the amnesty-oath.  The
+proclamation convening this assemblage also announced the policy that
+would be pursued in governing the State until its affairs were
+satisfactorily reorganized, defined in brief the course to be followed
+by the Judiciary, and provided for the appointment, by the Governor, of
+county officials to succeed those known to be disloyal.  As this action
+of Hamilton's disfranchised all who could not take the amnesty oath,
+and of course deprived them of the offices, it met at once with
+pronounced and serious opposition, and he quickly realized that he had
+on his hands an arduous task to protect the colored people,
+particularly as in the transition state of society just after the close
+of the war there prevailed much lawlessness, which vented itself
+chiefly on the freedmen.  It was greatly feared that political rights
+were to be given those so recently in servitude, and as it was
+generally believed that such enfranchisement would precipitate a race
+war unless the freedmen were overawed and kept in a state of
+subjection, acts of intimidation were soon reported from all parts of
+the State.
+
+Hamilton, an able, determined, and fearless man, tried hard to curb
+this terrorism, but public opinion being strong against him, he could
+accomplish little without military aid.  As department commander, I was
+required, whenever called upon, to assist his government, and as these
+requisitions for help became necessarily very frequent, the result was
+that shortly after he assumed his duties, detachments of troops were
+stationed in nearly every county of the State.  By such disposition of
+my forces fairly good order was maintained under the administration of
+Hamilton, and all went well till the inauguration of J. W.
+Throckmorton, who, elected Governor in pursuance of an authorization
+granted by the convention which Hamilton had called together, assumed
+the duties of the office August 9, 1866.
+
+One of Governor Throckmorton's first acts was to ask the withdrawal or
+non-interference of the military.  This was not all granted, but under
+his ingenious persuasion President Johnson, on the 13th of August,
+1866, directed that the new State officials be entrusted with the
+unhampered control of civil affairs, and this was more than enough to
+revive the bulldozing methods that had characterized the beginning of
+Hamilton's administration.  Oppressive legislation in the shape of
+certain apprentice and vagrant laws quickly followed, developing a
+policy of gross injustice toward the colored people on the part of the
+courts, and a reign of lawlessness and disorder ensued which,
+throughout the remote districts of the State at least, continued till
+Congress, by what are known as the Reconstruction Acts, took into its
+own hands the rehabilitation of the seceded States.
+
+In the State of Louisiana a provisional government, chosen by the loyal
+element, had been put in operation, as already mentioned, as early as
+1864.  This was effected under encouragement given by President
+Lincoln, through the medium of a Constitutional convention, which met
+at New Orleans in April, 1864, and adjourned in July.  The constitution
+then agreed upon was submitted to the people, and in September, 1864,
+was ratified by a vote of the few loyal residents of the State.
+
+The government provided under this constitution being looked upon as
+provisional merely, was never recognized by Congress, and in 1865 the
+returned Confederates, restored to citizenship by the President's
+amnesty proclamation, soon got control of almost all the State.  The
+Legislature was in their hands, as well as most of the State and
+municipal offices; so, when the President, on the 20th of August, 1866,
+by proclamation, extended his previous instructions regarding civil
+affairs in Texas so as to have them apply to all the seceded States,
+there at once began in Louisiana a system of discriminative legislation
+directed against the freedmen, that led to flagrant wrongs in the
+enforcement of labor contracts, and in the remote parishes to numbers
+of outrages and murders.
+
+To remedy this deplorable condition of things, it was proposed, by
+those who had established the government of 1864, to remodel the
+constitution of the State; and they sought to do this by reassembling
+the convention, that body before its adjournment having provided for
+reconvening under certain conditions, in obedience to the call of its
+president.  Therefore, early in the summer of 1866, many members of
+this convention met in conference at New Orleans, and decided that a
+necessity existed for reconvening the delegates, and a proclamation was
+issued accordingly by B. K. Howell, President-pro-tempore.
+
+Mayor John T.  Monroe and the other officials of New Orleans looked
+upon this proposed action as revolutionary, and by the time the
+convention assembled (July 30), such bitterness of feeling prevailed
+that efforts were made by the mayor and city police to suppress the
+meeting.  A bloody riot followed, resulting, in the killing and
+wounding of about a hundred and sixty persons.
+
+I happened to be absent from the city at the time, returning from
+Texas, where I had been called by affairs on the Rio Grande.  On my way
+up from the mouth of the Mississippi I was met on the night of July 30
+by one of my staff, who reported what had occurred, giving the details
+of the massacre—no milder term is fitting—and informing me that, to
+prevent further slaughter, General Baird, the senior military officer
+present, had assumed control of the municipal government.  On reaching
+the city I made an investigation, and that night sent the following
+report of the affair:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF,
+"NEW ORLEANS, LA., Aug.  1, 1866.
+
+"GENERAL U. S. GRANT:
+
+"You are doubtless aware of the serious riot which occurred in this
+city on the 30th.  A political body, styling themselves the Convention
+of 1864, met on the 30th, for, as it is alleged, the purpose of
+remodeling the present constitution of the State.  The leaders were
+political agitators and revolutionary men, and the action of the
+convention was liable to produce breaches of the public peace.  I had
+made up my mind to arrest the head men, if the proceedings of the
+convention were calculated to disturb the tranquility of the
+Department; but I had no cause for action until they committed the
+overt act.  In the meantime official duty called me to Texas, and the
+mayor of the city, during my absence suppressed the convention by the
+use of the police force, and in so doing attacked the members of the
+convention, and a party of two hundred negroes, with fire-arms, clubs,
+and knives, in a manner so unnecessary and atrocious as to compel me to
+say that it was murder. About forty whites and blacks were thus killed,
+and about one hundred and sixty wounded.  Everything is now quiet, but
+I deem it best to maintain a military supremacy in the city for a few
+days, until the affair is fully investigated.  I believe the sentiment
+of the general community is great regret at this unnecessary cruelty,
+and that the police could have made any arrest they saw fit without
+sacrificing lives.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General Commanding."
+
+
+On receiving the telegram, General Grant immediately submitted it to
+the President.  Much clamor being made at the North for the publication
+of the despatch, Mr. Johnson pretended to give it to the newspapers. 
+It appeared in the issues of August 4, but with this paragraph omitted,
+viz.:
+
+
+"I had made up my mind to arrest the head men, if the proceedings of
+the convention were calculated to disturb the tranquility of the
+Department, but I had no cause for action until they committed the
+overt act.  In the mean time official duty called me to Texas, and the
+mayor of the city, during my absence, suppressed the convention by the
+use of the police force, and in so doing attacked the members of the
+convention, and a party of two hundred negroes, with fire-arms, clubs,
+and knives, in a manner so unnecessary and atrocious as to compel me to
+say it was murder."
+
+Against this garbling of my report—done by the President's own order—I
+strongly demurred; and this emphatic protest marks the beginning of Mr.
+Johnson's well-known personal hostility toward me.  In the mean time I
+received (on August 3) the following despatch from General Grant
+approving my course:
+
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+"WAR DEPT., WASHINGTON, D. C., "August 3, 1866—5 p.m.
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Commanding Mil. Div. of the Gulf,
+"New Orleans, La.
+
+"Continue to enforce martial law, so far as may be necessary to
+preserve the peace; and do not allow any of the civil authorities to
+act, if you deem such action dangerous to the public safety.  Lose no
+time in investigating and reporting the causes that led to the riot,
+and the facts which occurred.
+
+"U. S. GRANT,
+"Lieutenant-General."
+
+In obedience to the President's directions, My report of August 1 was
+followed by another, more in detail, which I give in full, since it
+tells the whole story of the riot:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF,
+"NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 6, 1866.
+
+"His EXCELLENCY ANDREW JOHNSON,
+"President United States
+
+"I have the honor to make the following reply to your despatch of
+August 4.  A very large number of colored people marched in procession
+on Friday night, July twenty-seven (27), and were addressed from the
+steps of the City Hall by Dr. Dostie, ex-Governor Hahn, and others. 
+The speech of Dostie was intemperate in language and sentiment.  The
+speeches of the others, so far as I can learn, were characterized by
+moderation.  I have not given you the words of Dostie's speech, as the
+version published was denied; but from what I have learned of the man,
+I believe they were intemperate.
+
+"The convention assembled at twelve (12)M. on the thirtieth (30), the
+timid members absenting themselves because the tone of the general
+public was ominous of trouble.  I think there were about twenty-six
+(26) members present.  In front of the Mechanics Institute, where the
+meeting was held, there were assembled some colored men, women, and
+children, perhaps eighteen (18) or twenty (20), and in the Institute a
+number of colored men, probably one hundred and fifty (150).  Among
+those outside and inside there might have been a pistol in the
+possession of every tenth (10) man.
+
+"About one (1) p. m.  a procession of say from sixty (60) to one
+hundred and thirty (130) colored men marched up Burgundy Street and
+across Canal Street toward the convention, carrying an American flag.
+These men had about one pistol to every ten men, and canes and clubs in
+addition.  While crossing Canal Street a row occurred.  There were many
+spectators on the street, and their manner and tone toward the
+procession unfriendly.  A shot was fired, by whom I am not able to
+state, but believe it to have been by a policeman, or some colored man
+in the procession.  This led to other shots and a rush after the
+procession.  On arrival at the front of the Institute there was some
+throwing of brickbats by both sides.  The police, who had been held
+well in hand, were vigorously marched to the scene of disorder.  The
+procession entered the Institute with the flag, about six (6) or eight
+(8) remaining outside.  A row occurred between a policeman and one of
+these colored men, and a shot was again fired by one of the parties,
+which led to an indiscriminate fire on the building through the windows
+by the policemen.  This had been going on for a short time, when a
+white flag was displayed from the windows of the Institute, whereupon
+the firing ceased, and the police rushed into the building.
+
+"From the testimony of wounded men, and others who were inside the
+building, the policemen opened an indiscriminate fire upon the audience
+until they had emptied their revolvers, when they retired, and those
+inside barricaded the doors.  The door was broken in, and the firing
+again commenced, when many of the colored and white people either
+escaped throughout the door or were passed out by the policemen inside;
+but as they came out the policemen who formed the circle nearest the
+building fired upon them, and they were again fired upon by the
+citizens that formed the outer circle.  Many of those wounded and taken
+prisoners, and others who were prisoners and not wounded, were fired
+upon by their captors and by citizens.  The wounded were stabbed while
+lying on the ground, and their heads beaten with brickbats.  In the
+yard of the building, whither some of the colored men had escaped and
+partially secreted themselves, they were fired upon and killed or
+wounded by policemen.  Some were killed and wounded several squares
+from the scene.  Members of the convention were wounded by the police
+while in their hands as prisoners, some of them mortally.
+
+"The immediate cause of this terrible affair was the assemblage of this
+Convention; the remote cause was the bitter and antagonistic feeling
+which has been growing in this community since the advent of the
+present Mayor, who, in the organization of his police force, selected
+many desperate men, and some of them known murderers. People of clear
+views were overawed by want of confidence in the Mayor, and fear of the
+thugs, many of which he had selected for his police force.  I have
+frequently been spoken to by prominent citizens on this subject, and
+have heard them express fear, and want of confidence in Mayor Monroe. 
+Ever since the intimation of this last convention movement I must
+condemn the course of several of the city papers for supporting, by
+their articles, the bitter feeling of bad men.  As to the merciless
+manner in which the convention was broken up, I feel obliged to confess
+strong repugnance.
+
+"It is useless to disguise the hostility that exists on the part of a
+great many here toward Northern men, and this unfortunate affair has so
+precipitated matters that there is now a test of what shall be the
+status of Northern men—whether they can live here without being in
+constant dread or not, whether they can be protected in life and
+property, and have justice in the courts.  If this matter is permitted
+to pass over without a thorough and determined prosecution of those
+engaged in it, we may look out for frequent scenes of the same kind,
+not only here, but in other places.  No steps have as yet been taken by
+the civil authorities to arrest citizens who were engaged in this
+massacre, or policemen who perpetrated such cruelties.  The members of
+the convention have been indicted by the grand jury, and many of them
+arrested and held to bail.  As to whether the civil authorities can
+mete out ample justice to the guilty parties on both sides, I must say
+it is my opinion, unequivocally, that they cannot.  Judge Abell, whose
+course I have closely watched for nearly a year, I now consider one of
+the most dangerous men that we have here to the peace and quiet of the
+city. The leading men of the convention—King, Cutler, Hahn, and
+others—have been political agitators, and are bad men.  I regret to say
+that the course of Governor Wells has been vacillating, and that during
+the late trouble he has shown very little of the man.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General Commanding."
+
+
+Subsequently a military commission investigated the subject of the
+riot, taking a great deal of testimony.  The commission substantially
+confirmed the conclusions given in my despatches, and still later there
+was an investigation by a select committee of the House of
+Representatives, of which the Honorables Samuel Shellabarger, of Ohio,
+H. L. Elliot, of Massachusetts, and B. M. Boyer, of Pennsylvania, were
+the members.  The majority report of the committee also corroborated,
+in all essentials, my reports of the distressing occurrence.  The
+committee likewise called attention to a violent speech made by Mr.
+Johnson at St. Louis in September, 1866, charging the origin of the
+riot to Congress, and went on to say of the speech that "it was an
+unwarranted and unjust expression of hostile feeling, without pretext
+or foundation in fact."  A list of the killed and wounded was embraced
+in the committee's report, and among other conclusions reached were the
+following: "That the meeting of July 30 was a meeting of quiet
+citizens, who came together without arms and with intent peaceably to
+discuss questions of public concern.... There has been no occasion
+during our National history when a riot has occurred so destitute of
+justifiable cause, resulting in a massacre so inhuman and fiend-like,
+as that which took place at New Orleans on the 30th of July last.  This
+riotous attack upon the convention, with its terrible results of
+massacre and murder, was not an accident.  It was the determined
+purpose of the mayor of the city of New Orleans to break up this
+convention by armed force."
+
+The statement is also made, that, "He [the President] knew that
+'rebels' and 'thugs' and disloyal men had controlled the election of
+Mayor Monroe, and that such men composed chiefly his police force."
+
+The committee held that no legal government existed in Louisiana, and
+recommended the temporary establishment of a provisional government
+therein; the report concluding that "in the meantime the safety of all
+Union men within the State demands that such government be formed for
+their protection, for the well being of the nation and the permanent
+peace of the Republic."
+
+The New Orleans riot agitated the whole country, and the official and
+other reports served to intensify and concentrate the opposition to
+President Johnson's policy of reconstruction, a policy resting
+exclusively on and inspired solely by the executive authority—for it
+was made plain, by his language and his acts, that he was seeking to
+rehabilitate the seceded States under conditions differing not a whit
+from those existing before the rebellion; that is to say, without the
+slightest constitutional provision regarding the status of the
+emancipated slaves, and with no assurances of protection for men who
+had remained loyal in the war.
+
+In December, 1866, Congress took hold of the subject with such vigor as
+to promise relief from all these perplexing disorders, and, after much
+investigation and a great deal of debate, there resulted the so-called
+"Reconstruction Laws," which, for a clear understanding of the powers
+conferred on the military commanders, I deem best to append in full:
+
+AN ACT to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel
+States.
+
+WHEREAS, no legal State governments or adequate protection for life or
+property now exist in the rebel States of Virginia, North Carolina,
+South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Florida,
+Texas, and Arkansas; and whereas, it is necessary that peace and good
+order should be enforced in said States until loyal and republican
+State governments can be legally established; therefore,
+
+BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
+States of America in Congress assembled, That said rebel States shall
+be divided into military districts and made subject to the military
+authority of the United States as hereinafter prescribed; and for that
+purpose Virginia shall constitute the first district; North Carolina
+and South Carolina, the second district; Georgia, Alabama, and Florida,
+the third district; Mississippi and Arkansas, the fourth district; and
+Louisiana and Texas, the fifth district.
+
+SEC. 2.  And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the
+President to assign to the command of each of said districts an officer
+of the army not below the rank of brigadier-general, and to detail a
+sufficient military force to enable such officer to perform his duties
+and enforce his authority within the district to which he is assigned.
+
+SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of each
+officer assigned as aforesaid to protect all persons in their rights of
+person and property, to suppress insurrection, disorder, and violence,
+and to punish, or cause to be punished, all disturbers of the public
+peace and criminals, and to this end he may allow local civil tribunals
+to take jurisdiction of and to try offenders, or, when in his judgment
+it may be necessary for the trial of offenders, he shall have power to
+organize military commissions or tribunals for that purpose, and all
+interference, under cover of State authority, with the exercise of
+military authority under this act, shall be null and void.
+
+SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That all persons put under military
+arrest by virtue of this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay,
+and no cruel or unjust punishment shall be inflicted; and no sentence
+of any military commission or tribunal hereby authorized affecting the
+life or liberty of any person, shall be executed until it is approved
+by the officer in command of the district; and the laws and regulations
+for the government of the army shall not be affected by this act except
+in so far as they conflict with its provisions: Provided, That no
+sentence of death, under the provisions of this act, shall be carried
+into effect without the approval of the President.
+
+SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That when the people of any one of
+said rebel States shall have formed a constitution of government in
+conformity with the Constitution of the United States in all respects,
+framed by a convention of delegates elected by the male citizens of
+said State twenty-one years old and upward, of whatever race, color, or
+previous condition, who have been resident in said State for one year
+previous to the day of such election, except such as may be
+disfranchised for participation in the rebellion, or for felony at
+common law; and when such constitution shall provide that the elective
+franchise shall be enjoyed by all such persons as have the
+qualifications herein stated for electors of delegates; and when such
+constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the persons voting on
+the question of ratification who are qualified as electors for
+delegates, and when such constitution shall have been submitted to
+Congress for examination and approval, and Congress shall have approved
+the same; and when said State, by a vote of its legislature elected
+under said constitution, shall have adopted the amendment to the
+Constitution of the United States proposed by the Thirty-ninth
+Congress, and known as article fourteen; and when said article shall
+have become a part of the Constitution of the United States, said State
+shall be declared entitled to representation in Congress, and senators
+and representatives shall be admitted therefrom on their taking the
+oath prescribed by law; and then and thereafter the preceding sections
+of this act shall be inoperative in said State: Provided, That no
+person excluded from the privilege of holding office by said proposed
+amendment to the Constitution of the United States shall be eligible to
+election as a member of the convention to frame a constitution for any
+of said rebel States, nor shall any such person vote for members of
+such convention.
+
+SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That until the people of said rebel
+States shall be by law admitted to representation in the Congress of
+the United States, any civil government which may exist therein shall
+be deemed provisional only, and in all respects subject to the
+paramount authority of the United States at any time to abolish,
+modify, control, or supersede the same; and in all elections to any
+office under such provisional governments all persons shall be entitled
+to vote, and none others, who are entitled to vote under the fifth
+section of this act; and no person shall be eligible to any office
+under any such provisional governments who would be disqualified from
+holding office under the provisions of the third article of said
+constitutional amendment.
+
+SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
+
+LAFAYETTE S. FOSTER, President of the Senate pro tempore.
+
+
+AN ACT supplementary to an act entitled "An act to provide for the more
+efficient government of the rebel States," passed March second,
+eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, and to facilitate restoration.
+
+Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
+States of America in Congress assembled, That before the first day of
+September, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, the commanding general in
+each district defined by an act entitled "An act to provide for the
+more efficient government of the rebel States," passed March second,
+eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, shall cause a registration to be made
+of the male citizens of the United States, twenty-one years of age and
+upwards, resident in each county or parish in the State or States
+included in his district, which registration shall include only those
+persons who are qualified to vote for delegates by the act aforesaid,
+and who shall have taken and subscribed the following oath or
+affirmation: "I,———, do solemnly swear (or affirm), in the presence of
+the Almighty God, that I am a citizen of the State of ————-; that I
+have resided in said State for——- months next preceding this day, and
+now reside in the county of ———-, or the parish of ————, in said State,
+(as the case may be); that I am twenty-one years old; that I have not
+been disfranchised for participation in any rebellion or civil war
+against the United States, nor for felony committed against the laws of
+any State or of the United States; that I have never been a member of
+any State Legislature, nor held any executive or judicial office in any
+State, and afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the
+United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; that I
+have never taken an oath as a member of Congress of the United States,
+or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State
+Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to
+support the constitution of the United States, and afterwards engaged
+in insurrection or rebellion against the United States or given aid or
+comfort to the enemies thereof; that I will faithfully support the
+Constitution and obey the laws of the United States, and will, to the
+best of my ability, encourage others so to do: so help me God."; which
+oath or affirmation may be administered by any registering officer.
+
+SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That after the completion of the
+registration hereby provided for in any State, at such time and places
+therein as the commanding general shall appoint and direct, of which at
+least thirty days' public notice shall be given, an election shall be
+held of delegates to a convention for the purpose of establishing a
+constitution and civil government for such State loyal to the Union,
+said convention in each State, except Virginia, to consist of the same
+number of members as the most numerous branch of the State Legislature
+of such State in the year eighteen hundred and sixty, to be apportioned
+among the several districts, counties, or parishes of such State by the
+commanding general, giving each representation in the ratio of voters
+registered as aforesaid as nearly as may be.  The convention in
+Virginia shall consist of the same number of members as represented the
+territory now constituting Virginia in the most numerous branch of the
+Legislature of said State in the year eighteen hundred and sixty, to be
+apportioned as aforesaid.
+
+SEC.  3. And be it further enacted, That at said election the
+registered voters of each State shall vote for or against a convention
+to form a constitution therefor under this act.  Those voting in favor
+of such a convention shall have written or printed on the ballots by
+which they vote for delegates, as aforesaid, the words "For a
+convention," and those voting against such a convention shall have
+written or printed on such ballot the words "Against a convention." The
+persons appointed to superintend said election, and to make return of
+the votes given thereat, as herein provided, shall count and make
+return of the votes given for and against a convention; and the
+commanding general to whom the same shall have been returned shall
+ascertain and declare the total vote in each State for and against a
+convention.  If a majority of the votes given on that question shall be
+for a convention, then such convention shall be held as hereinafter
+provided; but if a majority of said votes shall, be against a
+convention, then no such convention shall be held under this act:
+Provided, That such convention shall not be held unless a majority of
+all such registered voters shall have voted on the question of holding
+such convention.
+
+SEC.  4.  And be it further enacted, That the commanding general of
+each district shall appoint as many boards of registration as may be
+necessary, consisting of three loyal officers or persons, to make and
+complete the registration, superintend the election, and make return to
+him of the votes, list of voters, and of the persons elected as
+delegates by a plurality of the votes cast at said election; and upon
+receiving said returns he shall open the same, ascertain the persons
+elected as delegates, according to the returns of the officers who
+conducted said election, and make proclamation thereof; and if a
+majority of the votes given on that question shall be for a convention,
+the commanding general, within sixty days from the date of election,
+shall notify the delegates to assemble in convention, at a time and
+place to be mentioned in the notification, and said convention, when
+organized, shall proceed to frame a constitution and civil government
+according to the provisions of this act, and the act to which it is
+supplementary; and when the same shall have been so framed, said
+constitution shall be submitted by the convention for ratification to
+the persons registered under the provisions of this act at an election
+to be conducted by the officers or persons appointed or to be appointed
+by the commanding general, as hereinbefore provided, and to be held
+after the expiration of thirty days from the date of notice thereof, to
+be given by said convention; and the returns thereof shall be made to
+the commanding general of the district.
+
+SEC.  5.  And be it further enacted, That if, according to said
+returns, the constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the votes
+of the registered electors qualified as herein specified, cast at said
+election, at least one-half of all the registered voters voting upon
+the question of such ratification, the president of the convention
+shall transmit a copy of the same, duly certified, to the President of
+the United States, who shall forthwith transmit the same to Congress,
+if then in session, and if not in session, then immediately upon its
+next assembling; and if it shall moreover appear to Congress that the
+election was one at which all the registered and qualified electors in
+the State had an opportunity to vote freely, and without restraint,
+fear, or the influence of fraud, and if the Congress shall be satisfied
+that such constitution meets the approval of a majority of all the
+qualified electors in the State, and if the said constitution shall be
+declared by Congress to be in conformity with the provisions of the act
+to which this is supplementary, and the other provisions of said act
+shall have been complied with, and the said constitution shall be
+approved by Congress, the State shall be declared entitled to
+representation, and senators and representatives shall be admitted
+therefrom as therein provided.
+
+SEC.  6.  And be it further enacted, That all elections in the States
+mentioned in the said "Act to provide for the more efficient government
+of the rebel States" shall, during the operation of said act, be by
+ballot; and all officers making the said registration of voters and
+conducting said elections, shall, before entering upon the discharge of
+their duties, take and subscribe the oath prescribed by the act
+approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, entitled "An act
+to prescribe an oath of office": Provided, That if any person shall
+knowingly and falsely take and subscribe any oath in this act
+prescribed, such person so offending and being thereof duly convicted,
+shall be subject to the pains, penalties, and disabilities which by law
+are provided for the punishment of the crime of wilful and corrupt
+perjury.
+
+SEC. 7. And be if further enacted, That all expenses incurred by the
+several commanding generals, or by virtue of any orders issued, or
+appointments made, by them, under or by virtue of this act, shall be
+paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
+
+SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That the convention for each State
+shall prescribe the fees, salary, and compensation to be paid to all
+delegates and other officers and agents herein authorized or necessary
+to carry into effect the purposes of this act not herein otherwise
+provided for, and shall provide for the levy and collection of such
+taxes on the property in such State as may be necessary to pay the
+same.
+
+SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the word "article," in the
+sixth section of the act to which this is supplementary, shall be
+construed to mean, "section."
+
+SCHUYLER COLFAX, Speaker of the House of Representatives.
+
+B. F. WADE, President of the Senate pro tempore.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+
+PASSAGE OF THE RECONSTRUCTION ACT OVER THE PRESIDENT'S VETO—PLACED IN
+COMMAND OF THE FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT—REMOVING OFFICERS—MY REASONS FOR
+SUCH ACTION—AFFAIRS IN LOUISIANA AND TEXAS—REMOVAL OF GOVERNOR
+WELLS—REVISION OF THE JURY LISTS—RELIEVED FROM THE COMMAND OF THE FIFTH
+MILITARY DISTRICT.
+
+The first of the Reconstruction laws was passed March 2, 1867, and
+though vetoed by the President, such was the unanimity of loyal
+sentiment and the urgency demanding the measure, that the bill became a
+law over the veto the day the President returned it to Congress. March
+the 11th this law was published in General Orders No. 10, from the
+Headquarters of the Army, the same order assigning certain officers to
+take charge of the five military districts into which the States lately
+in rebellion were subdivided, I being announced as the commander of the
+Fifth Military District, which embraced Louisiana and Texas, a
+territory that had formed the main portion of my command since the
+close of the war.
+
+Between the date of the Act and that of my assignment, the Louisiana
+Legislature, then in special session, had rejected a proposed repeal of
+an Act it had previously passed providing for an election of certain
+municipal officers in New Orleans.  This election was set for March 11,
+but the mayor and the chief of police, together with General Mower,
+commanding the troops in the city, having expressed to me personally
+their fears that the public peace would be disturbed by the election,
+I, in this emergency, though not yet assigned to the district, assuming
+the authority which the Act conferred on district commanders, declared
+that the election should not take place; that no polls should be opened
+on the day fixed; and that the whole matter would stand postponed till
+the district commander should be appointed, or special instructions be
+had.  This, my first official act under the Reconstruction laws, was
+rendered necessary by the course of a body of obstructionists, who had
+already begun to give unequivocal indications of their intention to
+ignore the laws of Congress.
+
+A copy of the order embodying the Reconstruction law, together with my
+assignment, having reached me a few days after, I regularly assumed
+control of the Fifth Military District on March 19, by an order wherein
+I declared the State and municipal governments of the district to be
+provisional only, and, under the provisions of the sixth section of the
+Act, subject to be controlled, modified, superseded, or abolished.  I
+also announced that no removals from office would be made unless the
+incumbents failed to carry out the provisions of the law or impeded
+reorganization, or unless willful delays should necessitate a change,
+and added: "Pending the reorganization, it is, desirable and intended
+to create as little disturbance in the machinery of the various
+branches of the provisional governments as possible, consistent with
+the law of Congress and its successful execution, but this condition is
+dependent upon the disposition shown by the people, and upon the length
+of time required for reorganization."
+
+Under these limitations Louisiana and Texas retained their former
+designations as military districts, the officers in command exercising
+their military powers as heretofore.  In addition, these officers were
+to carry out in their respective commands all provisions of the law
+except those specially requiring the action of the district commander,
+and in cases of removals from and appointment to office.
+
+In the course of legislation the first Reconstruction act, as I have
+heretofore noted, had been vetoed.  On the very day of the veto,
+however, despite the President's adverse action, it passed each House
+of Congress by such an overwhelming majority as not only to give it the
+effect of law, but to prove clearly that the plan of reconstruction
+presented was, beyond question, the policy endorsed by the people of
+the country.  It was, therefore, my determination to see to the law's
+zealous execution in my district, though I felt certain that the
+President would endeavor to embarrass me by every means in his power,
+not only on account of his pronounced personal hostility, but also
+because of his determination not to execute but to obstruct the
+measures enacted by Congress.
+
+Having come to this conclusion, I laid down, as a rule for my guidance,
+the principle of non-interference with the provisional State
+governments, and though many appeals were made to have me rescind
+rulings of the courts, or interpose to forestall some presupposed
+action to be taken by them, my invariable reply was that I would not
+take cognizance of such matters, except in cases of absolute necessity.
+ The same policy was announced also in reference to municipal affairs
+throughout the district, so long as the action of the local officers
+did not conflict with the law.
+
+In a very short time, however, I was obliged to interfere in municipal
+matters in New Orleans, for it had become clearly apparent that several
+of the officials were, both by acts of omission and commission,
+ignoring the law, so on the 27th of March I removed from office the
+Mayor, John T.  Monroe; the Judge of the First District Court, E.
+Abell; and the Attorney-General of the State, Andrew S. Herron; at the
+same time appointing to the respective offices thus vacated Edward
+Heath, W. W. Howe, and B. L. Lynch.  The officials thus removed had
+taken upon themselves from the start to pronounce the Reconstruction
+acts unconstitutional, and to advise such a course of obstruction that
+I found it necessary at an early dav to replace them by men in sympathy
+with the law, in order to make plain my determination to have its
+provisions enforced.  The President at once made inquiry, through
+General Grant, for the cause of the removal, and I replied:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+"New Orleans, La., April 19, 1867.
+
+"GENERAL: On the 27th day of March last I removed from office Judge E.
+Abell, of the Criminal Court of New Orleans; Andrew S. Herron,
+Attorney-General of the State of Louisiana; and John T. Monroe, Mayor
+of the City of New Orleans.  These removals were made under the powers
+granted me in what is usually termed the 'military bill,' passed March
+2, 1867, by the Congress of the United States.
+
+"I did not deem it necessary to give any reason for the removal of
+these men, especially after the investigations made by the military
+board on the massacre Of July 30, 1866, and the report of the
+congressional committee on the same massacre; but as some inquiry has
+been made for the cause of removal, I would respectfully state as
+follows:
+
+"The court over which judge Abell presided is the only criminal court
+in the city of New Orleans, and for a period of at least nine months
+previous to the riot Of July 30 he had been educating a large portion
+of the community to the perpetration of this outrage, by almost
+promising no prosecution in his court against the offenders, in case
+such an event occurred.  The records of his court will show that he
+fulfilled his promise, as not one of the guilty has been prosecuted.
+
+"In reference to Andrew J. Herron, Attorney-General of the State of
+Louisiana, I considered it his duty to indict these men before this
+criminal court.  This he failed to do, but went so far as to attempt to
+impose on the good sense of the whole nation by indicting the victims
+of the riot instead of the rioters; in other words, making the innocent
+guilty and the guilty innocent.  He was therefore, in my belief, an
+able coadjutor with judge Abell in bringing on the massacre of July 30.
+
+"Mayor Monroe controlled the element engaged in this riot, and when
+backed by an attorney-general who would not prosecute the guilty, and a
+judge who advised the grand jury to find the innocent guilty and let
+the murderers go free, felt secure in engaging his police force in the
+riot and massacre.
+
+"With these three men exercising a large influence over the worst
+elements of the population of this city, giving to those elements an
+immunity for riot and bloodshed, the general-in-chief will see how
+insecurely I felt in letting them occupy their respective positions in
+the troubles which might occur in registration and voting in the
+reorganization of this State.
+
+"I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General U. S. A.
+
+
+"GENERAL U. S. GRANT,
+"Commanding Armies of the United States,
+"Washington, D. C."
+
+To General Grant my reasons were satisfactory, but not so to the
+President, who took no steps, however, to rescind my action, for he
+knew that the removals were commended by well-nigh the entire community
+in the city, for it will be understood that Mr. Johnson was, through
+his friends and adherents in Louisiana and Texas, kept constantly
+advised of every step taken by me.  Many of these persons were active
+and open opponents of mine, while others were spies, doing their work
+so secretly and quickly that sometimes Mr. Johnson knew of my official
+acts before I could report them to General Grant.
+
+The supplemental Reconstruction act which defined the method of
+reconstruction became a law despite the President's veto on March 23.
+This was a curative act, authorizing elections and prescribing methods
+of registration.  When it reached me officially I began measures for
+carrying out its provisions, and on the 28th of March issued an order
+to the effect that no elections for the State, parish, or municipal
+officers would be held in Louisiana until the provisions of the laws of
+Congress entitled "An act to provide for the more efficient government
+of the rebel States," and of the act supplemental thereto, should have
+been complied with.  I also announced that until elections were held in
+accordance with these acts, the law of the Legislature of the State
+providing for the holding over of those persons whose terms of office
+otherwise would have expired, would govern in all cases excepting only
+those special ones in which I myself might take action.  There was one
+parish, Livingston, which this order did no reach in time to prevent
+the election previously ordered there, and which therefore took place,
+but by a supplemental order this election was declare null and void.
+
+In April.  I began the work of administering the Supplemental Law,
+which, under  certain condition of eligibility, required a registration
+of the voter of the State, for the purpose of electing delegate to a
+Constitutional convention.  It therefore became necessary to appoint
+Boards of Registration throughout the election districts, and on April
+10 the boards for the Parish of Orleans were given out, those for the
+other parishes being appointed ten days later.  Before announcing these
+boards, I had asked to be advised definitely as to what persons were
+disfranchised by the law, and was directed by General Grant to act upon
+my own interpretation of it, pending an opinion expected shortly from
+the Attorney-General—Mr. Henry Stanbery—so, for the guidance of the
+boards, I gave the following instructions:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT.
+"New Orleans, La., April 10, 1867.
+
+"Special Orders, No. 15.
+
+"....In obedience to the directions contained in the first section of
+the Law of Congress entitled "An Act supplemental to an Act entitled
+'An Act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel
+States'" the registration of the legal voters, according to that law in
+the Parish of Orleans, will be commenced on the 15th instant, and must
+be completed by the 15th of May.
+
+"The four municipal districts of the City of New Orleans and the Parish
+of Orleans, right bank (Algiers), will each constitute a Registration
+district.  Election precincts will remain as at present constituted.
+
+"....Each member of the Board of Registers, before commencing his
+duties, will file in the office of the Assistant-Inspector-General at
+these headquarters, the oath required in the sixth section of the Act
+referred to, and be governed in the execution of his duty by the
+provisions of the first section of that Act, faithfully administering
+the oath therein prescribed to each person registered.
+
+"Boards of Registers will immediately select suitable offices within
+their respective districts, having reference to convenience and
+facility of registration, and will enter upon their duties on the day
+designated.  Each Board will be entitled to two clerks.  Office-hours
+for registration will be from 8 o'clock till 12 A. M., and from 4 till
+7 P. M.
+
+"When elections are ordered, the Board of Registers for each district
+will designate the number of polls and the places where they shall be
+opened in the election precincts within its district, appoint the
+commissioners and other officers necessary for properly conducting the
+elections, and will superintend the same.
+
+"They will also receive from the commissioners of elections of the
+different precincts the result of the vote, consolidate the same, and
+forward it to the commanding general.
+
+"Registers and all officers connected with elections will be held to a
+rigid accountability and will be subject to trial by military
+commission for fraud, or unlawful or improper conduct in the
+performance of their duties.  Their rate of compensation and manner of
+payment will be in accordance with the provisions of sections six and
+seven of the supplemental act.
+
+"....Every male citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old and
+upward, of whatever race, color, or previous condition, who has been
+resident in the State of Louisiana for one year and Parish of Orleans
+for three months previous to the date at which he presents himself for
+registration, and who has not been disfranchised by act of Congress or
+for felony at common law, shall, after having taken and subscribed the
+oath prescribed in the first section of the act herein referred to, be
+entitled to be, and shall be, registered as a legal voter in the Parish
+of Orleans and State of Louisiana.
+
+"Pending the decision of the Attorney-General of the United States on
+the question as to who are disfranchised by law, registers will give
+the most rigid interpretation to the law, and exclude from registration
+every person about whose right to vote there may be a doubt.  Any
+person so excluded who may, under the decision of the Attorney-General,
+be entitled to vote, shall be permitted to register after that decision
+is received, due notice of which will be given.
+
+"By command of Major-General P. H. SHERIDAN,
+
+"GEO. L. HARTSUFF,
+"Assistant Adjutant-General."
+
+The parish Boards of Registration were composed of three members each. 
+Ability to take what was known as the "ironclad oath" was the
+qualification exacted of the members, and they were prohibited from
+becoming candidates for office.  In the execution of their duties they
+were to be governed by the provisions of the supplemental act. It was
+also made one of their functions to designate the number and location
+of the polling-places in the several districts, to appoint
+commissioners for receiving the votes and in general to attend to such
+other matters as were necessary, in order properly to conduct the
+voting, and afterward to receive from the commissioners the result of
+the vote and forward it to my headquarters.  These registers, and all
+other officers having to do with elections, were to be held to a rigid
+accountability, and be subject to trial by military commission for
+fraud or unlawful or improper conduct in the performance of their
+duties; and in order to be certain that the Registration Boards
+performed their work faithfully and intelligently, officers of the army
+were appointed as supervisors. To this end the parishes were grouped
+together conveniently in temporary districts, each officer having from
+three to five parishes to supervise.  The programme thus mapped out for
+carrying out the law in Louisiana was likewise adhered to in Texas, and
+indeed was followed as a model in some of the other military districts.
+
+Although Military Commissions were fully authorized by the
+Reconstruction acts, yet I did not favor their use in governing the
+district, and probably would never have convened one had these acts
+been observed in good faith.  I much preferred that the civil courts,
+and the State and municipal authorities already in existence, should
+perform their functions without military control or interference, but
+occasionally, because the civil authorities neglected their duty, I was
+obliged to resort to this means to ensure the punishment Of offenders. 
+At this time the condition of the negroes in Texas and Louisiana was
+lamentable, though, in fact, not worse than that of the few white
+loyalists who had been true to the Union during the war. These last
+were singled out as special objects of attack, and were, therefore,
+obliged at all times to be on the alert for the protection of their
+lives and property.  This was the natural outcome of Mr. Johnson's
+defiance of Congress, coupled with the sudden conversion to his cause
+of persons in the North—who but a short time before had been his
+bitterest enemies; for all this had aroused among the disaffected
+element new hopes of power and place, hopes of being at once put in
+political control again, with a resumption of their functions in State
+and National matters without any preliminary authorization by Congress.
+ In fact, it was not only hoped, but expected, that things were
+presently to go on just as if there had been no war.
+
+In the State of Texas there were in 1865 about 200,000 of the colored
+race—roughly, a third of the entire population—while in Louisiana there
+were not less than 350,000, or more than one-half of all the people in
+the State.  Until the enactment of the Reconstruction laws these
+negroes were without rights, and though they had been liberated by the
+war, Mr. Johnson's policy now proposed that they should have no
+political status at all, and consequently be at the mercy of a people
+who, recently their masters, now seemed to look upon them as the
+authors of all the misfortunes that had come upon the land. Under these
+circumstances the blacks naturally turned for protection to those who
+had been the means of their liberation, and it would have been little
+less than inhuman to deny them sympathy.  Their freedom had been given
+them, and it was the plain duty of those in authority to make it
+secure, and screen them from the bitter political resentment that beset
+them, and to see that they had a fair chance in the battle of life. 
+Therefore, when outrages and murders grew frequent, and the aid of the
+military power was an absolute necessity for the protection of life, I
+employed it unhesitatingly—the guilty parties being brought to trial
+before military commissions—and for a time, at least, there occurred a
+halt in the march of terrorism inaugurated by the people whom Mr.
+Johnson had deluded.
+
+The first, Military Commission was convened to try the case of John W.
+Walker, charged with shooting a negro in the parish of St. John. The
+proper civil authorities had made no effort to arrest Walker, and even
+connived at his escape, so I had him taken into custody in New Orleans,
+and ordered him tried, the commission finding him guilty, and
+sentencing him to confinement in the penitentiary for six months. This
+shooting was the third occurrence of the kind that had taken place in
+St.  John's parish, a negro being wounded in each case, and it was
+plain that the intention was to institute there a practice of
+intimidation which should be effective to subject the freedmen to the
+will of their late masters, whether in making labor contracts, or in
+case these newly enfranchised negroes should evince a disposition to
+avail themselves of the privilege to vote.
+
+The trial and conviction of Walker, and of one or two others for
+similiar outrages, soon put a stop to every kind of "bull-dozing" in
+the country parishes; but about this time I discovered that many
+members of the police force in New Orleans were covertly intimidating
+the freedmen there, and preventing their appearance at the registration
+offices, using milder methods than had obtained in the country, it is
+true, but none the less effective.
+
+Early in 1866 the Legislature had passed an act which created for the
+police of New Orleans a residence qualification, the object of which
+was to discharge and exclude from the force ex-Union soldiers.  This of
+course would make room for the appointment of ex-Confederates, and
+Mayor Monroe had not been slow in enforcing the provisions of the law. 
+It was, in fact, a result of this enactment that the police was so
+reorganized as to become the willing and efficient tool which it proved
+to be in the riot of 1866; and having still the same personnel, it was
+now in shape to prevent registration by threats, unwarranted arrests,
+and by various other influences, all operating to keep the timid blacks
+away from the registration places.
+
+That the police were taking a hand in this practice of repression, I
+first discovered by the conduct of the assistant to the chief of the
+body, and at once removed the offender, but finding this ineffectual I
+annulled that part of the State law fixing the five years' residence
+restriction, and restored the two years' qualification, thus enabling
+Mayor Heath, who by my appointment had succeeded Monroe, to organize
+the force anew, and take about one-half of its members from ex-Union
+soldiers who when discharged had settled in New Orleans.  This action
+put an end to intimidation in the parish of Orleans; and now were put
+in operation in all sections the processes provided by the supplemental
+Reconstruction law for the summoning of a convention to form a
+Constitution preparatory to the readmission of the State, and I was
+full of hope that there would now be much less difficulty in
+administering the trust imposed by Congress.
+
+During the two years previous great damage had been done the
+agricultural interests of Louisiana by the overflow of the Mississippi,
+the levees being so badly broken as to require extensive repairs, and
+the Legislature of 1866 had appropriated for the purpose $4,000,000, to
+be raised by an issue of bonds.  This money was to be disbursed by a
+Board of Levee Commissioners then in existence, but the term of service
+of these commissioners, and the law creating the board, would expire in
+the spring of 1867.  In order to overcome this difficulty the
+Legislature passed a bill continuing the commissioners in office but as
+the act was passed inside of ten days before the adjournment of the
+Legislature, Governor Wells pocketed the bill, and it failed to become
+a law.  The Governor then appointed a board of his own, without any
+warrant of law whatever.  The old commissioners refused to recognize
+this new board, and of course a conflict of authority ensued, which, it
+was clear, would lead to vicious results if allowed to continue; so, as
+the people of the State had no confidence in either of the boards, I
+decided to end the contention summarily by appointing an entirely new
+commission, which would disburse the money honestly, and further the
+real purpose for which it had been appropriated.  When I took this
+course the legislative board acquiesced, but Governor Wells immediately
+requested the President to revoke my order, which, however, was not
+done, but meanwhile the Secretary of War directed me to suspend all
+proceedings in the matter, and make a report of the facts.  I complied
+in the following telegram:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+"NEW ORLEANS, La., June 3, 1867.
+
+"SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of
+this date in reference to the Levee Commissioners in this State.
+
+"The following were my reasons for abolishing the two former boards,
+although I intended that my order should be sufficiently explanatory:
+
+"Previous to the adjournment of the Legislature last winter it passed
+an act continuing the old Levee board in office, so that the four
+millions of dollars ($4,000,000) in bonds appropriated by the
+Legislature might be disbursed by a board of rebellious antecedents.
+
+"After its adjournment the Governor of the State appointed a board of
+his own, in violation of this act, and made the acknowledgment to me in
+person that his object was to disburse the money in the interest of his
+own party by securing for it the vote of the employees at the time of
+election.
+
+"The board continued in office by the Legislature refused to turn over
+to the Governor's board, and each side appealed to me to sustain it,
+which I would not do.  The question must then have gone to the courts,
+which, according to the Governor's judgment when he was appealing to me
+to be sustained, would require one year for decision. Meantime the
+State was overflowed, the Levee boards tied up by political chicanery,
+and nothing done to relieve the poor people, now fed by the charity of
+the Government and charitable associations of the North.
+
+"To obviate this trouble, and to secure to the overflowed districts of
+the State the immediate relief which the honest disbursement of the
+four millions ($4,000,000) would give, my order dissolving both boards
+was issued.
+
+
+"I say now, unequivocally, that Governor Wells is a political trickster
+and a dishonest man.  I have seen him myself, when I first came to this
+command, turn out all the Union men who had supported the Government,
+and put in their stead rebel soldiers who had not yet doffed their gray
+uniform.  I have seen him again, during the July riot of 1866, skulk
+away where I could not find him to give him a guard, instead of coming
+out as a manly representative of the State and joining those who were
+preserving the peace.  I have watched him since, and his conduct has
+been as sinuous as the mark left in the dust by the movement of a
+snake.
+
+"I say again that he is dishonest, and that dishonesty is more than
+must be expected of me.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General, U. S. A.
+
+
+"Hon. E. M. STANTON,
+"Secretary of War, Washington, D. C."
+
+The same day that I sent my report to the Secretary of War I removed
+from office Governor Wells himself, being determined to bear no longer
+with the many obstructions he had placed in the way of reorganizing the
+civil affairs of the State.  I was also satisfied that he was unfit to
+retain the place, since he was availing himself of every opportunity to
+work political ends beneficial to himself. In this instance Wells
+protested to me against his removal, and also appealed to the President
+for an opinion of the Attorney-General as to my power in the case; and
+doubtless he would have succeeded in retaining his office, but for the
+fact that the President had been informed by General James B. Steadman
+and others placed to watch me that Wells was wholly unworthy.
+
+
+"NEW ORLEANS, June 19, 1867.
+"ANDREW JOHNSON, President United States,
+"Washington City:
+
+"Lewis D.  Campbell leaves New Orleans for home this evening.  Want of
+respect for Governor Wells personally, alone represses the expression
+of indignation felt by all honest and sensible men at the unwarranted
+usurpation of General Sheridan in removing the civil officers of
+Louisiana.  It is believed here that you will reinstate Wells.  He is a
+bad man, and has no influence.
+
+"I believe Sheridan made the removals to embarrass you, believing the
+feeling at the North would sustain him.  My conviction is that on
+account of the bad character of Wells and Monroe, you ought not to
+reinstate any who have been removed, because you cannot reinstate any
+without reinstating all, but you ought to prohibit the exercise of this
+power in the future.
+
+"Respectfully yours,
+
+"JAMES B. STEADMAN."
+
+I appointed Mr. Thomas J. Durant as Wells's successor, but he
+declining, I then appointed Mr. Benjamin F. Flanders, who, after I had
+sent a staff-officer to forcibly eject Wells in case of necessity, took
+possession of the Governor's office.  Wells having vacated, Governor
+Flanders began immediately the exercise of his duties in sympathy with
+the views of Congress, and I then notified General Grant that I thought
+he need have no further apprehension about the condition of affairs in
+Louisiana, as my appointee was a man of such integrity and ability that
+I already felt relieved of half my labor.  I also stated in the same
+despatch that nothing would answer in Louisiana but a bold and firm
+course, and that in taking such a one I felt that I was strongly
+supported; a statement that was then correct, for up to this period the
+better classes were disposed to accept the Congressional plan of
+reconstruction.
+
+During the controversy over the Levee Commissioners, and the
+correspondence regarding the removal of Governor Wells, registration
+had gone on under the rules laid down for the boards.  The date set for
+closing the books was the 3oth of June, but in the parish of Orleans
+the time was extended till the 15th of July.  This the President
+considered too short a period, and therefore directed the registry
+lists not to be closed before the 1st of August, unless there was some
+good reason to the contrary.  This was plainly designed to keep the
+books open in order that under the Attorney-General's interpretation of
+the Reconstruction laws, published June 20, many persons who had been
+excluded by the registration boards could yet be registered, so I
+decided to close the registration, unless required by the President
+unconditionally, and in specific orders, to extend the time.  My
+motives were manifold, but the main reasons were that as two and a half
+months had been given already, the number of persons who, under the
+law, were qualified for registry was about exhausted; and because of
+the expense I did not feel warranted in keeping up the boards longer,
+as I said, "to suit new issues coming in at the eleventh hour," which
+would but open a "broad macadamized road for perjury and fraud."
+
+When I thus stated what I intended to do, the opinion of the
+Attorney-General had not yet been received.  When it did reach me it
+was merely in the form of a circular signed by Adjutant-General
+Townsend, and had no force of law.  It was not even sent as an order,
+nor was it accompanied by any instructions, or by anything except the
+statement that it was transmitted to the 11 respective military
+commanders for their information, in order that there might be
+uniformity in the execution  of the Reconstruction acts.  To adopt Mr.
+Stanbery's interpretation of the law and reopen registration
+accordingly, would defeat the purpose of Congress, as well as add to my
+perplexities.  Such a course would also require that the officers
+appointed by me for the performance of specified duties, under laws
+which I was empowered to interpret and enforce, should receive their
+guidance and instructions from an unauthorized source, so on
+communicating with General Grant as to how I should act, he directed me
+to enforce my own construction of the military bill until ordered to do
+otherwise.
+
+Therefore the registration continued as I had originally directed, and
+nothing having been definitely settled at Washington in relation to my
+extending the time, on the 10th of July I ordered all the registration
+boards to select, immediately, suitable persons to act as commissioners
+of election, and at the same time specified the number of each set of
+commissioners, designated the polling-places, gave notice that two days
+would be allowed for voting, and followed this with an order
+discontinuing registration the 31st of July, and then another
+appointing the 27th and 28th of September as the time for the election
+of delegates to the State convention.
+
+In accomplishing the registration there had been little opposition from
+the mass of the people, but the press of New Orleans, and the
+office-holders and office-seekers in the State generally, antagonized
+the work bitterly and violently, particularly after the promulgation of
+the opinion of the Attorney-General.  These agitators condemned
+everybody and everything connected with the Congressional plan of
+reconstruction; and the pernicious influence thus exerted was
+manifested in various ways, but most notably in the selection of
+persons to compose the jury lists in the country parishes it also
+tempted certain municipal officers in New Orleans to perform illegal
+acts that would seriously have affected the credit of the city had
+matters not been promptly corrected by the summary removal from office
+of the comptroller and the treasurer, who had already issued a quarter
+of a million dollars in illegal certificates.  On learning of this
+unwarranted and unlawful proceeding, Mayor Heath demanded an
+investigation by the Common Council, but this body, taking its cue from
+the evident intention of the President to render abortive the
+Reconstruction acts, refused the mayor's demand.  Then he tried to have
+the treasurer and comptroller restrained by injunction, but the city
+attorney, under the same inspiration as the council, declined to sue
+out a writ, and the attorney being supported in this course by nearly
+all the other officials, the mayor was left helpless in his endeavors
+to preserve the city's credit.  Under such circumstances he took the
+only step left him—recourse to the military commander; and after
+looking into the matter carefully I decided, in the early part of
+August, to give the mayor officials who would not refuse to make an
+investigation of the illegal issue of certificates, and to this end I
+removed the treasurer, surveyor, comptroller, city attorney, and
+twenty-two of the aldermen; these officials, and all of their
+assistants, having reduced the financial credit of New Orleans to a
+disordered condition, and also having made efforts—and being then
+engaged in such—to hamper the execution of the Reconstruction laws.
+
+This action settled matters in the city, but subsequently I had to
+remove some officials in the parishes—among them a justice of the peace
+and a sheriff in the parish of Rapides; the justice for refusing to
+permit negro witnesses to testify in a certain murder case, and for
+allowing the murderer, who had foully killed a colored man, to walk out
+of his court on bail in the insignificant sum of five hundred dollars;
+and the sheriff, for conniving at the escape from jail of another
+alleged murderer.  Finding, however, even after these removals, that in
+the country districts murderers and other criminals went unpunished,
+provided the offenses were against negroes merely (since the jurors
+were selected exclusively from the whites, and often embraced those
+excluded from the exercise of the election franchise) I, having full
+authority under the Reconstruction laws, directed such a revision of
+the jury lists as would reject from them every man not eligible for
+registration as a voter.  This order was issued August 24, and on its
+promulgation the President relieved me from duty and assigned General
+Hancock as my successor.
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+"NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 24, 1867.
+
+"SPECIAL ORDERS, No.  125.
+
+"The registration of voters of the State of Louisiana, according to the
+law of Congress, being complete, it is hereby ordered that no person
+who is not registered in accordance with said law shall be considered
+as, a duly qualified voter of the State of Louisiana.  All persons duly
+registered as above, and no others, are consequently eligible, under
+the laws of the State of Louisiana, to serve as jurors in any of the
+courts of the State.
+
+"The necessary revision of the jury lists will immediately be made by
+the proper officers.
+
+"All the laws of the State respecting exemptions, etc., from jury duty
+will remain in force.
+
+"By command of Major-General P. H. SHERIDAN.
+
+"GEO. L. HARTNUFF, Asst. Adj't-General."
+
+Pending the arrival of General Hancock, I turned over the command of
+the district September 1 to General Charles Griffin; but he dying of
+yellow fever, General J. A. Mower succeeded him, and retained command
+till November 29, on which date General Hancock assumed control.
+Immediately after Hancock took charge, he revoked my order of August 24
+providing for a revision of the jury lists; and, in short, President
+Johnson's policy now became supreme, till Hancock himself was relieved
+in March, 1868.
+
+My official connection with the reconstruction of Louisiana and Texas
+practically closed with this order concerning the jury lists.  In my
+judgment this had become a necessity, for the disaffected element,
+sustained as it was by the open sympathy of the President, had grown so
+determined in its opposition to the execution of the Reconstruction
+acts that I resolved to remove from place and power all obstacles; for
+the summer's experience had convinced me that in no other way could the
+law be faithfully administered.
+
+The President had long been dissatisfied with my course; indeed, he had
+harbored personal enmity against me ever since he perceived that he
+could not bend me to an acceptance of the false position in which he
+had tried to place me by garbling my report of the riot of 1866. When
+Mr. Johnson decided to remove me, General Grant protested in these
+terms, but to no purpose:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+"WASHINGTON, D. C., August 17, 1867
+
+"SIR: I am in receipt of your order of this date directing the
+assignment of General G. H. Thomas to the command of the Fifth Military
+District, General Sheridan to the Department of the Missouri, and
+General Hancock to the Department of the Cumberland; also your note of
+this date (enclosing these instructions), saying: 'Before you issue
+instructions to carry into effect the enclosed order, I would be
+pleased to hear any suggestions you may deem necessary respecting the
+assignments to which the order refers.'
+
+"I am pleased to avail myself of this invitation to urge—earnestly
+urge—urge in the name of a patriotic people, who have sacrificed
+hundreds of thousands of loyal lives and thousands of millions of
+treasure to preserve the integrity and union of this country—that this
+order be not insisted on.  It is unmistakably the expressed wish of the
+country that General Sheridan should not be removed from his present
+command.
+
+"This is a republic where the will of the people is the law of the
+land.  I beg that their voice may be heard.
+
+"General Sheridan has performed his civil duties faithfully and
+intelligently.  His removal will only be regarded as an effort to
+defeat the laws of Congress.  It will be interpreted by the
+unreconstructed element in the South—those who did all they could to
+break up this Government by arms, and now wish to be the only element
+consulted as to the method of restoring order—as a triumph.  It will
+embolden them to renewed opposition to the will of the loyal masses,
+believing that they have the Executive with them.
+
+"The services of General Thomas in battling for the Union entitle him
+to some consideration.  He has repeatedly entered his protest against
+being assigned to either of the five military districts, and especially
+to being assigned to relieve General Sheridan.
+
+"There are military reasons, pecuniary reasons, and above all,
+patriotic reasons, why this should not be insisted upon.
+
+"I beg to refer to a letter marked 'private,' which I wrote to the
+President when first consulted on the subject of the change in the War
+Department.  It bears upon the subject of this removal, and I had hoped
+would have prevented it.
+
+"I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant,
+
+"U. S. GRANT,
+"General U. S. A., Secretary of War ad interim.
+
+
+"His Excellency A. JOHNSON,
+"President of the United States."
+
+I was ordered to command the Department of the Missouri (General
+Hancock, as already noted, finally becoming my successor in the Fifth
+Military District), and left New Orleans on the 5th of September.  I
+was not loath to go.  The kind of duty I had been performing in
+Louisiana and Texas was very trying under the most favorable
+circumstances, but all the more so in my case, since I had to contend
+against the obstructions which the President placed in the way from
+persistent opposition to the acts of Congress as well as from antipathy
+to me—which obstructions he interposed with all the boldness and
+aggressiveness of his peculiar nature.
+
+On more than one occasion while I was exercising this command, impurity
+of motive was imputed to me, but it has never been truthfully shown
+(nor can it ever be) that political or corrupt influences of any kind
+controlled me in any instance.  I simply tried to carry out, without
+fear or favor, the Reconstruction acts as they came to me.  They were
+intended to disfranchise certain persons, and to enfranchise certain
+others, and, till decided otherwise, were the laws of the land; and it
+was my duty to execute them faithfully, without regard, on the one
+hand, for those upon whom it was thought they bore so heavily, nor, on
+the other, for this or that political party, and certainly without
+deference to those persons sent to Louisiana to influence my conduct of
+affairs.
+
+Some of these missionaries were high officials, both military and
+civil, and I recall among others a visit made me in 1866 by a
+distinguished friend of the President, Mr. Thomas A. Hendricks.  The
+purpose of his coming was to convey to me assurances of the very high
+esteem in which I was held by the President, and to explain personally
+Mr. Johnson's plan of reconstruction, its flawless constitutionality,
+and so on.  But being on the ground, I had before me the exhibition of
+its practical working, saw the oppression and excesses growing out of
+it, and in the face of these experiences even Mr. Hendricks's
+persuasive eloquence was powerless to convince me of its beneficence. 
+Later General Lovell H. Rousseau came down on a like mission, but was
+no more successful than Mr. Hendricks.
+
+During the whole period that I commanded in Louisiana and Texas my
+position was a most unenviable one.  The service was unusual, and the
+nature of it scarcely to be understood by those not entirely familiar
+with the conditions existing immediately after the war.  In
+administering the affairs of those States, I never acted except by
+authority, and always from conscientious motives.  I tried to guard the
+rights of everybody in accordance with the law.  In this I was
+supported by General Grant and opposed by President Johnson.  The
+former had at heart, above every other consideration, the good of his
+country, and always sustained me with approval and kind suggestions.
+The course pursued by the President was exactly the opposite, and seems
+to prove that in the whole matter of reconstruction he was governed
+less by patriotic motives than by personal ambitions.  Add to this his
+natural obstinacy of character and personal enmity toward me, and no
+surprise should be occasioned when I say that I heartily welcomed the
+order that lifted from me my unsought burden.
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Philip H.
+Sheridan, Vol. II., Part 5, by P. H. Sheridan
+
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+<body>
+
+<h2>MEMOIRS OF GENERAL SHERIDAN, Vol. II., Part 5</h2>
+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan,
+Vol. II., Part 5, by P. H. Sheridan
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan, Vol. II., Part 5
+
+Author: P. H. Sheridan
+
+Release Date: June 7, 2004 [EBook #5858]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GENERAL SHERIDAN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Widger
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+<br><hr>
+<br><br><br><br><br><br>
+
+<center><h1>PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF
+
+<br>P. H. SHERIDAN</h1></center>
+
+
+<br><br>
+
+        <center><h2>Volume II.</h2></center>
+
+<br><br>
+
+<h2>Part 5</h2>
+
+<center><img alt="Cover.jpg (168K)" src="images/Cover.jpg" height="963" width="650">
+</center>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+<center><img alt="Spines.jpg (76K)" src="images/Spines.jpg" height="1425" width="597">
+</center>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><img alt="Frontpiece2.jpg (99K)" src="images/Frontpiece2.jpg" height="927" width="650">
+</center>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+
+<center>
+<table summary="">
+<tr><td>
+
+<a href="#ch6b">CHAPTER VI.</a><br>
+Battle of Dinwiddie Court House&mdash;Pickett Repulsed<br>
+&mdash;Reinforced by the Fifth Corps&mdash;Battle of Five <br>
+Forks&mdash;Turning the Confederate Left&mdash;An Unqualified <br>
+Success&mdash;Relieving General Warren&mdash;The Warren Court <br>
+of Inquiry&mdash;General Sherman's Opinion<br>
+<br>
+<a href="#ch7b">CHAPTER VII.</a><br>
+Result of the Battle of Five Forks&mdash;Retreat of Lee<br>
+&mdash;An Intercepted Despatch&mdash;At Amelia Court House <br>
+&mdash;Battle of Sailor's Creek&mdash;The Confederates' <br>
+Stubborn Resistance&mdash;A Complete Victory<br>
+&mdash;Importance of the Battle<br>
+<br>
+<a href="#ch8b">CHAPTER VIII.</a><br>
+Lincoln's Laconic Despatch&mdash;Capturing Lee's Supplies <br>
+&mdash;Delighted Engineers&mdash;The Confederates' Last <br>
+Effort&mdash;A Flag of Truce&mdash;General Geary's "Last <br>
+Ditch" Absurdity&mdash;Meeting of Grant and Lee<br>
+&mdash;The Surrender&mdash;Estimate of General Grant<br>
+<br>
+<a href="#ch9b">CHAPTER IX.</a><br>
+Ordered to Greensboro', N. C.&mdash;March to the Dan <br>
+River&mdash;Assigned to the Command West of the <br>
+Mississippi&mdash;Leaving Washington&mdash;Flight of General <br>
+Early&mdash;Maximilian&mdash;Making Demonstrations <br>
+on the Upper Rio Grande&mdash;Confederates Join <br>
+Maximilian&mdash;The French Invasion of Mexico, and <br>
+its Relations to the Rebellion&mdash;Assisting the <br>
+Liberals&mdash;Restoration of the Republic<br>
+<br>
+<a href="#ch10b">CHAPTER X.</a><br>
+A. J. Hamilton Appointed Provisional Governor of <br>
+Texas&mdash;Assembles a Constitutional Convention<br>
+&mdash;The Texans Dissatisfied&mdash;Lawlessness&mdash;Oppressive     <br>
+Legislation&mdash;Ex-Confederates&mdash;Controlling <br>
+Louisiana&mdash;A Constitutional Convention&mdash;The <br>
+Meeting Suppressed&mdash;A Bloody Riot&mdash;My Reports <br>
+of the Massacre&mdash;Portions Suppressed by President <br>
+Johnson&mdash;Sustained by a Congressional Committee<br>
+&mdash;The Reconstruction Laws<br>
+<br>
+<a href="#ch11b">CHAPTER XI.</a><br>
+Passage of the Reconstruction Act Over the <br>
+President's Veto&mdash;Placed in Command of the Fifth <br>
+Military District&mdash;Removing Officers&mdash;My Reasons <br>
+for Such Action&mdash;Affairs in Louisiana and Texas<br>
+&mdash;Removal of Governor Wells&mdash;Revision of the jury <br>
+Lists&mdash;Relieved from the Command of the Fifth <br>
+Military District<br>
+
+
+
+</td></tr>
+</table>
+</center>
+
+
+<br>
+<br>
+<br>
+
+
+<center>
+<table summary="">
+<tr><td>
+
+
+
+<h2>ILLUSTRATIONS</h2>
+<br>
+<a href="#belle-grove">Belle-Grove House. General Sheridan's Headquarters at Cedar Creek</a> <br>
+<a href="#genwright">Portrait of General Horatio G. Wright</a> <br>
+
+
+</td></tr>
+</table>
+</center>
+
+<br>
+<br>
+
+
+<center>
+<table summary="">
+<tr><td>
+<h2>LIST OF MAPS</h2>
+<br>
+<a href="#pb154">Battle-field of Dinwiddie Court House</a> <br>
+<a href="#pb164">Battle-field of Five Forks</a> <br>
+<a href="#pb185">Battle-field of Sailor's Creek</a> <br>
+<a href="#pb195">Seventh Expedition&mdash;The Appomattox Campaign</a> <br>
+<a href="#pb207">Eighth Expedition&mdash;To the Dan River and Return</a> <br>
+
+
+</td></tr>
+</table>
+</center>
+
+
+<br><br><br><br><br>
+
+
+<br><br>
+
+        <center><h2>Volume II.</h2></center>
+
+<br><br>
+
+<h2>Part 5</h2>
+
+<br><br>
+<center><h3>By Philip Henry Sheridan</h3></center>
+<br><br>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><h2><a name="ch6b"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2></center>
+<br>
+
+<p>BATTLE OF DINWIDDIE COURT HOUSE&mdash;PICKETT REPULSED&mdash;REINFORCED BY THE
+FIFTH CORPS&mdash;BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS&mdash;TURNING THE CONFEDERATE LEFT&mdash;AN
+UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS&mdash;RELIEVING GENERAL WARREN&mdash;THE WARREN COURT OF
+INQUIRY&mdash;GENERAL SHERMAN'S OPINION.</p>
+
+<p>The night of March 30 Merritt, with Devin's division and Davies's
+brigade, was camped on the Five Forks road about two miles in front
+of Dinwiddie, near J. Boisseau's.  Crook, with Smith and Gregg's
+brigades, continued to cover Stony Creek, and Custer was still back
+at Rowanty Creek, trying to get the trains up.  This force had been
+counted while crossing the creek on the 29th, the three divisions
+numbering 9,000 enlisted men, Crook having 3,300, and Custer and
+Devin 5,700.</p>
+
+<p>During the 30th, the enemy had been concentrating his cavalry, and by
+evening General W. H. F. Lee and General Rosser had joined Fitzhugh
+Lee near Five Forks.  To this force was added, about dark, five
+brigades of infantry&mdash;three from Pickett's division, and two from
+Johnson's&mdash;all under command of Pickett.  The infantry came by the
+White Oak road from the right of General Lee's intrenchments, and
+their arrival became positively known to me about dark, the
+confirmatory intelligence being brought in then by some of Young's
+scouts who had been inside the Confederate lines.</p>
+
+<p>On the 31st, the rain having ceased, directions were given at an
+early hour to both Merritt and Crook to make reconnoissances
+preparatory to securing Five Forks, and about 9 o'clock Merritt
+started for the crossroads, Davies's brigade supporting him.  His
+march was necessarily slow because of the mud, and the enemy's
+pickets resisted with obstinacy also, but the coveted crossroads fell
+to Merritt without much trouble, as the bulk of the enemy was just
+then bent on other things.  At the same hour that Merritt started,
+Crook moved Smith's brigade out northwest from Dinwiddie to
+Fitzgerald's crossing of Chamberlain's Creek, to cover Merritt's
+left, supporting Smith by placing Gregg to his right and rear.  The
+occupation of this ford was timely, for Pickett, now in command of
+both the cavalry and infantry, was already marching to get in
+Merritt's rear by crossing Chamberlain's Creek.</p>
+
+<p>To hold on to Fitzgerald's ford Smith had to make a sharp fight, but
+Mumford's cavalry attacking Devin, the enemy's infantry succeeded in
+getting over Chamberlain's Creek at a point higher up than
+Fitzgerald's ford, and assailing Davies, forced him back in a
+northeasterly direction toward the Dinwiddie and Five Forks road in
+company with Devin.  The retreat of Davies permitted Pickett to pass
+between Crook and Merritt, which he promptly did, effectually
+separating them and cutting off both Davies and Devin from the road
+to Dinwiddie, so that to get to that point they had to retreat across
+the country to B. Boisseau's and then down the Boydton road.</p>
+
+<p>Gibbs's brigade had been in reserve near the intersection of the Five
+Forks and Dabney roads, and directing Merritt to hold on there, I
+ordered Gregg's brigade to be mounted and brought to Merritt's aid,
+for if Pickett continued in pursuit north of the Five Forks road he
+would expose his right and rear, and I determined to attack him, in
+such case, from Gibbs's position.  Gregg arrived in good season, and
+as soon as his men were dismounted on Gibbs's left, Merritt assailed
+fiercely, compelling Pickett to halt and face a new foe, thus
+interrupting an advance that would finally have carried Pickett into
+the rear of Warren's corps.</p>
+
+<p>It was now about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and we were in a critical
+situation, but having ordered Merritt to bring Devin and Davies to
+Dinwiddie by the Boydton road, staff-officers were sent to hurry
+Custer to the same point, for with its several diverging roads the
+Court House was of vital importance, and I determined to stay there
+at all hazards.  At the same time orders were sent to Smith's
+brigade, which, by the advance of Pickett past its right flank and
+the pressure of W. H. F. Lee on its front, had been compelled to give
+up Fitzgerald's crossing, to fall back toward Dinwiddie but to
+contest every inch of ground so as to gain time.</p>
+
+<p>When halted by the attack of Gregg and Gibbs, Pickett, desisting from
+his pursuit of Devin, as already stated, turned his undivided
+attention to this unexpected force, and with his preponderating
+infantry pressed it back on the Five Forks road toward Dinwiddle,
+though our men, fighting dismounted behind barricades at different
+points, displayed such obstinacy as to make Pickett's progress slow,
+and thus give me time to look out a line for defending the Court
+House.  I selected a place about three-fourths of a mile northwest of
+the crossroads, and Custer coming up quickly with Capehart's brigade,
+took position on the left of the road to Five Forks in some open
+ground along the crest of a gentle ridge.  Custer got Capehart into
+place just in time to lend a hand to Smith, who, severely pressed,
+came back on us here from his retreat along Chamberlain's "bed"&mdash;the
+vernacular for a woody swamp such as that through which Smith
+retired.  A little later the brigades of Gregg and Gibbs, falling to
+the rear slowly and steadily, took up in the woods a line which
+covered the Boydton Road some distance to the right of Capehart, the
+intervening gap to be filled with Pennington's brigade.  By this time
+our horse-artillery, which for two days had been stuck in the mud,
+was all up, and every gun was posted in this line.</p>
+
+<p>It was now near sunset, and the enemy's cavalry thinking the day was
+theirs, made a dash at Smith, but just as the assailants appeared in
+the open fields, Capehart's men opened so suddenly on their left
+flank as to cause it to recoil in astonishment, which permitted Smith
+to connect his brigade with Custer unmolested.  We were now in good
+shape behind the familiar barricades, and having a continuous line,
+excepting only the gap to be filled with Pennington, that covered
+Dinwiddie and the Boydton Road.  My left rested in the woods about
+half a mile west of the Court House, and the barricades extended from
+this flank in a semicircle through the open fields in a northeasterly
+direction, to a piece-of thick timber on the right, near the Boydton
+Road.</p>
+
+<p>A little before the sun went down the Confederate infantry was formed
+for the attack, and, fortunately for us, Pennington's brigade came up
+and filled the space to which it was assigned between Capehart and
+Gibbs, just as Pickett moved out across the cleared fields in front
+of Custer, in deep lines that plainly told how greatly we were
+outnumbered.</p>
+
+<p>Accompanied by Generals Merritt and Custer and my staff, I now rode
+along the barricades to encourage the men.  Our enthusiastic
+reception showed that they were determined to stay.  The cavalcade
+drew the enemy's fire, which emptied several of the saddles&mdash;among
+others Mr. Theodore Wilson, correspondent of the New York Herald,
+being wounded.  In reply our horse-artillery opened on the advancing
+Confederates, but the men behind the barricades lay still till
+Pickett's troops were within short range.  Then they opened, Custer's
+repeating rifles pouring out such a shower of lead that nothing could
+stand up against it.  The repulse was very quick, and as the gray
+lines retired to the woods from which but a few minutes before they
+had so confidently advanced, all danger of their taking Dinwiddie or
+marching to the left and rear of our infantry line was over, at least
+for the night.  The enemy being thus checked, I sent a
+staff-officer&mdash;Captain Sheridan&mdash;to General Grant to report what had taken place
+during the afternoon, and to say that I proposed to stay at
+Dinwiddie, but if ultimately compelled to abandon the place, I would
+do so by retiring on the Vaughn road toward Hatcher's Run, for I then
+thought the attack might be renewed next morning.  Devin and Davies
+joined me about dark, and my troops being now well in hand, I sent a
+second staff-officer&mdash;Colonel John Kellogg&mdash;to explain my situation
+more fully, and to assure General Grant that I would hold on at
+Dinwiddie till forced to let go.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><a name="pb154"></a><img alt="pb154.jpg (144K)" src="images/pb154.jpg" height="488" width="650">
+</center>
+<a href="images/pb154.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg">
+</a>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+
+<p>By following me to Dinwiddie the enemy's infantry had completely
+isolated itself, and hence there was now offered the Union troops a
+rare opportunity.  Lee was outside of his works, just as we desired,
+and the general-in-chief realized this the moment he received the
+first report of my situation; General Meade appreciated it too from
+the information he got from Captain Sheridan, en route to army
+headquarters with the first tidings, and sent this telegram to
+General Grant:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
+<br>"March 31, 1865.  9:45 p.m.
+<br>
+<br>"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT:
+<br>
+<br>"Would it not be well for Warren to go down with his whole corps and
+smash up the force in front of Sheridan?  Humphreys can hold the line
+to the Boydton plank-road, and the refusal along with it.  Bartlett's
+brigade is now on the road from G. Boisseau's, running north, where
+it crosses Gravelly Run, he having gone down the White Oak road.
+Warren could go at once that way, and take the force threatening
+Sheridan in rear at Dinwiddie, and move on the enemy's rear with the
+other two.
+<br>
+<br>"G. G. MEADE, Major-General."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>An hour later General Grant replied in these words:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+<br>"DABNEY'S MILLS, March 311, 1865.  10:15 P. M.
+<br>
+<br>"MAJOR-GENERAL MEADE,
+<br>"Commanding Army of the Potomac.
+<br>
+<br>Let Warren move in the way you propose, and urge him not to stop for
+anything.  Let Griffin (Griffin had been ordered by Warren to the
+Boydton road to protect his rear) go on as he was first directed.
+<br>
+<br>"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General."
+</blockquote>
+<p>
+These two despatches were the initiatory steps in sending the Fifth
+Corps, under Major-General G. K. Warren, to report to me, and when I
+received word of its coming and also that Genera Mackenzie's cavalry
+from the Army of the James was likewise to be added to my command,
+and that discretionary authority was given me to use all my forces
+against Pickett, I resolved to destroy him, if it was within the
+bounds of possibility, before he could rejoin Lee.</p>
+
+<p>In a despatch, dated 10:05 p.m., telling me of the coming of Warren
+and Mackenzie, General Grant also said that the Fifth Corps should
+reach me by 12 o'clock that night, but at that hour not only had none
+of the corps arrived, but no report from it, so believing that if it
+came all the way down to Dinwiddie the next morning, our opportunity
+would be gone, I concluded that it would be best to order Warren to
+move in on the enemy's rear while the cavalry attacked in front, and,
+therefore, at 3 o'clock in the morning of April 1 sent this despatch
+to General Warren:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS, DINWIDDIE C. H.,
+<br>"April 1, 1865&mdash;3. A.M.
+<br>
+<br>"MAJOR-GENERAL WARREN,
+"Commanding Fifth Army Corps.
+
+<br>"I am holding in front of Dinwiddie Court House, on the road leading
+to Five Forks, for three-quarters of a mile with General Custer's
+division.  The enemy are in his immediate front, lying so as to cover
+the road just this side of A. Adams's house, which leads across
+Chamberlain's bed, or run.  I understand you have a division at J.[G]
+Boisseau's; if so, you are in rear of the enemy's line and almost on
+his flank.  I will hold on here.  Possibly they may attack Custer at
+daylight; if so, attack instantly and in full force.  Attack at
+daylight anyhow, and I will make an effort to get the road this side
+of Adams's house, and if I do, you can capture the whole of them.
+Any force moving down the road I am holding, or on the White Oak
+road, will be in the enemy's rear, and in all probability get any
+force that may escape you by a flank movement.  Do not fear my
+leaving here.  If the enemy remains, I shall fight at daylight.
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+With daylight came a slight fog, but it lifted almost immediately,
+and Merritt moved Custer and Devin forward.  As these divisions
+advanced the enemy's infantry fell back on the Five Forks road, Devin
+pressing him along the road, while Custer extended on the left over
+toward Chamberlain's Run, Crook being held in watch along Stony
+Creek, meanwhile, to be utilized as circumstances might require when
+Warren attacked.</p>
+
+<p>The order of General Meade to Warren the night of March 31&mdash;a copy
+being sent me also&mdash;was positive in its directions, but as midnight
+came without a sign of or word from the Fifth Corps, notwithstanding
+that was the hour fixed for its arrival, I nevertheless assumed that
+there were good reasons for its non-appearance, but never once
+doubted that measures would be taken to comply with my despatch Of
+3 A. M. and therefore hoped that, as Pickett was falling back slowly
+toward Five Forks, Griffin's and Crawford's divisions would come in
+on the Confederate left and rear by the Crump road near J.[G]
+Boisseau's house.</p>
+
+<p>But they did not reach there till after the enemy had got by.  As a
+matter of fact, when Pickett was passing the all-important point
+Warren's men were just breaking from the bivouac in which their chief
+had placed them the night before, and the head of Griffin's division
+did not get to Boisseau's till after my cavalry, which meanwhile had
+been joined by Ayres's division of the Fifth Corps by way of the
+Boydton and Dabney roads.  By reason of the delay in moving Griffin
+and Crawford, the enemy having escaped, I massed the Fifth Corps at
+J.[G] Boisseau's so that the men could be rested, and directed it to
+remain there; General Warren himself had not then come up.  General
+Mackenzie, who had reported just after daybreak, was ordered at first
+to stay at Dinwiddie Court House, but later was brought along the
+Five Forks road to Dr. Smith's, and Crook's division was directed to
+continue watching the crossings of Stony Creek and Chamberlain's Run.</p>
+
+<p>That we had accomplished nothing but to oblige our foe to retreat was
+to me bitterly disappointing, but still feeling sure that he would
+not give up the Five Forks crossroads without a fight, I pressed him
+back there with Merritt's cavalry, Custer advancing on the Scott
+road, while Devin drove the rearguard along that leading from J.[G]
+Boisseau's to Five Forks.</p>
+
+<p>By 2 o'clock in the afternoon Merritt had forced the enemy inside his
+intrenchments, which began with a short return about three-quarters
+of a mile east of the Forks and ran along the south side of the White
+Oak road to a point about a mile west of the Forks.  From the left of
+the return over toward Hatcher's Run was posted Mumford's cavalry,
+dismounted.  In the return itself was Wallace's brigade, and next on
+its right came Ransom's, then Stewart's, then Terry's, then Corse's.
+On the right of Corse was W. H. F. Lee's division of cavalry.  Ten
+pieces of artillery also were in this line, three on the right of the
+works, three near the centre at the crossroads, and four on the left,
+in the return.  Rosser's cavalry was guarding the Confederate trains
+north of Hatcher's Run beyond the crossing of the Ford road.</p>
+
+<p>I felt certain the enemy would fight at Five Forks&mdash;he had to&mdash;so,
+while we were getting up to his intrenchments, I decided on my plan
+of battle.  This was to attack his whole front with Merritt's two
+cavalry divisions, make a feint of turning his right flank, and with
+the Fifth Corps assail his left.  As the Fifth Corps moved into
+action, its right flank was to be covered by Mackenzie's cavalry,
+thus entirely cutting off Pickett's troops from communication with
+Lee's right flank, which rested near the Butler house at the junction
+of the Claiborne and White Oaks roads.  In execution of this plan,
+Merritt worked his men close in toward the intrenchments, and while
+he was thus engaged, I ordered Warren to bring up the Fifth Corps,
+sending the order by my engineer officer, Captain Gillespie, who had
+reconnoitred the ground in the neighborhood of Gravelly Run Church,
+where the infantry was to form for attack.</p>
+
+<p>Gillespie delivered the order about 1 o'clock, and when the corps was
+put in motion, General Warren joined me at the front.  Before he
+came, I had received, through Colonel Babcock, authority from General
+Grant to relieve him, but I did not wish to do it, particularly on
+the eve of battle; so, saying nothing at all about the message
+brought me, I entered at once on the plan for defeating Pickett,
+telling Warren how the enemy was posted, explaining with considerable
+detail, and concluding by stating that I wished his troops to be
+formed on the Gravelly Church road, near its junction with the White
+Oak road, with two divisions to the front, aligned obliquely to the
+White Oak road, and one in reserve, opposite the centre of these two.</p>
+
+<p>General Warren seemed to understand me clearly, and then left to join
+his command, while I turned my attention to the cavalry, instructing
+Merritt to begin by making demonstrations as though to turn the
+enemy's right, and to assault the front of the works with his
+dismounted cavalry as soon as Warren became engaged.  Afterward I
+rode around to Gravelly Run Church, and found the head of Warren's
+column just appearing, while he was sitting under a tree making a
+rough sketch of the ground.  I was disappointed that more of the
+corps was not already up, and as the precious minutes went by without
+any apparent effort to hurry the troops on to the field, this
+disappointment grew into disgust.  At last I expressed to Warren my
+fears that the cavalry might expend all their ammunition before the
+attack could be made, that the sun would go down before the battle
+could be begun, or that troops from Lee's right, which, be it
+remembered, was less than three miles away from my right, might, by
+striking my rear, or even by threatening it, prevent the attack on
+Pickett.</p>
+
+<p>Warren did not seem to me to be at all solicitous; his manner
+exhibited decided apathy, and he remarked with indifference that
+"Bobby Lee was always getting people into trouble."  With unconcern
+such as this, it is no wonder that fully three hours' time was
+consumed in marching his corps from J.[G]  Boisseau's to Gravelly Run
+Church, though the distance was but two miles.  However, when my
+patience was almost worn out, Warren reported his troops ready,
+Ayres's division being formed on the west side of the Gravelly Church
+road, Crawford's on the east side, and Griffin in reserve behind the
+right of Crawford, a little different from my instructions.  The
+corps had no artillery present, its batteries, on account of the mud,
+being still north of Gravelly Run.  Meanwhile Merritt had been busy
+working his men close up to the intrenchments from the angle of the
+return west, along the White Oak road.</p>
+
+<p>About 4 o'clock Warren began the attack.  He was to assault the left
+flank of the Confederate infantry at a point where I knew Pickett's
+intrenchments were refused, almost at right angles with the White Oak
+road.  I did not know exactly how far toward Hatcher's Run this part
+of the works extended, for here the videttes of Mumford's cavalry
+were covering, but I did know where the refusal began.  This return,
+then, was the point I wished to assail, believing that if the assault
+was made with spirit, the line could be turned.  I therefore intended
+that Ayres and Crawford should attack the refused trenches squarely,
+and when these two divisions and Merritt's cavalry became hotly
+engaged, Griffin's division was to pass around the left of the
+Confederate line; and I personally instructed Griffin how I wished
+him to go in, telling him also that as he advanced, his right flank
+would be taken care of by Mackenzie, who was to be pushed over toward
+the Ford road and Hatcher's Run.</p>
+
+<p>The front of the corps was oblique to the White Oak road; and on
+getting there, it was to swing round to the left till perpendicular
+to the road, keeping closed to the left.  Ayres did his part well,
+and to the letter, bringing his division square up to the front of
+the return near the angle; but Crawford did not wheel to the left, as
+was intended.  On the contrary, on receiving fire from Mumford's
+cavalry, Crawford swerved to the right and moved north from the
+return, thus isolating his division from Ayres; and Griffin,
+uncertain of the enemy's position, naturally followed Crawford.</p>
+
+<p>The deflection of this division on a line of march which finally
+brought it out on the Ford road near C. Young's house, frustrated the
+purpose I had in mind when ordering the attack, and caused a gap
+between Ayres and Crawford, of which the enemy quickly took
+advantage, and succeeded in throwing a part of Ayres's division into
+confusion.  At this juncture I sent word to General Warren to have
+Crawford recalled; for the direction he was following was not only a
+mistaken one, but, in case the assault at the return failed, he ran
+great risk of capture.  Warren could not be found, so I then sent for
+Griffin&mdash;first by Colonel Newhall, and then by Colonel Sherman&mdash;to
+come to the aid of Ayres, who was now contending alone with that part
+of the enemy's infantry at the return.  By this time Griffin had
+observed and appreciated Crawford's mistake, however, and when the
+staff-officers reached him, was already faced to the left; so,
+marching across Crawford's rear, he quickly joined Ayres, who
+meanwhile had rallied his troops and carried the return.</p>
+
+<p>When Ayres's division went over the flank of the enemy's works,
+Devin's division of cavalry, which had been assaulting the front,
+went over in company with it; and hardly halting to reform, the
+intermingling infantry and dismounted cavalry swept down inside the
+intrenchments, pushing to and beyond Five Forks, capturing thousands
+of prisoners.  The only stand the enemy tried to make was when he
+attempted to form near the Ford road.  Griffin pressed him so hard
+there, however, that he had to give way in short order, and many of
+his men, with three pieces of artillery, fell into the hands of
+Crawford while on his circuitous march.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><a name="pb164"></a><img alt="pb164.jpg (151K)" src="images/pb164.jpg" height="491" width="650">
+</center>
+<a href="images/pb164.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg">
+</a>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+<p>The right of Custer's division gained a foothold on the enemy's works
+simultaneously with Devin's, but on the extreme left Custer had a
+very severe combat with W. H. F. Lee's cavalry, as well as with
+Corse's and Terry's infantry.  Attacking Terry and Corse with
+Pennington's brigade dismounted, he assailed Lee's cavalry with his
+other two brigades mounted, but Lee held on so obstinately that
+Custer gained but little ground till our troops, advancing behind the
+works, drove Corse and Terry out.  Then Lee made no further stand
+except at the west side of the Gillian field, where, assisted by
+Corse's brigade, he endeavored to cover the retreat, but just before
+dark Custer, in concert with some Fifth Corps regiments under Colonel
+Richardson, drove ihe last of the enemy westward on the White Oak
+road.</p>
+
+<p>Our success was unqualified; we had overthrown Pickett, taken six
+guns, thirteen battle-flags, and nearly six thousand prisoners.  When
+the battle was practically over, I turned to consider my position
+with reference to the main Confederate army.  My troops, though
+victorious, were isolated from the Army of the Potomac, for on the
+31st of March the extreme left of that army had been thrown back
+nearly to the Boydton plank-road, and hence there was nothing to
+prevent the enemy's issuing from his trenches at the intersection of
+the White Oak and Claiborne roads and marching directly on my rear.
+I surmised that he might do this that night or early next morning.
+It was therefore necessary to protect myself in this critical
+situation, and General Warren having sorely disappointed me, both in
+the moving of his corps and in its management during the battle, I
+felt that he was not the man to rely upon under such circumstances,
+and deeming that it was to the best interest of the service as well
+as but just to myself, I relieved him, ordering him to report to
+General Grant.</p>
+
+<p>I then put Griffin in command of the Fifth Corps, and directed him to
+withdraw from the pursuit as quickly as he could after following the
+enemy a short distance, and form in line of battle near Gravelly Run
+Church, at right angles with the White Oak road, with Ayres and
+Crawford facing toward the enemy at the junction of the White Oak and
+Claiborne roads, leaving Bartlett, now commanding Griffin's division,
+near the Ford road.  Mackenzie also was left on the Ford road at the
+crossing of Hatcher's Run, Merritt going into camp on the Widow
+Gillian's plantation.  As I had been obliged to keep Crook's division
+along Stony Creek throughout the day, it had taken no active part in
+the battle.</p>
+
+<p>Years after the war, in 1879, a Court of Inquiry was given General
+Warren in relation to his conduct on the day of the battle.  He
+assumed that the delay in not granting his request for an inquiry,
+which was first made at the close of the war, was due to opposition
+on my part.  In this he was in error; I never opposed the ordering of
+the Court, but when it was finally decided to convene it I naturally
+asked to be represented by counsel, for the authorization of the
+Inquiry was so peculiarly phrased that it made me practically a
+respondent.</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"NEW YORK CITY, May 3, 1880
+<br>
+<br>"MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. HANCOCK, U. S. A.
+<br>"President Court of Inquiry, Governor's Island.
+<br>
+<br>"Sir: Since my arrival in this city, under a subpoena to appear and
+testify before the Court of which you are president, I have been
+indirectly and unofficially informed that the Court some time ago
+forwarded an invitation to me (which has not been received) to appear
+personally or by counsel, in order to aid it in obtaining a knowledge
+as to the facts concerning the movements terminating in the battle of
+'Five Forks,' with reference to the direct subjects of its inquiry.
+Any invitation of this character I should always and do consider it
+incumbent on me to accede to, and do everything in my power in
+furtherance of the specific purposes for which courts of inquiry are
+by law instituted.
+<br>
+<br>"The order convening the Court (a copy of which was not received by
+me at my division headquarters until two days after the time
+appointed for the Court to assemble) contemplates an inquiry based on
+the application of Lieutenant Colonel G. K. Warren, Corps of
+Engineers, as to his conduct while major-general commanding the Fifth
+Army Corps, under my command, in reference to accusations or
+imputations assumed in the order to have been made against him, and I
+understand through the daily press that my official report of the
+battle of Five Forks has been submitted by him as a basis of inquiry.
+<br>
+<br>"If it is proposed to inquire, either directly or indirectly, as to
+any action of mine so far as the commanding general Fifth Army Corps
+was concerned, or my motives for such action, I desire to be
+specifically informed wherein such action or transaction is alleged
+to contain an accusation or imputation to become a subject of
+inquiry, so that, knowing what issues are raised, I may intelligently
+aid the Court in arriving at the facts.
+<br>
+<br>"It is a long time since the battle of Five Forks was fought, and
+during the time that has elapsed the official reports of that battle
+have been received and acknowledged by the Government; but now, when
+the memory of events has in many instances grown dim, and three of
+the principal actors on that field are dead&mdash;Generals Griffin,
+Custer, and Devin, whose testimony would have been valuable&mdash;an
+investigation is ordered which might perhaps do injustice unless the
+facts pertinent to the issues are fully developed.
+<br>
+<br>"My duties are such that it will not be convenient for me to be
+present continuously during the sessions of the Court.  In order,
+however, that everything may be laid before it in my power pertinent
+to such specific issues as are legally raised, I beg leave to
+introduce Major Asa Bird Gardner as my counsel.
+<br>
+<br>"Very respectfully,
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN, Lieut.-General."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+Briefly stated, in my report of the battle of Five Forks there were
+four imputations concerning General Warren.  The first implied that
+Warren failed to reach me on the 1st of April, when I had reason to
+expect him; the second, that the tactical handling of his corps was
+unskillful; the third, that he did not exert himself to get his corps
+up to Gravelly Run Church; and the fourth, that when portions of his
+line gave way he did not exert himself to restore confidence to his
+troops.  The Court found against him on the first and second counts,
+and for him on the third and fourth.  This finding was unsatisfactory
+to General Warren, for he hoped to obtain such an unequivocal
+recognition of his services as to cast discredit on my motives for
+relieving him.  These were prompted by the conditions alone&mdash;by the
+conduct of General Warren as described, and my consequent lack of
+confidence in him.</p>
+
+<p>It will be remembered that in my conversation with General Grant on
+the 30th, relative to the suspension of operations because of the
+mud, I asked him to let me have the Sixth Corps to help me in
+breaking in on the enemy's right, but that it could not be sent me;
+it will be recalled also that the Fifth Corps was afterward tendered
+and declined.  From these facts it has been alleged that I was
+prejudiced against General Warren, but this is not true.  As we had
+never been thrown much together I knew but little of him.  I had no
+personal objection to him, and certainly could have none to his
+corps.  I was expected to do an extremely dangerous piece of work,
+and knowing the Sixth Corps well&mdash;my cavalry having campaigned with
+it so successfully in the Shenandoah Valley, I naturally preferred
+it, and declined the Fifth for no other reason.  But the Sixth could
+not be given, and the turn of events finally brought me the Fifth
+after my cavalry, under the most trying difficulties, had drawn the
+enemy from his works, and into such a position as to permit the
+realization of General Grant's hope to break up with my force Lee's
+right flank.  Pickett's isolation offered an opportunity which we
+could not afford to neglect, and the destruction of his command would
+fill the measure of General Grant's expectations as well as meet my
+own desires.  The occasion was not an ordinary one, and as I thought
+that Warren had not risen to its demand in the battle, I deemed it
+injudicious and unsafe under the critical conditions existing to
+retain him longer.  That I was justified in this is plain to all who
+are disposed to be fair-minded, so with the following extract from
+General Sherman's review of the proceedings of the Warren Court, and
+with which I am convinced the judgment of history will accord, I
+leave the subject:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"....It would be an unsafe and dangerous rule to hold the commander
+of an army in battle to a technical adherence to any rule of conduct
+for managing his command.  He is responsible for results, and holds
+the lives and reputations of every officer and soldier under his
+orders as subordinate to the great end&mdash;victory.  The most important
+events are usually compressed into an hour, a minute, and he cannot
+stop to analyze his reasons.  He must act on the impulse, the
+conviction, of the instant, and should be sustained in his
+conclusions, if not manifestly unjust.  The power to command men, and
+give vehement impulse to their joint action, is something which
+cannot be defined by words, but it is plain and manifest in battles,
+and whoever commands an army in chief must choose his subordinates by
+reason of qualities which can alone be tested in actual conflict.
+<br>
+<br>"No one has questioned the patriotism, integrity, and great
+intelligence of General Warren.  These are attested by a long record
+of most excellent service, but in the clash of arms at and near Five
+Forks, March 31 and April 1, 1865, his personal activity fell short
+of the standard fixed by General Sheridan, on whom alone rested the
+great responsibility for that and succeeding days.
+<br>
+<br>"My conclusion is that General Sheridan was perfectly justified in
+his action in this case, and he must be fully and entirely sustained
+if the United States expects great victories by her arms in the
+future."
+</blockquote>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><h2><a name="ch7b"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2></center>
+<br>
+
+<p>RESULT OF THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS&mdash;RETREAT OF LEE&mdash;AN INTERCEPTED
+DESPATCH&mdash;AT AMELIA COURT HOUSE&mdash;BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK&mdash;THE
+CONFEDERATES' STUBBORN RESISTANCE&mdash;A COMPLETE VICTORY&mdash;IMPORTANCE OF
+THE BATTLE.</p>
+
+<p>When the news of the battle at Five Forks reached General Grant, he
+realized that the decisive character of our victory would necessitate
+the immediate abandonment of Richmond and Petersburg by the enemy;
+and fearing that Lee would escape without further injury, he issued
+orders, the propriety of which must be settled by history, to assault
+next morning the whole intrenched line.  But Lee could not retreat at
+once.  He had not anticipated, disaster at Five Forks, and hence was
+unprepared to withdraw on the moment; and the necessity of getting
+off his trains and munitions of war, as well as being obliged to
+cover the flight of the Confederate Government, compelled him to hold
+on to Richmond and Petersburg till the afternoon of the 2d, though
+before that Parke, Ord, and Wright had carried his outer
+intrenchments at several points, thus materially shortening the line
+of investment.</p>
+
+<p>The night of the 1st of April, General Humphreys's corps&mdash;the
+Second&mdash;had extended its left toward the White Oak road, and early next
+morning, under instructions from General Grant, Miles's division of
+that corps reported to me, and supporting him with Ayres's and
+Crawford's divisions of the Fifth Corps, I then directed him to
+advance toward Petersburg and attack the enemy's works at the
+intersection of the Claiborne and White Oak roads.</p>
+
+<p>Such of the enemy as were still in the works Miles easily forced
+across Hatcher's Run, in the direction of Sutherland's depot, but the
+Confederates promptly took up a position north of the little stream,
+and Miles being anxious to attack, I gave him leave, but just at this
+time General Humphreys came up with a request to me from General
+Meade to return Miles.  On this request I relinquished command of the
+division, when, supported by the Fifth Corps it could have broken in
+the enemy's right at a vital point; and I have always since regretted
+that I did so, for the message Humphreys conveyed was without
+authority from General Grant, by whom Miles had been sent to me, but
+thinking good feeling a desideratum just then, and wishing to avoid
+wrangles, I faced the Fifth Corps about and marched it down to Five
+Forks, and out the Ford road to the crossing of Hatcher's Run.  After
+we had gone, General Grant, intending this quarter of the field to be
+under my control, ordered Humphreys with his other two divisions to
+move to the right, in toward Petersburg.  This left Miles entirely
+unsupported, and his gallant attack made soon after was unsuccessful
+at first, but about 3 o'clock in the afternoon he carried the point
+which covered the retreat from Petersburg and Richmond.</p>
+
+<p>Merritt had been sent westward, meanwhile, in the direction of Ford's
+Station, to break the enemy's horse which had been collecting to the
+north of Hatcher's Run.  Meeting, with but little opposition, Merritt
+drove this cavalry force in a northerly direction toward Scott's
+Corners, while the Fifth Corps was pushed toward Sutherland's depot,
+in the hope of coming in on the rear of the force that was
+confronting Miles when I left him.  Crawford and Merritt engaged the
+enemy lightly just before night, but his main column, retreating
+along the river road south of the Appomattox, had got across Namozine
+Creek, and the darkness prevented our doing more than to pick up some
+stragglers.  The next morning the pursuit was resumed, the cavalry
+again in advance, the Fifth Corps keeping up with it all the while,
+and as we pressed our adversaries hundreds and hundreds of prisoners,
+armed and unarmed, fell into our hands, together with many wagons and
+five pieces of artillery.  At Deep Creek the rearguard turned on us,
+and a severe skirmish took place.  Merritt, finding the enemy very
+strong, was directed to await the arrival of Crook and for the rear
+division of the Fifth Corps; but by the time they reached the creek,
+darkness had again come to protect the Confederates, and we had to be
+content with meagre results at that point.</p>
+
+<p>From the beginning it was apparent that Lee, in his retreat, was
+making for Amelia Court House, where his columns north and south of
+the Appomattox River could join, and where, no doubt, he expected to
+meet supplies, so Crook was ordered to march early on April 4 to
+strike the Danville railroad, between Jettersville and Burkeville,
+and then move south along the railroad toward Jettersville, Merritt
+to move toward Amelia Court House, and the Fifth Corps to
+Jettersville itself.</p>
+
+<p>The Fifth Corps got to Jettersville about 5 in the afternoon, and I
+immediately intrenched it across the Burkeville road with the
+determination to stay there till the main army could come up, for I
+hoped we could force Lee to surrender at Amelia Court House, since a
+firm hold on Jettersville would cut him off from his line of retreat
+toward Burkeville.</p>
+
+<p>Accompanied only by my escort&mdash;the First United States Cavalry, about
+two hundred strong&mdash;I reached Jettersville some little time before
+the Fifth Corps, and having nothing else at hand I at once deployed
+this handful of men to cover the crossroads till the arrival of the
+corps.  Just as the troopers were deploying, a man on a mule, heading
+for Burkeville, rode into my pickets.  He was arrested, of course,
+and being searched there was found in his boots this telegram in
+duplicate, signed by Lee's Commissary General.</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"The army is at Amelia Court House, short of provisions.  Send
+300,000 rations quickly to Burkeville Junction." One copy was
+addressed to the supply department at Danville, and the other to that
+at Lynchburg.  I surmised that the telegraph lines north of
+Burkeville had been broken by Crook after the despatches were
+written, which would account for their being transmitted by
+messenger.  There was thus revealed not only the important fact that
+Lee was concentrating at Amelia Court House, but also a trustworthy
+basis for estimating his troops, so I sent word to Crook to strike up
+the railroad toward me, and to Merritt&mdash;who, as I have said, had
+followed on the heels of the enemy&mdash;to leave Mackenzie there and
+himself close in on Jettersville.  Staff-officers were also
+despatched to hurry up Griffin with the Fifth Corps, and his tired men
+redoubled their strides.
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>My troops too were hard up for rations, for in the pursuit we could
+not wait for our trains, so I concluded to secure if possible these
+provisions intended for Lee.  To this end I directed Young to send
+four of his best scouts to Burkeville Junction.  There they were to
+separate, two taking the railroad toward Lynchburg and two toward
+Danville, and as soon as a telegraph station was reached the telegram
+was to be transmitted as it had been written and the provisions thus
+hurried forward.</p>
+
+<p>Although the Fifth Corps arrived at Jettersville the evening of April
+4, as did also Crook's and Merritt's cavalry, yet none of the army of
+the Potomac came up till about 3 o'clock the afternoon of the 5th,
+the Second Corps, followed by the Sixth, joining us then.  General
+Meade arrived at Jettersville an hour earlier, but being ill,
+requested me to put his troops in position.  The Fifth Corps being
+already intrenched across the Amelia Court House road facing north, I
+placed the Sixth on its right and the Second on its left as they
+reached the ground.</p>
+
+<p>As the enemy had been feeling us ever since morning&mdash;to learn what he
+was up to I directed Crook to send Davies's brigade on a
+reconnoissance to Paine's crossroads.  Davies soon found out that Lee
+was trying to escape by that flank, for at the crossroads he found
+the Confederate trains and artillery moving rapidly westward.  Having
+driven away the escort, Davies succeeded in burning nearly two
+hundred wagons, and brought off five pieces of artillery.  Among
+these wagons were some belonging to General, Lee's and to General
+Fitzhugh Lee's headquarters.  This work through, Davies withdrew and
+rejoined Crook, who, with Smith and Gregg, was established near Flat
+Creek.</p>
+
+<p>It being plain that Lee would attempt to escape as soon as his trains
+were out of the way, I was most anxious to attack him when the Second
+Corps began to arrive, for I felt certain that unless we did so he
+would succeed in passing by our left flank, and would thus again make
+our pursuit a stern-chase; but General Meade, whose plan of attack
+was to advance his right flank on Amelia Court House, objected to
+assailing before all his troops were up.</p>
+
+<p>I then sent despatches to General Grant, explaining what Davies had
+done, and telling him that the Second Corps was arriving, and that I
+wished he himself was present.  I assured him of my confidence in our
+capturing Lee if we properly exerted ourselves, and informed him,
+finally, that I would put all my cavalry, except Mackenzie, on my
+left, and that, with such a disposition of my forces, I could see no
+escape for Lee.  I also inclosed him this letter, which had just been
+captured:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"AMELIA C. H., April 5, 1865.
+<br>
+<br>"DEAR MAMMA:
+<br>
+<br>"Our army is ruined, I fear.  We are all safe as yet.  Shyron left us
+sick.  John Taylor is well&mdash;saw him yesterday.  We are in line of
+battle this morning.  General Robert Lee is in the field near us.  My
+trust is still in the justice of our cause, and that of God.  General
+Hill is killed.  I saw Murray a few minutes since.  Bernard, Terry
+said, was taken prisoner, but may yet get out.  I send this by a
+negro I see passing up the railroad to Mechlenburg.  Love to all.
+<br>
+<br>"Your devoted son,
+<br>
+<br>"Wm. B. TAYLOR, Colonel."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+General Grant, who on the 5th was accompanying General Ord's column
+toward Burkeville Junction, did not receive this intelligence till
+nearly nightfall, when within about ten miles of the Junction.  He
+set out for Jettersville immediately, but did not reach us till near
+midnight, too late of course to do anything that night.  Taking me
+with him, we went over to see Meade, whom he then directed to advance
+early in the morning on Amelia Court House.  In this interview Grant
+also stated that the orders Meade had already issued would permit
+Lee's escape, and therefore must be changed, for it was not the aim
+only to follow the enemy, but to get ahead of him, remarking during
+the conversation that, "he had no doubt Lee was moving right then."
+On this same occasion Meade expressed a desire to have in the
+proposed attack all the troops of the Army of the Potomac under his
+own command, and asked for the return of the Fifth Corps.  I made no
+objections, and it was ordered to report, to him.</p>
+
+<p>When, on the morning of the 6th, Meade advanced toward Amelia Court
+House, he found, as predicted, that Lee was gone.  It turned out that
+the retreat began the evening of the 5th and continued all night.
+Satisfied that this would be the case, I did not permit the cavalry
+to participate in Meade's useless advance, but shifted it out toward
+the left to the road running from Deatonsville to Rice's station,
+Crook leading and Merritt close up.  Before long the enemy's trains
+were discovered on this road, but Crook could make but little
+impression on them, they were so strongly guarded; so, leaving
+Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery about three miles southwest of
+Deatonsville&mdash;where the road forks, with a branch leading north
+toward the Appomattox&mdash;to harass the retreating column and find a
+vulnerable point, I again shifted the rest of the cavalry toward the
+left, across-country, but still keeping parallel to the enemy's line
+of march.</p>
+
+<p>Just after crossing Sailor's Greek, a favorable opportunity offering,
+both Merritt and Crook attacked vigorously, gained the Rice's Station
+road, destroyed several hundred wagons, made many prisoners, and
+captured sixteen pieces of artillery.  This was important, but more
+valuable still was the fact that we were astride the enemy's line of
+retreat, and had cut off from joining Longstreet, waiting at Rice's
+Station, a corps of Confederate infantry under General Ewell,
+composed of Anderson's, Kershaw's, and Custis Lee's divisions.
+Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery, which, as I have said, had been
+left at the forks of the Deatonsville road, had meanwhile broken in
+between the rear of Ewell's column and the head of Gordon's, forcing
+Gordon to abandon his march for Rice's Station, and to take the
+right-hand road at the forks, on which he was pursued by General
+Humphreys.</p>
+
+<p>The complete isolation of Ewell from Longstreet in his front and
+Gordon in his rear led to the battle of Sailor's Creek, one of the
+severest conflicts of the war, for the enemy fought with desperation
+to escape capture, and we, bent on his destruction, were no less
+eager and determined.  The capture of Ewell, with six of his generals
+and most of his troops, crowned our success, but the fight was so
+overshadowed by the stirring events of the surrender three days
+later, that the battle has never been accorded the prominence it
+deserves.</p>
+
+<p>The small creek from which the field takes its name flows in a
+northwesterly direction across the road leading from Deatonsville to
+Rice's Station.  By shifting to the left, Merritt gained the Rice's
+Station road west of the creek, making havoc of the wagon-trains,
+while Crook struck them further on and planted himself square across
+the road.  This blocked Ewell, who, advancing Anderson to some high
+ground west of the creek, posted him behind barricades, with the
+intention of making a hard fight there, while the main body should
+escape through the woods in a westerly direction to roads that led to
+Farmville.  This was prevented, however, by Crook forming his
+division, two brigades dismounted and one mounted, and at once
+assaulting all along Anderson's front and overlapping his right,
+while Merritt fiercely attacked to the right of Crook.  The enemy
+being thus held, enabled the Sixth Corps&mdash;which in the meantime I had
+sent for&mdash;to come upon the ground, and Ewell, still contending with
+the cavalry, found himself suddenly beset by this new danger from his
+rear.  To, meet it, he placed Kershaw to the right and Custis Lee to
+the left of the Rice's Station road, facing them north toward and
+some little distance from Sailor's Creek, supporting Kershaw with
+Commander Tucker's Marine brigade.  Ewell's skirmishers held the line
+of Sailor's Creek, which runs through a gentle valley, the north
+slope of which was cleared ground.</p>
+
+<p>By General Grant's directions the Sixth Corps had been following my
+route of march since the discovery, about 9 o'clock in the morning,
+that Lee had decamped from Amelia Court House.  Grant had promptly
+informed me of this in a note, saying, "The Sixth Corps will go in
+with a vim any place you may dictate," so when I sent word to Wright
+of the enemy's isolation, and asked him to hurry on with all speed,
+his gallant corps came as fast as legs could carry them, he sending
+to me successively Major McClellan and Colonel Franklin, of his
+staff, to report his approach.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><a name="genwright"></a><img alt="pb273-Wright.jpg (76K)" src="images/pb273-Wright.jpg" height="857" width="575">
+</center>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+<p>I was well advised as to the position of the enemy through
+information brought me by an intelligent young soldier, William A.
+Richardson, Company "A," Second Ohio, who, in one of the cavalry
+charges on Anderson, had cleared the barricades and made his way back
+to my front through Ewell's line.  Richardson had told me just how
+the main body of the enemy was posted, so as Seymour's division
+arrived I directed General Wright to put it on the right of the road,
+while Wheaton's men, coming up all hot and out of breath, promptly
+formed on Seymour's left.  Both divisions thus aligned faced
+southwest toward Sailor's Creek, and the artillery of the corps being
+massed to the left and front of the Hibbon house, without waiting for
+Getty's division&mdash;for I feared that if we delayed longer the enemy
+might effect his escape toward Farmville&mdash;the general attack was
+begun.  Seymour and Wheaton, moving forward together, assailed the
+enemy's front and left, and Stagg's brigade, too, which in the mean
+time had been placed between Wheaton's left and Devin's right, went
+at him along with them, Merritt and Crook resuming the fight from
+their positions in front of Anderson.  The enemy, seeing little
+chance of escape, fought like a tiger at bay, but both Seymour and
+Wheaton pressed him vigorously, gaining ground at all points except
+just to the right of the road, where Seymour's left was checked.
+Here the Confederates burst back on us in a counter-charge, surging
+down almost to the creek, but the artillery, supported by Getty, who
+in the mean time had come on the ground, opened on them so terribly
+that this audacious and furious onset was completely broken, though
+the gallant fellows fell back to their original line doggedly, and
+not until after they had almost gained the creek.  Ewell was now
+hemmed in on every side, and all those under his immediate command
+were captured.  Merritt and Crook had also broken up Anderson by this
+time, but he himself, and about two thousand disorganized men escaped
+by making their way through the woods toward the Appomattox River
+before they could be entirely enveloped.  Night had fallen when the
+fight was entirely over, but Devin was pushed on in pursuit for about
+two miles, part of the Sixth Corps following to clinch a victory
+which not only led to the annihilation of one corps of Lee's
+retreating army, but obliged Longstreet to move up to Farmville, so
+as to take a road north of the Appomattox River toward Lynchburg
+instead of continuing toward Danville.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><a name="pb185"></a><img alt="pb185.jpg (43K)" src="images/pb185.jpg" height="814" width="650">
+</center>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+<p>At the close of the battle I sent one of my staff&mdash;Colonel Redwood
+Price&mdash;to General Grant to report what had been done; that we had
+taken six generals and from nine to ten thousand prisoners.  On his
+way Price stopped at the headquarters of General Meade, where he
+learned that not the slightest intelligence of the occurrence on my
+line had been received, for I not being under Meade's command, he had
+paid no attention to my movements.  Price gave the story of the
+battle, and General Meade, realizing its importance, sent directions
+immediately to General Wright to make his report of the engagement to
+the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, assuming that Wright was
+operating independently of me in the face of Grant's despatch Of
+2 o'clock, which said that Wright was following the cavalry and would
+"go in with a vim" wherever I dictated.  Wright could not do else
+than comply with Meade's orders in the case, and I, being then in
+ignorance of Meade's reasons for the assumption, could say nothing.
+But General Grant plainly intending, and even directing, that the
+corps should be under my command, remedied this phase of the matter,
+when informed of what had taken place, by requiring Wright to send a
+report of the battle through me.  What he then did, and what his
+intentions and orders were, are further confirmed by a reference to
+the episode in his "Memoirs," where he gives his reasons for ordering
+the Sixth Corps to abandon the move on Amelia Court House and pass to
+the left of the army.  On the same page he also says, referring to
+the 6th of April: "The Sixth Corps now remained with the cavalry
+under Sheridan's direct command until after the surrender."  He
+unquestionably intended all of this, but his purpose was partly
+frustrated by General Meade's action next morning in assuming
+direction of the movements of the corps; and before General Grant
+became aware of the actual conditions the surrender was at hand.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><h2><a name="ch8b"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2></center>
+<br>
+
+<p>LINCOLN'S LACONIC DESPATCH&mdash;CAPTURING LEE'S SUPPLIES&mdash;DELIGHTED
+ENGINEERS&mdash;THE CONFEDERATES' LAST EFFORT&mdash;A FLAG OF TRUCE&mdash;GENERAL
+GEARY'S "LAST DITCH" ABSURDITY&mdash;MEETING OF GRANT AND LEE&mdash;THE
+SURRENDER&mdash;ESTIMATE OF GENERAL GRANT.</p>
+
+<p>The first report of the battle of Sailor's Creek that General Grant
+received was, as already stated, an oral message carried by Colonel
+Price, of my staff.  Near midnight I sent a despatch giving the names
+of the generals captured.  These were Ewell, Kershaw, Barton, Corse,
+Dubose, and Custis Lee.  In the same despatch I wrote: <b>"If the thing
+is pressed, I think that Lee will surrender."</b>  When Mr. Lincoln, at
+City Point, received this word from General Grant, who was
+transmitting every item of news to the President, he telegraphed
+Grant the laconic message: <b>"Let the thing be pressed."</b> The morning of
+the 7th we moved out at a very early hour, Crook's division marching
+toward Farmville in direct pursuit, while Merritt and Mackenzie were
+ordered to Prince Edward's Court House to anticipate any effort Lee
+might make to escape through that place toward Danville since it had
+been discovered that Longstreet had slipped away already from the
+front of General Ord's troops at Rice's Station.  Crook overtook the
+main body of the Confederates at Farmville, and promptly attacked
+their trains on the north side of the Appomattox with Gregg's
+brigade, which was fiercely turned upon and forced to re-cross the
+river with the loss of a number of prisoner's, among them Gregg
+himself.  When Crook sent word of this fight, it was clear that Lee
+had abandoned all effort to escape to the southwest by way of
+Danville.  Lynchburg was undoubtedly his objective point now; so,
+resolving to throw my cavalry again across his path, and hold him
+till the infantry could overtake him, I directed everything on
+Appomattox depot, recalling Crook the night of the 7th to Prospect
+Station, while Merritt camped at Buffalo Creek, and Mackenzie made a
+reconnoissance along the Lynchburg railroad.</p>
+
+<p>At break of day, April 8, Merritt and Mackenzie united with Crook at
+Prospect Station, and the cavalry all moved then toward Appomattox
+depot.  Hardly had it started when one of the scouts&mdash;Sergeant
+White&mdash;informed me that there were four trains of cars at the depot loaded
+with supplies for Lee's army; these had been sent from Lynchburg, in
+compliance with the telegram of Lee's commissary-general, which
+message, it will be remembered, was captured and transmitted to
+Lynchburg by two of Young's scouts on the 4th.  Sergeant White, who
+had been on the lookout for the trains ever since sending the
+despatch, found them several miles west of Appomattox depot feeling
+their way along, in ignorance of Lee's exact position.  As he had the
+original despatch with him, and took pains to dwell upon the pitiable
+condition of Lee's army, he had little difficulty in persuading the
+men in charge of the trains to bring them east of Appomattox Station,
+but fearing that the true state of affairs would be learned before
+long, and the trains be returned to Lynchburg, he was painfully
+anxious to have them cut off by breaking the track west of the
+station.</p>
+
+<p>The intelligence as to the trains was immediately despatched to
+Crook, and I pushed on to join him with Merritt's command.  Custer
+having the advance, moved rapidly, and on nearing the station
+detailed two regiments to make a detour southward to strike the
+railroad some distance beyond and break the track.  These regiments
+set off at a gallop, and in short order broke up the railroad enough
+to prevent the escape of the trains, Custer meanwhile taking
+possession of the station, but none too soon, for almost at the
+moment he did so the advance-guard of Lee's army appeared, bent on
+securing the trains.  Without halting to look after the cars further,
+Custer attacked this advance-guard and had a spirited fight, in which
+he drove the Confederates away from the station, captured twenty-five
+pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and a large park of wagons,
+which, in the hope that they would reach Lynchburg next day, were
+being pushed ahead of Lee's main body.</p>
+
+<p>Devin coming up a little before dusk, was put in on the right of
+Custer, and one of Crook's brigades was sent to our left and the
+other two held in reserve.  I then forced the enemy back on the
+Appomattox road to the vicinity of the Court House, and that the
+Confederates might have no rest, gave orders to continue the
+skirmishing throughout the night.  Meanwhile the captured trains had
+been taken charge of by locomotive engineers, soldiers of the
+command, who were delighted evidently to get back at their old
+calling.  They amused themselves by running the trains to and fro,
+creating much confusion, and keeping up such an unearthly screeching
+with the whistles that I was on the point of ordering the cars
+burned.  They finally wearied of their fun, however, and ran the
+trains off to the east toward General Ord's column.</p>
+
+<p>The night of the 8th I made my headquarters at a little frame house
+just south of the station.  I did not sleep at all, nor did anybody
+else, the entire command being up all night long; indeed, there had
+been little rest in the, cavalry for the past eight days.  The
+necessity of getting Ord's column up was so obvious now that
+staff-officer after staff-officer was sent to him and to General Grant
+requesting that the infantry be pushed on, for if it could get to the
+front, all knew that the rebellion would be ended on the morrow.
+Merritt, Crook, Custer, and Devin were present at frequent intervals
+during the night, and everybody was overjoyed at the prospect that
+our weary work was about to end so happily.  Before sun-up General
+Ord arrived, and informed me of the approach of his column, it having
+been marching the whole night.  As he ranked me, of course I could
+give him no orders, so after a hasty consultation as to where his
+troops should be placed we separated, I riding to the front to
+overlook my line near Appomattox Court House, while he went back to
+urge along his weary troops.</p>
+
+<p>The night before General Lee had held a council with his principal
+generals, when it was arranged that in the morning General Gordon
+should undertake to break through my cavalry, and when I neared my
+troops this movement was beginning, a heavy line of infantry bearing
+down on us from the direction of the village.  In front of Crook and
+Mackenzie firing had already begun, so riding to a slight elevation
+where a good view of the Confederates could be had, I there came to
+the conclusion that it would be unwise to offer more resistance than
+that necessary to give Ord time to form, so I directed Merritt to
+fall back, and in retiring to shift Devin and Custer to the right so
+as to make room for Ord, now in the woods to my rear.  Crook, who
+with his own and Mackenzie's divisions was on my extreme left
+covering some by-roads, was ordered to hold his ground as long as
+practicable without sacrificing his men, and, if forced to retire, to
+contest with obstinacy the enemy's advance.</p>
+
+<p>As already stated, I could not direct General Ord's course, he being
+my senior, but hastily galloping back to where he was, at the edge of
+the timber, I explained to him what was taking place at the front.
+Merritt's withdrawal inspired the Confederates, who forthwith began
+to press Crook, their line of battle advancing with confidence till
+it reached the crest whence I had reconnoitred them.  From this
+ground they could see Ord's men emerging from the woods, and the
+hopelessness of a further attack being plain, the gray lines
+instinctively halted, and then began to retire toward a ridge
+immediately fronting Appomattox Court House, while Ord, joined on his
+right by the Fifth Corps, advanced on them over the ground that
+Merritt had abandoned.</p>
+
+<p>I now directed my steps toward Merritt, who, having mounted his
+troopers, had moved them off to the right, and by the time I reached
+his headquarters flag he was ready for work, so a move on the enemy's
+left was ordered, and every guidon was bent to the front.  As the
+cavalry marched along parallel with the Confederate line, and in
+toward its left, a heavy fire of artillery opened on us, but this
+could not check us at such a time, and we soon reached some high
+ground about half a mile from the Court House, and from here I could
+see in the low valley beyond the village the bivouac undoubtedly of
+Lee's army.  The troops did not seem to be disposed in battle order,
+but on the other side of the bivouac was a line of battle&mdash;a heavy
+rear-guard&mdash;confronting, presumably, General Meade.</p>
+
+<p>I decided to attack at once, and formations were ordered at a trot
+for a charge by Custer's and Devin's divisions down the slope leading
+to the camps.  Custer was soon ready, but Devin's division being in
+rear its formation took longer, since he had to shift further to the
+right; Devin's preparations were, therefore, but partially completed
+when an aide-decamp galloped up to with the word from Custer, "Lee
+has surrendered; do not charge; the white flag is up."  The enemy
+perceiving that Custer was forming for attack, had sent the flag out
+to his front and stopped the charge just in time.  I at once sent
+word of the truce to General Ord, and hearing nothing more from
+Custer himself, I supposed that he had gone down to the Court House
+to join a mounted group of Confederates that I could see near there,
+so I, too, went toward them, galloping down a narrow ridge, staff and
+orderlies following; but we had not got half way to the Court House
+when, from a skirt of timber to our right, not more than three
+hundred yards distant, a musketry fire was opened on us.  This halted
+us, when, waving my hat, I called out to the firing party that we
+were under a truce, and they were violating it.  This did not stop
+them, however, so we hastily took shelter in a ravine so situated as
+to throw a ridge between us and the danger.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><a name="pb195"></a><img alt="pb195.jpg (113K)" src="images/pb195.jpg" height="374" width="650">
+</center>
+<a href="images/pb195.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg">
+</a>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+<p>We traveled in safety down this depression to its mouth, and thence
+by a gentle ascent approached the Court House.  I was in advance,
+followed by a sergeant carrying my battleflag.  When I got within
+about a hundred and fifty yards of the enemy's line, which was
+immediately in front of the Court House, some of the Confederates
+leveled their pieces at us, and I again halted.  Their officers kept
+their men from firing, however, but meanwhile a single-handed contest
+had begun behind me, for on looking back I heard a Confederate
+soldier demanding my battle-flag from the color-bearer, thinking, no
+doubt, that we were coming in as prisoners.  The sergeant had drawn
+his sabre and was about to cut the man down, but at a word from me he
+desisted and carried the flag back to my staff, his assailant quickly
+realizing that the boot was on the other leg.</p>
+
+<p>These incidents determined me to remain where I was till the return
+of a staff-officer whom I had sent over to demand an explanation from
+the group of Confederates for which I had been heading.  He came back
+in a few minutes with apologies for what had occurred, and informed
+me that General Gordon and General Wilcox were the superior officers
+in the group.  As they wished me to join them I rode up with my
+staff, but we had hardly met when in front of Merritt firing began.
+At the sound I turned to General Gordon, who seemed embarrassed by
+the occurrence, and remarked: "General, your men fired on me as I was
+coming over here, and undoubtedly they are treating Merritt and
+Custer the same way.  We might as well let them fight it out."  He
+replied, "There must be some mistake."  I then asked, "Why not send a
+staff-officer and have your people cease firing; they are violating
+the flag." He answered, "I have no staff-officer to send."  Whereupon
+I said that I would let him have one of mine, and calling for
+Lieutenant Vanderbilt Allen, I directed him to carry General Gordon's
+orders to General Geary, commanding a small brigade of South Carolina
+cavalry, to discontinue firing.  Allen dashed off with the message
+and soon delivered it, but was made a prisoner, Geary saying, "I do
+not care for white flags: South Carolinians never surrender...."  By
+this time Merritt's patience being exhausted, he ordered an attack,
+and this in short order put an end to General Geary's "last ditch"
+absurdity, and extricated Allen from his predicament.</p>
+
+<p>When quiet was restored Gordon remarked: "General Lee asks for a
+suspension of hostilities pending the negotiations which he is having
+with General Grant."  I rejoined: "I have been constantly informed of
+the progress of the negotiations, and think it singular that while
+such discussions are going on, General Lee should have continued his
+march and attempted to break through my lines this morning.  I will
+entertain no terms except that General Lee shall surrender to General
+Grant on his arrival here.  If these terms are not accepted we will
+renew hostilities."  Gordon replied: "General Lee's army is
+exhausted.  There is no doubt of his surrender to General Grant."</p>
+
+<p>It was then that General Ord joined us, and after shaking hands all
+around, I related the situation to him, and Gordon went away agreeing
+to meet us again in half an hour.  When the time was up he came back
+accompanied by General Longstreet, who brought with him a despatch,
+the duplicate of one that had been sent General Grant through General
+Meade's lines back on the road over which Lee had been retreating.</p>
+
+<p>General Longstreet renewed the assurances that already had been given
+by Gordon, and I sent Colonel Newhall with the despatch to find
+General Grant and bring him to the front.  When Newhall started,
+everything on our side of the Appomattox Court House was quiet, for
+inevitable surrender was at hand, but Longstreet feared that Meade,
+in ignorance of the new conditions on my front might attack the
+Confederate rearguard.  To prevent this I offered to send Colonel J.
+W. Forsyth through the enemy's lines to let Meade know of my
+agreement, for he too was suspicious that by a renewed correspondence
+Lee was endeavoring to gain time for escape.  My offer being
+accepted, Forsyth set out accompanied by Colonel Fairfax, of
+Longstreet's staff, and had no difficulty in accomplishing his
+mission.</p>
+
+<p>About five or six miles from Appomattox, on the road toward Prospect
+Station near its intersection with the Walker's Church road, my
+adjutant-general, Colonel Newhall, met General Grant, he having
+started from north of the Appomattox River for my front the morning
+of April 9, in consequence of the following despatches which had been
+sent him the night before, after we had captured Appomattox Station
+and established a line intercepting Lee:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS, April 8, 1865&mdash;9:20 P. M.
+<br>
+<br>"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT,
+<br>"Commanding Armies of the U.  S.
+<br>
+<br>"General: I marched early this morning from Buffalo Creek and
+Prospect Station on Appomattox Station, where my scouts had reported
+trains of cars with supplies for Lee's army.  A short time before
+dark General Custer, who had the advance, made a dash at the station,
+capturing four trains of supplies with locomotives.  One of the
+trains was burned and the others were run back toward Farmville for
+security.  Custer then pushed on toward Appomattox Court House,
+driving the enemy&mdash;who kept up a heavy fire of artillery&mdash;charging
+them repeatedly and capturing, as far as reported, twenty-five pieces
+of artillery and a number of prisoners and wagons.  The First Cavalry
+Division supported him on the right.  A reconnoissance sent across
+the Appomattox reports the enemy moving on the Cumberland road to
+Appomattox Station, where they expect to get supplies.  Custer is
+still pushing on.  If General Gibbon and the Fifth Corps can get up
+to-night, we will perhaps finish the job in the morning.  I do not
+think Lee means to surrender until compelled to do so.
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+<br>
+<br><br>
+
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY, April 8, 1865&mdash;9:40 p.m.
+<br>
+<br>"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT.
+<br>"Commanding Armies U. S.
+<br>
+<br>"GENERAL: Since writing the accompanying despatch, General Custer
+reports that his command has captured in all thirty-five pieces of
+artillery, one thousand prisoners&mdash;including one general officer&mdash;and
+from one hundred and fifty to two hundred wagons.
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+In attempting to conduct the lieutenant-general and staff back by a
+short route, Newhall lost his bearings for a time, inclining in
+toward the enemy's lines too far, but regained the proper direction
+without serious loss of time.  General Grant arrived about 1 o'clock
+in the afternoon, Ord and I, dismounted, meeting him at the edge of
+the town, or crossroads, for it was little more.  He remaining
+mounted, spoke first to me, saying simply,</p>
+
+<p>"How are you, Sheridan?"  I assured him with thanks that I was
+"first-rate," when, pointing toward the village, he asked, "Is
+General Lee up there?" and I replied: "There is his army down in that
+valley, and he himself is over in that house (designating McLean's
+house) waiting to surrender to you."  The General then said, "Come,
+let us go over," this last remark being addressed to both Ord and me.
+We two then mounted and joined him, while our staff-officers
+followed, intermingling with those of the general-in-chief as the
+cavalcade took its way to McLean's house near by, and where General
+Lee had arrived some time before, in consequence of a message from
+General Grant consenting to the interview asked for by Lee through
+Meade's front that morning&mdash;the consent having been carried by
+Colonel Babcock.</p>
+
+<p>When I entered McLean's house General Lee was standing, as was also
+his military secretary, Colonel Marshall, his only staff-officer
+present.  General Lee was dressed in a new uniform and wore a
+handsome sword.  His tall, commanding form thus set off contrasted
+strongly with the short figure of General Grant, clothed as he was in
+a soiled suit, without sword or other insignia of his position except
+a pair of dingy shoulder-straps.  After being presented, Ord and I,
+and nearly all of General Grant's staff, withdrew to await the
+agreement as to terms, and in a little while Colonel Babcock came to
+the door and said, "The surrender had been made; you can come in
+again."</p>
+
+<p>When we re-entered General Grant was writing; and General Lee, having
+in his hand two despatches, which I that morning requested might be
+returned, as I had no copies of them, addressed me with the remark:
+"I am sorry.  It is probable that my cavalry at that point of the
+line did not fully understand the agreement." These despatches had
+been sent in the forenoon, after the fighting had been stopped,
+notifying General Lee that some of his cavalry in front of Crook was
+violating the suspension of hostilities by withdrawing.  About
+3 o'clock in the afternoon the terms of surrender were written out
+and accepted, and General Lee left the house, as he departed
+cordially shaking hands with General Grant.  A moment later he
+mounted his chunky gray horse, and lifting his hat as he passed out
+of the yard, rode off toward his army, his arrival there being
+announced to us by cheering, which, as it progressed, varying in
+loudness, told he was riding through the bivouac of the Army of
+Northern Virginia.</p>
+
+<p>The surrender of General Lee practically ended the war of the
+rebellion.  For four years his army had been the main-stay of the
+Confederacy; and the marked ability with which he directed its
+operations is evidenced both by his frequent successes and the length
+of time he kept up the contest.  Indeed, it may be said that till
+General Grant was matched against him, he never met an opponent he
+did not vanquish, for while it is true that defeat was inflicted on
+the Confederates at Antietam and Gettysburg, yet the fruits of these
+victories were not gathered, for after each of these battles Lee was
+left unmolested till he had a chance to recuperate.</p>
+
+<p>The assignment of General Grant to the command of the Union armies in
+the winter of 1863-64 gave presage of success from the start, for his
+eminent abilities had already been proved, and besides, he was a
+tower of strength to the Government, because he had the confidence of
+the people.  They knew that henceforth systematic direction would be
+given to our armies in every section of the vast territory over which
+active operations were being prosecuted, and further, that this
+coherence, this harmony of plan, was the one thing needed to end the
+war, for in the three preceding years there had been illustrated most
+lamentable effects of the absence of system.  From the moment he set
+our armies in motion simultaneously, in the spring of 1864, it could
+be seen that we should be victorious ultimately, for though on
+different lines we were checked now and then, yet we were harassing
+the Confederacy at so many vital points that plainly it must yield to
+our blows.  Against Lee's army, the forefront of the Confederacy,
+Grant pitted himself; and it may be said that the Confederate
+commander was now, for the first time, overmatched, for against all
+his devices&mdash;the products of a mind fertile in defense&mdash;General Grant
+brought to bear not only the wealth of expedient which had hitherto
+distinguished him, but also an imperturbable tenacity, particularly
+in the Wilderness and on the march to the James, without which the
+almost insurmountable obstacles of that campaign could not have been
+overcome.  During it and in the siege of Petersburg he met with many
+disappointments&mdash;on several occasions the shortcomings of generals,
+when at the point of success, leading to wretched failures.  But so
+far as he was concerned, the only apparent effect of these
+discomfitures was to make him all the more determined to discharge
+successfully the stupendous trust committed to his care, and to bring
+into play the manifold resources of his well ordered military mind.
+He guided every subordinate then, and in the last days of the
+rebellion, with a fund of common sense and superiority of intellect,
+which have left an impress so distinct as to exhibit his great
+personality.  When his military history is analyzed after the lapse
+of years, it will show, even more clearly than now, that during these
+as well as in his previous campaigns he was the steadfast Centre
+about and on which everything else turned.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><h2><a name="ch9b"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2></center>
+<br>
+
+<p>ORDERED TO GREENSBORO', N. C.&mdash;MARCH TO THE DAN RIVER&mdash;ASSIGNED TO
+THE COMMAND WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI&mdash;LEAVING WASHINGTON&mdash;FLIGHT OF
+GENERAL EARLY&mdash;MAXIMILIAN&mdash;MAKING DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE UPPER RIO
+GRANDE&mdash;CONFEDERATES JOIN MAXIMILIAN&mdash;THE FRENCH INVASION OF MEXICO
+AND ITS RELATIONS TO THE REBELLION&mdash;ASSISTING THE
+LIBERALS&mdash;RESTORATION OF THE REPUBLIC.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><a name="pb207"></a><img alt="pb207.jpg (121K)" src="images/pb207.jpg" height="389" width="650">
+</center>
+<a href="images/pb207.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg">
+</a>
+<br><br><br><br>
+
+<p>The surrender at Appomattox put a stop to all military operations on
+the part of General Grant's forces, and the morning of April 10 my
+cavalry began its march to Petersburg, the men anticipating that they
+would soon be mustered out and returned to their homes.  At Nottoway
+Court House I heard of the assassination of the President.  The first
+news came to us the night after the dastardly deed, the telegraph
+operator having taken it from the wires while in transmission to
+General Meade.  The despatch ran that Mr. Lincoln had been, shot at
+10 o'clock that morning at Willard's Hotel, but as I could conceive
+of nothing to take the President there I set the story down as a
+canard, and went to bed without giving it further thought.  Next
+morning, however, an official telegram confirmed the fact of the
+assassination, though eliminating the distorted circumstances that
+had been communicated the night before.</p>
+
+<p>When we reached Petersburg my column was halted, and instructions
+given me to march the cavalry and the Sixth Corps to Greensboro',
+North Carolina, for the purpose of aiding General Sherman (the
+surrender of General Johnston having not yet been effected), so I
+made the necessary preparations and moved on the 24th of April,
+arriving at South Boston, on the Dan River, the 28th, the Sixth Corps
+having reached Danville meanwhile.  At South Boston I received a
+despatch from General Halleck, who immediately after Lee's surrender
+had been assigned to command at Richmond, informing me that General
+Johnston had been brought to terms.  The necessity for going farther
+south being thus obviated we retraced our steps to Petersburg, from
+which place I proceeded by steamer to Washington, leaving, the
+cavalry to be marched thither by easy stages.</p>
+
+<p>The day after my arrival in Washington an important order was sent
+me, accompanied by the following letter of instructions, transferring
+me to a new field of operations:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES.
+<br>"Washington, D. C., May 17, 1865.
+<br>
+<br>"GENERAL: Under the orders relieving you from the command of the
+Middle Military Division and assigning you to command west of the
+Mississippi, you will proceed without delay to the West to arrange
+all preliminaries for your new field of duties.
+<br>
+<br>"Your duty is to restore Texas, and that part of Louisiana held by
+the enemy, to the Union in the shortest practicable time, in a way
+most effectual for securing permanent peace.
+<br>
+<br>"To do this, you will be given all the troops that can be spared
+by Major-General Canby, probably twenty-five thousand men of
+all arms; the troops with Major-General J. J. Reynolds, in Arkansas,
+say twelve thousand, Reynolds to command; the Fourth
+Army Corps, now at Nashville, Tennessee, awaiting orders; and
+the Twenty-Fifth Army Corps, now at City Point, Virginia, ready
+to embark.
+<br>
+<br>"I do not wish to trammel you with instructions; I will state,
+however, that if Smith holds out, without even an ostensible
+government to receive orders from or to report to, he and his men are
+not entitled to the considerations due to an acknowledged
+belligerent.  Theirs are the conditions of outlaws, making war
+against the only Government having an existence over the territory
+where war is now being waged.
+<br>
+<br>"You may notify the rebel commander west of the Mississippi&mdash;holding
+intercourse with him in person, or through such officers of the rank
+of major-general as you may select&mdash;that he will be allowed to
+surrender all his forces on the same terms as were accorded to Lee
+and Johnston.  If he accedes, proceed to garrison the Red River as
+high up as Shreveport, the seaboard at Galveston, Malagorda Bay,
+Corpus Christi, and mouth of the Rio Grande.
+<br>
+<br>"Place a strong force on the Rio Grande, holding it at least to a
+point opposite Camargo, and above that if supplies can be procured.
+<br>
+<br>"In case of an active campaign (a hostile one) I think a heavy force
+should be put on the Rio Grande as a first preliminary.  Troops for
+this might be started at once.  The Twenty-Fifth Corps is now
+available, and to it should be added a force of white troops, say
+those now under Major-General Steele.
+<br>
+<br>"To be clear on this last point, I think the Rio Grande should be
+strongly held, whether the forces in Texas surrender or not, and that
+no time should be lost in getting troops there.  If war is to be
+made, they will be in the right place; if Kirby Smith surrenders,
+they will be on the line which is to be strongly garrisoned.
+<br>
+<br>"Should any force be necessary other than those designated, they can
+be had by calling for them on Army Headquarters.
+<br>
+<br>"U. S. GRANT,
+<br>"Lieutenant-General.
+<br><br>
+<br>"To MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN,
+<br>"United States Army."
+</blockquote>
+<p>
+On receipt of these instructions I called at once on General Grant,
+to see if they were to be considered so pressing as to preclude my
+remaining in Washington till after the Grand Review, which was fixed
+for the 23d and 24th of May, for naturally I had a strong desire to
+head my command on that great occasion.  But the General told me that
+it was absolutely necessary to go at once to force the surrender of
+the Confederates under Kirby Smith.  He also told me that the States
+lately in rebellion would be embraced in two or three military
+departments, the commanders of which would control civil affairs
+until Congress took action about restoring them to the Union, since
+that course would not only be economical and simple, but would give
+the Southern people confidence, and encourage them to go to work,
+instead of distracting them with politics.</p>
+
+<p>At this same interview he informed me that there was an additional
+motive in sending me to the new command, a motive not explained by
+the instructions themselves, and went on to say that, as a matter of
+fact, he looked upon the invasion of Mexico by Maximilian as a part
+of the rebellion itself, because of the encouragement that invasion
+had received from the Confederacy, and that our success in putting
+down secession would never be complete till the French and Austrian
+invaders were compelled to quit the territory of our sister republic.
+With regard to this matter, though, he said it would be necessary for
+me to act with great circumspection, since the Secretary of State,
+Mr. Seward, was much opposed to the use of our troops along the
+border in any active way that would be likely to involve us in a war
+with European powers.</p>
+
+<p>Under the circumstances, my disappointment at not being permitted to
+participate in the review had to be submitted to, and I left
+Washington without an opportunity of seeing again in a body the men
+who, while under my command, had gone through so many trials and
+unremittingly pursued and, assailed the enemy, from the beginning of
+the campaign of 1864 till the white flag came into their hands at
+Appomattox Court House.</p>
+
+<p>I went first to St. Louis, and there took the steamboat for New
+Orleans, and when near the mouth of the Red River received word from
+General Canby that Kirby Smith had surrendered under terms similar to
+those accorded Lee and Johnston.  But the surrender was not carried
+out in good faith, particularly by the Texas troops, though this I
+did not learn till some little time afterward when I was informed
+that they had marched off to the interior of the State in several
+organized bodies, carrying with them their camp equipage, arms,
+ammunition, and even some artillery, with the ultimate purpose of
+going to Mexico.  In consequence of this, and also because of the
+desire of the Government to make a strong showing of force in Texas,
+I decided to traverse the State with two columns of cavalry,
+directing one to San Antonio under Merritt, the other to Houston
+under Custer.  Both commands were to start from the Red
+River&mdash;Shreveport and Alexandria&mdash;being the respective initial points&mdash;and
+in organizing the columns, to the mounted force already on the Red
+River were added several regiments of cavalry from the east bank of
+the, Mississippi, and in a singular way one of these fell upon the
+trail of my old antagonist, General Early.  While crossing the river
+somewhere below Vicksburg some of the men noticed a suspicious
+looking party being ferried over in a rowboat, behind which two
+horses were swimming in tow.  Chase was given, and the horses, being
+abandoned by the party, fell into the hands of our troopers, who,
+however, failed to capture or identify the people in the boat.  As
+subsequently ascertained, the men were companions of Early, who was
+already across the Mississippi, hidden in the woods, on his way with
+two or three of these followers to join the Confederates in Texas,
+not having heard of Kirby Smith's surrender.  A week or two later I
+received a letter from Early describing the affair, and the capture
+of the horses, for which he claimed pay, on the ground that they were
+private property, because he had taken them in battle.  The letter
+also said that any further pursuit of Early would be useless, as he
+"expected to be on the deep blue sea" by the time his communication
+reached me.  The unfortunate man was fleeing from imaginary dangers,
+however, for striking his trail was purely accidental, and no effort
+whatever was being made to arrest him personally.  Had this been
+especially desired it might have been accomplished very readily just
+after Lee's surrender, for it was an open secret that Early was then
+not far away, pretty badly disabled with rheumatism.</p>
+
+<p>By the time the two columns were ready to set out for San Antonio and
+Houston, General Frank Herron,&mdash;with one division of the Thirteenth
+Corps, occupied Galveston, and another division under General Fred
+Steele had gone to Brazos Santiago, to hold Brownsville and the line
+of the Rio Grande, the object being to prevent, as far as possible,
+the escaping Confederates from joining Maximilian.  With this purpose
+in view, and not forgetting Grant's conviction that the French
+invasion of Mexico was linked with the rebellion, I asked for an
+increase of force to send troops into Texas in fact, to concentrate
+at available points in the State an army strong enough to move
+against the invaders of Mexico if occasion demanded.  The Fourth and
+Twenty-fifth army corps being ordered to report to me, accordingly, I
+sent the Fourth Corps to Victoria and San Antonio, and the bulk of
+the Twenty-fifth to Brownsville.  Then came the feeding and caring
+for all these troops&mdash;a difficult matter&mdash;for those at Victoria and
+San Antonio had to be provisioned overland from Indianola across the
+"hog-wallow prairie," while the supplies for the forces at
+Brownsville and along the Rio Grande must come by way of Brazos
+Santiago, from which point I was obliged to construct, with the labor
+of the men, a railroad to Clarksville, a distance of about eighteen
+miles.</p>
+
+<p>The latter part of June I repaired to Brownsville myself to impress
+the Imperialists, as much as possible, with the idea that we intended
+hostilities, and took along my chief of scouts&mdash;Major Young&mdash;and four
+of his most trusty men, whom I had had sent from Washington.  From
+Brownsville I despatched all these men to important points in
+northern Mexico, to glean information regarding the movements of the
+Imperial forces, and also to gather intelligence about the
+ex-Confederates who had crossed the Rio Grande.  On information
+furnished by these scouts, I caused General Steele to make
+demonstrations all along the lower Rio Grande, and at the same time
+demanded the return of certain munitions of war that had been turned
+over by ex-Confederates to the Imperial General (Mejia) commanding at
+Matamoras.  These demands, backed up as they were by such a
+formidable show of force created much agitation and demoralization
+among the Imperial troops, and measures looking to the abandonment of
+northern Mexico were forthwith adopted by those in authority&mdash;a
+policy that would have resulted in the speedy evacuation of the
+entire country by Maximilian, had not our Government weakened;
+contenting itself with a few pieces of the contraband artillery
+varnished over with the Imperial apologies.  A golden opportunity was
+lost, for we had ample excuse for crossing the boundary, but Mr.
+Seward being, as I have already stated, unalterably opposed to any
+act likely to involve us in war, insisted on his course of
+negotiation with Napoleon.</p>
+
+<p>As the summer wore away, Maximilian, under Mr. Seward's policy,
+gained in strength till finally all the accessible sections of Mexico
+were in his possession, and the Republic under President Juarez
+almost succumbed.  Growing impatient at this, in the latter part of
+September I decided to try again what virtue there might be in a
+hostile demonstration, and selected the upper Rio Grande for the
+scene of my attempt.  Merritt's cavalry and the Fourth Corps still
+being at San Antonio, I went to that place and reviewed these troops,
+and having prepared them with some ostentation for a campaign, of
+course it was bruited about that we were going to invade Mexico.
+Then, escorted by a regiment of horse I proceeded hastily to Fort
+Duncan, on the Rio Grande just opposite the Mexican town of Piedras
+Negras.  Here I opened communication with President Juarez, through
+one of his staff, taking care not to do this in the dark, and the
+news, spreading like wildfire, the greatest significance was ascribed
+to my action, it being reported most positively and with many
+specific details that I was only awaiting the arrival of the troops,
+then under marching orders at San Antonio, to cross the Rio Grande in
+behalf of the Liberal cause.</p>
+
+<p>Ample corroboration of the reports then circulated was found in my
+inquiries regarding the quantity of forage we could depend upon
+getting in Mexico, our arrangements for its purchase, and my sending
+a pontoon train to Brownsville, together with which was cited the
+renewed activity of the troops along the lower Rio Grande.  These
+reports and demonstrations resulted in alarming the Imperialists so
+much that they withdrew the French and Austrian soldiers from
+Matamoras, and practically abandoned the whole of northern Mexico as
+far down as Monterey, with the exception of Matamoras, where General
+Mejia continued to hang on with a garrison of renegade Mexicans.</p>
+
+<p>The abandonment of so much territory in northern Mexico encouraged
+General Escobedo and other Liberal leaders to such a degree that they
+collected a considerable army of their followers at Comargo, Mier,
+and other points.  At the same time that unknown quantity, Cortinas,
+suspended his free-booting for the nonce, and stoutly harassing
+Matamoras, succeeded in keeping its Imperial garrison within the
+fortifications.  Thus countenanced and stimulated, and largely
+supplied with arms and ammunition, which we left at convenient places
+on our side of the river to fall into their hands, the Liberals,
+under General Escobedo&mdash;a man of much force of character&mdash;were
+enabled in northern Mexico to place the affairs of the Republic on a
+substantial basis.</p>
+
+<p>But in the midst of what bade fair to cause a final withdrawal of the
+foreigners, we were again checked by our Government, as a result of
+representations of the French Minister at Washington.  In October, he
+wrote to Mr. Seward that the United States troops on the Rio Grande
+were acting "in exact opposition to the repeated assurances Your
+Excellency has given me concerning the desire of the Cabinet at
+Washington to preserve the most strict neutrality in the events now
+taking place in Mexico," and followed this statement with an emphatic
+protest against our course.  Without any investigation whatever by
+our State Department, this letter of the French Minister was
+transmitted to me, accompanied by directions to preserve a strict
+neutrality; so, of course, we were again debarred from anything like
+active sympathy.</p>
+
+<p>After this, it required the patience of Job to abide the slow and
+poky methods of our State Department, and, in truth, it was often
+very difficult to restrain officers and men from crossing the Rio
+Grande with hostile purpose.  Within the knowledge of my troops,
+there had gone on formerly the transfer of organized bodies of
+ex-Confederates to Mexico, in aid of the Imperialists, and at this
+period it was known that there was in preparation an immigration
+scheme having in view the colonizing, at Cordova and one or two other
+places, of all the discontented elements of the defunct
+Confederacy&mdash;Generals Price, Magruder, Maury, and other high personages being
+promoters of the enterprise, which Maximilian took to readily.  He
+saw in it the possibilities of a staunch support to his throne, and
+therefore not only sanctioned the project, but encouraged it with
+large grants of land, inspirited the promoters with titles of
+nobility, and, in addition, instituted a system of peonage, expecting
+that the silver hook thus baited would be largely swallowed by the
+Southern people.</p>
+
+<p>The announcement of the scheme was followed by the appointment of
+commissioners in each of the Southern States to send out emigrants;
+but before any were deluded into starting, I made to General Grant a
+report of what was going on, with the recommendation that measures be
+taken, through our State Department, looking to the suppression of
+the colony; but, as usual, nothing could be effected through that
+channel; so, as an alternative, I published, in April, 1866, by
+authority of General Grant, an order prohibiting the embarkation from
+ports in Louisiana and Texas, for ports in Mexico, of any person
+without a permit from my headquarters.  This dampened the ardor of
+everybody in the Gulf States who had planned to go to Mexico; and
+although the projectors of the Cordova Colonization Scheme&mdash;the name
+by which it was known&mdash;secured a few innocents from other districts,
+yet this set-back led ultimately to failure.</p>
+
+<p>Among the Liberal leaders along the Rio Grande during this period
+there sprang up many factional differences from various causes, some
+personal, others political, and some, I regret to say, from downright
+moral obliquity&mdash;as, for example, those between Cortinas and
+Canales&mdash;who, though generally hostile to the Imperialists, were freebooters
+enough to take a shy at each other frequently, and now and then even
+to join forces against Escobedo, unless we prevented them by coaxing
+or threats.  A general who could unite these several factions was
+therefore greatly needed, and on my return to New Orleans I so
+telegraphed General Grant, and he, thinking General Caravajal (then
+in Washington seeking aid for the Republic) would answer the purpose,
+persuaded him to report to me in New Orleans.  Caravajal promptly
+appeared, but he did not impress me very favorably.  He was old and
+cranky, yet, as he seemed anxious to do his best, I sent him over to
+Brownsville, with credentials, authorizing him to cross into Mexico,
+and followed him myself by the next boat.  When I arrived in
+Brownsville, matters in Matamoras had already reached a crisis.
+General Mejia, feeling keenly the moral support we were giving the
+Liberals, and hard pressed by the harassing attacks of Cortinas and
+Canales, had abandoned the place, and Caravajal, because of his
+credentials from our side, was in command, much to the
+dissatisfaction of both those chiefs whose differences it was
+intended he should reconcile.</p>
+
+<p>The, day after I got to Brownsville I visited Matamoras, and had a
+long interview with Caravajal.  The outcome of this meeting was, on
+my part, a stronger conviction than ever that he was unsuitable, and
+I feared that either Canales or Cortinas would get possession of the
+city.  Caravajal made too many professions of what he would do&mdash;in
+short, bragged too much&mdash;but as there was no help for the situation,
+I made the best of it by trying to smooth down the ruffled feathers
+of Canales and Cortinas.  In my interview with Caravajal I
+recommended Major Young as a confidential man, whom he could rely
+upon as a "go-between" for communicating with our people at
+Brownsville, and whom he could trust to keep him informed of the
+affairs of his own country as well.</p>
+
+<p>A day or two afterward I recrossed the Gulf to New Orleans, and then,
+being called from my headquarters to the interior of Texas, a
+fortnight passed before I heard anything from Brownsville.  In the
+meanwhile Major Young had come to New Orleans, and organized there a
+band of men to act as a body-guard for Caravajal, the old wretch
+having induced him to accept the proposition by representing that it
+had my concurrence.  I at once condemned the whole business, but
+Young, having been furnished with seven thousand dollars to recruit
+the men and buy their arms, had already secured both, and was so
+deeply involved in the transaction, he said, that he could not
+withdraw without dishonor, and with tears in his eyes he besought me
+to help him.  He told me he had entered upon the adventure in the
+firm belief that I would countenance it; that the men and their
+equipment were on his hands; that he must make good his word at all
+hazards; and that while I need not approve, yet I must go far enough
+to consent to the departure of the men, and to loan him the money
+necessary to provision his party and hire a schooner to carry them to
+Brazos.  It was hard in deed to resist the appeals of this man, who
+had served me so long and so well, and the result of his pleading was
+that I gave him permission to sail, and also loaned him the sum asked
+for; but I have never ceased to regret my consent, for misfortune
+fell upon the enterprise almost from its inception.</p>
+
+<p>By the time the party got across the Gulf and over to Brownsville,
+Caravajal had been deposed by Canales, and the latter would not
+accept their services.  This left Young with about fifty men to whom
+he was accountable, and as he had no money to procure them
+subsistence, they were in a bad fix.  The only thing left to do was
+to tender their services to General Escobedo, and with this in view
+the party set out to reach the General's camp, marching up the Rio
+Grande on the American side, intending to cross near Ringgold Bar
+racks.  In advance of them, however, had spread far and wide the
+tidings of who they were, what they proposed to do, and where they
+were going, and before they could cross into Mexico they were
+attacked by a party of ex-Confederates and  renegade Mexican
+rancheros.  Being on American soil, Young forbade his men to return
+the fire, and bent all his efforts to getting them over the river;
+but in this attempt they were broken up, and became completely
+demoralized.  A number of the men were drowned while swimming the
+river, Young himself was shot and killed, a few were captured, and
+those who escaped&mdash;about twenty in all&mdash;finally joined Escobedo, but
+in such a  plight as to be of little use.  With this distressing
+affair came to an end pretty much all open participation of American
+sympathizers with the Liberal cause, but the moral support afforded
+by the presence of our forces continued, and this was frequently
+supplemented with material aid in the shape of munitions of war,
+which we liberally supplied, though constrained to do so by the most
+secret methods.</p>
+
+<p>The term of office of Juarez as President of the Mexican Republic
+expired in December, 1865, but to meet existing exigencies he had
+continued himself in office by proclamation, a course rendered
+necessary by the fact that no elections could be held on account of
+the Imperial occupation of most of the country.  The official who, by
+the Mexican Constitution, is designated for the succession in such an
+emergency, is the President of the Supreme Court, and the person then
+eligible under this provision was General Ortega, but in the interest
+of the Imperialists he had absented himself from Mexico, hence the
+patriotic course of Juarez in continuing himself at the head of
+affairs was a necessity of the situation.  This action of the
+President gave the Imperialists little concern at first, but with the
+revival of the Liberal cause they availed themselves of every means
+to divide its supporters, and Ortega, who had been lying low in the
+United States, now came forward to claim the Presidency.  Though
+ridiculously late for such a step, his first act was to issue a
+manifesto protesting against the assumption of the executive
+authority by Juarez.  The protest had little effect, however, and his
+next proceeding was to come to New Orleans, get into correspondence
+with other disaffected Mexicans, and thus perfect his plans.  When he
+thought his intrigue ripe enough for action, he sailed for Brazos,
+intending to cross the Rio Grande and assert his claims with arms.
+While he was scheming in New Orleans, however, I had learned what he
+was up to, and in advance of his departure had sent instructions to
+have him arrested on American soil.  Colonel Sedgwick, commanding at
+Brownsville, was now temporary master of Matamoras also, by reason of
+having stationed some American troops there for the protection of
+neutral merchants, so when Ortega appeared at Brazos, Sedgwick
+quietly arrested him and held him till the city of Matamoras was
+turned over to General Escobedo, the authorized representative of
+Juarez; then Escobedo took charge, of Ortega, and with ease prevented
+his further machinations.</p>
+
+<p>During the winter and spring of 1866 we continued covertly supplying
+arms and ammunition to the Liberals&mdash;sending as many as 30,000
+muskets from Baton Rouge Arsenal alone&mdash;and by mid-summer Juarez,
+having organized a pretty good sized army, was in possession of the
+whole line of the Rio Grande, and, in fact, of nearly the whole of
+Mexico down to San Louis Potosi.  Then thick and fast came rumors
+pointing to the tottering condition of Maximilian's Empire-first,
+that Orizaba and Vera Cruz were being fortified; then, that the
+French were to be withdrawn; and later came the intelligence that the
+Empress Carlotta had gone home to beg assistance from Napoleon, the
+author of all of her husband's troubles.  But the situation forced
+Napoleon to turn a deaf ear to Carlotta's prayers.  The brokenhearted
+woman besought him on her knees, but his fear of losing an army made
+all pleadings vain.  In fact, as I ascertained by the following
+cablegram which came into my hands, Napoleon's instructions for the
+French evacuation were in Mexico at the very time of this pathetic
+scene between him and Carlotta.  The despatch was in cipher when I
+received it, but was translated by the telegraph operator at my
+headquarters, who long before had mastered the key of the French
+cipher:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"PARIS, January 10, 1867.  FRENCH CONSUL, New Orleans, La.
+<br>
+<br>"To GENERAL CASTELNAU, at Mexico.
+<br>
+<br>"Received your despatch of the 9th December.  Do not compel the
+Emperor to abdicate, but do not delay the departure of the troops;
+bring back all those who will not remain there.  Most of the fleet
+has left.
+<br>
+<br>"NAPOLEON."
+</blockquote>
+<p>
+This meant the immediate withdrawal of the French.  The rest of the
+story&mdash;which has necessarily been but in outline&mdash;is soon told.
+Maximilian, though deserted, determined to hold out to the last, and
+with the aid of disloyal Mexicans stuck to his cause till the spring.
+When taken prisoner at Queretaro, he was tried and executed under
+circumstances that are well known.  From promptings of humanity
+Secretary Seward tried hard to save the Imperial prisoner, but
+without success.  The Secretary's plea for mercy was sent through me
+at New Orleans, and to make speed I hired a steamer to proceed with
+it across the Gulf to Tampico.  The document was carried by Sergeant
+White, one of my scouts, who crossed the country from Tampico, and
+delivered it to Escobedo at Queretaro; but Mr. Seward's
+representations were without avail&mdash;refused probably because little
+mercy had been shown certain Liberal leaders unfortunate enough to
+fall into Maximilian's hands during the prosperous days of his
+Empire.</p>
+
+<p>At the close of our war there was little hope for the Republic of
+Mexico.  Indeed, till our troops were concentrated on the Rio Grande
+there was none.  Our appearance in such force along the border
+permitted the Liberal leaders, refugees from their homes, to
+establish rendezvous whence they could promulgate their plans in
+safety, while the countenance thus given the cause, when hope was
+well-nigh gone, incited the Mexican people to renewed resistance.
+Beginning again with very scant means, for they had lost about all,
+the Liberals saw their cause, under the influence of such significant
+and powerful backing, progress and steadily grow so strong that
+within two years Imperialism had received its death-blow.  I doubt
+very much whether such, results could have been achieved without the
+presence of an American army on the Rio Grande, which, be it
+remembered, was sent there because, in General Grant's words, the
+French invasion of Mexico was so closely related to the rebellion as
+to be essentially a part of it.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><a name="belle-grove"></a><img alt="pb225.jpg (120K)" src="images/pb225.jpg" height="432" width="650">
+<br>Belle-Grove House
+</center>
+<a href="images/pb225.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Full Size" src="images/enlarge.jpg">
+</a>
+
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><h2><a name="ch10b"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2></center>
+<br>
+
+<p>A. J. HAMILTON APPOINTED PROVISIONAL GOVERNOR OF TEXAS&mdash;ASSEMBLES A
+CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION&mdash;THE TEXANS
+DISSATISFIED&mdash;LAWLESSNESS&mdash;OPPRESSIVE LEGISLATION&mdash;EX-CONFEDERATES CONTROLLING
+LOUISIANA&mdash;A CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION&mdash;THE MEETING SUPPRESSED&mdash;A BLOODY RIOT&mdash;MY
+REPORTS OF THE MASSACRE&mdash;PORTIONS SUPPRESSED BY PRESIDENT
+JOHNSON&mdash;SUSTAINED BY A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE&mdash;THE RECONSTRUCTION LAWS.</p>
+
+<p>Although in 1865-66 much of my attention was directed to
+international matters along the Rio Grande, the civil affairs of
+Texas and Louisiana required a certain amount of military supervision
+also in the absence of regularly established civil authority.  At the
+time of Kirby Smith's surrender the National Government had
+formulated no plan with regard to these or the other States lately in
+rebellion, though a provisional Government had been set up in
+Louisiana as early as 1864.  In consequence of this lack of system,
+Governor Pendleton Murray, of Texas, who was elected under
+Confederate rule, continued to discharge the duties of Governor till
+President Johnson, on June 17, in harmony with his amnesty
+proclamation of May 29, 1865, appointed A. J. Hamilton provisional
+Governor.  Hamilton was empowered by the President to call a
+Constitutional convention, the delegates to which were to be elected,
+under certain prescribed qualifications, for the purpose of
+organizing the political affairs of the State, the Governor to be
+guided by instructions similar to those given the provisional
+Governor of North Carolina (W. W. Holden), when appointed in May.</p>
+
+<p>The convening of this body gave rise to much dissatisfaction among
+the people of Texas.  They had assumed that affairs were to go on as
+of old, and that the reintegration of the State was to take place
+under the administration of Governor Murray, who, meanwhile, had
+taken it upon himself, together with the Legislature, to authorize
+the election of delegates to a State Convention, without restriction
+as to who should be entitled to vote.  Thus encouraged, the element
+but lately in armed rebellion was now fully bent on restoring the
+State to the Union without any intervention whatever of the Federal
+Government; but the advent of Hamilton put an end to such illusions,
+since his proclamation promptly disfranchised the element in
+question, whose consequent disappointment and chagrin were so great
+as to render this factor of the community almost uncontrollable.  The
+provisional Governor at once rescinded the edict of Governor Murray,
+prohibited the assembling of his convention, and shortly after
+called, one himself, the delegates to which were to b chosen by
+voters who could take the amnesty-oath.  The proclamation convening
+this assemblage also announced the policy that would be pursued in
+governing the State until its affairs were satisfactorily
+reorganized, defined in brief the course to be followed by the
+Judiciary, and provided for the appointment, by the Governor, of
+county officials to succeed those known to be disloyal.  As this
+action of Hamilton's disfranchised all who could not take the amnesty
+oath, and of course deprived them of the offices, it met at once with
+pronounced and serious opposition, and he quickly realized that he
+had on his hands an arduous task to protect the colored people,
+particularly as in the transition state of society just after the
+close of the war there prevailed much lawlessness, which vented
+itself chiefly on the freedmen.  It was greatly feared that political
+rights were to be given those so recently in servitude, and as it was
+generally believed that such enfranchisement would precipitate a race
+war unless the freedmen were overawed and kept in a state of
+subjection, acts of intimidation were soon reported from all parts of
+the State.</p>
+
+<p>Hamilton, an able, determined, and fearless man, tried hard to curb
+this terrorism, but public opinion being strong against him, he could
+accomplish little without military aid.  As department commander, I
+was required, whenever called upon, to assist his government, and as
+these requisitions for help became necessarily very frequent, the
+result was that shortly after he assumed his duties, detachments of
+troops were stationed in nearly every county of the State.  By such
+disposition of my forces fairly good order was maintained under the
+administration of Hamilton, and all went well till the inauguration
+of J. W. Throckmorton, who, elected Governor in pursuance of an
+authorization granted by the convention which Hamilton had called
+together, assumed the duties of the office August 9, 1866.</p>
+
+<p>One of Governor Throckmorton's first acts was to ask the withdrawal
+or non-interference of the military.  This was not all granted, but
+under his ingenious persuasion President Johnson, on the 13th of
+August, 1866, directed that the new State officials be entrusted with
+the unhampered control of civil affairs, and this was more than
+enough to revive the bulldozing methods that had characterized the
+beginning of Hamilton's administration.  Oppressive legislation in
+the shape of certain apprentice and vagrant laws quickly followed,
+developing a policy of gross injustice toward the colored people on
+the part of the courts, and a reign of lawlessness and disorder
+ensued which, throughout the remote districts of the State at least,
+continued till Congress, by what are known as the Reconstruction
+Acts, took into its own hands the rehabilitation of the seceded
+States.</p>
+
+<p>In the State of Louisiana a provisional government, chosen by the
+loyal element, had been put in operation, as already mentioned, as
+early as 1864.  This was effected under encouragement given by
+President Lincoln, through the medium of a Constitutional convention,
+which met at New Orleans in April, 1864, and adjourned in July.  The
+constitution then agreed upon was submitted to the people, and in
+September, 1864, was ratified by a vote of the few loyal residents of
+the State.</p>
+
+<p>The government provided under this constitution being looked upon as
+provisional merely, was never recognized by Congress, and in 1865 the
+returned Confederates, restored to citizenship by the President's
+amnesty proclamation, soon got control of almost all the State.  The
+Legislature was in their hands, as well as most of the State and
+municipal offices; so, when the President, on the 20th of August,
+1866, by proclamation, extended his previous instructions regarding
+civil affairs in Texas so as to have them apply to all the seceded
+States, there at once began in Louisiana a system of discriminative
+legislation directed against the freedmen, that led to flagrant
+wrongs in the enforcement of labor contracts, and in the remote
+parishes to numbers of outrages and murders.</p>
+
+<p>To remedy this deplorable condition of things, it was proposed, by
+those who had established the government of 1864, to remodel the
+constitution of the State; and they sought to do this by reassembling
+the convention, that body before its adjournment having provided for
+reconvening under certain conditions, in obedience to the call of its
+president.  Therefore, early in the summer of 1866, many members of
+this convention met in conference at New Orleans, and decided that a
+necessity existed for reconvening the delegates, and a proclamation
+was issued accordingly by B. K. Howell, President-pro-tempore.</p>
+
+<p>Mayor John T.  Monroe and the other officials of New Orleans looked
+upon this proposed action as revolutionary, and by the time the
+convention assembled (July 30), such bitterness of feeling prevailed
+that efforts were made by the mayor and city police to suppress the
+meeting.  A bloody riot followed, resulting, in the killing and
+wounding of about a hundred and sixty persons.</p>
+
+<p>I happened to be absent from the city at the time, returning from
+Texas, where I had been called by affairs on the Rio Grande.  On my
+way up from the mouth of the Mississippi I was met on the night of
+July 30 by one of my staff, who reported what had occurred, giving
+the details of the massacre&mdash;no milder term is fitting&mdash;and informing
+me that, to prevent further slaughter, General Baird, the senior
+military officer present, had assumed control of the municipal
+government.  On reaching the city I made an investigation, and that
+night sent the following report of the affair:</p>
+
+
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF,
+<br>"NEW ORLEANS, LA., Aug.  1, 1866.
+<br>
+<br>"GENERAL U. S. GRANT:
+<br>
+<br>"You are doubtless aware of the serious riot which occurred in this
+city on the 30th.  A political body, styling themselves the
+Convention of 1864, met on the 30th, for, as it is alleged, the
+purpose of remodeling the present constitution of the State.  The
+leaders were political agitators and revolutionary men, and the
+action of the convention was liable to produce breaches of the public
+peace.  I had made up my mind to arrest the head men, if the
+proceedings of the convention were calculated to disturb the
+tranquility of the Department; but I had no cause for action until
+they committed the overt act.  In the meantime official duty called
+me to Texas, and the mayor of the city, during my absence suppressed
+the convention by the use of the police force, and in so doing
+attacked the members of the convention, and a party of two hundred
+negroes, with fire-arms, clubs, and knives, in a manner so
+unnecessary and atrocious as to compel me to say that it was murder.
+About forty whites and blacks were thus killed, and about one hundred
+and sixty wounded.  Everything is now quiet, but I deem it best to
+maintain a military supremacy in the city for a few days, until the
+affair is fully investigated.  I believe the sentiment of the general
+community is great regret at this unnecessary cruelty, and that the
+police could have made any arrest they saw fit without sacrificing
+lives.
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+<br>"Major-General Commanding."
+
+
+
+<p>
+On receiving the telegram, General Grant immediately submitted it
+to the President.  Much clamor being made at the North for the
+publication of the despatch, Mr. Johnson pretended to give it to the
+newspapers.  It appeared in the issues of August 4, but with this
+paragraph omitted, viz.:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"I had made up my mind to arrest the head men, if the proceedings of
+the convention were calculated to disturb the tranquility of the
+Department, but I had no cause for action until they committed the
+overt act.  In the mean time official duty called me to Texas, and
+the mayor of the city, during my absence, suppressed the convention
+by the use of the police force, and in so doing attacked the members
+of the convention, and a party of two hundred negroes, with
+fire-arms, clubs, and knives, in a manner so unnecessary and atrocious as
+to compel me to say it was murder."
+</blockquote>
+
+
+<p>Against this garbling of my report&mdash;done by the President's own
+order&mdash;I strongly demurred; and this emphatic protest marks the beginning of
+Mr. Johnson's well-known personal hostility toward me.  In the mean
+time I received (on August 3) the following despatch from General
+Grant approving my course:</p>
+
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+<br>"WAR DEPT., WASHINGTON, D. C., "August 3, 1866&mdash;5 p.m.
+<br>
+<br>"MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN,
+<br>"Commanding Mil. Div. of the Gulf,
+<br>"New Orleans, La.
+<br>
+<br>"Continue to enforce martial law, so far as may be necessary to
+preserve the peace; and do not allow any of the civil authorities to
+act, if you deem such action dangerous to the public safety.  Lose no
+time in investigating and reporting the causes that led to the riot,
+and the facts which occurred.
+<br>
+<br>"U. S. GRANT,
+<br>"Lieutenant-General."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+In obedience to the President's directions, My report of August 1 was
+followed by another, more in detail, which I give in full, since it
+tells the whole story of the riot:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF,
+<br>"NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 6, 1866.
+<br>
+<br>"His EXCELLENCY ANDREW JOHNSON,
+<br>"President United States
+<br>
+<br>"I have the honor to make the following reply to your despatch of
+August 4.  A very large number of colored people marched in
+procession on Friday night, July twenty-seven (27), and were
+addressed from the steps of the City Hall by Dr. Dostie, ex-Governor
+Hahn, and others.  The speech of Dostie was intemperate in language
+and sentiment.  The speeches of the others, so far as I can learn,
+were characterized by moderation.  I have not given you the words of
+Dostie's speech, as the version published was denied; but from what I
+have learned of the man, I believe they were intemperate.
+<br>
+<br>"The convention assembled at twelve (12)M. on the thirtieth (30),
+the timid members absenting themselves because the tone of the
+general public was ominous of trouble.  I think there were about
+twenty-six (26) members present.  In front of the Mechanics
+Institute, where the meeting was held, there were assembled some
+colored men, women, and children, perhaps eighteen (18) or twenty
+(20), and in the Institute a number of colored men, probably one
+hundred and fifty (150).  Among those outside and inside there might
+have been a pistol in the possession of every tenth (10) man.
+<br>
+<br>"About one (1) p. m.  a procession of say from sixty (60) to one
+hundred and thirty (130) colored men marched up Burgundy Street and
+across Canal Street toward the convention, carrying an American flag.
+These men had about one pistol to every ten men, and canes and clubs
+in addition.  While crossing Canal Street a row occurred.  There were
+many spectators on the street, and their manner and tone toward the
+procession unfriendly.  A shot was fired, by whom I am not able to
+state, but believe it to have been by a policeman, or some colored
+man in the procession.  This led to other shots and a rush after the
+procession.  On arrival at the front of the Institute there was some
+throwing of brickbats by both sides.  The police, who had been held
+well in hand, were vigorously marched to the scene of disorder.  The
+procession entered the Institute with the flag, about six (6) or
+eight (8) remaining outside.  A row occurred between a policeman and
+one of these colored men, and a shot was again fired by one of the
+parties, which led to an indiscriminate fire on the building through
+the windows by the policemen.  This had been going on for a short
+time, when a white flag was displayed from the windows of the
+Institute, whereupon the firing ceased, and the police rushed into
+the building.
+<br>
+<br>"From the testimony of wounded men, and others who were inside the
+building, the policemen opened an indiscriminate fire upon the
+audience until they had emptied their revolvers, when they retired,
+and those inside barricaded the doors.  The door was broken in, and
+the firing again commenced, when many of the colored and white people
+either escaped throughout the door or were passed out by the
+policemen inside; but as they came out the policemen who formed the
+circle nearest the building fired upon them, and they were again
+fired upon by the citizens that formed the outer circle.  Many of
+those wounded and taken prisoners, and others who were prisoners and
+not wounded, were fired upon by their captors and by citizens.  The
+wounded were stabbed while lying on the ground, and their heads
+beaten with brickbats.  In the yard of the building, whither some of
+the colored men had escaped and partially secreted themselves, they
+were fired upon and killed or wounded by policemen.  Some were killed
+and wounded several squares from the scene.  Members of the
+convention were wounded by the police while in their hands as
+prisoners, some of them mortally.
+<br>
+<br>"The immediate cause of this terrible affair was the assemblage of
+this Convention; the remote cause was the bitter and antagonistic
+feeling which has been growing in this community since the advent of
+the present Mayor, who, in the organization of his police force,
+selected many desperate men, and some of them known murderers.
+People of clear views were overawed by want of confidence in the
+Mayor, and fear of the thugs, many of which he had selected for his
+police force.  I have frequently been spoken to by prominent citizens
+on this subject, and have heard them express fear, and want of
+confidence in Mayor Monroe.  Ever since the intimation of this last
+convention movement I must condemn the course of several of the city
+papers for supporting, by their articles, the bitter feeling of bad
+men.  As to the merciless manner in which the convention was broken
+up, I feel obliged to confess strong repugnance.
+<br>
+<br>"It is useless to disguise the hostility that exists on the part of a
+great many here toward Northern men, and this unfortunate affair has
+so precipitated matters that there is now a test of what shall be the
+status of Northern men&mdash;whether they can live here without being in
+constant dread or not, whether they can be protected in life and
+property, and have justice in the courts.  If this matter is
+permitted to pass over without a thorough and determined prosecution
+of those engaged in it, we may look out for frequent scenes of the
+same kind, not only here, but in other places.  No steps have as yet
+been taken by the civil authorities to arrest citizens who were
+engaged in this massacre, or policemen who perpetrated such
+cruelties.  The members of the convention have been indicted by the
+grand jury, and many of them arrested and held to bail.  As to
+whether the civil authorities can mete out ample justice to the
+guilty parties on both sides, I must say it is my opinion,
+unequivocally, that they cannot.  Judge Abell, whose course I have
+closely watched for nearly a year, I now consider one of the most
+dangerous men that we have here to the peace and quiet of the city.
+The leading men of the convention&mdash;King, Cutler, Hahn, and
+others&mdash;have been political agitators, and are bad men.  I regret to say that
+the course of Governor Wells has been vacillating, and that during
+the late trouble he has shown very little of the man.
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+<br>"Major-General Commanding."
+</blockquote>
+
+
+<p>
+Subsequently a military commission investigated the subject of the
+riot, taking a great deal of testimony.  The commission substantially
+confirmed the conclusions given in my despatches, and still later
+there was an investigation by a select committee of the House of
+Representatives, of which the Honorables Samuel Shellabarger, of
+Ohio, H. L. Elliot, of Massachusetts, and B. M. Boyer, of
+Pennsylvania, were the members.  The majority report of the committee
+also corroborated, in all essentials, my reports of the distressing
+occurrence.  The committee likewise called attention to a violent
+speech made by Mr. Johnson at St. Louis in September, 1866, charging
+the origin of the riot to Congress, and went on to say of the speech
+that "it was an unwarranted and unjust expression of hostile feeling,
+without pretext or foundation in fact."  A list of the killed and
+wounded was embraced in the committee's report, and among other
+conclusions reached were the following: "That the meeting of July 30
+was a meeting of quiet citizens, who came together without arms and
+with intent peaceably to discuss questions of public concern....
+There has been no occasion during our National history when a riot
+has occurred so destitute of justifiable cause, resulting in a
+massacre so inhuman and fiend-like, as that which took place at New
+Orleans on the 30th of July last.  This riotous attack upon the
+convention, with its terrible results of massacre and murder, was not
+an accident.  It was the determined purpose of the mayor of the city
+of New Orleans to break up this convention by armed force."</p>
+
+<p>The statement is also made, that, "He [the President] knew that
+'rebels' and 'thugs' and disloyal men had controlled the election of
+Mayor Monroe, and that such men composed chiefly his police force."</p>
+
+<p>The committee held that no legal government existed in Louisiana, and
+recommended the temporary establishment of a provisional government
+therein; the report concluding that "in the meantime the safety of
+all Union men within the State demands that such government be formed
+for their protection, for the well being of the nation and the
+permanent peace of the Republic."</p>
+
+<p>The New Orleans riot agitated the whole country, and the official and
+other reports served to intensify and concentrate the opposition to
+President Johnson's policy of reconstruction, a policy resting
+exclusively on and inspired solely by the executive authority&mdash;for it
+was made plain, by his language and his acts, that he was seeking to
+rehabilitate the seceded States under conditions differing not a whit
+from those existing before the rebellion; that is to say, without the
+slightest constitutional provision regarding the status of the
+emancipated slaves, and with no assurances of protection for men who
+had remained loyal in the war.</p>
+
+<p>In December, 1866, Congress took hold of the subject with such vigor
+as to promise relief from all these perplexing disorders, and, after
+much investigation and a great deal of debate, there resulted the
+so-called "Reconstruction Laws," which, for a clear understanding of the
+powers conferred on the military commanders, I deem best to append in
+full:</p>
+
+<p>AN ACT to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel
+States.</p>
+
+<p>WHEREAS, no legal State governments or adequate protection for life
+or property now exist in the rebel States of Virginia, North
+Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana,
+Florida, Texas, and Arkansas; and whereas, it is necessary that peace
+and good order should be enforced in said States until loyal and
+republican State governments can be legally established; therefore,</p>
+
+<p>BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
+United States of America in Congress assembled, That said rebel
+States shall be divided into military districts and made subject to
+the military authority of the United States as hereinafter
+prescribed; and for that purpose Virginia shall constitute the first
+district; North Carolina and South Carolina, the second district;
+Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, the third district; Mississippi and
+Arkansas, the fourth district; and Louisiana and Texas, the fifth
+district.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 2.  And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the
+President to assign to the command of each of said districts an
+officer of the army not below the rank of brigadier-general, and to
+detail a sufficient military force to enable such officer to perform
+his duties and enforce his authority within the district to which he
+is assigned.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of each
+officer assigned as aforesaid to protect all persons in their rights
+of person and property, to suppress insurrection, disorder, and
+violence, and to punish, or cause to be punished, all disturbers of
+the public peace and criminals, and to this end he may allow local
+civil tribunals to take jurisdiction of and to try offenders, or,
+when in his judgment it may be necessary for the trial of offenders,
+he shall have power to organize military commissions or tribunals for
+that purpose, and all interference, under cover of State authority,
+with the exercise of military authority under this act, shall be null
+and void.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That all persons put under
+military arrest by virtue of this act shall be tried without
+unnecessary delay, and no cruel or unjust punishment shall be
+inflicted; and no sentence of any military commission or tribunal
+hereby authorized affecting the life or liberty of any person, shall
+be executed until it is approved by the officer in command of the
+district; and the laws and regulations for the government of the army
+shall not be affected by this act except in so far as they conflict
+with its provisions: Provided, That no sentence of death, under the
+provisions of this act, shall be carried into effect without the
+approval of the President.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That when the people of any one of
+said rebel States shall have formed a constitution of government in
+conformity with the Constitution of the United States in all
+respects, framed by a convention of delegates elected by the male
+citizens of said State twenty-one years old and upward, of whatever
+race, color, or previous condition, who have been resident in said
+State for one year previous to the day of such election, except such
+as may be disfranchised for participation in the rebellion, or for
+felony at common law; and when such constitution shall provide that
+the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all such persons as have
+the qualifications herein stated for electors of delegates; and when
+such constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the persons
+voting on the question of ratification who are qualified as electors
+for delegates, and when such constitution shall have been submitted
+to Congress for examination and approval, and Congress shall have
+approved the same; and when said State, by a vote of its legislature
+elected under said constitution, shall have adopted the amendment to
+the Constitution of the United States proposed by the Thirty-ninth
+Congress, and known as article fourteen; and when said article shall
+have become a part of the Constitution of the United States, said
+State shall be declared entitled to representation in Congress, and
+senators and representatives shall be admitted therefrom on their
+taking the oath prescribed by law; and then and thereafter the
+preceding sections of this act shall be inoperative in said State:
+Provided, That no person excluded from the privilege of holding
+office by said proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United
+States shall be eligible to election as a member of the convention to
+frame a constitution for any of said rebel States, nor shall any such
+person vote for members of such convention.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That until the people of said
+rebel States shall be by law admitted to representation in the
+Congress of the United States, any civil government which may exist
+therein shall be deemed provisional only, and in all respects subject
+to the paramount authority of the United States at any time to
+abolish, modify, control, or supersede the same; and in all elections
+to any office under such provisional governments all persons shall be
+entitled to vote, and none others, who are entitled to vote under the
+fifth section of this act; and no person shall be eligible to any
+office under any such provisional governments who would be
+disqualified from holding office under the provisions of the third
+article of said constitutional amendment.</p>
+
+<p>SCHUYLER COLFAX,
+Speaker of the House of Representatives.</p>
+
+<p>LAFAYETTE S. FOSTER,
+President of the Senate pro tempore.</p>
+
+<p>
+AN ACT supplementary to an act entitled "An act to provide for the
+more efficient government of the rebel States," passed March second,
+eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, and to facilitate restoration.</p>
+
+<p>Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
+United States of America in Congress assembled, That before the first
+day of September, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, the commanding
+general in each district defined by an act entitled "An act to
+provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,"
+passed March second, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, shall cause a
+registration to be made of the male citizens of the United States,
+twenty-one years of age and upwards, resident in each county or
+parish in the State or States included in his district, which
+registration shall include only those persons who are qualified to
+vote for delegates by the act aforesaid, and who shall have taken and
+subscribed the following oath or affirmation: "I,&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;, do
+solemnly swear (or affirm), in the presence of the Almighty God, that
+I am a citizen of the State of &mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;-; that I have resided in said
+State for&mdash;&mdash;- months next preceding this day, and now reside in the
+county of &mdash;&mdash;&mdash;-, or the parish of &mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;, in said State, (as the
+case may be); that I am twenty-one years old; that I have not been
+disfranchised for participation in any rebellion or civil war against
+the United States, nor for felony committed against the laws of any
+State or of the United States; that I have never been a member of any
+State Legislature, nor held any executive or judicial office in any
+State, and afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
+the United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof;
+that I have never taken an oath as a member of Congress of the United
+States, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any
+State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any
+State, to support the constitution of the United States, and
+afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United
+States or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; that I will
+faithfully support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United
+States, and will, to the best of my ability, encourage others so to
+do: so help me God."; which oath or affirmation may be administered
+by any registering officer.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That after the completion of the
+registration hereby provided for in any State, at such time and
+places therein as the commanding general shall appoint and direct, of
+which at least thirty days' public notice shall be given, an election
+shall be held of delegates to a convention for the purpose of
+establishing a constitution and civil government for such State loyal
+to the Union, said convention in each State, except Virginia, to
+consist of the same number of members as the most numerous branch of
+the State Legislature of such State in the year eighteen hundred and
+sixty, to be apportioned among the several districts, counties, or
+parishes of such State by the commanding general, giving each
+representation in the ratio of voters registered as aforesaid as
+nearly as may be.  The convention in Virginia shall consist of the
+same number of members as represented the territory now constituting
+Virginia in the most numerous branch of the Legislature of said State
+in the year eighteen hundred and sixty, to be apportioned as
+aforesaid.</p>
+
+<p>SEC.  3. And be it further enacted, That at said election the
+registered voters of each State shall vote for or against a
+convention to form a constitution therefor under this act.  Those
+voting in favor of such a convention shall have written or printed on
+the ballots by which they vote for delegates, as aforesaid, the words
+"For a convention," and those voting against such a convention shall
+have written or printed on such ballot the words "Against a
+convention." The persons appointed to superintend said election, and
+to make return of the votes given thereat, as herein provided, shall
+count and make return of the votes given for and against a
+convention; and the commanding general to whom the same shall have
+been returned shall ascertain and declare the total vote in each
+State for and against a convention.  If a majority of the votes given
+on that question shall be for a convention, then such convention
+shall be held as hereinafter provided; but if a majority of said
+votes shall, be against a convention, then no such convention shall
+be held under this act: Provided, That such convention shall not be
+held unless a majority of all such registered voters shall have voted
+on the question of holding such convention.</p>
+
+<p>SEC.  4.  And be it further enacted, That the commanding general of
+each district shall appoint as many boards of registration as may be
+necessary, consisting of three loyal officers or persons, to make and
+complete the registration, superintend the election, and make return
+to him of the votes, list of voters, and of the persons elected as
+delegates by a plurality of the votes cast at said election; and upon
+receiving said returns he shall open the same, ascertain the persons
+elected as delegates, according to the returns of the officers who
+conducted said election, and make proclamation thereof; and if a
+majority of the votes given on that question shall be for a
+convention, the commanding general, within sixty days from the date
+of election, shall notify the delegates to assemble in convention, at
+a time and place to be mentioned in the notification, and said
+convention, when organized, shall proceed to frame a constitution and
+civil government according to the provisions of this act, and the act
+to which it is supplementary; and when the same shall have been so
+framed, said constitution shall be submitted by the convention for
+ratification to the persons registered under the provisions of this
+act at an election to be conducted by the officers or persons
+appointed or to be appointed by the commanding general, as
+hereinbefore provided, and to be held after the expiration of thirty
+days from the date of notice thereof, to be given by said convention;
+and the returns thereof shall be made to the commanding general of
+the district.</p>
+
+<p>SEC.  5.  And be it further enacted, That if, according to said
+returns, the constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the
+votes of the registered electors qualified as herein specified, cast
+at said election, at least one-half of all the registered voters
+voting upon the question of such ratification, the president of the
+convention shall transmit a copy of the same, duly certified, to the
+President of the United States, who shall forthwith transmit the same
+to Congress, if then in session, and if not in session, then
+immediately upon its next assembling; and if it shall moreover appear
+to Congress that the election was one at which all the registered and
+qualified electors in the State had an opportunity to vote freely,
+and without restraint, fear, or the influence of fraud, and if the
+Congress shall be satisfied that such constitution meets the approval
+of a majority of all the qualified electors in the State, and if the
+said constitution shall be declared by Congress to be in conformity
+with the provisions of the act to which this is supplementary, and
+the other provisions of said act shall have been complied with, and
+the said constitution shall be approved by Congress, the State shall
+be declared entitled to representation, and senators and
+representatives shall be admitted therefrom as therein provided.</p>
+
+<p>SEC.  6.  And be it further enacted, That all elections in the States
+mentioned in the said "Act to provide for the more efficient
+government of the rebel States" shall, during the operation of said
+act, be by ballot; and all officers making the said registration of
+voters and conducting said elections, shall, before entering upon the
+discharge of their duties, take and subscribe the oath prescribed by
+the act approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two,
+entitled "An act to prescribe an oath of office": Provided, That if
+any person shall knowingly and falsely take and subscribe any oath in
+this act prescribed, such person so offending and being thereof duly
+convicted, shall be subject to the pains, penalties, and disabilities
+which by law are provided for the punishment of the crime of wilful
+and corrupt perjury.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 7. And be if further enacted, That all expenses incurred by the
+several commanding generals, or by virtue of any orders issued, or
+appointments made, by them, under or by virtue of this act, shall be
+paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That the convention for each State
+shall prescribe the fees, salary, and compensation to be paid to all
+delegates and other officers and agents herein authorized or
+necessary to carry into effect the purposes of this act not herein
+otherwise provided for, and shall provide for the levy and collection
+of such taxes on the property in such State as may be necessary to
+pay the same.</p>
+
+<p>SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the word "article," in the
+sixth section of the act to which this is supplementary, shall be
+construed to mean, "section."</p>
+
+<p>SCHUYLER COLFAX,
+Speaker of the House of Representatives.</p>
+
+<p>B. F. WADE,
+President of the Senate pro tempore.</p>
+
+<br><br><br><br>
+<center><h2><a name="ch11b"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2></center>
+<br>
+
+<p>PASSAGE OF THE RECONSTRUCTION ACT OVER THE PRESIDENT'S VETO&mdash;PLACED
+IN COMMAND OF THE FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT&mdash;REMOVING OFFICERS&mdash;MY
+REASONS FOR SUCH ACTION&mdash;AFFAIRS IN LOUISIANA AND TEXAS&mdash;REMOVAL OF
+GOVERNOR WELLS&mdash;REVISION OF THE JURY LISTS&mdash;RELIEVED FROM THE COMMAND
+OF THE FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT.</p>
+
+<p>The first of the Reconstruction laws was passed March 2, 1867, and
+though vetoed by the President, such was the unanimity of loyal
+sentiment and the urgency demanding the measure, that the bill became
+a law over the veto the day the President returned it to Congress.
+March the 11th this law was published in General Orders No. 10, from
+the Headquarters of the Army, the same order assigning certain
+officers to take charge of the five military districts into which the
+States lately in rebellion were subdivided, I being announced as the
+commander of the Fifth Military District, which embraced Louisiana
+and Texas, a territory that had formed the main portion of my command
+since the close of the war.</p>
+
+<p>Between the date of the Act and that of my assignment, the Louisiana
+Legislature, then in special session, had rejected a proposed repeal
+of an Act it had previously passed providing for an election of
+certain municipal officers in New Orleans.  This election was set for
+March 11, but the mayor and the chief of police, together with
+General Mower, commanding the troops in the city, having expressed to
+me personally their fears that the public peace would be disturbed by
+the election, I, in this emergency, though not yet assigned to the
+district, assuming the authority which the Act conferred on district
+commanders, declared that the election should not take place; that no
+polls should be opened on the day fixed; and that the whole matter
+would stand postponed till the district commander should be
+appointed, or special instructions be had.  This, my first official
+act under the Reconstruction laws, was rendered necessary by the
+course of a body of obstructionists, who had already begun to give
+unequivocal indications of their intention to ignore the laws of
+Congress.</p>
+
+<p>A copy of the order embodying the Reconstruction law, together with
+my assignment, having reached me a few days after, I regularly
+assumed control of the Fifth Military District on March 19, by an
+order wherein I declared the State and municipal governments of the
+district to be provisional only, and, under the provisions of the
+sixth section of the Act, subject to be controlled, modified,
+superseded, or abolished.  I also announced that no removals from
+office would be made unless the incumbents failed to carry out the
+provisions of the law or impeded reorganization, or unless willful
+delays should necessitate a change, and added: "Pending the
+reorganization, it is, desirable and intended to create as little
+disturbance in the machinery of the various branches of the
+provisional governments as possible, consistent with the law of
+Congress and its successful execution, but this condition is
+dependent upon the disposition shown by the people, and upon the
+length of time required for reorganization."</p>
+
+<p>Under these limitations Louisiana and Texas retained their former
+designations as military districts, the officers in command
+exercising their military powers as heretofore.  In addition, these
+officers were to carry out in their respective commands all
+provisions of the law except those specially requiring the action of
+the district commander, and in cases of removals from and appointment
+to office.</p>
+
+<p>In the course of legislation the first Reconstruction act, as I have
+heretofore noted, had been vetoed.  On the very day of the veto,
+however, despite the President's adverse action, it passed each House
+of Congress by such an overwhelming majority as not only to give it
+the effect of law, but to prove clearly that the plan of
+reconstruction presented was, beyond question, the policy endorsed by
+the people of the country.  It was, therefore, my determination to
+see to the law's zealous execution in my district, though I felt
+certain that the President would endeavor to embarrass me by every
+means in his power, not only on account of his pronounced personal
+hostility, but also because of his determination not to execute but
+to obstruct the measures enacted by Congress.</p>
+
+<p>Having come to this conclusion, I laid down, as a rule for my
+guidance, the principle of non-interference with the provisional
+State governments, and though many appeals were made to have me
+rescind rulings of the courts, or interpose to forestall some
+presupposed action to be taken by them, my invariable reply was that
+I would not take cognizance of such matters, except in cases of
+absolute necessity.  The same policy was announced also in reference
+to municipal affairs throughout the district, so long as the action
+of the local officers did not conflict with the law.</p>
+
+<p>In a very short time, however, I was obliged to interfere in
+municipal matters in New Orleans, for it had become clearly apparent
+that several of the officials were, both by acts of omission and
+commission, ignoring the law, so on the 27th of March I removed from
+office the Mayor, John T.  Monroe; the Judge of the First District
+Court, E. Abell; and the Attorney-General of the State, Andrew S.
+Herron; at the same time appointing to the respective offices thus
+vacated Edward Heath, W. W. Howe, and B. L. Lynch.  The officials
+thus removed had taken upon themselves from the start to pronounce
+the Reconstruction acts unconstitutional, and to advise such a course
+of obstruction that I found it necessary at an early dav to replace
+them by men in sympathy with the law, in order to make plain my
+determination to have its provisions enforced.  The President at once
+made inquiry, through General Grant, for the cause of the removal,
+and I replied:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+<br>"New Orleans, La., April 19, 1867.
+<br>
+<br>"GENERAL: On the 27th day of March last I removed from office Judge
+E. Abell, of the Criminal Court of New Orleans; Andrew S. Herron,
+Attorney-General of the State of Louisiana; and John T. Monroe, Mayor
+of the City of New Orleans.  These removals were made under the
+powers granted me in what is usually termed the 'military bill,'
+passed March 2, 1867, by the Congress of the United States.
+<br>
+<br>"I did not deem it necessary to give any reason for the removal of
+these men, especially after the investigations made by the military
+board on the massacre Of July 30, 1866, and the report of the
+congressional committee on the same massacre; but as some inquiry has
+been made for the cause of removal, I would respectfully state as
+follows:
+<br>
+<br>"The court over which judge Abell presided is the only criminal court
+in the city of New Orleans, and for a period of at least nine months
+previous to the riot Of July 30 he had been educating a large portion
+of the community to the perpetration of this outrage, by almost
+promising no prosecution in his court against the offenders, in case
+such an event occurred.  The records of his court will show that he
+fulfilled his promise, as not one of the guilty has been prosecuted.
+<br>
+<br>"In reference to Andrew J. Herron, Attorney-General of the State of
+Louisiana, I considered it his duty to indict these men before this
+criminal court.  This he failed to do, but went so far as to attempt
+to impose on the good sense of the whole nation by indicting the
+victims of the riot instead of the rioters; in other words, making
+the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent.  He was therefore, in my
+belief, an able coadjutor with judge Abell in bringing on the
+massacre of July 30.
+<br>
+<br>"Mayor Monroe controlled the element engaged in this riot, and when
+backed by an attorney-general who would not prosecute the guilty, and
+a judge who advised the grand jury to find the innocent guilty and
+let the murderers go free, felt secure in engaging his police force
+in the riot and massacre.
+<br>
+<br>"With these three men exercising a large influence over the worst
+elements of the population of this city, giving to those elements an
+immunity for riot and bloodshed, the general-in-chief will see how
+insecurely I felt in letting them occupy their respective positions
+in the troubles which might occur in registration and voting in the
+reorganization of this State.
+<br>
+<br>"I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+<br>"Major-General U. S. A.
+<br>
+<br>
+<br>"GENERAL U. S. GRANT,
+<br>"Commanding Armies of the United States,
+<br>"Washington, D. C."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+To General Grant my reasons were satisfactory, but not so to the
+President, who took no steps, however, to rescind my action, for he
+knew that the removals were commended by well-nigh the entire
+community in the city, for it will be understood that Mr. Johnson
+was, through his friends and adherents in Louisiana and Texas, kept
+constantly advised of every step taken by me.  Many of these persons
+were active and open opponents of mine, while others were spies,
+doing their work so secretly and quickly that sometimes Mr. Johnson
+knew of my official acts before I could report them to General Grant.</p>
+
+<p>The supplemental Reconstruction act which defined the method of
+reconstruction became a law despite the President's veto on March 23.
+This was a curative act, authorizing elections and prescribing
+methods of registration.  When it reached me officially I began
+measures for carrying out its provisions, and on the 28th of March
+issued an order to the effect that no elections for the State,
+parish, or municipal officers would be held in Louisiana until the
+provisions of the laws of Congress entitled "An act to provide for
+the more efficient government of the rebel States," and of the act
+supplemental thereto, should have been complied with.  I also
+announced that until elections were held in accordance with these
+acts, the law of the Legislature of the State providing for the
+holding over of those persons whose terms of office otherwise would
+have expired, would govern in all cases excepting only those special
+ones in which I myself might take action.  There was one parish,
+Livingston, which this order did no reach in time to prevent the
+election previously ordered there, and which therefore took place,
+but by a supplemental order this election was declare null and void.</p>
+
+<p>In April.  I began the work of administering the Supplemental Law,
+which, under  certain condition of eligibility, required a
+registration of the voter of the State, for the purpose of electing
+delegate to a Constitutional convention.  It therefore became
+necessary to appoint Boards of Registration throughout the election
+districts, and on April 10 the boards for the Parish of Orleans were
+given out, those for the other parishes being appointed ten days
+later.  Before announcing these boards, I had asked to be advised
+definitely as to what persons were disfranchised by the law, and was
+directed by General Grant to act upon my own interpretation of it,
+pending an opinion expected shortly from the Attorney-General&mdash;Mr.
+Henry Stanbery&mdash;so, for the guidance of the boards, I gave the
+following instructions:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT.
+<br>"New Orleans, La., April 10, 1867.
+<br>
+<br>"Special Orders, No. 15.
+<br>
+<br>"....In obedience to the directions contained in the first section of
+the Law of Congress entitled "An Act supplemental to an Act entitled
+'An Act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel
+States'" the registration of the legal voters, according to that law
+in the Parish of Orleans, will be commenced on the 15th instant, and
+must be completed by the 15th of May.
+<br>
+<br>"The four municipal districts of the City of New Orleans and the
+Parish of Orleans, right bank (Algiers), will each constitute a
+Registration district.  Election precincts will remain as at present
+constituted.
+<br>
+<br>"....Each member of the Board of Registers, before commencing his
+duties, will file in the office of the Assistant-Inspector-General at
+these headquarters, the oath required in the sixth section of the Act
+referred to, and be governed in the execution of his duty by the
+provisions of the first section of that Act, faithfully administering
+the oath therein prescribed to each person registered.
+<br>
+<br>"Boards of Registers will immediately select suitable offices within
+their respective districts, having reference to convenience and
+facility of registration, and will enter upon their duties on the day
+designated.  Each Board will be entitled to two clerks.  Office-hours
+for registration will be from 8 o'clock till 12 A. M., and from 4
+till 7 P. M.
+<br>
+<br>"When elections are ordered, the Board of Registers for each district
+will designate the number of polls and the places where they shall be
+opened in the election precincts within its district, appoint the
+commissioners and other officers necessary for properly conducting
+the elections, and will superintend the same.
+<br>
+<br>"They will also receive from the commissioners of elections of the
+different precincts the result of the vote, consolidate the same, and
+forward it to the commanding general.
+<br>
+<br>"Registers and all officers connected with elections will be held to
+a rigid accountability and will be subject to trial by military
+commission for fraud, or unlawful or improper conduct in the
+performance of their duties.  Their rate of compensation and manner
+of payment will be in accordance with the provisions of sections six
+and seven of the supplemental act.
+<br>
+<br>"....Every male citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old
+and upward, of whatever race, color, or previous condition, who has
+been resident in the State of Louisiana for one year and Parish of
+Orleans for three months previous to the date at which he presents
+himself for registration, and who has not been disfranchised by act
+of Congress or for felony at common law, shall, after having taken
+and subscribed the oath prescribed in the first section of the act
+herein referred to, be entitled to be, and shall be, registered as a
+legal voter in the Parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana.
+<br>
+<br>"Pending the decision of the Attorney-General of the United States on
+the question as to who are disfranchised by law, registers will give
+the most rigid interpretation to the law, and exclude from
+registration every person about whose right to vote there may be a
+doubt.  Any person so excluded who may, under the decision of the
+Attorney-General, be entitled to vote, shall be permitted to register
+after that decision is received, due notice of which will be given.
+<br>
+<br>"By command of Major-General P. H. SHERIDAN,
+<br>
+<br>"GEO. L. HARTSUFF,
+<br>"Assistant Adjutant-General."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>The parish Boards of Registration were composed of three members
+each.  Ability to take what was known as the "ironclad oath" was the
+qualification exacted of the members, and they were prohibited from
+becoming candidates for office.  In the execution of their duties
+they were to be governed by the provisions of the supplemental act.
+It was also made one of their functions to designate the number and
+location of the polling-places in the several districts, to appoint
+commissioners for receiving the votes and in general to attend to
+such other matters as were necessary, in order properly to conduct
+the voting, and afterward to receive from the commissioners the
+result of the vote and forward it to my headquarters.  These
+registers, and all other officers having to do with elections, were
+to be held to a rigid accountability, and be subject to trial by
+military commission for fraud or unlawful or improper conduct in the
+performance of their duties; and in order to be certain that the
+Registration Boards performed their work faithfully and
+intelligently, officers of the army were appointed as supervisors.
+To this end the parishes were grouped together conveniently in
+temporary districts, each officer having from three to five parishes
+to supervise.  The programme thus mapped out for carrying out the law
+in Louisiana was likewise adhered to in Texas, and indeed was
+followed as a model in some of the other military districts.</p>
+
+<p>Although Military Commissions were fully authorized by the
+Reconstruction acts, yet I did not favor their use in governing the
+district, and probably would never have convened one had these acts
+been observed in good faith.  I much preferred that the civil courts,
+and the State and municipal authorities already in existence, should
+perform their functions without military control or interference, but
+occasionally, because the civil authorities neglected their duty, I
+was obliged to resort to this means to ensure the punishment Of
+offenders.  At this time the condition of the negroes in Texas and
+Louisiana was lamentable, though, in fact, not worse than that of the
+few white loyalists who had been true to the Union during the war.
+These last were singled out as special objects of attack, and were,
+therefore, obliged at all times to be on the alert for the protection
+of their lives and property.  This was the natural outcome of Mr.
+Johnson's defiance of Congress, coupled with the sudden conversion to
+his cause of persons in the North&mdash;who but a short time before had
+been his bitterest enemies; for all this had aroused among the
+disaffected element new hopes of power and place, hopes of being at
+once put in political control again, with a resumption of their
+functions in State and National matters without any preliminary
+authorization by Congress.  In fact, it was not only hoped, but
+expected, that things were presently to go on just as if there had
+been no war.</p>
+
+<p>In the State of Texas there were in 1865 about 200,000 of the colored
+race&mdash;roughly, a third of the entire population&mdash;while in Louisiana
+there were not less than 350,000, or more than one-half of all the
+people in the State.  Until the enactment of the Reconstruction laws
+these negroes were without rights, and though they had been liberated
+by the war, Mr. Johnson's policy now proposed that they should have
+no political status at all, and consequently be at the mercy of a
+people who, recently their masters, now seemed to look upon them as
+the authors of all the misfortunes that had come upon the land.
+Under these circumstances the blacks naturally turned for protection
+to those who had been the means of their liberation, and it would
+have been little less than inhuman to deny them sympathy.  Their
+freedom had been given them, and it was the plain duty of those in
+authority to make it secure, and screen them from the bitter
+political resentment that beset them, and to see that they had a fair
+chance in the battle of life.  Therefore, when outrages and murders
+grew frequent, and the aid of the military power was an absolute
+necessity for the protection of life, I employed it
+unhesitatingly&mdash;the guilty parties being brought to trial before military
+commissions&mdash;and for a time, at least, there occurred a halt in the
+march of terrorism inaugurated by the people whom Mr. Johnson had
+deluded.</p>
+
+<p>The first, Military Commission was convened to try the case of John
+W. Walker, charged with shooting a negro in the parish of St. John.
+The proper civil authorities had made no effort to arrest Walker, and
+even connived at his escape, so I had him taken into custody in New
+Orleans, and ordered him tried, the commission finding him guilty,
+and sentencing him to confinement in the penitentiary for six months.
+This shooting was the third occurrence of the kind that had taken
+place in St.  John's parish, a negro being wounded in each case, and
+it was plain that the intention was to institute there a practice of
+intimidation which should be effective to subject the freedmen to the
+will of their late masters, whether in making labor contracts, or in
+case these newly enfranchised negroes should evince a disposition to
+avail themselves of the privilege to vote.</p>
+
+<p>The trial and conviction of Walker, and of one or two others for
+similiar outrages, soon put a stop to every kind of "bull-dozing" in
+the country parishes; but about this time I discovered that many
+members of the police force in New Orleans were covertly intimidating
+the freedmen there, and preventing their appearance at the
+registration offices, using milder methods than had obtained in the
+country, it is true, but none the less effective.</p>
+
+<p>Early in 1866 the Legislature had passed an act which created for the
+police of New Orleans a residence qualification, the object of which
+was to discharge and exclude from the force ex-Union soldiers.  This
+of course would make room for the appointment of ex-Confederates, and
+Mayor Monroe had not been slow in enforcing the provisions of the
+law.  It was, in fact, a result of this enactment that the police was
+so reorganized as to become the willing and efficient tool which it
+proved to be in the riot of 1866; and having still the same
+personnel, it was now in shape to prevent registration by threats,
+unwarranted arrests, and by various other influences, all operating
+to keep the timid blacks away from the registration places.</p>
+
+<p>That the police were taking a hand in this practice of repression, I
+first discovered by the conduct of the assistant to the chief of the
+body, and at once removed the offender, but finding this ineffectual
+I annulled that part of the State law fixing the five years'
+residence restriction, and restored the two years' qualification,
+thus enabling Mayor Heath, who by my appointment had succeeded
+Monroe, to organize the force anew, and take about one-half of its
+members from ex-Union soldiers who when discharged had settled in New
+Orleans.  This action put an end to intimidation in the parish of
+Orleans; and now were put in operation in all sections the processes
+provided by the supplemental Reconstruction law for the summoning of
+a convention to form a Constitution preparatory to the readmission of
+the State, and I was full of hope that there would now be much less
+difficulty in administering the trust imposed by Congress.</p>
+
+<p>During the two years previous great damage had been done the
+agricultural interests of Louisiana by the overflow of the
+Mississippi, the levees being so badly broken as to require extensive
+repairs, and the Legislature of 1866 had appropriated for the purpose
+$4,000,000, to be raised by an issue of bonds.  This money was to be
+disbursed by a Board of Levee Commissioners then in existence, but
+the term of service of these commissioners, and the law creating the
+board, would expire in the spring of 1867.  In order to overcome this
+difficulty the Legislature passed a bill continuing the commissioners
+in office but as the act was passed inside of ten days before the
+adjournment of the Legislature, Governor Wells pocketed the bill, and
+it failed to become a law.  The Governor then appointed a board of
+his own, without any warrant of law whatever.  The old commissioners
+refused to recognize this new board, and of course a conflict of
+authority ensued, which, it was clear, would lead to vicious results
+if allowed to continue; so, as the people of the State had no
+confidence in either of the boards, I decided to end the contention
+summarily by appointing an entirely new commission, which would
+disburse the money honestly, and further the real purpose for which
+it had been appropriated.  When I took this course the legislative
+board acquiesced, but Governor Wells immediately requested the
+President to revoke my order, which, however, was not done, but
+meanwhile the Secretary of War directed me to suspend all proceedings
+in the matter, and make a report of the facts.  I complied in the
+following telegram:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+<br>"NEW ORLEANS, La., June 3, 1867.
+<br>
+<br>"SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of
+this date in reference to the Levee Commissioners in this State.
+<br>
+<br>"The following were my reasons for abolishing the two former boards,
+although I intended that my order should be sufficiently explanatory:
+<br>
+<br>"Previous to the adjournment of the Legislature last winter it passed
+an act continuing the old Levee board in office, so that the four
+millions of dollars ($4,000,000) in bonds appropriated by the
+Legislature might be disbursed by a board of rebellious antecedents.
+<br>
+<br>"After its adjournment the Governor of the State appointed a board of
+his own, in violation of this act, and made the acknowledgment to me
+in person that his object was to disburse the money in the interest
+of his own party by securing for it the vote of the employees at the
+time of election.
+<br>
+<br>"The board continued in office by the Legislature refused to turn
+over to the Governor's board, and each side appealed to me to sustain
+it, which I would not do.  The question must then have gone to the
+courts, which, according to the Governor's judgment when he was
+appealing to me to be sustained, would require one year for decision.
+Meantime the State was overflowed, the Levee boards tied up by
+political chicanery, and nothing done to relieve the poor people, now
+fed by the charity of the Government and charitable associations of
+the North.
+<br>
+<br>"To obviate this trouble, and to secure to the overflowed districts
+of the State the immediate relief which the honest disbursement of
+the four millions ($4,000,000) would give, my order dissolving both
+boards was issued.<br>
+<br>
+<br>"I say now, unequivocally, that Governor Wells is a political
+trickster and a dishonest man.  I have seen him myself, when I first
+came to this command, turn out all the Union men who had supported
+the Government, and put in their stead rebel soldiers who had not yet
+doffed their gray uniform.  I have seen him again, during the July
+riot of 1866, skulk away where I could not find him to give him a
+guard, instead of coming out as a manly representative of the State
+and joining those who were preserving the peace.  I have watched him
+since, and his conduct has been as sinuous as the mark left in the
+dust by the movement of a snake.
+<br>
+<br>"I say again that he is dishonest, and that dishonesty is more than
+must be expected of me.
+<br>
+<br>"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+<br>"Major-General, U. S. A.
+<br><br>
+<br>"Hon. E. M. STANTON,
+<br>"Secretary of War, Washington, D. C."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+The same day that I sent my report to the Secretary of War I removed
+from office Governor Wells himself, being determined to bear no
+longer with the many obstructions he had placed in the way of
+reorganizing the civil affairs of the State.  I was also satisfied
+that he was unfit to retain the place, since he was availing himself
+of every opportunity to work political ends beneficial to himself.
+In this instance Wells protested to me against his removal, and also
+appealed to the President for an opinion of the Attorney-General as
+to my power in the case; and doubtless he would have succeeded in
+retaining his office, but for the fact that the President had been
+informed by General James B. Steadman and others placed to watch me
+that Wells was wholly unworthy.</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"NEW ORLEANS, June 19, 1867.
+<br>"ANDREW JOHNSON, President United States,
+<br>"Washington City:
+<br>
+<br>"Lewis D.  Campbell leaves New Orleans for home this evening.  Want
+of respect for Governor Wells personally, alone represses the
+expression of indignation felt by all honest and sensible men at the
+unwarranted usurpation of General Sheridan in removing the civil
+officers of Louisiana.  It is believed here that you will reinstate
+Wells.  He is a bad man, and has no influence.
+<br>
+<br>"I believe Sheridan made the removals to embarrass you, believing the
+feeling at the North would sustain him.  My conviction is that on
+account of the bad character of Wells and Monroe, you ought not to
+reinstate any who have been removed, because you cannot reinstate any
+without reinstating all, but you ought to prohibit the exercise of
+this power in the future.
+<br>
+<br>"Respectfully yours,
+<br>
+<br>"JAMES B. STEADMAN."
+</blockquote>
+
+<p>
+I appointed Mr. Thomas J. Durant as Wells's successor, but he
+declining, I then appointed Mr. Benjamin F. Flanders, who, after I
+had sent a staff-officer to forcibly eject Wells in case of
+necessity, took possession of the Governor's office.  Wells having
+vacated, Governor Flanders began immediately the exercise of his
+duties in sympathy with the views of Congress, and I then notified
+General Grant that I thought he need have no further apprehension
+about the condition of affairs in Louisiana, as my appointee was a
+man of such integrity and ability that I already felt relieved of
+half my labor.  I also stated in the same despatch that nothing would
+answer in Louisiana but a bold and firm course, and that in taking
+such a one I felt that I was strongly supported; a statement that was
+then correct, for up to this period the better classes were disposed
+to accept the Congressional plan of reconstruction.</p>
+
+<p>During the controversy over the Levee Commissioners, and the
+correspondence regarding the removal of Governor Wells, registration
+had gone on under the rules laid down for the boards.  The date set
+for closing the books was the 3oth of June, but in the parish of
+Orleans the time was extended till the 15th of July.  This the
+President considered too short a period, and therefore directed the
+registry lists not to be closed before the 1st of August, unless
+there was some good reason to the contrary.  This was plainly
+designed to keep the books open in order that under the
+Attorney-General's interpretation of the Reconstruction laws, published June
+20, many persons who had been excluded by the registration boards
+could yet be registered, so I decided to close the registration,
+unless required by the President unconditionally, and in specific
+orders, to extend the time.  My motives were manifold, but the main
+reasons were that as two and a half months had been given already,
+the number of persons who, under the law, were qualified for registry
+was about exhausted; and because of the expense I did not feel
+warranted in keeping up the boards longer, as I said, "to suit new
+issues coming in at the eleventh hour," which would but open a "broad
+macadamized road for perjury and fraud."</p>
+
+<p>When I thus stated what I intended to do, the opinion of the
+Attorney-General had not yet been received.  When it did reach me it
+was merely in the form of a circular signed by Adjutant-General
+Townsend, and had no force of law.  It was not even sent as an order,
+nor was it accompanied by any instructions, or by anything except the
+statement that it was transmitted to the 11 respective military
+commanders for their information, in order that there might be
+uniformity in the execution  of the Reconstruction acts.  To adopt
+Mr. Stanbery's interpretation of the law and reopen registration
+accordingly, would defeat the purpose of Congress, as well as add to
+my perplexities.  Such a course would also require that the officers
+appointed by me for the performance of specified duties, under laws
+which I was empowered to interpret and enforce, should receive their
+guidance and instructions from an unauthorized source, so on
+communicating with General Grant as to how I should act, he directed
+me to enforce my own construction of the military bill until ordered
+to do otherwise.</p>
+
+<p>Therefore the registration continued as I had originally directed,
+and nothing having been definitely settled at Washington in relation
+to my extending the time, on the 10th of July I ordered all the
+registration boards to select, immediately, suitable persons to act
+as commissioners of election, and at the same time specified the
+number of each set of commissioners, designated the polling-places,
+gave notice that two days would be allowed for voting, and followed
+this with an order discontinuing registration the 31st of July, and
+then another appointing the 27th and 28th of September as the time
+for the election of delegates to the State convention.</p>
+
+<p>In accomplishing the registration there had been little opposition
+from the mass of the people, but the press of New Orleans, and the
+office-holders and office-seekers in the State generally, antagonized
+the work bitterly and violently, particularly after the promulgation
+of the opinion of the Attorney-General.  These agitators condemned
+everybody and everything connected with the Congressional plan of
+reconstruction; and the pernicious influence thus exerted was
+manifested in various ways, but most notably in the selection of
+persons to compose the jury lists in the country parishes it also
+tempted certain municipal officers in New Orleans to perform illegal
+acts that would seriously have affected the credit of the city had
+matters not been promptly corrected by the summary removal from
+office of the comptroller and the treasurer, who had already issued a
+quarter of a million dollars in illegal certificates.  On learning of
+this unwarranted and unlawful proceeding, Mayor Heath demanded an
+investigation by the Common Council, but this body, taking its cue
+from the evident intention of the President to render abortive the
+Reconstruction acts, refused the mayor's demand.  Then he tried to
+have the treasurer and comptroller restrained by injunction, but the
+city attorney, under the same inspiration as the council, declined to
+sue out a writ, and the attorney being supported in this course by
+nearly all the other officials, the mayor was left helpless in his
+endeavors to preserve the city's credit.  Under such circumstances he
+took the only step left him&mdash;recourse to the military commander; and
+after looking into the matter carefully I decided, in the early part
+of August, to give the mayor officials who would not refuse to make
+an investigation of the illegal issue of certificates, and to this
+end I removed the treasurer, surveyor, comptroller, city attorney,
+and twenty-two of the aldermen; these officials, and all of their
+assistants, having reduced the financial credit of New Orleans to a
+disordered condition, and also having made efforts&mdash;and being then
+engaged in such&mdash;to hamper the execution of the Reconstruction laws.</p>
+
+<p>This action settled matters in the city, but subsequently I had to
+remove some officials in the parishes&mdash;among them a justice of the
+peace and a sheriff in the parish of Rapides; the justice for
+refusing to permit negro witnesses to testify in a certain murder
+case, and for allowing the murderer, who had foully killed a colored
+man, to walk out of his court on bail in the insignificant sum of
+five hundred dollars; and the sheriff, for conniving at the escape
+from jail of another alleged murderer.  Finding, however, even after
+these removals, that in the country districts murderers and other
+criminals went unpunished, provided the offenses were against negroes
+merely (since the jurors were selected exclusively from the whites,
+and often embraced those excluded from the exercise of the election
+franchise) I, having full authority under the Reconstruction laws,
+directed such a revision of the jury lists as would reject from them
+every man not eligible for registration as a voter.  This order was
+issued August 24, and on its promulgation the President relieved me
+from duty and assigned General Hancock as my successor.</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+<br>"NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 24, 1867.<br>
+
+<br>"SPECIAL ORDERS, No.  125.<br>
+
+<br>"The registration of voters of the State of Louisiana, according to
+the law of Congress, being complete, it is hereby ordered that no
+person who is not registered in accordance with said law shall be
+considered as, a duly qualified voter of the State of Louisiana.  All
+persons duly registered as above, and no others, are consequently
+eligible, under the laws of the State of Louisiana, to serve as
+jurors in any of the courts of the State.<br>
+
+<br>"The necessary revision of the jury lists will immediately be made by
+the proper officers.<br>
+
+<br>"All the laws of the State respecting exemptions, etc., from jury
+duty will remain in force.<br>
+
+<br>"By command of Major-General P. H. SHERIDAN.<br>
+
+<br>"GEO. L. HARTNUFF, Asst. Adj't-General."
+</blockquote>
+<p>
+Pending the arrival of General Hancock, I turned over the command of
+the district September 1 to General Charles Griffin; but he dying of
+yellow fever, General J. A. Mower succeeded him, and retained command
+till November 29, on which date General Hancock assumed control.
+Immediately after Hancock took charge, he revoked my order of August
+24 providing for a revision of the jury lists; and, in short,
+President Johnson's policy now became supreme, till Hancock himself
+was relieved in March, 1868.</p>
+
+<p>My official connection with the reconstruction of Louisiana and Texas
+practically closed with this order concerning the jury lists.  In my
+judgment this had become a necessity, for the disaffected element,
+sustained as it was by the open sympathy of the President, had grown
+so determined in its opposition to the execution of the
+Reconstruction acts that I resolved to remove from place and power
+all obstacles; for the summer's experience had convinced me that in
+no other way could the law be faithfully administered.</p>
+
+<p>The President had long been dissatisfied with my course; indeed, he
+had harbored personal enmity against me ever since he perceived that
+he could not bend me to an acceptance of the false position in which
+he had tried to place me by garbling my report of the riot of 1866.
+When Mr. Johnson decided to remove me, General Grant protested in
+these terms, but to no purpose:</p>
+
+<blockquote>
+<br>"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+<br>"WASHINGTON, D. C., August 17, 1867<br>
+
+<br>"SIR: I am in receipt of your order of this date directing the
+assignment of General G. H. Thomas to the command of the Fifth
+Military District, General Sheridan to the Department of the
+Missouri, and General Hancock to the Department of the Cumberland;
+also your note of this date (enclosing these instructions), saying:
+'Before you issue instructions to carry into effect the enclosed
+order, I would be pleased to hear any suggestions you may deem
+necessary respecting the assignments to which the order refers.'<br>
+
+<br>"I am pleased to avail myself of this invitation to urge&mdash;earnestly
+urge&mdash;urge in the name of a patriotic people, who have sacrificed
+hundreds of thousands of loyal lives and thousands of millions of
+treasure to preserve the integrity and union of this country&mdash;that
+this order be not insisted on.  It is unmistakably the expressed wish
+of the country that General Sheridan should not be removed from his
+present command.<br>
+
+<br>"This is a republic where the will of the people is the law of the
+land.  I beg that their voice may be heard.<br>
+
+<br>"General Sheridan has performed his civil duties faithfully and
+intelligently.  His removal will only be regarded as an effort to
+defeat the laws of Congress.  It will be interpreted by the
+unreconstructed element in the South&mdash;those who did all they could to
+break up this Government by arms, and now wish to be the only element
+consulted as to the method of restoring order&mdash;as a triumph.  It will
+embolden them to renewed opposition to the will of the loyal masses,
+believing that they have the Executive with them.<br>
+
+<br>"The services of General Thomas in battling for the Union entitle him
+to some consideration.  He has repeatedly entered his protest against
+being assigned to either of the five military districts, and
+especially to being assigned to relieve General Sheridan.<br>
+
+<br>"There are military reasons, pecuniary reasons, and above all,
+patriotic reasons, why this should not be insisted upon.<br>
+
+<br>"I beg to refer to a letter marked 'private,' which I wrote to the
+President when first consulted on the subject of the change in the
+War Department.  It bears upon the subject of this removal, and I had
+hoped would have prevented it.<br>
+
+<br>"I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant,<br>
+
+<br>"U. S. GRANT,
+<br>"General U. S. A., Secretary of War ad interim.<br>
+<br><br>
+<br>"His Excellency A. JOHNSON,
+<br>"President of the United States."
+</blockquote>
+<p>
+I was ordered to command the Department of the Missouri (General
+Hancock, as already noted, finally becoming my successor in the Fifth
+Military District), and left New Orleans on the 5th of September.  I
+was not loath to go.  The kind of duty I had been performing in
+Louisiana and Texas was very trying under the most favorable
+circumstances, but all the more so in my case, since I had to contend
+against the obstructions which the President placed in the way from
+persistent opposition to the acts of Congress as well as from
+antipathy to me&mdash;which obstructions he interposed with all the
+boldness and aggressiveness of his peculiar nature.</p>
+
+<p>On more than one occasion while I was exercising this command,
+impurity of motive was imputed to me, but it has never been
+truthfully shown (nor can it ever be) that political or corrupt
+influences of any kind controlled me in any instance.  I simply tried
+to carry out, without fear or favor, the Reconstruction acts as they
+came to me.  They were intended to disfranchise certain persons, and
+to enfranchise certain others, and, till decided otherwise, were the
+laws of the land; and it was my duty to execute them faithfully,
+without regard, on the one hand, for those upon whom it was thought
+they bore so heavily, nor, on the other, for this or that political
+party, and certainly without deference to those persons sent to
+Louisiana to influence my conduct of affairs.</p>
+
+<p>Some of these missionaries were high officials, both military and
+civil, and I recall among others a visit made me in 1866 by a
+distinguished friend of the President, Mr. Thomas A. Hendricks.  The
+purpose of his coming was to convey to me assurances of the very high
+esteem in which I was held by the President, and to explain
+personally Mr. Johnson's plan of reconstruction, its flawless
+constitutionality, and so on.  But being on the ground, I had before
+me the exhibition of its practical working, saw the oppression and
+excesses growing out of it, and in the face of these experiences even
+Mr. Hendricks's persuasive eloquence was powerless to convince me of
+its beneficence.  Later General Lovell H. Rousseau came down on a
+like mission, but was no more successful than Mr. Hendricks.</p>
+
+<p>During the whole period that I commanded in Louisiana and Texas my
+position was a most unenviable one.  The service was unusual, and the
+nature of it scarcely to be understood by those not entirely familiar
+with the conditions existing immediately after the war.  In
+administering the affairs of those States, I never acted except by
+authority, and always from conscientious motives.  I tried to guard
+the rights of everybody in accordance with the law.  In this I was
+supported by General Grant and opposed by President Johnson.  The
+former had at heart, above every other consideration, the good of his
+country, and always sustained me with approval and kind suggestions.
+The course pursued by the President was exactly the opposite, and
+seems to prove that in the whole matter of reconstruction he was
+governed less by patriotic motives than by personal ambitions.  Add
+to this his natural obstinacy of character and personal enmity toward
+me, and no surprise should be occasioned when I say that I heartily
+welcomed the order that lifted from me my unsought burden.</p>
+
+
+<br><br>
+<hr>
+<br><br>
+<br><br>
+<br><br>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Philip H.
+Sheridan, Vol. II., Part 5, by P. H. Sheridan
+
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@@ -0,0 +1,3669 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan,
+Vol. II., Part 5, by P. H. Sheridan
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: The Memoirs of General Philip H. Sheridan, Vol. II., Part 5
+
+Author: P. H. Sheridan
+
+Release Date: June 7, 2004 [EBook #5858]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMOIRS OF GENERAL SHERIDAN ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Widger
+
+
+
+
+PERSONAL MEMOIRES OF P. H. SHERIDAN
+
+VOLUME 2.
+
+Part 5
+
+By Philip Henry Sheridan
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+BATTLE OF DINWIDDIE COURT HOUSE--PICKETT REPULSED--REINFORCED BY THE
+FIFTH CORPS--BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS--TURNING THE CONFEDERATE LEFT--AN
+UNQUALIFIED SUCCESS--RELIEVING GENERAL WARREN--THE WARREN COURT OF
+INQUIRY--GENERAL SHERMAN'S OPINION.
+
+The night of March 30 Merritt, with Devin's division and Davies's
+brigade, was camped on the Five Forks road about two miles in front
+of Dinwiddie, near J. Boisseau's.  Crook, with Smith and Gregg's
+brigades, continued to cover Stony Creek, and Custer was still back
+at Rowanty Creek, trying to get the trains up.  This force had been
+counted while crossing the creek on the 29th, the three divisions
+numbering 9,000 enlisted men, Crook having 3,300, and Custer and
+Devin 5,700.
+
+During the 30th, the enemy had been concentrating his cavalry, and by
+evening General W. H. F. Lee and General Rosser had joined Fitzhugh
+Lee near Five Forks.  To this force was added, about dark, five
+brigades of infantry--three from Pickett's division, and two from
+Johnson's--all under command of Pickett.  The infantry came by the
+White Oak road from the right of General Lee's intrenchments, and
+their arrival became positively known to me about dark, the
+confirmatory intelligence being brought in then by some of Young's
+scouts who had been inside the Confederate lines.
+
+On the 31st, the rain having ceased, directions were given at an
+early hour to both Merritt and Crook to make reconnoissances
+preparatory to securing Five Forks, and about 9 o'clock Merritt
+started for the crossroads, Davies's brigade supporting him.  His
+march was necessarily slow because of the mud, and the enemy's
+pickets resisted with obstinacy also, but the coveted crossroads fell
+to Merritt without much trouble, as the bulk of the enemy was just
+then bent on other things.  At the same hour that Merritt started,
+Crook moved Smith's brigade out northwest from Dinwiddie to
+Fitzgerald's crossing of Chamberlain's Creek, to cover Merritt's
+left, supporting Smith by placing Gregg to his right and rear.  The
+occupation of this ford was timely, for Pickett, now in command of
+both the cavalry and infantry, was already marching to get in
+Merritt's rear by crossing Chamberlain's Creek.
+
+To hold on to Fitzgerald's ford Smith had to make a sharp fight, but
+Mumford's cavalry attacking Devin, the enemy's infantry succeeded in
+getting over Chamberlain's Creek at a point higher up than
+Fitzgerald's ford, and assailing Davies, forced him back in a
+northeasterly direction toward the Dinwiddie and Five Forks road in
+company with Devin.  The retreat of Davies permitted Pickett to pass
+between Crook and Merritt, which he promptly did, effectually
+separating them and cutting off both Davies and Devin from the road
+to Dinwiddie, so that to get to that point they had to retreat across
+the country to B. Boisseau's and then down the Boydton road.
+
+Gibbs's brigade had been in reserve near the intersection of the Five
+Forks and Dabney roads, and directing Merritt to hold on there, I
+ordered Gregg's brigade to be mounted and brought to Merritt's aid,
+for if Pickett continued in pursuit north of the Five Forks road he
+would expose his right and rear, and I determined to attack him, in
+such case, from Gibbs's position.  Gregg arrived in good season, and
+as soon as his men were dismounted on Gibbs's left, Merritt assailed
+fiercely, compelling Pickett to halt and face a new foe, thus
+interrupting an advance that would finally have carried Pickett into
+the rear of Warren's corps.
+
+It was now about 4 o'clock in the afternoon and we were in a critical
+situation, but having ordered Merritt to bring Devin and Davies to
+Dinwiddie by the Boydton road, staff-officers were sent to hurry
+Custer to the same point, for with its several diverging roads the
+Court House was of vital importance, and I determined to stay there
+at all hazards.  At the same time orders were sent to Smith's
+brigade, which, by the advance of Pickett past its right flank and
+the pressure of W. H. F. Lee on its front, had been compelled to give
+up Fitzgerald's crossing, to fall back toward Dinwiddie but to
+contest every inch of ground so as to gain time.
+
+When halted by the attack of Gregg and Gibbs, Pickett, desisting from
+his pursuit of Devin, as already stated, turned his undivided
+attention to this unexpected force, and with his preponderating
+infantry pressed it back on the Five Forks road toward Dinwiddle,
+though our men, fighting dismounted behind barricades at different
+points, displayed such obstinacy as to make Pickett's progress slow,
+and thus give me time to look out a line for defending the Court
+House.  I selected a place about three-fourths of a mile northwest of
+the crossroads, and Custer coming up quickly with Capehart's brigade,
+took position on the left of the road to Five Forks in some open
+ground along the crest of a gentle ridge.  Custer got Capehart into
+place just in time to lend a hand to Smith, who, severely pressed,
+came back on us here from his retreat along Chamberlain's "bed"--the
+vernacular for a woody swamp such as that through which Smith
+retired.  A little later the brigades of Gregg and Gibbs, falling to
+the rear slowly and steadily, took up in the woods a line which
+covered the Boydton Road some distance to the right of Capehart, the
+intervening gap to be filled with Pennington's brigade.  By this time
+our horse-artillery, which for two days had been stuck in the mud,
+was all up, and every gun was posted in this line.
+
+It was now near sunset, and the enemy's cavalry thinking the day was
+theirs, made a dash at Smith, but just as the assailants appeared in
+the open fields, Capehart's men opened so suddenly on their left
+flank as to cause it to recoil in astonishment, which permitted Smith
+to connect his brigade with Custer unmolested.  We were now in good
+shape behind the familiar barricades, and having a continuous line,
+excepting only the gap to be filled with Pennington, that covered
+Dinwiddie and the Boydton Road.  My left rested in the woods about
+half a mile west of the Court House, and the barricades extended from
+this flank in a semicircle through the open fields in a northeasterly
+direction, to a piece-of thick timber on the right, near the Boydton
+Road.
+
+A little before the sun went down the Confederate infantry was formed
+for the attack, and, fortunately for us, Pennington's brigade came up
+and filled the space to which it was assigned between Capehart and
+Gibbs, just as Pickett moved out across the cleared fields in front
+of Custer, in deep lines that plainly told how greatly we were
+outnumbered.
+
+Accompanied by Generals Merritt and Custer and my staff, I now rode
+along the barricades to encourage the men.  Our enthusiastic
+reception showed that they were determined to stay.  The cavalcade
+drew the enemy's fire, which emptied several of the saddles--among
+others Mr. Theodore Wilson, correspondent of the New York Herald,
+being wounded.  In reply our horse-artillery opened on the advancing
+Confederates, but the men behind the barricades lay still till
+Pickett's troops were within short range.  Then they opened, Custer's
+repeating rifles pouring out such a shower of lead that nothing could
+stand up against it.  The repulse was very quick, and as the gray
+lines retired to the woods from which but a few minutes before they
+had so confidently advanced, all danger of their taking Dinwiddie or
+marching to the left and rear of our infantry line was over, at least
+for the night.  The enemy being thus checked, I sent a
+staff-officer--Captain Sheridan--to General Grant to report what had
+taken place during the afternoon, and to say that I proposed to stay at
+Dinwiddie, but if ultimately compelled to abandon the place, I would do
+so by retiring on the Vaughn road toward Hatcher's Run, for I then
+thought the attack might be renewed next morning.  Devin and Davies
+joined me about dark, and my troops being now well in hand, I sent a
+second staff-officer--Colonel John Kellogg--to explain my situation
+more fully, and to assure General Grant that I would hold on at
+Dinwiddie till forced to let go.
+
+By following me to Dinwiddie the enemy's infantry had completely
+isolated itself, and hence there was now offered the Union troops a
+rare opportunity.  Lee was outside of his works, just as we desired,
+and the general-in-chief realized this the moment he received the
+first report of my situation; General Meade appreciated it too from
+the information he got from Captain Sheridan, en route to army
+headquarters with the first tidings, and sent this telegram to
+General Grant:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY OF THE POTOMAC,
+"March 31, 1865.  9:45 p.m.
+
+"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL GRANT:
+
+"Would it not be well for Warren to go down with his whole corps and
+smash up the force in front of Sheridan?  Humphreys can hold the line
+to the Boydton plank-road, and the refusal along with it.  Bartlett's
+brigade is now on the road from G. Boisseau's, running north, where
+it crosses Gravelly Run, he having gone down the White Oak road.
+Warren could go at once that way, and take the force threatening
+Sheridan in rear at Dinwiddie, and move on the enemy's rear with the
+other two.
+
+"G. G. MEADE, Major-General."
+
+
+An hour later General Grant replied in these words:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+"DABNEY'S MILLS, March 311, 1865.  10:15 P. M.
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL MEADE,
+"Commanding Army of the Potomac.
+
+Let Warren move in the way you propose, and urge him not to stop for
+anything.  Let Griffin (Griffin had been ordered by Warren to the
+Boydton road to protect his rear) go on as he was first directed.
+
+"U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General."
+
+
+These two despatches were the initiatory steps in sending the Fifth
+Corps, under Major-General G. K. Warren, to report to me, and when I
+received word of its coming and also that Genera Mackenzie's cavalry
+from the Army of the James was likewise to be added to my command,
+and that discretionary authority was given me to use all my forces
+against Pickett, I resolved to destroy him, if it was within the
+bounds of possibility, before he could rejoin Lee.
+
+In a despatch, dated 10:05 p.m., telling me of the coming of Warren
+and Mackenzie, General Grant also said that the Fifth Corps should
+reach me by 12 o'clock that night, but at that hour not only had none
+of the corps arrived, but no report from it, so believing that if it
+came all the way down to Dinwiddie the next morning, our opportunity
+would be gone, I concluded that it would be best to order Warren to
+move in on the enemy's rear while the cavalry attacked in front, and,
+therefore, at 3 o'clock in the morning of April 1 sent this despatch
+to General Warren:
+
+"CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS, DINWIDDIE C. H.,
+"April 1, 1865--3. A.M.
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL WARREN,
+"Commanding Fifth Army Corps.
+
+"I am holding in front of Dinwiddie Court House, on the road leading
+to Five Forks, for three-quarters of a mile with General Custer's
+division.  The enemy are in his immediate front, lying so as to cover
+the road just this side of A. Adams's house, which leads across
+Chamberlain's bed, or run.  I understand you have a division at J.[G]
+Boisseau's; if so, you are in rear of the enemy's line and almost on
+his flank.  I will hold on here.  Possibly they may attack Custer at
+daylight; if so, attack instantly and in full force.  Attack at
+daylight anyhow, and I will make an effort to get the road this side
+of Adams's house, and if I do, you can capture the whole of them.
+Any force moving down the road I am holding, or on the White Oak
+road, will be in the enemy's rear, and in all probability get any
+force that may escape you by a flank movement.  Do not fear my
+leaving here.  If the enemy remains, I shall fight at daylight.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+
+
+With daylight came a slight fog, but it lifted almost immediately,
+and Merritt moved Custer and Devin forward.  As these divisions
+advanced the enemy's infantry fell back on the Five Forks road, Devin
+pressing him along the road, while Custer extended on the left over
+toward Chamberlain's Run, Crook being held in watch along Stony
+Creek, meanwhile, to be utilized as circumstances might require when
+Warren attacked.
+
+The order of General Meade to Warren the night of March 31--a copy
+being sent me also--was positive in its directions, but as midnight
+came without a sign of or word from the Fifth Corps, notwithstanding
+that was the hour fixed for its arrival, I nevertheless assumed that
+there were good reasons for its non-appearance, but never once
+doubted that measures would be taken to comply with my despatch Of
+3 A. M. and therefore hoped that, as Pickett was falling back slowly
+toward Five Forks, Griffin's and Crawford's divisions would come in
+on the Confederate left and rear by the Crump road near J.[G]
+Boisseau's house.
+
+But they did not reach there till after the enemy had got by.  As a
+matter of fact, when Pickett was passing the all-important point
+Warren's men were just breaking from the bivouac in which their chief
+had placed them the night before, and the head of Griffin's division
+did not get to Boisseau's till after my cavalry, which meanwhile had
+been joined by Ayres's division of the Fifth Corps by way of the
+Boydton and Dabney roads.  By reason of the delay in moving Griffin
+and Crawford, the enemy having escaped, I massed the Fifth Corps at
+J.[G] Boisseau's so that the men could be rested, and directed it to
+remain there; General Warren himself had not then come up.  General
+Mackenzie, who had reported just after daybreak, was ordered at first
+to stay at Dinwiddie Court House, but later was brought along the
+Five Forks road to Dr. Smith's, and Crook's division was directed to
+continue watching the crossings of Stony Creek and Chamberlain's Run.
+
+That we had accomplished nothing but to oblige our foe to retreat was
+to me bitterly disappointing, but still feeling sure that he would
+not give up the Five Forks crossroads without a fight, I pressed him
+back there with Merritt's cavalry, Custer advancing on the Scott
+road, while Devin drove the rearguard along that leading from J.[G]
+Boisseau's to Five Forks.
+
+By 2 o'clock in the afternoon Merritt had forced the enemy inside his
+intrenchments, which began with a short return about three-quarters
+of a mile east of the Forks and ran along the south side of the White
+Oak road to a point about a mile west of the Forks.  From the left of
+the return over toward Hatcher's Run was posted Mumford's cavalry,
+dismounted.  In the return itself was Wallace's brigade, and next on
+its right came Ransom's, then Stewart's, then Terry's, then Corse's.
+On the right of Corse was W. H. F. Lee's division of cavalry.  Ten
+pieces of artillery also were in this line, three on the right of the
+works, three near the centre at the crossroads, and four on the left,
+in the return.  Rosser's cavalry was guarding the Confederate trains
+north of Hatcher's Run beyond the crossing of the Ford road.
+
+I felt certain the enemy would fight at Five Forks--he had to--so,
+while we were getting up to his intrenchments, I decided on my plan
+of battle.  This was to attack his whole front with Merritt's two
+cavalry divisions, make a feint of turning his right flank, and with
+the Fifth Corps assail his left.  As the Fifth Corps moved into
+action, its right flank was to be covered by Mackenzie's cavalry,
+thus entirely cutting off Pickett's troops from communication with
+Lee's right flank, which rested near the Butler house at the junction
+of the Claiborne and White Oaks roads.  In execution of this plan,
+Merritt worked his men close in toward the intrenchments, and while
+he was thus engaged, I ordered Warren to bring up the Fifth Corps,
+sending the order by my engineer officer, Captain Gillespie, who had
+reconnoitred the ground in the neighborhood of Gravelly Run Church,
+where the infantry was to form for attack.
+
+Gillespie delivered the order about 1 o'clock, and when the corps was
+put in motion, General Warren joined me at the front.  Before he
+came, I had received, through Colonel Babcock, authority from General
+Grant to relieve him, but I did not wish to do it, particularly on
+the eve of battle; so, saying nothing at all about the message
+brought me, I entered at once on the plan for defeating Pickett,
+telling Warren how the enemy was posted, explaining with considerable
+detail, and concluding by stating that I wished his troops to be
+formed on the Gravelly Church road, near its junction with the White
+Oak road, with two divisions to the front, aligned obliquely to the
+White Oak road, and one in reserve, opposite the centre of these two.
+
+General Warren seemed to understand me clearly, and then left to join
+his command, while I turned my attention to the cavalry, instructing
+Merritt to begin by making demonstrations as though to turn the
+enemy's right, and to assault the front of the works with his
+dismounted cavalry as soon as Warren became engaged.  Afterward I
+rode around to Gravelly Run Church, and found the head of Warren's
+column just appearing, while he was sitting under a tree making a
+rough sketch of the ground.  I was disappointed that more of the
+corps was not already up, and as the precious minutes went by without
+any apparent effort to hurry the troops on to the field, this
+disappointment grew into disgust.  At last I expressed to Warren my
+fears that the cavalry might expend all their ammunition before the
+attack could be made, that the sun would go down before the battle
+could be begun, or that troops from Lee's right, which, be it
+remembered, was less than three miles away from my right, might, by
+striking my rear, or even by threatening it, prevent the attack on
+Pickett.
+
+Warren did not seem to me to be at all solicitous; his manner
+exhibited decided apathy, and he remarked with indifference that
+"Bobby Lee was always getting people into trouble."  With unconcern
+such as this, it is no wonder that fully three hours' time was
+consumed in marching his corps from J.[G]  Boisseau's to Gravelly Run
+Church, though the distance was but two miles.  However, when my
+patience was almost worn out, Warren reported his troops ready,
+Ayres's division being formed on the west side of the Gravelly Church
+road, Crawford's on the east side, and Griffin in reserve behind the
+right of Crawford, a little different from my instructions.  The
+corps had no artillery present, its batteries, on account of the mud,
+being still north of Gravelly Run.  Meanwhile Merritt had been busy
+working his men close up to the intrenchments from the angle of the
+return west, along the White Oak road.
+
+About 4 o'clock Warren began the attack.  He was to assault the left
+flank of the Confederate infantry at a point where I knew Pickett's
+intrenchments were refused, almost at right angles with the White Oak
+road.  I did not know exactly how far toward Hatcher's Run this part
+of the works extended, for here the videttes of Mumford's cavalry
+were covering, but I did know where the refusal began.  This return,
+then, was the point I wished to assail, believing that if the assault
+was made with spirit, the line could be turned.  I therefore intended
+that Ayres and Crawford should attack the refused trenches squarely,
+and when these two divisions and Merritt's cavalry became hotly
+engaged, Griffin's division was to pass around the left of the
+Confederate line; and I personally instructed Griffin how I wished
+him to go in, telling him also that as he advanced, his right flank
+would be taken care of by Mackenzie, who was to be pushed over toward
+the Ford road and Hatcher's Run.
+
+The front of the corps was oblique to the White Oak road; and on
+getting there, it was to swing round to the left till perpendicular
+to the road, keeping closed to the left.  Ayres did his part well,
+and to the letter, bringing his division square up to the front of
+the return near the angle; but Crawford did not wheel to the left, as
+was intended.  On the contrary, on receiving fire from Mumford's
+cavalry, Crawford swerved to the right and moved north from the
+return, thus isolating his division from Ayres; and Griffin,
+uncertain of the enemy's position, naturally followed Crawford.
+
+The deflection of this division on a line of march which finally
+brought it out on the Ford road near C. Young's house, frustrated the
+purpose I had in mind when ordering the attack, and caused a gap
+between Ayres and Crawford, of which the enemy quickly took
+advantage, and succeeded in throwing a part of Ayres's division into
+confusion.  At this juncture I sent word to General Warren to have
+Crawford recalled; for the direction he was following was not only a
+mistaken one, but, in case the assault at the return failed, he ran
+great risk of capture.  Warren could not be found, so I then sent for
+Griffin--first by Colonel Newhall, and then by Colonel Sherman--to
+come to the aid of Ayres, who was now contending alone with that part
+of the enemy's infantry at the return.  By this time Griffin had
+observed and appreciated Crawford's mistake, however, and when the
+staff-officers reached him, was already faced to the left; so,
+marching across Crawford's rear, he quickly joined Ayres, who
+meanwhile had rallied his troops and carried the return.
+
+When Ayres's division went over the flank of the enemy's works,
+Devin's division of cavalry, which had been assaulting the front,
+went over in company with it; and hardly halting to reform, the
+intermingling infantry and dismounted cavalry swept down inside the
+intrenchments, pushing to and beyond Five Forks, capturing thousands
+of prisoners.  The only stand the enemy tried to make was when he
+attempted to form near the Ford road.  Griffin pressed him so hard
+there, however, that he had to give way in short order, and many of
+his men, with three pieces of artillery, fell into the hands of
+Crawford while on his circuitous march.
+
+The right of Custer's division gained a foothold on the enemy's works
+simultaneously with Devin's, but on the extreme left Custer had a
+very severe combat with W. H. F. Lee's cavalry, as well as with
+Corse's and Terry's infantry.  Attacking Terry and Corse with
+Pennington's brigade dismounted, he assailed Lee's cavalry with his
+other two brigades mounted, but Lee held on so obstinately that
+Custer gained but little ground till our troops, advancing behind the
+works, drove Corse and Terry out.  Then Lee made no further stand
+except at the west side of the Gillian field, where, assisted by
+Corse's brigade, he endeavored to cover the retreat, but just before
+dark Custer, in concert with some Fifth Corps regiments under Colonel
+Richardson, drove ihe last of the enemy westward on the White Oak
+road.
+
+Our success was unqualified; we had overthrown Pickett, taken six
+guns, thirteen battle-flags, and nearly six thousand prisoners.  When
+the battle was practically over, I turned to consider my position
+with reference to the main Confederate army.  My troops, though
+victorious, were isolated from the Army of the Potomac, for on the
+31st of March the extreme left of that army had been thrown back
+nearly to the Boydton plank-road, and hence there was nothing to
+prevent the enemy's issuing from his trenches at the intersection of
+the White Oak and Claiborne roads and marching directly on my rear.
+I surmised that he might do this that night or early next morning.
+It was therefore necessary to protect myself in this critical
+situation, and General Warren having sorely disappointed me, both in
+the moving of his corps and in its management during the battle, I
+felt that he was not the man to rely upon under such circumstances,
+and deeming that it was to the best interest of the service as well
+as but just to myself, I relieved him, ordering him to report to
+General Grant.
+
+I then put Griffin in command of the Fifth Corps, and directed him to
+withdraw from the pursuit as quickly as he could after following the
+enemy a short distance, and form in line of battle near Gravelly Run
+Church, at right angles with the White Oak road, with Ayres and
+Crawford facing toward the enemy at the junction of the White Oak and
+Claiborne roads, leaving Bartlett, now commanding Griffin's division,
+near the Ford road.  Mackenzie also was left on the Ford road at the
+crossing of Hatcher's Run, Merritt going into camp on the Widow
+Gillian's plantation.  As I had been obliged to keep Crook's division
+along Stony Creek throughout the day, it had taken no active part in
+the battle.
+
+Years after the war, in 1879, a Court of Inquiry was given General
+Warren in relation to his conduct on the day of the battle.  He
+assumed that the delay in not granting his request for an inquiry,
+which was first made at the close of the war, was due to opposition
+on my part.  In this he was in error; I never opposed the ordering of
+the Court, but when it was finally decided to convene it I naturally
+asked to be represented by counsel, for the authorization of the
+Inquiry was so peculiarly phrased that it made me practically a
+respondent.
+
+
+"NEW YORK CITY, May 3, 1880
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL W. S. HANCOCK, U. S. A.
+"President Court of Inquiry, Governor's Island.
+
+"Sir: Since my arrival in this city, under a subpoena to appear and
+testify before the Court of which you are president, I have been
+indirectly and unofficially informed that the Court some time ago
+forwarded an invitation to me (which has not been received) to appear
+personally or by counsel, in order to aid it in obtaining a knowledge
+as to the facts concerning the movements terminating in the battle of
+'Five Forks,' with reference to the direct subjects of its inquiry.
+Any invitation of this character I should always and do consider it
+incumbent on me to accede to, and do everything in my power in
+furtherance of the specific purposes for which courts of inquiry are
+by law instituted.
+
+"The order convening the Court (a copy of which was not received by
+me at my division headquarters until two days after the time
+appointed for the Court to assemble) contemplates an inquiry based on
+the application of Lieutenant Colonel G. K. Warren, Corps of
+Engineers, as to his conduct while major-general commanding the Fifth
+Army Corps, under my command, in reference to accusations or
+imputations assumed in the order to have been made against him, and I
+understand through the daily press that my official report of the
+battle of Five Forks has been submitted by him as a basis of inquiry.
+
+"If it is proposed to inquire, either directly or indirectly, as to
+any action of mine so far as the commanding general Fifth Army Corps
+was concerned, or my motives for such action, I desire to be
+specifically informed wherein such action or transaction is alleged
+to contain an accusation or imputation to become a subject of
+inquiry, so that, knowing what issues are raised, I may intelligently
+aid the Court in arriving at the facts.
+
+"It is a long time since the battle of Five Forks was fought, and
+during the time that has elapsed the official reports of that battle
+have been received and acknowledged by the Government; but now, when
+the memory of events has in many instances grown dim, and three of
+the principal actors on that field are dead--Generals Griffin,
+Custer, and Devin, whose testimony would have been valuable--an
+investigation is ordered which might perhaps do injustice unless the
+facts pertinent to the issues are fully developed.
+
+"My duties are such that it will not be convenient for me to be
+present continuously during the sessions of the Court.  In order,
+however, that everything may be laid before it in my power pertinent
+to such specific issues as are legally raised, I beg leave to
+introduce Major Asa Bird Gardner as my counsel.
+
+"Very respectfully,
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Lieut.-General."
+
+
+Briefly stated, in my report of the battle of Five Forks there were
+four imputations concerning General Warren.  The first implied that
+Warren failed to reach me on the 1st of April, when I had reason to
+expect him; the second, that the tactical handling of his corps was
+unskillful; the third, that he did not exert himself to get his corps
+up to Gravelly Run Church; and the fourth, that when portions of his
+line gave way he did not exert himself to restore confidence to his
+troops.  The Court found against him on the first and second counts,
+and for him on the third and fourth.  This finding was unsatisfactory
+to General Warren, for he hoped to obtain such an unequivocal
+recognition of his services as to cast discredit on my motives for
+relieving him.  These were prompted by the conditions alone--by the
+conduct of General Warren as described, and my consequent lack of
+confidence in him.
+
+It will be remembered that in my conversation with General Grant on
+the 30th, relative to the suspension of operations because of the
+mud, I asked him to let me have the Sixth Corps to help me in
+breaking in on the enemy's right, but that it could not be sent me;
+it will be recalled also that the Fifth Corps was afterward tendered
+and declined.  From these facts it has been alleged that I was
+prejudiced against General Warren, but this is not true.  As we had
+never been thrown much together I knew but little of him.  I had no
+personal objection to him, and certainly could have none to his
+corps.  I was expected to do an extremely dangerous piece of work,
+and knowing the Sixth Corps well--my cavalry having campaigned with
+it so successfully in the Shenandoah Valley, I naturally preferred
+it, and declined the Fifth for no other reason.  But the Sixth could
+not be given, and the turn of events finally brought me the Fifth
+after my cavalry, under the most trying difficulties, had drawn the
+enemy from his works, and into such a position as to permit the
+realization of General Grant's hope to break up with my force Lee's
+right flank.  Pickett's isolation offered an opportunity which we
+could not afford to neglect, and the destruction of his command would
+fill the measure of General Grant's expectations as well as meet my
+own desires.  The occasion was not an ordinary one, and as I thought
+that Warren had not risen to its demand in the battle, I deemed it
+injudicious and unsafe under the critical conditions existing to
+retain him longer.  That I was justified in this is plain to all who
+are disposed to be fair-minded, so with the following extract from
+General Sherman's review of the proceedings of the Warren Court, and
+with which I am convinced the judgment of history will accord, I
+leave the subject:
+
+"....It would be an unsafe and dangerous rule to hold the commander
+of an army in battle to a technical adherence to any rule of conduct
+for managing his command.  He is responsible for results, and holds
+the lives and reputations of every officer and soldier under his
+orders as subordinate to the great end--victory.  The most important
+events are usually compressed into an hour, a minute, and he cannot
+stop to analyze his reasons.  He must act on the impulse, the
+conviction, of the instant, and should be sustained in his
+conclusions, if not manifestly unjust.  The power to command men, and
+give vehement impulse to their joint action, is something which
+cannot be defined by words, but it is plain and manifest in battles,
+and whoever commands an army in chief must choose his subordinates by
+reason of qualities which can alone be tested in actual conflict.
+
+"No one has questioned the patriotism, integrity, and great
+intelligence of General Warren.  These are attested by a long record
+of most excellent service, but in the clash of arms at and near Five
+Forks, March 31 and April 1, 1865, his personal activity fell short
+of the standard fixed by General Sheridan, on whom alone rested the
+great responsibility for that and succeeding days.
+
+"My conclusion is that General Sheridan was perfectly justified in
+his action in this case, and he must be fully and entirely sustained
+if the United States expects great victories by her arms in the
+future."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+RESULT OF THE BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS--RETREAT OF LEE--AN INTERCEPTED
+DESPATCH--AT AMELIA COURT HOUSE--BATTLE OF SAILOR'S CREEK--THE
+CONFEDERATES' STUBBORN RESISTANCE--A COMPLETE VICTORY--IMPORTANCE OF
+THE BATTLE.
+
+When the news of the battle at Five Forks reached General Grant, he
+realized that the decisive character of our victory would necessitate
+the immediate abandonment of Richmond and Petersburg by the enemy;
+and fearing that Lee would escape without further injury, he issued
+orders, the propriety of which must be settled by history, to assault
+next morning the whole intrenched line.  But Lee could not retreat at
+once.  He had not anticipated dissster at Five Forks, and hence was
+unprepared to withdraw on the moment; and the necessity of getting
+off his trains and munitions of war, as well as being obliged to
+cover the flight of the Confederate Government, compelled him to hold
+on to Richmond and Petersburg till the afternoon of the 2d, though
+before that Parke, Ord, and Wright had carried his outer
+intrenchments at several points, thus materially shortening the line
+of investment.
+
+The night of the 1st of April, General Humphreys's corps--the Second
+--had extended its left toward the White Oak road, and early next
+morning, under instructions from General Grant, Miles's division of
+that corps reported to me, and supporting him with Ayres's and
+Crawford's divisions of the Fifth Corps, I then directed him to
+advance toward Petersburg and attack the enemy's works at the
+intersection of the Claiborne and White Oak roads.
+
+Such of the enemy as were still in the works Miles easily forced
+across Hatcher's Run, in the direction of Sutherland's depot, but the
+Confederates promptly took up a position north of the little stream,
+and Miles being anxious to attack, I gave him leave, but just at this
+time General Humphreys came up with a request to me from General
+Meade to return Miles.  On this request I relinquished command of the
+division, when, supported by the Fifth Corps it could have broken in
+the enemy's right at a vital point; and I have always since regretted
+that I did so, for the message Humphreys conveyed was without
+authority from General Grant, by whom Miles had been sent to me, but
+thinking good feeling a desideratum just then, and wishing to avoid
+wrangles, I faced the Fifth Corps about and marched it down to Five
+Forks, and out the Ford road to the crossing of Hatcher's Run.  After
+we had gone, General Grant, intending this quarter of the field to be
+under my control, ordered Humphreys with his other two divisions to
+move to the right, in toward Petersburg.  This left Miles entirely
+unsupported, and his gallant attack made soon after was unsuccessful
+at first, but about 3 o'clock in the afternoon he carried the point
+which covered the retreat from Petersburg and Richmond.
+
+Merritt had been sent westward, meanwhile, in the direction of Ford's
+Station, to break the enemy's horse which had been collecting to the
+north of Hatcher's Run.  Meeting, with but little opposition, Merritt
+drove this cavalry force in a northerly direction toward Scott's
+Corners, while the Fifth Corps was pushed toward Sutherland's depot,
+in the hope of coming in on the rear of the force that was
+confronting Miles when I left him.  Crawford and Merritt engaged the
+enemy lightly just before night, but his main column, retreating
+along the river road south of the Appomattox, had got across Namozine
+Creek, and the darkness prevented our doing more than to pick up some
+stragglers.  The next morning the pursuit was resumed, the cavalry
+again in advance, the Fifth Corps keeping up with it all the while,
+and as we pressed our adversaries hundreds and hundreds of prisoners,
+armed and unarmed, fell into our hands, together with many wagons and
+five pieces of artillery.  At Deep Creek the rearguard turned on us,
+and a severe skirmish took place.  Merritt, finding the enemy very
+strong, was directed to await the arrival of Crook and for the rear
+division of the Fifth Corps; but by the time they reached the creek,
+darkness had again come to protect the Confederates, and we had to be
+content with meagre results at that point.
+
+From the beginning it was apparent that Lee, in his retreat, was
+making for Amelia Court House, where his columns north and south of
+the Appomattox River could join, and where, no doubt, he expected to
+meet supplies, so Crook was ordered to march early on April 4 to
+strike the Danville railroad, between Jettersville and Burkeville,
+and then move south along the railroad toward Jettersville, Merritt
+to move toward Amelia Court House, and the Fifth Corps to
+Jettersville itself.
+
+The Fifth Corps got to Jettersville about 5 in the afternoon, and I
+immediately intrenched it across the Burkeville road with the
+determination to stay there till the main army could come up, for I
+hoped we could force Lee to surrender at Amelia Court House, since a
+firm hold on Jettersville would cut him off from his line of retreat
+toward Burkeville.
+
+Accompanied only by my escort--the First United States Cavalry, about
+two hundred strong--I reached Jettersville some little time before
+the Fifth Corps, and having nothing else at hand I at once deployed
+this handful of men to cover the crossroads till the arrival of the
+corps.  Just as the troopers were deploying, a man on a mule, heading
+for Burkeville, rode into my pickets.  He was arrested, of course,
+and being searched there was found in his boots this telegram in
+duplicate, signed by Lee's Commissary General.
+
+"The army is at Amelia Court House, short of provisions.  Send
+300,000 rations quickly to Burkeville Junction." One copy was
+addressed to the supply department at Danville, and the other to that
+at Lynchburg.  I surmised that the telegraph lines north of
+Burkeville had been broken by Crook after the despatches were
+written, which would account for their being transmitted by
+messenger.  There was thus revealed not only the important fact that
+Lee was concentrating at Amelia Court House, but also a trustworthy
+basis for estimating his troops, so I sent word to Crook to strike up
+the railroad toward me, and to Merritt--who, as I have said, had
+followed on the heels of the enemy--to leave Mackenzie there and
+himself close in on Jettersville.  Staff-officers were also
+despatched to hurry up Griffin with the Fifth Corps, and his tired men
+redoubled their strides.
+
+My troops too were hard up for rations, for in the pursuit we could
+not wait for our trains, so I concluded to secure if possible these
+provisions intended for Lee.  To this end I directed Young to send
+four of his best scouts to Burkeville Junction.  There they were to
+separate, two taking the railroad toward Lynchburg and two toward
+Danville, and as soon as a telegraph station was reached the telegram
+was to be transmitted as it had been written and the provisions thus
+hurried forward.
+
+Although the Fifth Corps arrived at Jettersville the evening of April
+4, as did also Crook's and Merritt's cavalry, yet none of the army of
+the Potomac came up till about 3 o'clock the afternoon of the 5th,
+the Second Corps, followed by the Sixth, joining us then.  General
+Meade arrived at Jettersville an hour earlier, but being ill,
+requested me to put his troops in position.  The Fifth Corps being
+already intrenched across the Amelia Court House road facing north, I
+placed the Sixth on its right and the Second on its left as they
+reached the ground.
+
+As the enemy had been feeling us ever since morning--to learn what he
+was up to I directed Crook to send Davies's brigade on a
+reconnoissance to Paine's crossroads.  Davies soon found out that Lee
+was trying to escape by that flank, for at the crossroads he found
+the Confederate trains and artillery moving rapidly westward.  Having
+driven away the escort, Davies succeeded in burning nearly two
+hundred wagons, and brought off five pieces of artillery.  Among
+these wagons were some belonging to General, Lee's and to General
+Fitzhugh Lee's headquarters.  This work through, Davies withdrew and
+rejoined Crook, who, with Smith and Gregg, was established near Flat
+Creek.
+
+It being plain that Lee would attempt to escape as soon as his trains
+were out of the way, I was most anxious to attack him when the Second
+Corps began to arrive, for I felt certain that unless we did so he
+would succeed in passing by our left flank, and would thus again make
+our pursuit a stern-chase; but General Meade, whose plan of attack
+was to advance his right flank on Amelia Court House, objected to
+assailing before all his troops were up.
+
+I then sent despatches to General Grant, explaining what Davies had
+done, and telling him that the Second Corps was arriving, and that I
+wished he himself was present.  I assured him of my confidence in our
+capturing Lee if we properly exerted ourselves, and informed him,
+finally, that I would put all my cavalry, except Mackenzie, on my
+left, and that, with such a disposition of my forces, I could see no
+escape for Lee.  I also inclosed him this letter, which had just been
+captured:
+
+"AMELIA C. H., April 5, 1865.
+
+"DEAR MAMMA:
+
+"Our army is ruined, I fear.  We are all safe as yet.  Shyron left us
+sick.  John Taylor is well--saw him yesterday.  We are in line of
+battle this morning.  General Robert Lee is in the field near us.  My
+trust is still in the justice of our cause, and that of God.  General
+Hill is killed.  I saw Murray a few minutes since.  Bernard, Terry
+said, was taken prisoner, but may yet get out.  I send this by a
+negro I see passing up the railroad to Mechlenburg.  Love to all.
+
+"Your devoted son,
+
+"Wm. B. TAYLOR, Colonel."
+
+
+General Grant, who on the 5th was accompanying General Ord's column
+toward Burkeville Junction, did not receive this intelligence till
+nearly nightfall, when within about ten miles of the Junction.  He
+set out for Jettersville immediately, but did not reach us till near
+midnight, too late of course to do anything that night.  Taking me
+with him, we went over to see Meade, whom he then directed to advance
+early in the morning on Amelia Court House.  In this interview Grant
+also stated that the orders Meade had already issued would permit
+Lee's escape, and therefore must be changed, for it was not the aim
+only to follow the enemy, but to get ahead of him, remarking during
+the conversation that, "he had no doubt Lee was moving right then."
+On this same occasion Meade expressed a desire to have in the
+proposed attack all the troops of the Army of the Potomac under his
+own command, and asked for the return of the Fifth Corps.  I made no
+objections, and it was ordered to report, to him.
+
+When, on the morning of the 6th, Meade advanced toward Amelia Court
+House, he found, as predicted, that Lee was gone.  It turned out that
+the retreat began the evening of the 5th and continued all night.
+Satisfied that this would be the case, I did not permit the cavalry
+to participate in Meade's useless advance, but shifted it out toward
+the left to the road running from Deatonsville to Rice's station,
+Crook leading and Merritt close up.  Before long the enemy's trains
+were discovered on this road, but Crook could make but little
+impression on them, they were so strongly guarded; so, leaving
+Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery about three miles southwest of
+Deatonsville--where the road forks, with a branch leading north
+toward the Appomattox--to harass the retreating column and find a
+vulnerable point, I again shifted the rest of the cavalry toward the
+left, across-country, but still keeping parallel to the enemy's line
+of march.
+
+Just after crossing Sailor's Greek, a favorable opportunity offering,
+both Merritt and Crook attacked vigorously, gained the Rice's Station
+road, destroyed several hundred wagons, made many prisoners, and
+captured sixteen pieces of artillery.  This was important, but more
+valuable still was the fact that we were astride the enemy's line of
+retreat, and had cut off from joining Longstreet, waiting at Rice's
+Station, a corps of Confederate infantry under General Ewell,
+composed of Anderson's, Kershaw's, and Custis Lee's divisions.
+Stagg's brigade and Miller's battery, which, as I have said, had been
+left at the forks of the Deatonsville road, had meanwhile broken in
+between the rear of Ewell's column and the head of Gordon's, forcing
+Gordon to abandon his march for Rice's Station, and to take the
+right-hand road at the forks, on which he was pursued by General
+Humphreys.
+
+The complete isolation of Ewell from Longstreet in his front and
+Gordon in his rear led to the battle of Sailor's Creek, one of the
+severest conflicts of the war, for the enemy fought with desperation
+to escape capture, and we, bent on his destruction, were no less
+eager and determined.  The capture of Ewell, with six of his generals
+and most of his troops, crowned our success, but the fight was so
+overshadowed by the stirring events of the surrender three days
+later, that the battle has never been accorded the prominence it
+deserves.
+
+The small creek from which the field takes its name flows in a
+northwesterly direction across the road leading from Deatonsville to
+Rice's Station.  By shifting to the left, Merritt gained the Rice's
+Station road west of the creek, making havoc of the wagon-trains,
+while Crook struck them further on and planted himself square across
+the road.  This blocked Ewell, who, advancing Anderson to some high
+ground west of the creek, posted him behind barricades, with the
+intention of making a hard fight there, while the main body should
+escape through the woods in a westerly direction to roads that led to
+Farmville.  This was prevented, however, by Crook forming his
+division, two brigades dismounted and one mounted, and at once
+assaulting all along Anderson's front and overlapping his right,
+while Merritt fiercely attacked to the right of Crook.  The enemy
+being thus held, enabled the Sixth Corps--which in the meantime I had
+sent for--to come upon the ground, and Ewell, still contending with
+the cavalry, found himself suddenly beset by this new danger from his
+rear.  To, meet it, he placed Kershaw to the right and Custis Lee to
+the left of the Rice's Station road, facing them north toward and
+some little distance from Sailor's Creek, supporting Kershaw with
+Commander Tucker's Marine brigade.  Ewell's skirmishers held the line
+of Sailor's Creek, which runs through a gentle valley, the north
+slope of which was cleared ground.
+
+By General Grant's directions the Sixth Corps had been following my
+route of march since the discovery, about 9 o'clock in the morning,
+that Lee had decamped from Amelia Court House.  Grant had promptly
+informed me of this in a note, saying, "The Sixth Corps will go in
+with a vim any place you may dictate," so when I sent word to Wright
+of the enemy's isolation, and asked him to hurry on with all speed,
+his gallant corps came as fast as legs could carry them, he sending
+to me successively Major McClellan and Colonel Franklin, of his
+staff, to report his approach.
+
+I was well advised as to the position of the enemy through
+information brought me by an intelligent young soldier, William A.
+Richardson, Company "A," Second Ohio, who, in one of the cavalry
+charges on Anderson, had cleared the barricades and made his way back
+to my front through Ewell's line.  Richardson had told me just how
+the main body of the enemy was posted, so as Seymour's division
+arrived I directed General Wright to put it on the right of the road,
+while Wheaton's men, coming up all hot and out of breath, promptly
+formed on Seymour's left.  Both divisions thus aligned faced
+southwest toward Sailor's Creek, and the artillery of the corps being
+massed to the left and front of the Hibbon house, without waiting for
+Getty's division--for I feared that if we delayed longer the enemy
+might effect his escape toward Farmville--the general attack was
+begun.  Seymour and Wheaton, moving forward together, assailed the
+enemy's front and left, and Stagg's brigade, too, which in the mean
+time had been placed between Wheaton's left and Devin's right, went
+at him along with them, Merritt and Crook resuming the fight from
+their positions in front of Anderson.  The enemy, seeing little
+chance of escape, fought like a tiger at bay, but both Seymour and
+Wheaton pressed him vigorously, gaining ground at all points except
+just to the right of the road, where Seymour's left was checked.
+Here the Confederates burst back on us in a counter-charge, surging
+down almost to the creek, but the artillery, supported by Getty, who
+in the mean time had come on the ground, opened on them so terribly
+that this audacious and furious onset was completely broken, though
+the gallant fellows fell back to their original line doggedly, and
+not until after they had almost gained the creek.  Ewell was now
+hemmed in on every side, and all those under his immediate command
+were captured.  Merritt and Crook had also broken up Anderson by this
+time, but he himself, and about two thousand disorganized men escaped
+by making their way through the woods toward the Appomattox River
+before they could be entirely enveloped.  Night had fallen when the
+fight was entirely over, but Devin was pushed on in pursuit for about
+two miles, part of the Sixth Corps following to clinch a victory
+which not only led to the annihilation of one corps of Lee's
+retreating army, but obliged Longstreet to move up to Farmville, so
+as to take a road north of the Appomattox River toward Lynchburg
+instead of continuing toward Danville.
+
+At the close of the battle I sent one of my staff--Colonel Redwood
+Price--to General Grant to report what had been done; that we had
+taken six generals and from nine to ten thousand prisoners.  On his
+way Price stopped at the headquarters of General Meade, where he
+learned that not the slightest intelligence of the occurrence on my
+line had been received, for I not being under Meade's command, he had
+paid no attention to my movements.  Price gave the story of the
+battle, and General Meade, realizing its importance, sent directions
+immediately to General Wright to make his report of the engagement to
+the headquarters of the Army of the Potomac, assuming that Wright was
+operating independently of me in the face of Grant's despatch Of
+2 o'clock, which said that Wright was following the cavalry and would
+"go in with a vim" wherever I dictated.  Wright could not do else
+than comply with Meade's orders in the case, and I, being then in
+ignorance of Meade's reasons for the assumption, could say nothing.
+But General Grant plainly intending, and even directing, that the
+corps should be under my command, remedied this phase of the matter,
+when informed of what had taken place, by requiring Wright to send a
+report of the battle through me.  What he then did, and what his
+intentions and orders were, are further confirmed by a reference to
+the episode in his "Memoirs," where he gives his reasons for ordering
+the Sixth Corps to abandon the move on Amelia Court House and pass to
+the left of the army.  On the same page he also says, referring to
+the 6th of April: "The Sixth Corps now remained with the cavalry
+under Sheridan's direct command until after the surrender."  He
+unquestionably intended all of this, but his purpose was partly
+frustrated by General Meade's action next morning in assuming
+direction of the movements of the corps; and before General Grant
+became aware of the actual conditions the surrender was at hand.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+LINCOLN'S LACONIC DESPATCH--CAPTURING LEE'S SUPPLIES--DELIGHTED
+ENGINEERS--THE CONFEDERATES' LAST EFFORT--A FLAG OF TRUCE--GENERAL
+GEARY'S "LAST DITCH" ABSURDITY--MEETING OF GRANT AND LEE--THE
+SURRENDER--ESTIMATE OF GENERAL GRANT.
+
+The first report of the battle of Sailor's Creek that General Grant
+received was, as already stated, an oral message carried by Colonel
+Price, of my staff.  Near midnight I sent a despatch giving the names
+of the generals captured.  These were Ewell, Kershaw, Barton, Corse,
+Dubose, and Custis Lee.  In the same despatch I wrote: "If the thing
+is pressed, I think that Lee will surrender."  When Mr. Lincoln, at
+City Point, received this word from General Grant, who was
+transmitting every item of news to the President, he telegraphed
+Grant the laconic message: "Let the thing be pressed." The morning of
+the 7th we moved out at a very early hour, Crook's division marching
+toward Farmville in direct pursuit, while Merritt and Mackenzie were
+ordered to Prince Edward's Court House to anticipate any effort Lee
+might make to escape through that place toward Danville since it had
+been discovered that Longstreet had slipped away already from the
+front of General Ord's troops at Rice's Station.  Crook overtook the
+main body of the Confederates at Farmville, and promptly attacked
+their trains on the north side of the Appomattox with Gregg's
+brigade, which was fiercely turned upon and forced to re-cross the
+river with the loss of a number of prisoner's, among them Gregg
+himself.  When Crook sent word of this fight, it was clear that Lee
+had abandoned all effort to escape to the southwest by way of
+Danville.  Lynchburg was undoubtedly his objective point now; so,
+resolving to throw my cavalry again across his path, and hold him
+till the infantry could overtake him, I directed everything on
+Appomattox depot, recalling Crook the night of the 7th to Prospect
+Station, while Merritt camped at Buffalo Creek, and Mackenzie made a
+reconnoissance along the Lynchburg railroad.
+
+At break of day, April 8, Merritt and Mackenzie united with Crook at
+Prospect Station, and the cavalry all moved then toward Appomattox
+depot.  Hardly had it started when one of the scouts--Sergeant White
+--informed me that there were four trains of cars at the depot loaded
+with supplies for Lee's army; these had been sent from Lynchburg, in
+compliance with the telegram of Lee's commissary-general, which
+message, it will be remembered, was captured and transmitted to
+Lynchburg by two of Young's scouts on the 4th.  Sergeant White, who
+had been on the lookout for the trains ever since sending the
+despatch, found them several miles west of Appomattox depot feeling
+their way along, in ignorance of Lee's exact position.  As he had the
+original despatch with him, and took pains to dwell upon the pitiable
+condition of Lee's army, he had little difficulty in persuading the
+men in charge of the trains to bring them east of Appomattox Station,
+but fearing that the true state of affairs would be learned before
+long, and the trains be returned to Lynchburg, he was painfully
+anxious to have them cut off by breaking the track west of the
+station.
+
+The intelligence as to the trains was immediately despatched to
+Crook, and I pushed on to join him with Merritt's command.  Custer
+having the advance, moved rapidly, and on nearing the station
+detailed two regiments to make a detour southward to strike the
+railroad some distance beyond and break the track.  These regiments
+set off at a gallop, and in short order broke up the railroad enough
+to prevent the escape of the trains, Custer meanwhile taking
+possession of the station, but none too soon, for almost at the
+moment he did so the advance-guard of Lee's army appeared, bent on
+securing the trains.  Without halting to look after the cars further,
+Custer attacked this advance-guard and had a spirited fight, in which
+he drove the Confederates away from the station, captured twenty-five
+pieces of artillery, a hospital train, and a large park of wagons,
+which, in the hope that they would reach Lynchburg next day, were
+being pushed ahead of Lee's main body.
+
+Devin coming up a little before dusk, was put in on the right of
+Custer, and one of Crook's brigades was sent to our left and the
+other two held in reserve.  I then forced the enemy back on the
+Appomattox road to the vicinity of the Court House, and that the
+Confederates might have no rest, gave orders to continue the
+skirmishing throughout the night.  Meanwhile the captured trains had
+been taken charge of by locomotive engineers, soldiers of the
+command, who were delighted evidently to get back at their old
+calling.  They amused themselves by running the trains to and fro,
+creating much confusion, and keeping up such an unearthly screeching
+with the whistles that I was on the point of ordering the cars
+burned.  They finally wearied of their fun, however, and ran the
+trains off to the east toward General Ord's column.
+
+The night of the 8th I made my headquarters at a little frame house
+just south of the station.  I did not sleep at all, nor did anybody
+else, the entire command being up all night long; indeed, there had
+been little rest in the, cavalry for the past eight days.  The
+necessity of getting Ord's column up was so obvious now that
+staff-officer after staff-officer was sent to him and to General Grant
+requesting that the infantry be pushed on, for if it could get to the
+front, all knew that the rebellion would be ended on the morrow.
+Merritt, Crook, Custer, and Devin were present at frequent intervals
+during the night, and everybody was overjoyed at the prospect that
+our weary work was about to end so happily.  Before sun-up General
+Ord arrived, and informed me of the approach of his column, it having
+been marching the whole night.  As he ranked me, of course I could
+give him no orders, so after a hasty consultation as to where his
+troops should be placed we separated, I riding to the front to
+overlook my line near Appomattox Court House, while he went back to
+urge along his weary troops.
+
+The night before General Lee had held a council with his principal
+generals, when it was arranged that in the morning General Gordon
+should undertake to break through my cavalry, and when I neared my
+troops this movement was beginning, a heavy line of infantry bearing
+down on us from the direction of the village.  In front of Crook and
+Mackenzie firing had already begun, so riding to a slight elevation
+where a good view of the Confederates could be had, I there came to
+the conclusion that it would be unwise to offer more resistance than
+that necessary to give Ord time to form, so I directed Merritt to
+fall back, and in retiring to shift Devin and Custer to the right so
+as to make room for Ord, now in the woods to my rear.  Crook, who
+with his own and Mackenzie's divisions was on my extreme left
+covering some by-roads, was ordered to hold his ground as long as
+practicable without sacrificing his men, and, if forced to retire, to
+contest with obstinacy the enemy's advance.
+
+As already stated, I could not direct General Ord's course, he being
+my senior, but hastily galloping back to where he was, at the edge of
+the timber, I explained to him what was taking place at the front.
+Merritt's withdrawal inspired the Confederates, who forthwith began
+to press Crook, their line of battle advancing with confidence till
+it reached the crest whence I had reconnoitred them.  From this
+ground they could see Ord's men emerging from the woods, and the
+hopelessness of a further attack being plain, the gray lines
+instinctively halted, and then began to retire toward a ridge
+immediately fronting Appomattox Court House, while Ord, joined on his
+right by the Fifth Corps, advanced on them over the ground that
+Merritt had abandoned.
+
+I now directed my steps toward Merritt, who, having mounted his
+troopers, had moved them off to the right, and by the time I reached
+his headquarters flag he was ready for work, so a move on the enemy's
+left was ordered, and every guidon was bent to the front.  As the
+cavalry marched along parallel with the Confederate line, and in
+toward its left, a heavy fire of artillery opened on us, but this
+could not check us at such a time, and we soon reached some high
+ground about half a mile from the Court House, and from here I could
+see in the low valley beyond the village the bivouac undoubtedly of
+Lee's army.  The troops did not seem to be disposed in battle order,
+but on the other side of the bivouac was a line of battle--a heavy
+rear-guard--confronting, presumably, General Meade.
+
+I decided to attack at once, and formations were ordered at a trot
+for a charge by Custer's and Devin's divisions down the slope leading
+to the camps.  Custer was soon ready, but Devin's division being in
+rear its formation took longer, since he had to shift further to the
+right; Devin's preparations were, therefore, but partially completed
+when an aide-decamp galloped up to with the word from Custer, "Lee
+has surrendered; do not charge; the white flag is up."  The enemy
+perceiving that Custer was forming for attack, had sent the flag out
+to his front and stopped the charge just in time.  I at once sent
+word of the truce to General Ord, and hearing nothing more from
+Custer himself, I supposed that he had gone down to the Court House
+to join a mounted group of Confederates that I could see near there,
+so I, too, went toward them, galloping down a narrow ridge, staff and
+orderlies following; but we had not got half way to the Court House
+when, from a skirt of timber to our right, not more than three
+hundred yards distant, a musketry fire was opened on us.  This halted
+us, when, waving my hat, I called out to the firing party that we
+were under a truce, and they were violating it.  This did not stop
+them, however, so we hastily took shelter in a ravine so situated as
+to throw a ridge between us and the danger.
+
+We traveled in safety down this depression to its mouth, and thence
+by a gentle ascent approached the Court House.  I was in advance,
+followed by a sergeant carrying my battleflag.  When I got within
+about a hundred and fifty yards of the enemy's line, which was
+immediately in front of the Court House, some of the Confederates
+leveled their pieces at us, and I again halted.  Their officers kept
+their men from firing, however, but meanwhile a single-handed contest
+had begun behind me, for on looking back I heard a Confederate
+soldier demanding my battle-flag from the color-bearer, thinking, no
+doubt, that we were coming in as prisoners.  The sergeant had drawn
+his sabre and was about to cut the man down, but at a word from me he
+desisted and carried the flag back to my staff, his assailant quickly
+realizing that the boot was on the other leg.
+
+These incidents determined me to remain where I was till the return
+of a staff-officer whom I had sent over to demand an explanation from
+the group of Confederates for which I had been heading.  He came back
+in a few minutes with apologies for what had occurred, and informed
+me that General Gordon and General Wilcox were the superior officers
+in the group.  As they wished me to join them I rode up with my
+staff, but we had hardly met when in front of Merritt firing began.
+At the sound I turned to General Gordon, who seemed embarrassed by
+the occurrence, and remarked: "General, your men fired on me as I was
+coming over here, and undoubtedly they are treating Merritt and
+Custer the same way.  We might as well let them fight it out."  He
+replied, "There must be some mistake."  I then asked, "Why not send a
+staff-officer and have your people cease firing; they are violating
+the flag." He answered, "I have no staff-officer to send."  Whereupon
+I said that I would let him have one of mine, and calling for
+Lieutenant Vanderbilt Allen, I directed him to carry General Gordon's
+orders to General Geary, commanding a small brigade of South Carolina
+cavalry, to discontinue firing.  Allen dashed off with the message
+and soon delivered it, but was made a prisoner, Geary saying, "I do
+not care for white flags: South Carolinians never surrender...."  By
+this time Merritt's patience being exhausted, he ordered an attack,
+and this in short order put an end to General Geary's "last ditch"
+absurdity, and extricated Allen from his predicament.
+
+When quiet was restored Gordon remarked: "General Lee asks for a
+suspension of hostilities pending the negotiations which he is having
+with General Grant."  I rejoined: "I have been constantly informed of
+the progress of the negotiations, and think it singular that while
+such discussions are going on, General Lee should have continued his
+march and attempted to break through my lines this morning.  I will
+entertain no terms except that General Lee shall surrender to General
+Grant on his arrival here.  If these terms are not accepted we will
+renew hostilities."  Gordon replied: "General Lee's army is
+exhausted.  There is no doubt of his surrender to General Grant."
+
+It was then that General Ord joined us, and after shaking hands all
+around, I related the situation to him, and Gordon went away agreeing
+to meet us again in half an hour.  When the time was up he came back
+accompanied by General Longstreet, who brought with him a despatch,
+the duplicate of one that had been sent General Grant through General
+Meade's lines back on the road over which Lee had been retreating.
+
+General Longstreet renewed the assurances that already had been given
+by Gordon, and I sent Colonel Newhall with the despatch to find
+General Grant and bring him to the front.  When Newhall started,
+everything on our side of the Appomattox Court House was quiet, for
+inevitable surrender was at hand, but Longstreet feared that Meade,
+in ignorance of the new conditions on my front might attack the
+Confederate rearguard.  To prevent this I offered to send Colonel J.
+W. Forsyth through the enemy's lines to let Meade know of my
+agreement, for he too was suspicious that by a renewed correspondence
+Lee was endeavoring to gain time for escape.  My offer being
+accepted, Forsyth set out accompanied by Colonel Fairfax, of
+Longstreet's staff, and had no difficulty in accomplishing his
+mission.
+
+About five or six miles from Appomattox, on the road toward Prospect
+Station near its intersection with the Walker's Church road, my
+adjutant-general, Colonel Newhall, met General Grant, he having
+started from north of the Appomattox River for my front the morning
+of April 9, in consequence of the following despatches which had been
+sent him the night before, after we had captured Appomattox Station
+and established a line intercepting Lee:
+
+"CAVALRY HEADQUARTERS, April 8, 1865--9:20 P. M.
+
+"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT,
+"Commanding Armies of the U.  S.
+
+"General: I marched early this morning from Buffalo Creek and
+Prospect Station on Appomattox Station, where my scouts had reported
+trains of cars with supplies for Lee's army.  A short time before
+dark General Custer, who had the advance, made a dash at the station,
+capturing four trains of supplies with locomotives.  One of the
+trains was burned and the others were run back toward Farmville for
+security.  Custer then pushed on toward Appomattox Court House,
+driving the enemy--who kept up a heavy fire of artillery--charging
+them repeatedly and capturing, as far as reported, twenty-five pieces
+of artillery and a number of prisoners and wagons.  The First Cavalry
+Division supported him on the right.  A reconnoissance sent across
+the Appomattox reports the enemy moving on the Cumberland road to
+Appomattox Station, where they expect to get supplies.  Custer is
+still pushing on.  If General Gibbon and the Fifth Corps can get up
+to-night, we will perhaps finish the job in the morning.  I do not
+think Lee means to surrender until compelled to do so.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS CAVALRY, April 8, 1865--9:40 p.m.
+
+"LIEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT.
+"Commanding Armies U. S.
+
+"GENERAL: Since writing the accompanying despatch, General Custer
+reports that his command has captured in all thirty-five pieces of
+artillery, one thousand prisoners--including one general officer--and
+from one hundred and fifty to two hundred wagons.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN, Major-General."
+
+
+In attempting to conduct the lieutenant-general and staff back by a
+short route, Newhall lost his bearings for a time, inclining in
+toward the enemy's lines too far, but regained the proper direction
+without serious loss of time.  General Grant arrived about 1 o'clock
+in the afternoon, Ord and I, dismounted, meeting him at the edge of
+the town, or crossroads, for it was little more.  He remaining
+mounted, spoke first to me, saying simply,
+
+"How are you, Sheridan?"  I assured him with thanks that I was
+"first-rate," when, pointing toward the village, he asked, "Is
+General Lee up there?" and I replied: "There is his army down in that
+valley, and he himself is over in that house (designating McLean's
+house) waiting to surrender to you."  The General then said, "Come,
+let us go over," this last remark being addressed to both Ord and me.
+We two then mounted and joined him, while our staff-officers
+followed, intermingling with those of the general-in-chief as the
+cavalcade took its way to McLean's house near by, and where General
+Lee had arrived some time before, in consequence of a message from
+General Grant consenting to the interview asked for by Lee through
+Meade's front that morning--the consent having been carried by
+Colonel Babcock.
+
+When I entered McLean's house General Lee was standing, as was also
+his military secretary, Colonel Marshall, his only staff-officer
+present.  General Lee was dressed in a new uniform and wore a
+handsome sword.  His tall, commanding form thus set off contrasted
+strongly with the short figure of General Grant, clothed as he was in
+a soiled suit, without sword or other insignia of his position except
+a pair of dingy shoulder-straps.  After being presented, Ord and I,
+and nearly all of General Grant's staff, withdrew to await the
+agreement as to terms, and in a little while Colonel Babcock came to
+the door and said, "The surrender had been made; you can come in
+again."
+
+When we re-entered General Grant was writing; and General Lee, having
+in his hand two despatches, which I that morning requested might be
+returned, as I had no copies of them, addressed me with the remark:
+"I am sorry.  It is probable that my cavalry at that point of the
+line did not fully understand the agreement." These despatches had
+been sent in the forenoon, after the fighting had been stopped,
+notifying General Lee that some of his cavalry in front of Crook was
+violating the suspension of hostilities by withdrawing.  About
+3 o'clock in the afternoon the terms of surrender were written out
+and accepted, and General Lee left the house, as he departed
+cordially shaking hands with General Grant.  A moment later he
+mounted his chunky gray horse, and lifting his hat as he passed out
+of the yard, rode off toward his army, his arrival there being
+announced to us by cheering, which, as it progressed, varying in
+loudness, told he was riding through the bivouac of the Army of
+Northern Virginia.
+
+The surrender of General Lee practically ended the war of the
+rebellion.  For four years his army had been the main-stay of the
+Confederacy; and the marked ability with which he directed its
+operations is evidenced both by his frequent successes and the length
+of time he kept up the contest.  Indeed, it may be said that till
+General Grant was matched against him, he never met an opponent he
+did not vanquish, for while it is true that defeat was inflicted on
+the Confederates at Antietam and Gettysburg, yet the fruits of these
+victories were not gathered, for after each of these battles Lee was
+left unmolested till he had a chance to recuperate.
+
+The assignment of General Grant to the command of the Union armies in
+the winter of 1863-64 gave presage of success from the start, for his
+eminent abilities had already been proved, and besides, he was a
+tower of strength to the Government, because he had the confidence of
+the people.  They knew that henceforth systematic direction would be
+given to our armies in every section of the vast territory over which
+active operations were being prosecuted, and further, that this
+coherence, this harmony of plan, was the one thing needed to end the
+war, for in the three preceding years there had been illustrated most
+lamentable effects of the absence of system.  From the moment he set
+our armies in motion simultaneously, in the spring of 1864, it could
+be seen that we should be victorious ultimately, for though on
+different lines we were checked now and then, yet we were harassing
+the Confederacy at so many vital points that plainly it must yield to
+our blows.  Against Lee's army, the forefront of the Confederacy,
+Grant pitted himself; and it may be said that the Confederate
+commander was now, for the first time, overmatched, for against all
+his devices--the products of a mind fertile in defense--General Grant
+brought to bear not only the wealth of expedient which had hitherto
+distinguished him, but also an imperturbable tenacity, particularly
+in the Wilderness and on the march to the James, without which the
+almost insurmountable obstacles of that campaign could not have been
+overcome.  During it and in the siege of Petersburg he met with many
+disappointments--on several occasions the shortcomings of generals,
+when at the point of success, leading to wretched failures.  But so
+far as he was concerned, the only apparent effect of these
+discomfitures was to make him all the more determined to discharge
+successfully the stupendous trust committed to his care, and to bring
+into play the manifold resources of his well ordered military mind.
+He guided every subordinate then, and in the last days of the
+rebellion, with a fund of common sense and superiority of intellect,
+which have left an impress so distinct as to exhibit his great
+personality.  When his military history is analyzed after the lapse
+of years, it will show, even more clearly than now, that during these
+as well as in his previous campaigns he was the steadfast Centre
+about and on which everything else turned.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+ORDERED TO GREENSBORO', N. C.--MARCH TO THE DAN RIVER--ASSIGNED TO
+THE COMMAND WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI--LEAVING WASHINGTON--FLIGHT OF
+GENERAL EARLY--MAXIMILIAN--MAKING DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE UPPER RIO
+GRANDE--CONFEDERATES JOIN MAXIMILIAN--THE FRENCH INVASION OF MEXICO
+AND ITS RELATIONS TO THE REBELLION--ASSISTING THE LIBERALS
+--RESTORATION OF THE REPUBLIC.
+
+The surrender at Appomattox put a stop to all military operations on
+the part of General Grant's forces, and the morning of April 10 my
+cavalry began its march to Petersburg, the men anticipating that they
+would soon be mustered out and returned to their homes.  At Nottoway
+Court House I heard of the assassination of the President.  The first
+news came to us the night after the dastardly deed, the telegraph
+operator having taken it from the wires while in transmission to
+General Meade.  The despatch ran that Mr. Lincoln had been, shot at
+10 o'clock that morning at Willard's Hotel, but as I could conceive
+of nothing to take the President there I set the story down as a
+canard, and went to bed without giving it further thought.  Next
+morning, however, an official telegram confirmed the fact of the
+assassination, though eliminating the distorted circumstances that
+had been communicated the night before.
+
+When we reached Petersburg my column was halted, and instructions
+given me to march the cavalry and the Sixth Corps to Greensboro',
+North Carolina, for the purpose of aiding General Sherman (the
+surrender of General Johnston having not yet been effected), so I
+made the necessary preparations and moved on the 24th of April,
+arriving at South Boston, on the Dan River, the 28th, the Sixth Corps
+having reached Danville meanwhile.  At South Boston I received a
+despatch from General Halleck, who immediately after Lee's surrender
+had been assigned to command at Richmond, informing me that General
+Johnston had been brought to terms.  The necessity for going farther
+south being thus obviated we retraced our steps to Petersburg, from
+which place I proceeded by steamer to Washington, leaving, the
+cavalry to be marched thither by easy stages.
+
+The day after my arrival in Washington an important order was sent
+me, accompanied by the following letter of instructions, transferring
+me to a new field of operations:
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES.
+"Washington, D. C., May 17, 1865.
+
+"GENERAL: Under the orders relieving you from the command of the
+Middle Military Division and assigning you to command west of the
+Mississippi, you will proceed without delay to the West to arrange
+all preliminaries for your new field of duties.
+
+"Your duty is to restore Texas, and that part of Louisiana held by
+the enemy, to the Union in the shortest practicable time, in a way
+most effectual for securing permanent peace.
+
+"To do this, you will be given all the troops that can be spared
+by Major-General Canby, probably twenty-five thousand men of
+all arms; the troops with Major-General J. J. Reynolds, in Arkansas,
+say twelve thousand, Reynolds to command; the Fourth
+Army Corps, now at Nashville, Tennessee, awaiting orders; and
+the Twenty-Fifth Army Corps, now at City Point, Virginia, ready
+to embark.
+
+"I do not wish to trammel you with instructions; I will state,
+however, that if Smith holds out, without even an ostensible
+government to receive orders from or to report to, he and his men are
+not entitled to the considerations due to an acknowledged
+belligerent.  Theirs are the conditions of outlaws, making war
+against the only Government having an existence over the territory
+where war is now being waged.
+
+"You may notify the rebel commander west of the Mississippi--holding
+intercourse with him in person, or through such officers of the rank
+of major-general as you may select--that he will be allowed to
+surrender all his forces on the same terms as were accorded to Lee
+and Johnston.  If he accedes, proceed to garrison the Red River as
+high up as Shreveport, the seaboard at Galveston, Malagorda Bay,
+Corpus Christi, and mouth of the Rio Grande.
+
+"Place a strong force on the Rio Grande, holding it at least to a
+point opposite Camargo, and above that if supplies can be procured.
+
+"In case of an active campaign (a hostile one) I think a heavy force
+should be put on the Rio Grande as a first preliminary.  Troops for
+this might be started at once.  The Twenty-Fifth Corps is now
+available, and to it should be added a force of white troops, say
+those now under Major-General Steele.
+
+"To be clear on this last point, I think the Rio Grande should be
+strongly held, whether the forces in Texas surrender or not, and that
+no time should be lost in getting troops there.  If war is to be
+made, they will be in the right place; if Kirby Smith surrenders,
+they will be on the line which is to be strongly garrisoned.
+
+"Should any force be necessary other than those designated, they can
+be had by calling for them on Army Headquarters.
+
+"U. S. GRANT,
+"Lieutenant-General.
+
+"To MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"United States Army."
+
+
+On receipt of these instructions I called at once on General Grant,
+to see if they were to be considered so pressing as to preclude my
+remaining in Washington till after the Grand Review, which was fixed
+for the 23d and 24th of May, for naturally I had a strong desire to
+head my command on that great occasion.  But the General told me that
+it was absolutely necessary to go at once to force the surrender of
+the Confederates under Kirby Smith.  He also told me that the States
+lately in rebellion would be embraced in two or three military
+departments, the commanders of which would control civil affairs
+until Congress took action about restoring them to the Union, since
+that course would not only be economical and simple, but would give
+the Southern people confidence, and encourage them to go to work,
+instead of distracting them with politics.
+
+At this same interview he informed me that there was an additional
+motive in sending me to the new command, a motive not explained by
+the instructions themselves, and went on to say that, as a matter of
+fact, he looked upon the invasion of Mexico by Maximilian as a part
+of the rebellion itself, because of the encouragement that invasion
+had received from the Confederacy, and that our success in putting
+down secession would never be complete till the French and Austrian
+invaders were compelled to quit the territory of our sister republic.
+With regard to this matter, though, he said it would be necessary for
+me to act with great circumspection, since the Secretary of State,
+Mr. Seward, was much opposed to the use of our troops along the
+border in any active way that would be likely to involve us in a war
+with European powers.
+
+Under the circumstances, my disappointment at not being permitted to
+participate in the review had to be submitted to, and I left
+Washington without an opportunity of seeing again in a body the men
+who, while under my command, had gone through so many trials and
+unremittingly pursued and, assailed the enemy, from the beginning of
+the campaign of 1864 till the white flag came into their hands at
+Appomattox Court House.
+
+I went first to St.  Louis, and there took the steamboat for New
+Orleans, and when near the mouth of the Red River received word from
+General Canby that Kirby Smith had surrendered under terms similar to
+those accorded Lee and Johnston.  But the surrender was not carried
+out in good faith, particularly by the Texas troops, though this I
+did not learn till some little time afterward when I was informed
+that they had marched off to the interior of the State in several
+organized bodies, carrying with them their camp equipage, arms,
+ammunition, and even some artillery, with the ultimate purpose of
+going to Mexico.  In consequence of this, and also because of the
+desire of the Government to make a strong showing of force in Texas,
+I decided to traverse the State with two columns of cavalry,
+directing one to San Antonio under Merritt, the other to Houston
+under Custer.  Both commands were to start from the Red River
+--Shreveport and Alexandria--being the respective initial points--and
+in organizing the columns, to the mounted force already on the Red
+River were added several regiments of cavalry from the east bank of
+the, Mississippi, and in a singular way one of these fell upon the
+trail of my old antagonist, General Early.  While crossing the river
+somewhere below Vicksburg some of the men noticed a suspicious
+looking party being ferried over in a rowboat, behind which two
+horses were swimming in tow.  Chase was given, and the horses, being
+abandoned by the party, fell into the hands of our troopers, who,
+however, failed to capture or identify the people in the boat.  As
+subsequently ascertained, the men were companions of Early, who was
+already across the Mississippi, hidden in the woods, on his way with
+two or three of these followers to join the Confederates in Texas,
+not having heard of Kirby Smith's surrender.  A week or two later I
+received a letter from Early describing the affair, and the capture
+of the horses, for which he claimed pay, on the ground that they were
+private property, because he had taken them in battle.  The letter
+also said that any further pursuit of Early would be useless, as he
+"expected to be on the deep blue sea" by the time his communication
+reached me.  The unfortunate man was fleeing from imaginary dangers,
+however, for striking his trail was purely accidental, and no effort
+whatever was being made to arrest him personally.  Had this been
+especially desired it might have been accomplished very readily just
+after Lee's surrender, for it was an open secret that Early was then
+not far away, pretty badly disabled with rheumatism.
+
+By the time the two columns were ready to set out for San Antonio and
+Houston, General Frank Herron,--with one division of the Thirteenth
+Corps, occupied Galveston, and another division under General Fred
+Steele had gone to Brazos Santiago, to hold Brownsville and the line
+of the Rio Grande, the object being to prevent, as far as possible,
+the escaping Confederates from joining Maximilian.  With this purpose
+in view, and not forgetting Grant's conviction that the French
+invasion of Mexico was linked with the rebellion, I asked for an
+increase of force to send troops into Texas in fact, to concentrate
+at available points in the State an army strong enough to move
+against the invaders of Mexico if occasion demanded.  The Fourth and
+Twenty-fifth army corps being ordered to report to me, accordingly, I
+sent the Fourth Corps to Victoria and San Antonio, and the bulk of
+the Twenty-fifth to Brownsville.  Then came the feeding and caring
+for all these troops--a difficult matter--for those at Victoria and
+San Antonio had to be provisioned overland from Indianola across the
+"hog-wallow prairie," while the supplies for the forces at
+Brownsville and along the Rio Grande must come by way of Brazos
+Santiago, from which point I was obliged to construct, with the labor
+of the men, a railroad to Clarksville, a distance of about eighteen
+miles.
+
+The latter part of June I repaired to Brownsville myself to impress
+the Imperialists, as much as possible, with the idea that we intended
+hostilities, and took along my chief of scouts--Major Young--and four
+of his most trusty men, whom I had had sent from Washington.  From
+Brownsville I despatched all these men to important points in
+northern Mexico, to glean information regarding the movements of the
+Imperial forces, and also to gather intelligence about the
+ex-Confederates who had crossed the Rio Grande.  On information
+furnished by these scouts, I caused General Steele to make
+demonstrations all along the lower Rio Grande, and at the same time
+demanded the return of certain munitions of war that had been turned
+over by ex-Confederates to the Imperial General (Mejia) commanding at
+Matamoras.  These demands, backed up as they were by such a
+formidable show of force created much agitation and demoralization
+among the Imperial troops, and measures looking to the abandonment of
+northern Mexico were forthwith adopted by those in authority--a
+policy that would have resulted in the speedy evacuation of the
+entire country by Maximilian, had not our Government weakened;
+contenting itself with a few pieces of the contraband artillery
+varnished over with the Imperial apologies.  A golden opportunity was
+lost, for we had ample excuse for crossing the boundary, but Mr.
+Seward being, as I have already stated, unalterably opposed to any
+act likely to involve us in war, insisted on his course of
+negotiation with Napoleon.
+
+As the summer wore away, Maximilian, under Mr. Seward's policy,
+gained in strength till finally all the accessible sections of Mexico
+were in his possession, and the Republic under President Juarez
+almost succumbed.  Growing impatient at this, in the latter part of
+September I decided to try again what virtue there might be in a
+hostile demonstration, and selected the upper Rio Grande for the
+scene of my attempt.  Merritt's cavalry and the Fourth Corps still
+being at San Antonio, I went to that place and reviewed these troops,
+and having prepared them with some ostentation for a campaign, of
+course it was bruited about that we were going to invade Mexico.
+Then, escorted by a regiment of horse I proceeded hastily to Fort
+Duncan, on the Rio Grande just opposite the Mexican town of Piedras
+Negras.  Here I opened communication with President Juarez, through
+one of his staff, taking care not to do this in the dark, and the
+news, spreading like wildfire, the greatest significance was ascribed
+to my action, it being reported most positively and with many
+specific details that I was only awaiting the arrival of the troops,
+then under marching orders at San Antonio, to cross the Rio Grande in
+behalf of the Liberal cause.
+
+Ample corroboration of the reports then circulated was found in my
+inquiries regarding the quantity of forage we could depend upon
+getting in Mexico, our arrangements for its purchase, and my sending
+a pontoon train to Brownsville, together with which was cited the
+renewed activity of the troops along the lower Rio Grande.  These
+reports and demonstrations resulted in alarming the Imperialists so
+much that they withdrew the French and Austrian soldiers from
+Matamoras, and practically abandoned the whole of northern Mexico as
+far down as Monterey, with the exception of Matamoras, where General
+Mejia continued to hang on with a garrison of renegade Mexicans.
+
+The abandonment of so much territory in northern Mexico encouraged
+General Escobedo and other Liberal leaders to such a degree that they
+collected a considerable army of their followers at Comargo, Mier,
+and other points.  At the same time that unknown quantity, Cortinas,
+suspended his free-booting for the nonce, and stoutly harassing
+Matamoras, succeeded in keeping its Imperial garrison within the
+fortifications.  Thus countenanced and stimulated, and largely
+supplied with arms and ammunition, which we left at convenient places
+on our side of the river to fall into their hands, the Liberals,
+under General Escobedo--a man of much force of character--were
+enabled in northern Mexico to place the affairs of the Republic on a
+substantial basis.
+
+But in the midst of what bade fair to cause a final withdrawal of the
+foreigners, we were again checked by our Government, as a result of
+representations of the French Minister at Washington.  In October, he
+wrote to Mr. Seward that the United States troops on the Rio Grande
+were acting "in exact opposition to the repeated assurances Your
+Excellency has given me concerning the desire of the Cabinet at
+Washington to preserve the most strict neutrality in the events now
+taking place in Mexico," and followed this statement with an emphatic
+protest against our course.  Without any investigation whatever by
+our State Department, this letter of the French Minister was
+transmitted to me, accompanied by directions to preserve a strict
+neutrality; so, of course, we were again debarred from anything like
+active sympathy.
+
+After this, it required the patience of Job to abide the slow and
+poky methods of our State Department, and, in truth, it was often
+very difficult to restrain officers and men from crossing the Rio
+Grande with hostile purpose.  Within the knowledge of my troops,
+there had gone on formerly the transfer of organized bodies of
+ex-Confederates to Mexico, in aid of the Imperialists, and at this
+period it was known that there was in preparation an immigration
+scheme having in view the colonizing, at Cordova and one or two other
+places, of all the discontented elements of the defunct Confederacy
+--Generals Price, Magruder, Maury, and other high personages being
+promoters of the enterprise, which Maximilian took to readily.  He
+saw in it the possibilities of a staunch support to his throne, and
+therefore not only sanctioned the project, but encouraged it with
+large grants of land, inspirited the promoters with titles of
+nobility, and, in addition, instituted a system of peonage, expecting
+that the silver hook thus baited would be largely swallowed by the
+Southern people.
+
+The announcement of the scheme was followed by the appointment of
+commissioners in each of the Southern States to send out emigrants;
+but before any were deluded into starting, I made to General Grant a
+report of what was going on, with the recommendation that measures be
+taken, through our State Department, looking to the suppression of
+the colony; but, as usual, nothing could be effected through that
+channel; so, as an alternative, I published, in April, 1866, by
+authority of General Grant, an order prohibiting the embarkation from
+ports in Louisiana and Texas, for ports in Mexico, of any person
+without a permit from my headquarters.  This dampened the ardor of
+everybody in the Gulf States who had planned to go to Mexico; and
+although the projectors of the Cordova Colonization Scheme--the name
+by which it was known--secured a few innocents from other districts,
+yet this set-back led ultimately to failure.
+
+Among the Liberal leaders along the Rio Grande during this period
+there sprang up many factional differences from various causes, some
+personal, others political, and some, I regret to say, from downright
+moral obliquity--as, for example, those between Cortinas and Canales
+--who, though generally hostile to the Imperialists, were freebooters
+enough to take a shy at each other frequently, and now and then even
+to join forces against Escobedo, unless we prevented them by coaxing
+or threats.  A general who could unite these several factions was
+therefore greatly needed, and on my return to New Orleans I so
+telegraphed General Grant, and he, thinking General Caravajal (then
+in Washington seeking aid for the Republic) would answer the purpose,
+persuaded him to report to me in New Orleans.  Caravajal promptly
+appeared, but he did not impress me very favorably.  He was old and
+cranky, yet, as he seemed anxious to do his best, I sent him over to
+Brownsville, with credentials, authorizing him to cross into Mexico,
+and followed him myself by the next boat.  When I arrived in
+Brownsville, matters in Matamoras had already reached a crisis.
+General Mejia, feeling keenly the moral support we were giving the
+Liberals, and hard pressed by the harassing attacks of Cortinas and
+Canales, had abandoned the place, and Caravajal, because of his
+credentials from our side, was in command, much to the
+dissatisfaction of both those chiefs whose differences it was
+intended he should reconcile.
+
+The, day after I got to Brownsville I visited Matamoras, and had a
+long interview with Caravajal.  The outcome of this meeting was, on
+my part, a stronger conviction than ever that he was unsuitable, and
+I feared that either Canales or Cortinas would get possession of the
+city.  Caravajal made too many professions of what he would do--in
+short, bragged too much--but as there was no help for the situation,
+I made the best of it by trying to smooth down the ruffled feathers
+of Canales and Cortinas.  In my interview with Caravajal I
+recommended Major Young as a confidential man, whom he could rely
+upon as a "go-between" for communicating with our people at
+Brownsville, and whom he could trust to keep him informed of the
+affairs of his own country as well.
+
+A day or two afterward I recrossed the Gulf to New Orleans, and then,
+being called from my headquarters to the interior of Texas, a
+fortnight passed before I heard anything from Brownsville.  In the
+meanwhile Major Young had come to New Orleans, and organized there a
+band of men to act as a body-guard for Caravajal, the old wretch
+having induced him to accept the proposition by representing that it
+had my concurrence.  I at once condemned the whole business, but
+Young, having been furnished with seven thousand dollars to recruit
+the men and buy their arms, had already secured both, and was so
+deeply involved in the transaction, he said, that he could not
+withdraw without dishonor, and with tears in his eyes he besought me
+to help him.  He told me he had entered upon the adventure in the
+firm belief that I would countenance it; that the men and their
+equipment were on his hands; that he must make good his word at all
+hazards; and that while I need not approve, yet I must go far enough
+to consent to the departure of the men, and to loan him the money
+necessary to provision his party and hire a schooner to carry them to
+Brazos.  It was hard in deed to resist the appeals of this man, who
+had served me so long and so well, and the result of his pleading was
+that I gave him permission to sail, and also loaned him the sum asked
+for; but I have never ceased to regret my consent, for misfortune
+fell upon the enterprise almost from its inception.
+
+By the time the party got across the Gulf and over to Brownsville,
+Caravajal had been deposed by Canales, and the latter would not
+accept their services.  This left Young with about fifty men to whom
+he was accountable, and as he had no money to procure them
+subsistence, they were in a bad fix.  The only thing left to do was
+to tender their services to General Escobedo, and with this in view
+the party set out to reach the General's camp, marching up the Rio
+Grande on the American side, intending to cross near Ringgold Bar
+racks.  In advance of them, however, had spread far and wide the
+tidings of who they were, what they proposed to do, and where they
+were going, and before they could cross into Mexico they were
+attacked by a party of ex-Confederates and  renegade Mexican
+rancheros.  Being on American soil, Young forbade his men to return
+the fire, and bent all his efforts to getting them over the river;
+but in this attempt they were broken up, and became completely
+demoralized.  A number of the men were drowned while swimming the
+river, Young himself was shot and killed, a few were captured, and
+those who escaped--about twenty in all--finally joined Escobedo, but
+in such a  plight as to be of little use.  With this distressing
+affair came to an end pretty much all open participation of American
+sympathizers with the Liberal cause, but the moral support afforded
+by the presence of our forces continued, and this was frequently
+supplemented with material aid in the shape of munitions of war,
+which we liberally supplied, though constrained to do so by the most
+secret methods.
+
+The term of office of Juarez as President of the Mexican Republic
+expired in December, 1865, but to meet existing exigencies he had
+continued himself in office by proclamation, a course rendered
+necessary by the fact that no elections could be held on account of
+the Imperial occupation of most of the country.  The official who, by
+the Mexican Constitution, is designated for the succession in such an
+emergency, is the President of the Supreme Court, and the person then
+eligible under this provision was General Ortega, but in the interest
+of the Imperialists he had absented himself from Mexico, hence the
+patriotic course of Juarez in continuing himself at the head of
+affairs was a necessity of the situation.  This action of the
+President gave the Imperialists little concern at first, but with the
+revival of the Liberal cause they availed themselves of every means
+to divide its supporters, and Ortega, who had been lying low in the
+United States, now came forward to claim the Presidency.  Though
+ridiculously late for such a step, his first act was to issue a
+manifesto protesting against the assumption of the executive
+authority by Juarez.  The protest had little effect, however, and his
+next proceeding was to come to New Orleans, get into correspondence
+with other disaffected Mexicans, and thus perfect his plans.  When he
+thought his intrigue ripe enough for action, he sailed for Brazos,
+intending to cross the Rio Grande and assert his claims with arms.
+While he was scheming in New Orleans, however, I had learned what he
+was up to, and in advance of his departure had sent instructions to
+have him arrested on American soil.  Colonel Sedgwick, commanding at
+Brownsville, was now temporary master of Matamoras also, by reason of
+having stationed some American troops there for the protection of
+neutral merchants, so when Ortega appeared at Brazos, Sedgwick
+quietly arrested him and held him till the city of Matamoras was
+turned over to General Escobedo, the authorized representative of
+Juarez; then Escobedo took charge, of Ortega, and with ease prevented
+his further machinations.
+
+During the winter and spring of 1866 we continued covertly supplying
+arms and ammunition to the Liberals--sending as many as 30,000
+muskets from Baton Rouge Arsenal alone--and by mid-summer Juarez,
+having organized a pretty good sized army, was in possession of the
+whole line of the Rio Grande, and, in fact, of nearly the whole of
+Mexico down to San Louis Potosi.  Then thick and fast came rumors
+pointing to the tottering condition of Maximilian's Empire-first,
+that Orizaba and Vera Cruz were being fortified; then, that the
+French were to be withdrawn; and later came the intelligence that the
+Empress Carlotta had gone home to beg assistance from Napoleon, the
+author of all of her husband's troubles.  But the situation forced
+Napoleon to turn a deaf ear to Carlotta's prayers.  The brokenhearted
+woman besought him on her knees, but his fear of losing an army made
+all pleadings vain.  In fact, as I ascertained by the following
+cablegram which came into my hands, Napoleon's instructions for the
+French evacuation were in Mexico at the very time of this pathetic
+scene between him and Carlotta.  The despatch was in cipher when I
+received it, but was translated by the telegraph operator at my
+headquarters, who long before had mastered the key of the French
+cipher:
+
+"PARIS, January 10, 1867.  FRENCH CONSUL, New Orleans, La.
+
+"To GENERAL CASTELNAU, at Mexico.
+
+"Received your despatch of the 9th December.  Do not compel the
+Emperor to abdicate, but do not delay the departure of the troops;
+bring back all those who will not remain there.  Most of the fleet
+has left.
+
+"NAPOLEON."
+
+
+This meant the immediate withdrawal of the French.  The rest of the
+story--which has necessarily been but in outline--is soon told.
+Maximilian, though deserted, determined to hold out to the last, and
+with the aid of disloyal Mexicans stuck to his cause till the spring.
+When taken prisoner at Queretaro, he was tried and executed under
+circumstances that are well known.  From promptings of humanity
+Secretary Seward tried hard to save the Imperial prisoner, but
+without success.  The Secretary's plea for mercy was sent through me
+at New Orleans, and to make speed I hired a steamer to proceed with
+it across the Gulf to Tampico.  The document was carried by Sergeant
+White, one of my scouts, who crossed the country from Tampico, and
+delivered it to Escobedo at Queretaro; but Mr. Seward's
+representations were without avail--refused probably because little
+mercy had been shown certain Liberal leaders unfortunate enough to
+fall into Maximilian's hands during the prosperous days of his
+Empire.
+
+At the close of our war there was little hope for the Republic of
+Mexico.  Indeed, till our troops were concentrated on the Rio Grande
+there was none.  Our appearance in such force along the border
+permitted the Liberal leaders, refugees from their homes, to
+establish rendezvous whence they could promulgate their plans in
+safety, while the countenance thus given the cause, when hope was
+well-nigh gone, incited the Mexican people to renewed resistance.
+Beginning again with very scant means, for they had lost about all,
+the Liberals saw their cause, under the influence of such significant
+and powerful backing, progress and steadily grow so strong that
+within two years Imperialism had received its death-blow.  I doubt
+very much whether such, results could have been achieved without the
+presence of an American army on the Rio Grande, which, be it
+remembered, was sent there because, in General Grant's words, the
+French invasion of Mexico was so closely related to the rebellion as
+to be essentially a part of it.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+A. J. HAMILTON APPOINTED PROVISIONAL GOVERNOR OF TEXAS--ASSEMBLES A
+CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION--THE TEXANS DISSATISFIED--LAWLESSNESS
+--OPPRESSIVE LEGISLATION--EX-CONFEDERATES CONTROLLING LOUISIANA--A
+CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION--THE MEETING SUPPRESSED--A BLOODY RIOT--MY
+REPORTS OF THE MASSACRE--PORTIONS SUPPRESSED BY PRESIDENT JOHNSON
+--SUSTAINED BY A CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE--THE RECONSTRUCTION LAWS.
+
+Although in 1865-66 much of my attention was directed to
+international matters along the Rio Grande, the civil affairs of
+Texas and Louisiana required a certain amount of military supervision
+also in the absence of regularly established civil authority.  At the
+time of Kirby Smith's surrender the National Government had
+formulated no plan with regard to these or the other States lately in
+rebellion, though a provisional Government had been set up in
+Louisiana as early as 1864.  In consequence of this lack of system,
+Governor Pendleton Murray, of Texas, who was elected under
+Confederate rule, continued to discharge the duties of Governor till
+President Johnson, on June 17, in harmony with his amnesty
+proclamation of May 29, 1865, appointed A. J. Hamilton provisional
+Governor.  Hamilton was empowered by the President to call a
+Constitutional convention, the delegates to which were to be elected,
+under certain prescribed qualifications, for the purpose of
+organizing the political affairs of the State, the Governor to be
+guided by instructions similar to those given the provisional
+Governor of North Carolina (W. W. Holden), when appointed in May.
+
+The convening of this body gave rise to much dissatisfaction among
+the people of Texas.  They had assumed that affairs were to go on as
+of old, and that the reintegration of the State was to take place
+under the administration of Governor Murray, who, meanwhile, had
+taken it upon himself, together with the Legislature, to authorize
+the election of delegates to a State Convention, without restriction
+as to who should be entitled to vote.  Thus encouraged, the element
+but lately in armed rebellion was now fully bent on restoring the
+State to the Union without any intervention whatever of the Federal
+Government; but the advent of Hamilton put an end to such illusions,
+since his proclamation promptly disfranchised the element in
+question, whose consequent disappointment and chagrin were so great
+as to render this factor of the community almost uncontrollable.  The
+provisional Governor at once rescinded the edict of Governor Murray,
+prohibited the assembling of his convention, and shortly after
+called, one himself, the delegates to which were to b chosen by
+voters who could take the amnesty-oath.  The proclamation convening
+this assemblage also announced the policy that would be pursued in
+governing the State until its affairs were satisfactorily
+reorganized, defined in brief the course to be followed by the
+Judiciary, and provided for the appointment, by the Governor, of
+county officials to succeed those known to be disloyal.  As this
+action of Hamilton's disfranchised all who could not take the amnesty
+oath, and of course deprived them of the offices, it met at once with
+pronounced and serious opposition, and he quickly realized that he
+had on his hands an arduous task to protect the colored people,
+particularly as in the transition state of society just after the
+close of the war there prevailed much lawlessness, which vented
+itself chiefly on the freedmen.  It was greatly feared that political
+rights were to be given those so recently in servitude, and as it was
+generally believed that such enfranchisement would precipitate a race
+war unless the freedmen were overawed and kept in a state of
+subjection, acts of intimidation were soon reported from all parts of
+the State.
+
+Hamilton, an able, determined, and fearless man, tried hard to curb
+this terrorism, but public opinion being strong against him, he could
+accomplish little without military aid.  As department commander, I
+was required, whenever called upon, to assist his government, and as
+these requisitions for help became necessarily very frequent, the
+result was that shortly after he assumed his duties, detachments of
+troops were stationed in nearly every county of the State.  By such
+disposition of my forces fairly good order was maintained under the
+administration of Hamilton, and all went well till the inauguration
+of J. W. Throckmorton, who, elected Governor in pursuance of an
+authorization granted by the convention which Hamilton had called
+together, assumed the duties of the office August 9, 1866.
+
+One of Governor Throckmorton's first acts was to ask the withdrawal
+or non-interference of the military.  This was not all granted, but
+under his ingenious persuasion President Johnson, on the 13th of
+August, 1866, directed that the new State officials be entrusted with
+the unhampered control of civil affairs, and this was more than
+enough to revive the bulldozing methods that had characterized the
+beginning of Hamilton's administration.  Oppressive legislation in
+the shape of certain apprentice and vagrant laws quickly followed,
+developing a policy of gross injustice toward the colored people on
+the part of the courts, and a reign of lawlessness and disorder
+ensued which, throughout the remote districts of the State at least,
+continued till Congress, by what are known as the Reconstruction
+Acts, took into its own hands the rehabilitation of the seceded
+States.
+
+In the State of Louisiana a provisional government, chosen by the
+loyal element, had been put in operation, as already mentioned, as
+early as 1864.  This was effected under encouragement given by
+President Lincoln, through the medium of a Constitutional convention,
+which met at New Orleans in April, 1864, and adjourned in July.  The
+constitution then agreed upon was submitted to the people, and in
+September, 1864, was ratified by a vote of the few loyal residents of
+the State.
+
+The government provided under this constitution being looked upon as
+provisional merely, was never recognized by Congress, and in 1865 the
+returned Confederates, restored to citizenship by the President's
+amnesty proclamation, soon got control of almost all the State.  The
+Legislature was in their hands, as well as most of the State and
+municipal offices; so, when the President, on the 20th of August,
+1866, by proclamation, extended his previous instructions regarding
+civil affairs in Texas so as to have them apply to all the seceded
+States, there at once began in Louisiana a system of discriminative
+legislation directed against the freedmen, that led to flagrant
+wrongs in the enforcement of labor contracts, and in the remote
+parishes to numbers of outrages and murders.
+
+To remedy this deplorable condition of things, it was proposed, by
+those who had established the government of 1864, to remodel the
+constitution of the State; and they sought to do this by reassembling
+the convention, that body before its adjournment having provided for
+reconvening under certain conditions, in obedience to the call of its
+president.  Therefore, early in the summer of 1866, many members of
+this convention met in conference at New Orleans, and decided that a
+necessity existed for reconvening the delegates, and a proclamation
+was issued accordingly by B. K. Howell, President-pro-tempore.
+
+Mayor John T.  Monroe and the other officials of New Orleans looked
+upon this proposed action as revolutionary, and by the time the
+convention assembled (July 30), such bitterness of feeling prevailed
+that efforts were made by the mayor and city police to suppress the
+meeting.  A bloody riot followed, resulting, in the killing and
+wounding of about a hundred and sixty persons.
+
+I happened to be absent from the city at the time, returning from
+Texas, where I had been called by affairs on the Rio Grande.  On my
+way up from the mouth of the Mississippi I was met on the night of
+July 30 by one of my staff, who reported what had occurred, giving
+the details of the massacre--no milder term is fitting--and informing
+me that, to prevent further slaughter, General Baird, the senior
+military officer present, had assumed control of the municipal
+government.  On reaching the city I made an investigation, and that
+night sent the following report of the affair:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF,
+"NEW ORLEANS, LA., Aug.  1, 1866.
+
+"GENERAL U. S. GRANT:
+
+"You are doubtless aware of the serious riot which occurred in this
+city on the 30th.  A political body, styling themselves the
+Convention of 1864, met on the 30th, for, as it is alleged, the
+purpose of remodeling the present constitution of the State.  The
+leaders were political agitators and revolutionary men, and the
+action of the convention was liable to produce breaches of the public
+peace.  I had made up my mind to arrest the head men, if the
+proceedings of the convention were calculated to disturb the
+tranquility of the Department; but I had no cause for action until
+they committed the overt act.  In the meantime official duty called
+me to Texas, and the mayor of the city, during my absence suppressed
+the convention by the use of the police force, and in so doing
+attacked the members of the convention, and a party of two hundred
+negroes, with fire-arms, clubs, and knives, in a manner so
+unnecessary and atrocious as to compel me to say that it was murder.
+About forty whites and blacks were thus killed, and about one hundred
+and sixty wounded.  Everything is now quiet, but I deem it best to
+maintain a military supremacy in the city for a few days, until the
+affair is fully investigated.  I believe the sentiment of the general
+community is great regret at this unnecessary cruelty, and that the
+police could have made any arrest they saw fit without sacrificing
+lives.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General Commanding."
+
+
+On receiving the telegram, General Grant immediately submitted.  it
+to the President.  Much clamor being made at the North for the
+publication of the despatch, Mr. Johnson pretended to give it to the
+newspapers.  It appeared in the issues of August 4, but with this
+paragraph omitted, viz.:
+
+"I had made up my mind to arrest the head men, if the proceedings of
+the convention were calculated to disturb the tranquility of the
+Department, but I had no cause for action until they committed the
+overt act.  In the mean time official duty called me to Texas, and
+the mayor of the city, during my absence, suppressed the convention
+by the use of the police force, and in so doing attacked the members
+of the convention, and a party of two hundred negroes, with
+fire-arms, clubs, and knives, in a manner so unnecessary and atrocious
+as to compel me to say it was murder."
+
+Against this garbling of my report--done by the President's own order
+--I strongly demurred; and this emphatic protest marks the beginning of
+Mr. Johnson's well-known personal hostility toward me.  In the mean
+time I received (on August 3) the following despatch from General Grant
+approving my course:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+"WAR DEPT., WASHINGTON, D. C., "August 3, 1866--5 p.m.
+
+"MAJOR-GENERAL P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Commanding Mil. Div. of the Gulf,
+"New Orleans, La.
+
+"Continue to enforce martial law, so far as may be necessary to
+preserve the peace; and do not allow any of the civil authorities to
+act, if you deem such action dangerous to the public safety.  Lose no
+time in investigating and reporting the causes that led to the riot,
+and the facts which occurred.
+
+"U. S. GRANT,
+"Lieutenant-General."
+
+
+In obedience to the President's directions, My report of August 1 was
+followed by another, more in detail, which I give in full, since it
+tells the whole story of the riot:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS MILITARY DIVISION OF THE GULF,
+"NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 6, 1866.
+
+"His EXCELLENCY ANDREW JOHNSON,
+"President United States
+
+"I have the honor to make the following reply to your despatch of
+August 4.  A very large number of colored people marched in
+procession on Friday night, July twenty-seven (27), and were
+addressed from the steps of the City Hall by Dr. Dostie, ex-Governor
+Hahn, and others.  The speech of Dostie was intemperate in language
+and sentiment.  The speeches of the others, so far as I can learn,
+were characterized by moderation.  I have not given you the words of
+Dostie's speech, as the version published was denied; but from what I
+have learned of the man, I believe they were intemperate.
+
+"The convention assembled at twelve (12) M.  on the thirtieth (30),
+the timid members absenting themselves because the tone of the
+general public was ominous of trouble.  I think there were about
+twenty-six (26) members present.  In front of the Mechanics
+Institute, where the meeting was held, there were assembled some
+colored men, women, and children, perhaps eighteen (18) or twenty
+(20), and in the Institute a number of colored men, probably one
+hundred and fifty (150).  Among those outside and inside there might
+have been a pistol in the possession of every tenth (10) man.
+
+"About one (1) p. m.  a procession of say from sixty (60) to one
+hundred and thirty (130) colored men marched up Burgundy Street and
+across Canal Street toward the convention, carrying an American flag.
+These men had about one pistol to every ten men, and canes and clubs
+in addition.  While crossing Canal Street a row occurred.  There were
+many spectators on the street, and their manner and tone toward the
+procession unfriendly.  A shot was fired, by whom I am not able to
+state, but believe it to have been by a policeman, or some colored
+man in the procession.  This led to other shots and a rush after the
+procession.  On arrival at the front of the Institute there was some
+throwing of brickbats by both sides.  The police, who had been held
+well in hand, were vigorously marched to the scene of disorder.  The
+procession entered the Institute with the flag, about six (6) or
+eight (8) remaining outside.  A row occurred between a policeman and
+one of these colored men, and a shot was again fired by one of the
+parties, which led to an indiscriminate fire on the building through
+the windows by the policemen.  This had been going on for a short
+time, when a white flag was displayed from the windows of the
+Institute, whereupon the firing ceased, and the police rushed into
+the building.
+
+"From the testimony of wounded men, and others who were inside the
+building, the policemen opened an indiscriminate fire upon the
+audience until they had emptied their revolvers, when they retired,
+and those inside barricaded the doors.  The door was broken in, and
+the firing again commenced, when many of the colored and white people
+either escaped throughout the door or were passed out by the
+policemen inside; but as they came out the policemen who formed the
+circle nearest the building fired upon them, and they were again
+fired upon by the citizens that formed the outer circle.  Many of
+those wounded and taken prisoners, and others who were prisoners and
+not wounded, were fired upon by their captors and by citizens.  The
+wounded were stabbed while lying on the ground, and their heads
+beaten with brickbats.  In the yard of the building, whither some of
+the colored men had escaped and partially secreted themselves, they
+were fired upon and killed or wounded by policemen.  Some were killed
+and wounded several squares from the scene.  Members of the
+convention were wounded by the police while in their hands as
+prisoners, some of them mortally.
+
+"The immediate cause of this terrible affair was the assemblage of
+this Convention; the remote cause was the bitter and antagonistic
+feeling which has been growing in this community since the advent of
+the present Mayor, who, in the organization of his police force,
+selected many desperate men, and some of them known murderers.
+People of clear views were overawed by want of confidence in the
+Mayor, and fear of the thugs, many of which he had selected for his
+police force.  I have frequently been spoken to by prominent citizens
+on this subject, and have heard them express fear, and want of
+confidence in Mayor Monroe.  Ever since the intimation of this last
+convention movement I must condemn the course of several of the city
+papers for supporting, by their articles, the bitter feeling of bad
+men.  As to the merciless manner in which the convention was broken
+up, I feel obliged to confess strong repugnance.
+
+"It is useless to disguise the hostility that exists on the part of a
+great many here toward Northern men, and this unfortunate affair has
+so precipitated matters that there is now a test of what shall be the
+status of Northern men--whether they can live here without being in
+constant dread or not, whether they can be protected in life and
+property, and have justice in the courts.  If this matter is
+permitted to pass over without a thorough and determined prosecution
+of those engaged in it, we may look out for frequent scenes of the
+same kind, not only here, but in other places.  No steps have as yet
+been taken by the civil authorities to arrest citizens who were
+engaged in this massacre, or policemen who perpetrated such
+cruelties.  The members of the convention have been indicted by the
+grand jury, and many of them arrested and held to bail.  As to
+whether the civil authorities can mete out ample justice to the
+guilty parties on both sides, I must say it is my opinion,
+unequivocally, that they cannot.  Judge Abell, whose course I have
+closely watched for nearly a year, I now consider one of the most
+dangerous men that we have here to the peace and quiet of the city.
+The leading men of the convention--King, Cutler, Hahn, and others
+--have been political agitators, and are bad men.  I regret to say that
+the course of Governor Wells has been vacillating, and that during the
+late trouble he has shown very little of the man.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General Commanding."
+
+
+Subsequently a military commission investigated the subject of the
+riot, taking a great deal of testimony.  The commission substantially
+confirmed the conclusions given in my despatches, and still later
+there was an investigation by a select committee of the House of
+Representatives, of which the Honorables Samuel Shellabarger, of
+Ohio, H. L. Elliot, of Massachusetts, and B. M. Boyer, of
+Pennsylvania, were the members.  The majority report of the committee
+also corroborated, in all essentials, my reports of the distressing
+occurrence.  The committee likewise called attention to a violent
+speech made by Mr. Johnson at St. Louis in September, 1866, charging
+the origin of the riot to Congress, and went on to say of the speech
+that "it was an unwarranted and unjust expression of hostile feeling,
+without pretext or foundation in fact."  A list of the killed and
+wounded was embraced in the committee's report, and among other
+conclusions reached were the following: "That the meeting of July 30
+was a meeting of quiet citizens, who came together without arms and
+with intent peaceably to discuss questions of public concern....
+There has been no occasion during our National history when a riot
+has occurred so destitute of justifiable cause, resulting in a
+massacre so inhuman and fiend-like, as that which took place at New
+Orleans on the 30th of July last.  This riotous attack upon the
+convention, with its terrible results of massacre and murder, was not
+an accident.  It was the determined purpose of the mayor of the city
+of New Orleans to break up this convention by armed force."
+
+The statement is also made, that, "He [the President] knew that
+'rebels' and 'thugs' and disloyal men had controlled the election of
+Mayor Monroe, and that such men composed chiefly his police force."
+
+The committee held that no legal government existed in Louisiana, and
+recommended the temporary establishment of a provisional government
+therein; the report concluding that "in the meantime the safety of
+all Union men within the State demands that such government be formed
+for their protection, for the well being of the nation and the
+permanent peace of the Republic."
+
+The New Orleans riot agitated the whole country, and the official and
+other reports served to intensify and concentrate the opposition to
+President Johnson's policy of reconstruction, a policy resting
+exclusively on and inspired solely by the executive authority--for it
+was made plain, by his language and his acts, that he was seeking to
+rehabilitate the seceded States under conditions differing not a whit
+from those existing before the rebellion; that is to say, without the
+slightest constitutional provision regarding the status of the
+emancipated slaves, and with no assurances of protection for men who
+had remained loyal in the war.
+
+In December, 1866, Congress took hold of the subject with such vigor
+as to promise relief from all these perplexing disorders, and, after
+much investigation and a great deal of debate, there resulted the
+so-called "Reconstruction Laws," which, for a clear understanding of
+the powers conferred on the military commanders, I deem best to append
+in full:
+
+AN ACT to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel
+States.
+
+WHEREAS, no legal State governments or adequate protection for life
+or property now exist in the rebel States of Virginia, North
+Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana,
+Florida, Texas, and Arkansas; and whereas, it is necessary that peace
+and good order should be enforced in said States until loyal and
+republican State governments can be legally established; therefore,
+
+BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
+United States of America in Congress assembled, That said rebel
+States shall be divided into military districts and made subject to
+the military authority of the United States as hereinafter
+prescribed; and for that purpose Virginia shall constitute the first
+district; North Carolina and South Carolina, the second district;
+Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, the third district; Mississippi and
+Arkansas, the fourth district; and Louisiana and Texas, the fifth
+district.
+
+SEC. 2.  And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the
+President to assign to the command of each of said districts an
+officer of the army not below the rank of brigadier-general, and to
+detail a sufficient military force to enable such officer to perform
+his duties and enforce his authority within the district to which he
+is assigned.
+
+SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of each
+officer assigned as aforesaid to protect all persons in their rights
+of person and property, to suppress insurrection, disorder, and
+violence, and to punish, or cause to be punished, all disturbers of
+the public peace and criminals, and to this end he may allow local
+civil tribunals to take jurisdiction of and to try offenders, or,
+when in his judgment it may be necessary for the trial of offenders,
+he shall have power to organize military commissions or tribunals for
+that purpose, and all interference, under cover of State authority,
+with the exercise of military authority under this act, shall be null
+and void.
+
+SEC. 4. And be it further enacted, That all persons put under
+military arrest by virtue of this act shall be tried without
+unnecessary delay, and no cruel or unjust punishment shall be
+inflicted; and no sentence of any military commission or tribunal
+hereby authorized affecting the life or liberty of any person, shall
+be executed until it is approved by the officer in command of the
+district; and the laws and regulations for the government of the army
+shall not be affected by this act except in so far as they conflict
+with its provisions: Provided, That no sentence of death, under the
+provisions of this act, shall be carried into effect without the
+approval of the President.
+
+SEC. 5. And be it further enacted, That when the people of any one of
+said rebel States shall have formed a constitution of government in
+conformity with the Constitution of the United States in all
+respects, framed by a convention of delegates elected by the male
+citizens of said State twenty-one years old and upward, of whatever
+race, color, or previous condition, who have been resident in said
+State for one year previous to the day of such election, except such
+as may be disfranchised for participation in the rebellion, or for
+felony at common law; and when such constitution shall provide that
+the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all such persons as have
+the qualifications herein stated for electors of delegates; and when
+such constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the persons
+voting on the question of ratification who are qualified as electors
+for delegates, and when such constitution shall have been submitted
+to Congress for examination and approval, and Congress shall have
+approved the same; and when said State, by a vote of its legislature
+elected under said constitution, shall have adopted the amendment to
+the Constitution of the United States proposed by the Thirty-ninth
+Congress, and known as article fourteen; and when said article shall
+have become a part of the Constitution of the United States, said
+State shall be declared entitled to representation in Congress, and
+senators and representatives shall be admitted therefrom on their
+taking the oath prescribed by law; and then and thereafter the
+preceding sections of this act shall be inoperative in said State:
+Provided, That no person excluded from the privilege of holding
+office by said proposed amendment to the Constitution of the United
+States shall be eligible to election as a member of the convention to
+frame a constitution for any of said rebel States, nor shall any such
+person vote for members of such convention.
+
+SEC. 6. And be it further enacted, That until the people of said
+rebel States shall be by law admitted to representation in the
+Congress of the United States, any civil government which may exist
+therein shall be deemed provisional only, and in all respects subject
+to the paramount authority of the United States at any time to
+abolish, modify, control, or supersede the same; and in all elections
+to any office under such provisional governments all persons shall be
+entitled to vote, and none others, who are entitled to vote under the
+fifth section of this act; and no person shall be eligible to any
+office under any such provisional governments who would be
+disqualified from holding office under the provisions of the third
+article of said constitutional amendment.
+
+SCHUYLER COLFAX,
+Speaker of the House of Representatives.
+
+LAFAYETTE S. FOSTER,
+President of the Senate pro tempore.
+
+
+AN ACT supplementary to an act entitled "An act to provide for the
+more efficient government of the rebel States," passed March second,
+eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, and to facilitate restoration.
+
+Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
+United States of America in Congress assembled, That before the first
+day of September, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, the commanding
+general in each district defined by an act entitled "An act to
+provide for the more efficient government of the rebel States,"
+passed March second, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, shall cause a
+registration to be made of the male citizens of the United States,
+twenty-one years of age and upwards, resident in each county or
+parish in the State or States included in his district, which
+registration shall include only those persons who are qualified to
+vote for delegates by the act aforesaid, and who shall have taken and
+subscribed the following oath or affirmation: "I,------, do
+solemnly swear (or affirm), in the presence of the Almighty God, that
+I am a citizen of the State of ---------; that I have resided in said
+State for----- months next preceding this day, and now reside in the
+county of -------, or the parish of --------, in said State, (as the
+case may be); that I am twenty-one years old; that I have not been
+disfranchised for participation in any rebellion or civil war against
+the United States, nor for felony committed against the laws of any
+State or of the United States; that I have never been a member of any
+State Legislature, nor held any executive or judicial office in any
+State, and afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebellion against
+the United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof;
+that I have never taken an oath as a member of Congress of the United
+States, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any
+State Legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any
+State, to support the constitution of the United States, and
+afterwards engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the United
+States or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; that I will
+faithfully support the Constitution and obey the laws of the United
+States, and will, to the best of my ability, encourage others so to
+do: so help me God."; which oath or affirmation may be administered
+by any registering officer.
+
+SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That after the completion of the
+registration hereby provided for in any State, at such time and
+places therein as the commanding general shall appoint and direct, of
+which at least thirty days' public notice shall be given, an election
+shall be held of delegates to a convention for the purpose of
+establishing a constitution and civil government for such State loyal
+to the Union, said convention in each State, except Virginia, to
+consist of the same number of members as the most numerous branch of
+the State Legislature of such State in the year eighteen hundred and
+sixty, to be apportioned among the several districts, counties, or
+parishes of such State by the commanding general, giving each
+representation in the ratio of voters registered as aforesaid as
+nearly as may be.  The convention in Virginia shall consist of the
+same number of members as represented the territory now constituting
+Virginia in the most numerous branch of the Legislature of said State
+in the year eighteen hundred and sixty, to be apportioned as
+aforesaid.
+
+SEC.  3. And be it further enacted, That at said election the
+registered voters of each State shall vote for or against a
+convention to form a constitution therefor under this act.  Those
+voting in favor of such a convention shall have written or printed on
+the ballots by which they vote for delegates, as aforesaid, the words
+"For a convention," and those voting against such a convention shall
+have written or printed on such ballot the words "Against a
+convention." The persons appointed to superintend said election, and
+to make return of the votes given thereat, as herein provided, shall
+count and make return of the votes given for and against a
+convention; and the commanding general to whom the same shall have
+been returned shall ascertain and declare the total vote in each
+State for and against a convention.  If a majority of the votes given
+on that question shall be for a convention, then such convention
+shall be held as hereinafter provided; but if a majority of said
+votes shall, be against a convention, then no such convention shall
+be held under this act: Provided, That such convention shall not be
+held unless a majority of all such registered voters shall have voted
+on the question of holding such convention.
+
+SEC.  4.  And be it further enacted, That the commanding general of
+each district shall appoint as many boards of registration as may be
+necessary, consisting of three loyal officers or persons, to make and
+complete the registration, superintend the election, and make return
+to him of the votes, list of voters, and of the persons elected as
+delegates by a plurality of the votes cast at said election; and upon
+receiving said returns he shall open the same, ascertain the persons
+elected as delegates, according to the returns of the officers who
+conducted said election, and make proclamation thereof; and if a
+majority of the votes given on that question shall be for a
+convention, the commanding general, within sixty days from the date
+of election, shall notify the delegates to assemble in convention, at
+a time and place to be mentioned in the notification, and said
+convention, when organized, shall proceed to frame a constitution and
+civil government according to the provisions of this act, and the act
+to which it is supplementary; and when the same shall have been so
+framed, said constitution shall be submitted by the convention for
+ratification to the persons registered under the provisions of this
+act at an election to be conducted by the officers or persons
+appointed or to be appointed by the commanding general, as
+hereinbefore provided, and to be held after the expiration of thirty
+days from the date of notice thereof, to be given by said convention;
+and the returns thereof shall be made to the commanding general of
+the district.
+
+SEC.  5.  And be it further enacted, That if, according to said
+returns, the constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the
+votes of the registered electors qualified as herein specified, cast
+at said election, at least one-half of all the registered voters
+voting upon the question of such ratification, the president of the
+convention shall transmit a copy of the same, duly certified, to the
+President of the United States, who shall forthwith transmit the same
+to Congress, if then in session, and if not in session, then
+immediately upon its next assembling; and if it shall moreover appear
+to Congress that the election was one at which all the registered and
+qualified electors in the State had an opportunity to vote freely,
+and without restraint, fear, or the influence of fraud, and if the
+Congress shall be satisfied that such constitution meets the approval
+of a majority of all the qualified electors in the State, and if the
+said constitution shall be declared by Congress to be in conformity
+with the provisions of the act to which this is supplementary, and
+the other provisions of said act shall have been complied with, and
+the said constitution shall be approved by Congress, the State shall
+be declared entitled to representation, and senators and
+representatives shall be admitted therefrom as therein provided.
+
+SEC.  6.  And be it further enacted, That all elections in the States
+mentioned in the said "Act to provide for the more efficient
+government of the rebel States" shall, during the operation of said
+act, be by ballot; and all officers making the said registration of
+voters and conducting said elections, shall, before entering upon the
+discharge of their duties, take and subscribe the oath prescribed by
+the act approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two,
+entitled "An act to prescribe an oath of office": Provided, That if
+any person shall knowingly and falsely take and subscribe any oath in
+this act prescribed, such person so offending and being thereof duly
+convicted, shall be subject to the pains, penalties, and disabilities
+which by law are provided for the punishment of the crime of wilful
+and corrupt perjury.
+
+SEC. 7. And be if further enacted, That all expenses incurred by the
+several commanding generals, or by virtue of any orders issued, or
+appointments made, by them, under or by virtue of this act, shall be
+paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.
+
+SEC. 8. And be it further enacted, That the convention for each State
+shall prescribe the fees, salary, and compensation to be paid to all
+delegates and other officers and agents herein authorized or
+necessary to carry into effect the purposes of this act not herein
+otherwise provided for, and shall provide for the levy and collection
+of such taxes on the property in such State as may be necessary to
+pay the same.
+
+SEC. 9. And be it further enacted, That the word "article," in the
+sixth section of the act to which this is supplementary, shall be
+construed to mean, "section."
+
+SCHUYLER COLFAX,
+Speaker of the House of Representatives.
+
+B. F. WADE,
+President of the Senate pro tempore.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+PASSAGE OF THE RECONSTRUCTION ACT OVER THE PRESIDENT'S VETO--PLACED
+IN COMMAND OF THE FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT--REMOVING OFFICERS--MY
+REASONS FOR SUCH ACTION--AFFAIRS IN LOUISIANA AND TEXAS--REMOVAL OF
+GOVERNOR WELLS--REVISION OF THE JURY LISTS--RELIEVED FROM THE COMMAND
+OF THE FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT.
+
+The first of the Reconstruction laws was passed March 2, 1867, and
+though vetoed by the President, such was the unanimity of loyal
+sentiment and the urgency demanding the measure, that the bill became
+a law over the veto the day the President returned it to Congress.
+March the 11th this law was published in General Orders No. 10, from
+the Headquarters of the Army, the same order assigning certain
+officers to take charge of the five military districts into which the
+States lately in rebellion were subdivided, I being announced as the
+commander of the Fifth Military District, which embraced Louisiana
+and Texas, a territory that had formed the main portion of my command
+since the close of the war.
+
+Between the date of the Act and that of my assignment, the Louisiana
+Legislature, then in special session, had rejected a proposed repeal
+of an Act it had previously passed providing for an election of
+certain municipal officers in New Orleans.  This election was set for
+March 11, but the mayor and the chief of police, together with
+General Mower, commanding the troops in the city, having expressed to
+me personally their fears that the public peace would be disturbed by
+the election, I, in this emergency, though not yet assigned to the
+district, assuming the authority which the Act conferred on district
+commanders, declared that the election should not take place; that no
+polls should be opened on the day fixed; and that the whole matter
+would stand postponed till the district commander should be
+appointed, or special instructions be had.  This, my first official
+act under the Reconstruction laws, was rendered necessary by the
+course of a body of obstructionists, who had already begun to give
+unequivocal indications of their intention to ignore the laws of
+Congress.
+
+A copy of the order embodying the Reconstruction law, together with
+my assignment, having reached me a few days after, I regularly
+assumed control of the Fifth Military District on March 19, by an
+order wherein I declared the State and municipal governments of the
+district to be provisional only, and, under the provisions of the
+sixth section of the Act, subject to be controlled, modified,
+superseded, or abolished.  I also announced that no removals from
+office would be made unless the incumbents failed to carry out the
+provisions of the law or impeded reorganization, or unless willful
+delays should necessitate a change, and added: "Pending the
+reorganization, it is, desirable and intended to create as little
+disturbance in the machinery of the various branches of the
+provisional governments as possible, consistent with the law of
+Congress and its successful execution, but this condition is
+dependent upon the disposition shown by the people, and upon the
+length of time required for reorganization."
+
+Under these limitations Louisiana and Texas retained their former
+designations as military districts, the officers in command
+exercising their military powers as heretofore.  In addition, these
+officers were to carry out in their respective commands all
+provisions of the law except those specially requiring the action of
+the district commander, and in cases of removals from and appointment
+to office.
+
+In the course of legislation the first Reconstruction act, as I have
+heretofore noted, had been vetoed.  On the very day of the veto,
+however, despite the President's adverse action, it passed each House
+of Congress by such an overwhelming majority as not only to give it
+the effect of law, but to prove clearly that the plan of
+reconstruction presented was, beyond question, the policy endorsed by
+the people of the country.  It was, therefore, my determination to
+see to the law's zealous execution in my district, though I felt
+certain that the President would endeavor to embarrass me by every
+means in his power, not only on account of his pronounced personal
+hostility, but also because of his determination not to execute but
+to obstruct the measures enacted by Congress.
+
+Having come to this conclusion, I laid down, as a rule for my
+guidance, the principle of non-interference with the provisional
+State governments, and though many appeals were made to have me
+rescind rulings of the courts, or interpose to forestall some
+presupposed action to be taken by them, my invariable reply was that
+I would not take cognizance of such matters, except in cases of
+absolute necessity.  The same policy was announced also in reference
+to municipal affairs throughout the district, so long as the action
+of the local officers did not conflict with the law.
+
+In a very short time, however, I was obliged to interfere in
+municipal matters in New Orleans, for it had become clearly apparent
+that several of the officials were, both by acts of omission and
+commission, ignoring the law, so on the 27th of March I removed from
+office the Mayor, John T.  Monroe; the Judge of the First District
+Court, E. Abell; and the Attorney-General of the State, Andrew S.
+Herron; at the same time appointing to the respective offices thus
+vacated Edward Heath, W. W. Howe, and B. L. Lynch.  The officials
+thus removed had taken upon themselves from the start to pronounce
+the Reconstruction acts unconstitutional, and to advise such a course
+of obstruction that I found it necessary at an early dav to replace
+them by men in sympathy with the law, in order to make plain my
+determination to have its provisions enforced.  The President at once
+made inquiry, through General Grant, for the cause of the removal,
+and I replied:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+"New Orleans, La., April 19, 1867.
+
+"GENERAL: On the 27th day of March last I removed from office Judge
+E. Abell, of the Criminal Court of New Orleans; Andrew S. Herron,
+Attorney-General of the State of Louisiana; and John T. Monroe, Mayor
+of the City of New Orleans.  These removals were made under the
+powers granted me in what is usually termed the 'military bill,'
+passed March 2, 1867, by the Congress of the United States.
+
+"I did not deem it necessary to give any reason for the removal of
+these men, especially after the investigations made by the military
+board on the massacre Of July 30, 1866, and the report of the
+congressional committee on the same massacre; but as some inquiry has
+been made for the cause of removal, I would respectfully state as
+follows:
+
+"The court over which judge Abell presided is the only criminal court
+in the city of New Orleans, and for a period of at least nine months
+previous to the riot Of July 30 he had been educating a large portion
+of the community to the perpetration of this outrage, by almost
+promising no prosecution in his court against the offenders, in case
+such an event occurred.  The records of his court will show that he
+fulfilled his promise, as not one of the guilty has been prosecuted.
+
+"In reference to Andrew J. Herron, Attorney-General of the State of
+Louisiana, I considered it his duty to indict these men before this
+criminal court.  This he failed to do, but went so far as to attempt
+to impose on the good sense of the whole nation by indicting the
+victims of the riot instead of the rioters; in other words, making
+the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent.  He was therefore, in my
+belief, an able coadjutor with judge Abell in bringing on the
+massacre of July 30.
+
+"Mayor Monroe controlled the element engaged in this riot, and when
+backed by an attorney-general who would not prosecute the guilty, and
+a judge who advised the grand jury to find the innocent guilty and
+let the murderers go free, felt secure in engaging his police force
+in the riot and massacre.
+
+"With these three men exercising a large influence over the worst
+elements of the population of this city, giving to those elements an
+immunity for riot and bloodshed, the general-in-chief will see how
+insecurely I felt in letting them occupy their respective positions
+in the troubles which might occur in registration and voting in the
+reorganization of this State.
+
+"I am, General, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General U. S. A.
+
+
+"GENERAL U. S. GRANT,
+"Commanding Armies of the United States,
+"Washington, D. C."
+
+
+To General Grant my reasons were satisfactory, but not so to the
+President, who took no steps, however, to rescind my action, for he
+knew that the removals were commended by well-nigh the entire
+community in the city, for it will be understood that Mr. Johnson
+was, through his friends and adherents in Louisiana and Texas, kept
+constantly advised of every step taken by me.  Many of these persons
+were active and open opponents of mine, while others were spies,
+doing their work so secretly and quickly that sometimes Mr. Johnson
+knew of my official acts before I could report them to General Grant.
+
+The supplemental Reconstruction act which defined the method of
+reconstruction became a law despite the President's veto on March 23.
+This was a curative act, authorizing elections and prescribing
+methods of registration.  When it reached me officially I began
+measures for carrying out its provisions, and on the 28th of March
+issued an order to the effect that no elections for the State,
+parish, or municipal officers would be held in Louisiana until the
+provisions of the laws of Congress entitled "An act to provide for
+the more efficient government of the rebel States," and of the act
+supplemental thereto, should have been complied with.  I also
+announced that until elections were held in accordance with these
+acts, the law of the Legislature of the State providing for the
+holding over of those persons whose terms of office otherwise would
+have expired, would govern in all cases excepting only those special
+ones in which I myself might take action.  There was one parish,
+Livingston, which this order did no reach in time to prevent the
+election previously ordered there, and which therefore took place,
+but by a supplemental order this election was declare null and void.
+
+In April.  I began the work of administering the Supplemental Law,
+which, under  certain condition of eligibility, required a
+registration of the voter of the State, for the purpose of electing
+delegate to a Constitutional convention.  It therefore became
+necessary to appoint Boards of Registration throughout the election
+districts, and on April 10 the boards for the Parish of Orleans were
+given out, those for the other parishes being appointed ten days
+later.  Before announcing these boards, I had asked to be advised
+definitely as to what persons were disfranchised by the law, and was
+directed by General Grant to act upon my own interpretation of it,
+pending an opinion expected shortly from the Attorney-General--Mr.
+Henry Stanbery--so, for the guidance of the boards, I gave the
+following instructions:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT.
+"New Orleans, La., April 10, 1867.
+
+"Special Orders, No. 15.
+
+"....In obedience to the directions contained in the first section of
+the Law of Congress entitled "An Act supplemental to an Act entitled
+'An Act to provide for the more efficient government of the rebel
+States'" the registration of the legal voters, according to that law
+in the Parish of Orleans, will be commenced on the 15th instant, and
+must be completed by the 15th of May.
+
+"The four municipal districts of the City of New Orleans and the
+Parish of Orleans, right bank (Algiers), will each constitute a
+Registration district.  Election precincts will remain as at present
+constituted.
+
+"....Each member of the Board of Registers, before commencing his
+duties, will file in the office of the Assistant-Inspector-General at
+these headquarters, the oath required in the sixth section of the Act
+referred to, and be governed in the execution of his duty by the
+provisions of the first section of that Act, faithfully administering
+the oath therein prescribed to each person registered.
+
+"Boards of Registers will immediately select suitable offices within
+their respective districts, having reference to convenience and
+facility of registration, and will enter upon their duties on the day
+designated.  Each Board will be entitled to two clerks.  Office-hours
+for registration will be from 8 o'clock till 12 A. M., and from 4
+till 7 P. M.
+
+"When elections are ordered, the Board of Registers for each district
+will designate the number of polls and the places where they shall be
+opened in the election precincts within its district, appoint the
+commissioners and other officers necessary for properly conducting
+the elections, and will superintend the same.
+
+"They will also receive from the commissioners of elections of the
+different precincts the result of the vote, consolidate the same, and
+forward it to the commanding general.
+
+"Registers and all officers connected with elections will be held to
+a rigid accountability and will be subject to trial by military
+commission for fraud, or unlawful or improper conduct in the
+performance of their duties.  Their rate of compensation and manner
+of payment will be in accordance with the provisions of sections six
+and seven of the supplemental act.
+
+"....Every male citizen of the United States, twenty-one years old
+and upward, of whatever race, color, or previous condition, who has
+been resident in the State of Louisiana for one year and Parish of
+Orleans for three months previous to the date at which he presents
+himself for registration, and who has not been disfranchised by act
+of Congress or for felony at common law, shall, after having taken
+and subscribed the oath prescribed in the first section of the act
+herein referred to, be entitled to be, and shall be, registered as a
+legal voter in the Parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana.
+
+"Pending the decision of the Attorney-General of the United States on
+the question as to who are disfranchised by law, registers will give
+the most rigid interpretation to the law, and exclude from
+registration every person about whose right to vote there may be a
+doubt.  Any person so excluded who may, under the decision of the
+Attorney-General, be entitled to vote, shall be permitted to register
+after that decision is received, due notice of which will be given.
+
+"By command of Major-General P. H. SHERIDAN,
+
+"GEO. L. HARTSUFF,
+"Assistant Adjutant-General."
+
+
+The parish Boards of Registration were composed of three members
+each.  Ability to take what was known as the "ironclad oath" was the
+qualification exacted of the members, and they were prohibited from
+becoming candidates for office.  In the execution of their duties
+they were to be governed by the provisions of the supplemental act.
+It was also made one of their functions to designate the number and
+location of the polling-places in the several districts, to appoint
+commissioners for receiving the votes and in general to attend to
+such other matters as were necessary, in order properly to conduct
+the voting, and afterward to receive from the commissioners the
+result of the vote and forward it to my headquarters.  These
+registers, and all other officers having to do with elections, were
+to be held to a rigid accountability, and be subject to trial by
+military commission for fraud or unlawful or improper conduct in the
+performance of their duties; and in order to be certain that the
+Registration Boards performed their work faithfully and
+intelligently, officers of the army were appointed as supervisors.
+To this end the parishes were grouped together conveniently in
+temporary districts, each officer having from three to five parishes
+to supervise.  The programme thus mapped out for carrying out the law
+in Louisiana was likewise adhered to in Texas, and indeed was
+followed as a model in some of the other military districts.
+
+Although Military Commissions were fully authorized by the
+Reconstruction acts, yet I did not favor their use in governing the
+district, and probably would never have convened one had these acts
+been observed in good faith.  I much preferred that the civil courts,
+and the State and municipal authorities already in existence, should
+perform their functions without military control or interference, but
+occasionally, because the civil authorities neglected their duty, I
+was obliged to resort to this means to ensure the punishment Of
+offenders.  At this time the condition of the negroes in Texas and
+Louisiana was lamentable, though, in fact, not worse than that of the
+few white loyalists who had been true to the Union during the war.
+These last were singled out as special objects of attack, and were,
+therefore, obliged at all times to be on the alert for the protection
+of their lives and property.  This was the natural outcome of Mr.
+Johnson's defiance of Congress, coupled with the sudden conversion to
+his cause of persons in the North--who but a short time before had
+been his bitterest enemies; for all this had aroused among the
+disaffected element new hopes of power and place, hopes of being at
+once put in political control again, with a resumption of their
+functions in State and National matters without any preliminary
+authorization by Congress.  In fact, it was not only hoped, but
+expected, that things were presently to go on just as if there had
+been no war.
+
+In the State of Texas there were in 1865 about 200,000 of the colored
+race-roughly, a third of the entire population--while in Louisiana
+there were not less than 350,000, or more than one-half of all the
+people in the State.  Until the enactment of the Reconstruction laws
+these negroes were without rights, and though they had been liberated
+by the war, Mr. Johnson's policy now proposed that they should have
+no political status at all, and consequently be at the mercy of a
+people who, recently their masters, now seemed to look upon them as
+the authors of all the misfortunes that had come upon the land.
+Under these circumstances the blacks naturally turned for protection
+to those who had been the means of their liberation, and it would
+have been little less than inhuman to deny them sympathy.  Their
+freedom had been given them, and it was the plain duty of those in
+authority to make it secure, and screen them from the bitter
+political resentment that beset them, and to see that they had a fair
+chance in the battle of life.  Therefore, when outrages and murders
+grew frequent, and the aid of the military power was an absolute
+necessity for the protection of life, I employed it unhesitatingly
+--the guilty parties being brought to trial before military
+commissions--and for a time, at least, there occurred a halt in the
+march of terrorism inaugurated by the people whom Mr. Johnson had
+deluded.
+
+The first, Military Commission was convened to try the case of John
+W. Walker, charged with shooting a negro in the parish of St. John.
+The proper civil authorities had made no effort to arrest Walker, and
+even connived at his escape, so I had him taken into custody in New
+Orleans, and ordered him tried, the commission finding him guilty,
+and sentencing him to confinement in the penitentiary for six months.
+This shooting was the third occurrence of the kind that had taken
+place in St.  John's parish, a negro being wounded in each case, and
+it was plain that the intention was to institute there a practice of
+intimidation which should be effective to subject the freedmen to the
+will of their late masters, whether in making labor contracts, or in
+case these newly enfranchised negroes should evince a disposition to
+avail themselves of the privilege to vote.
+
+The trial and conviction of Walker, and of one or two others for
+similar outrages, soon put a stop to every kind of "bull-dozing" in
+the country parishes; but about this time I discovered that many
+members of the police force in New Orleans were covertly intimidating
+the freedmen there, and preventing their appearance at the
+registration offices, using milder methods than had obtained in the
+country, it is true, but none the less effective.
+
+Early in 1866 the Legislature had passed an act which created for the
+police of New Orleans a residence qualification, the object of which
+was to discharge and exclude from the force ex-Union soldiers.  This
+of course would make room for the appointment of ex-Confederates, and
+Mayor Monroe had not been slow in enforcing the provisions of the
+law.  It was, in fact, a result of this enactment that the police was
+so reorganized as to become the willing and efficient tool which it
+proved to be in the riot of 1866; and having still the same
+personnel, it was now in shape to prevent registration by threats,
+unwarranted arrests, and by various other influences, all operating
+to keep the timid blacks away from the registration places.
+
+That the police were taking a hand in this practice of repression, I
+first discovered by the conduct of the assistant to the chief of the
+body, and at once removed the offender, but finding this ineffectual
+I annulled that part of the State law fixing the five years'
+residence restriction, and restored the two years' qualification,
+thus enabling Mayor Heath, who by my appointment had succeeded
+Monroe, to organize the force anew, and take about one-half of its
+members from ex-Union soldiers who when discharged had settled in New
+Orleans.  This action put an end to intimidation in the parish of
+Orleans; and now were put in operation in all sections the processes
+provided by the supplemental Reconstruction law for the summoning of
+a convention to form a Constitution preparatory to the readmission of
+the State, and I was full of hope that there would now be much less
+difficulty in administering the trust imposed by Congress.
+
+During the two years previous great damage had been done the
+agricultural interests of Louisiana by the overflow of the
+Mississippi, the levees being so badly broken as to require extensive
+repairs, and the Legislature of 1866 had appropriated for the purpose
+$4,000,000, to be raised by an issue of bonds.  This money was to be
+disbursed by a Board of Levee Commissioners then in existence, but
+the term of service of these commissioners, and the law creating the
+board, would expire in the spring of 1867.  In order to overcome this
+difficulty the Legislature passed a bill continuing the commissioners
+in office but as the act was passed inside of ten days before the
+adjournment of the Legislature, Governor Wells pocketed the bill, and
+it failed to become a law.  The Governor then appointed a board of
+his own, without any warrant of law whatever.  The old commissioners
+refused to recognize this new board, and of course a conflict of
+authority ensued, which, it was clear, would lead to vicious results
+if allowed to continue; so, as the people of the State had no
+confidence in either of the boards, I decided to end the contention
+summarily by appointing an entirely new commission, which would
+disburse the money honestly, and further the real purpose for which
+it had been appropriated.  When I took this course the legislative
+board acquiesced, but Governor Wells immediately requested the
+President to revoke my order, which, however, was not done, but
+meanwhile the Secretary of War directed me to suspend all proceedings
+in the matter, and make a report of the facts.  I complied in the
+following telegram:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+"NEW ORLEANS, La., June 3, 1867.
+
+"SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your telegram of
+this date in reference to the Levee Commissioners in this State.
+
+"The following were my reasons for abolishing the two former boards,
+although I intended that my order should be sufficiently explanatory:
+
+"Previous to the adjournment of the Legislature last winter it passed
+an act continuing the old Levee board in office, so that the four
+millions of dollars ($4,000,000) in bonds appropriated by the
+Legislature might be disbursed by a board of rebellious antecedents.
+
+"After its adjournment the Governor of the State appointed a board of
+his own, in violation of this act, and made the acknowledgment to me
+in person that his object was to disburse the money in the interest
+of his own party by securing for it the vote of the employees at the
+time of election.
+
+"The board continued in office by the Legislature refused to turn
+over to the Governor's board, and each side appealed to me to sustain
+it, which I would not do.  The question must then have gone to the
+courts, which, according to the Governor's judgment when he was
+appealing to me to be sustained, would require one year for decision.
+Meantime the State was overflowed, the Levee boards tied up by
+political chicanery, and nothing done to relieve the poor people, now
+fed by the charity of the Government and charitable associations of
+the North.
+
+"To obviate this trouble, and to secure to the overflowed districts
+of the State the immediate relief which the honest disbursement of
+the four millions ($4,000,000) would give, my order dissolving both
+boards was issued.
+
+"I say now, unequivocally, that Governor Wells is a political
+trickster and a dishonest man.  I have seen him myself, when I first
+came to this command, turn out all the Union men who had supported
+the Government, and put in their stead rebel soldiers who had not yet
+doffed their gray uniform.  I have seen him again, during the July
+riot of 1866, skulk away where I could not find him to give him a
+guard, instead of coming out as a manly representative of the State
+and joining those who were preserving the peace.  I have watched him
+since, and his conduct has been as sinuous as the mark left in the
+dust by the movement of a snake.
+
+"I say again that he is dishonest, and that dishonesty is more than
+must be expected of me.
+
+"P. H. SHERIDAN,
+"Major-General, U. S. A.
+
+"Hon. E. M. STANTON,
+"Secretary of War, Washington, D. C."
+
+
+The same day that I sent my report to the Secretary of War I removed
+from office Governor Wells himself, being determined to bear no
+longer with the many obstructions he had placed in the way of
+reorganizing the civil affairs of the State.  I was also satisfied
+that he was unfit to retain the place, since he was availing himself
+of every opportunity to work political ends beneficial to himself.
+In this instance Wells protested to me against his removal, and also
+appealed to the President for an opinion of the Attorney-General as
+to my power in the case; and doubtless he would have succeeded in
+retaining his office, but for the fact that the President had been
+informed by General James B. Steadman and others placed to watch me
+that Wells was wholly unworthy.
+
+
+"NEW ORLEANS, June 19, 1867.
+"ANDREW JOHNSON, President United States,
+"Washington City:
+
+"Lewis D.  Campbell leaves New Orleans for home this evening.  Want
+of respect for Governor Wells personally, alone represses the
+expression of indignation felt by all honest and sensible men at the
+unwarranted usurpation of General Sheridan in removing the civil
+officers of Louisiana.  It is believed here that you will reinstate
+Wells.  He is a bad man, and has no influence.
+
+"I believe Sheridan made the removals to embarrass you, believing the
+feeling at the North would sustain him.  My conviction is that on
+account of the bad character of Wells and Monroe, you ought not to
+reinstate any who have been removed, because you cannot reinstate any
+without reinstating all, but you ought to prohibit the exercise of
+this power in the future.
+
+"Respectfully yours,
+
+"JAMES B. STEADMAN."
+
+
+I appointed Mr. Thomas J. Durant as Wells's successor, but he
+declining, I then appointed Mr. Benjamin F. Flanders, who, after I
+had sent a staff-officer to forcibly eject Wells in case of
+necessity, took possession of the Governor's office.  Wells having
+vacated, Governor Flanders began immediately the exercise of his
+duties in sympathy with the views of Congress, and I then notified
+General Grant that I thought he need have no further apprehension
+about the condition of affairs in Louisiana, as my appointee was a
+man of such integrity and ability that I already felt relieved of
+half my labor.  I also stated in the same despatch that nothing would
+answer in Louisiana but a bold and firm course, and that in taking
+such a one I felt that I was strongly supported; a statement that was
+then correct, for up to this period the better classes were disposed
+to accept the Congressional plan of reconstruction.
+
+During the controversy over the Levee Commissioners, and the
+correspondence regarding the removal of Governor Wells, registration
+had gone on under the rules laid down for the boards.  The date set
+for closing the books was the 3oth of June, but in the parish of
+Orleans the time was extended till the 15th of July.  This the
+President considered too short a period, and therefore directed the
+registry lists not to be closed before the 1st of August, unless
+there was some good reason to the contrary.  This was plainly
+designed to keep the books open in order that under the
+Attorney-General's interpretation of the Reconstruction laws, published
+June 20, many persons who had been excluded by the registration boards
+could yet be registered, so I decided to close the registration, unless
+required by the President unconditionally, and in specific orders, to
+extend the time.  My motives were manifold, but the main reasons were
+that as two and a half months had been given already, the number of
+persons who, under the law, were qualified for registry was about
+exhausted; and because of the expense I did not feel warranted in
+keeping up the boards longer, as I said, "to suit new issues coming in
+at the eleventh hour," which would but open a "broad macadamized road
+for perjury and fraud."
+
+When I thus stated what I intended to do, the opinion of the
+Attorney-General had not yet been received.  When it did reach me it
+was merely in the form of a circular signed by Adjutant-General
+Townsend, and had no force of law.  It was not even sent as an order,
+nor was it accompanied by any instructions, or by anything except the
+statement that it was transmitted to the 11 respective military
+commanders for their information, in order that there might be
+uniformity in the execution  of the Reconstruction acts.  To adopt
+Mr. Stanbery's interpretation of the law and reopen registration
+accordingly, would defeat the purpose of Congress, as well as add to
+my perplexities.  Such a course would also require that the officers
+appointed by me for the performance of specified duties, under laws
+which I was empowered to interpret and enforce, should receive their
+guidance and instructions from an unauthorized source, so on
+communicating with General Grant as to how I should act, he directed
+me to enforce my own construction of the military bill until ordered
+to do otherwise.
+
+Therefore the registration continued as I had originally directed,
+and nothing having been definitely settled at Washington in relation
+to my extending the time, on the 10th of July I ordered all the
+registration boards to select, immediately, suitable persons to act
+as commissioners of election, and at the same time specified the
+number of each set of commissioners, designated the polling-places,
+gave notice that two days would be allowed for voting, and followed
+this with an order discontinuing registration the 31st of July, and
+then another appointing the 27th and 28th of September as the time
+for the election of delegates to the State convention.
+
+In accomplishing the registration there had been little opposition
+from the mass of the people, but the press of New Orleans, and the
+office-holders and office-seekers in the State generally, antagonized
+the work bitterly and violently, particularly after the promulgation
+of the opinion of the Attorney-General.  These agitators condemned
+everybody and everything connected with the Congressional plan of
+reconstruction; and the pernicious influence thus exerted was
+manifested in various ways, but most notably in the selection of
+persons to compose the jury lists in the country parishes it also
+tempted certain municipal officers in New Orleans to perform illegal
+acts that would seriously have affected the credit of the city had
+matters not been promptly corrected by the summary removal from
+office of the comptroller and the treasurer, who had already issued a
+quarter of a million dollars in illegal certificates.  On learning of
+this unwarranted and unlawful proceeding, Mayor Heath demanded an
+investigation by the Common Council, but this body, taking its cue
+from the evident intention of the President to render abortive the
+Reconstruction acts, refused the mayor's demand.  Then he tried to
+have the treasurer and comptroller restrained by injunction, but the
+city attorney, under the same inspiration as the council, declined to
+sue out a writ, and the attorney being supported in this course by
+nearly all the other officials, the mayor was left helpless in his
+endeavors to preserve the city's credit.  Under such circumstances he
+took the only step left him--recourse to the military commander; and
+after looking into the matter carefully I decided, in the early part
+of August, to give the mayor officials who would not refuse to make
+an investigation of the illegal issue of certificates, and to this
+end I removed the treasurer, surveyor, comptroller, city attorney,
+and twenty-two of the aldermen; these officials, and all of their
+assistants, having reduced the financial credit of New Orleans to a
+disordered condition, and also having made efforts--and being then
+engaged in such--to hamper the execution of the Reconstruction laws.
+
+This action settled matters in the city, but subsequently I had to
+remove some officials in the parishes--among them a justice of the
+peace and a sheriff in the parish of Rapides; the justice for
+refusing to permit negro witnesses to testify in a certain murder
+case, and for allowing the murderer, who had foully killed a colored
+man, to walk out of his court on bail in the insignificant sum of
+five hundred dollars; and the sheriff, for conniving at the escape
+from jail of another alleged murderer.  Finding, however, even after
+these removals, that in the country districts murderers and other
+criminals went unpunished, provided the offenses were against negroes
+merely (since the jurors were selected exclusively from the whites,
+and often embraced those excluded from the exercise of the election
+franchise) I, having full authority under the Reconstruction laws,
+directed such a revision of the jury lists as would reject from them
+every man not eligible for registration as a voter.  This order was
+issued August 24, and on its promulgation the President relieved me
+from duty and assigned General Hancock as my successor.
+
+
+"HEADQUARTERS FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT,
+"NEW ORLEANS, LA., August 24, 1867.
+
+"SPECIAL ORDERS, No.  125.
+
+"The registration of voters of the State of Louisiana, according to
+the law of Congress, being complete, it is hereby ordered that no
+person who is not registered in accordance with said law shall be
+considered as, a duly qualified voter of the State of Louisiana.  All
+persons duly registered as above, and no others, are consequently
+eligible, under the laws of the State of Louisiana, to serve as
+jurors in any of the courts of the State.
+
+"The necessary revision of the jury lists will immediately be made by
+the proper officers.
+
+"All the laws of the State respecting exemptions, etc., from jury
+duty will remain in force.
+
+"By command of Major-General P. H. SHERIDAN.
+
+"GEO. L. HARTNUFF, Asst. Adj't-General."
+
+
+Pending the arrival of General Hancock, I turned over the command of
+the district September 1 to General Charles Griffin; but he dying of
+yellow fever, General J. A. Mower succeeded him, and retained command
+till November 29, on which date General Hancock assumed control.
+Immediately after Hancock took charge, he revoked my order of August
+24 providing for a revision of the jury lists; and, in short,
+President Johnson's policy now became supreme, till Hancock himself
+was relieved in March, 1868.
+
+My official connection with the reconstruction of Louisiana and Texas
+practically closed with this order concerning the jury lists.  In my
+judgment this had become a necessity, for the disaffected element,
+sustained as it was by the open sympathy of the President, had grown
+so determined in its opposition to the execution of the
+Reconstruction acts that I resolved to remove from place and power
+all obstacles; for the summer's experience had convinced me that in
+no other way could the law be faithfully administered.
+
+The President had long been dissatisfied with my course; indeed, he
+had harbored personal enmity against me ever since he perceived that
+he could not bend me to an acceptance of the false position in which
+he had tried to place me by garbling my report of the riot of 1866.
+When Mr. Johnson decided to remove me, General Grant protested in
+these terms, but to no purpose:
+
+"HEADQUARTERS ARMIES OF THE UNITED STATES,
+"WASHINGTON, D. C., August 17, 1867
+
+"SIR: I am in receipt of your order of this date directing the
+assignment of General G. H. Thomas to the command of the Fifth
+Military District, General Sheridan to the Department of the
+Missouri, and General Hancock to the Department of the Cumberland;
+also your note of this date (enclosing these instructions), saying:
+'Before you issue instructions to carry into effect the enclosed
+order, I would be pleased to hear any suggestions you may deem
+necessary respecting the assignments to which the order refers.'
+
+"I am pleased to avail myself of this invitation to urge--earnestly
+urge--urge in the name of a patriotic people, who have sacrificed
+hundreds of thousands of loyal lives and thousands of millions of
+treasure to preserve the integrity and union of this country--that
+this order be not insisted on.  It is unmistakably the expressed wish
+of the country that General Sheridan should not be removed from his
+present command.
+
+"This is a republic where the will of the people is the law of the
+land.  I beg that their voice may be heard.
+
+"General Sheridan has performed his civil duties faithfully and
+intelligently.  His removal will only be regarded as an effort to
+defeat the laws of Congress.  It will be interpreted by the
+unreconstructed element in the South--those who did all they could to
+break up this Government by arms, and now wish to be the only element
+consulted as to the method of restoring order--as a triumph.  It will
+embolden them to renewed opposition to the will of the loyal masses,
+believing that they have the Executive with them.
+
+"The services of General Thomas in battling for the Union entitle him
+to some consideration.  He has repeatedly entered his protest against
+being assigned to either of the five military districts, and
+especially to being assigned to relieve General Sheridan.
+
+"There are military reasons, pecuniary reasons, and above all,
+patriotic reasons, why this should not be insisted upon.
+
+"I beg to refer to a letter marked 'private,' which I wrote to the
+President when first consulted on the subject of the change in the
+War Department.  It bears upon the subject of this removal, and I had
+hoped would have prevented it.
+
+"I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant,
+
+"U. S. GRANT,
+"General U. S. A., Secretary of War ad interim.
+
+"His Excellency A. JOHNSON,
+"President of the United States."
+
+
+I was ordered to command the Department of the Missouri (General
+Hancock, as already noted, finally becoming my successor in the Fifth
+Military District), and left New Orleans on the 5th of September.  I
+was not loath to go.  The kind of duty I had been performing in
+Louisiana and Texas was very trying under the most favorable
+circumstances, but all the more so in my case, since I had to contend
+against the obstructions which the President placed in the way from
+persistent opposition to the acts of Congress as well as from
+antipathy to me--which obstructions he interposed with all the
+boldness and aggressiveness of his peculiar nature.
+
+On more than one occasion while I was exercising this command,
+impurity of motive was imputed to me, but it has never been
+truthfully shown (nor can it ever be) that political or corrupt
+influences of any kind controlled me in any instance.  I simply tried
+to carry out, without fear or favor, the Reconstruction acts as they
+came to me.  They were intended to disfranchise certain persons, and
+to enfranchise certain others, and, till decided otherwise, were the
+laws of the land; and it was my duty to execute them faithfully,
+without regard, on the one hand, for those upon whom it was thought
+they bore so heavily, nor, on the other, for this or that political
+party, and certainly without deference to those persons sent to
+Louisiana to influence my conduct of affairs.
+
+Some of these missionaries were high officials, both military and
+civil, and I recall among others a visit made me in 1866 by a
+distinguished friend of the President, Mr. Thomas A. Hendricks.  The
+purpose of his coming was to convey to me assurances of the very high
+esteem in which I was held by the President, and to explain
+personally Mr. Johnson's plan of reconstruction, its flawless
+constitutionality, and so on.  But being on the ground, I had before
+me the exhibition of its practical working, saw the oppression and
+excesses growing out of it, and in the face of these experiences even
+Mr. Hendricks's persuasive eloquence was powerless to convince me of
+its beneficence.  Later General Lovell H. Rousseau came down on a
+like mission, but was no more successful than Mr. Hendricks.
+
+During the whole period that I commanded in Louisiana and Texas my
+position was a most unenviable one.  The service was unusual, and the
+nature of it scarcely to be understood by those not entirely familiar
+with the conditions existing immediately after the war.  In
+administering the affairs of those States, I never acted except by
+authority, and always from conscientious motives.  I tried to guard
+the rights of everybody in accordance with the law.  In this I was
+supported by General Grant and opposed by President Johnson.  The
+former had at heart, above every other consideration, the good of his
+country, and always sustained me with approval and kind suggestions.
+The course pursued by the President was exactly the opposite, and
+seems to prove that in the whole matter of reconstruction he was
+governed less by patriotic motives than by personal ambitions.  Add
+to this his natural obstinacy of character and personal enmity toward
+me, and no surprise should be occasioned when I say that I heartily
+welcomed the order that lifted from me my unsought burden.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of General Philip H.
+Sheridan, Vol. II., Part 5, by P. H. Sheridan
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