444 GRANT IN WASHINGTON AND NEW YORK. [1865.

later,* a land force under General Terry gallantly assaulted and captured the fort, with a loss of only six hundred men.

On the last night of the eventful year, Grant sat until nearly daylight in the tent of his friend Bowers, talking upon various subjects, but chiefly on the events, campaigns, and prospects for 1865. He was in excellent spirits in those days, and thought the confederates more despondent than ever before. In a private letter,† he had laid great stress upon the fact that they could no more recruit their army without resort to the negro, and added:--

"Him they are afraid of, and they will never use him unless as a last desperate alternative. *** The immense majority which Mr. Lincoln has received is worth more to us than a victory in the field, both in its effects on the rebels, and in its foreign influence."

Lincoln's overwhelming re-election was, indeed, the deadliest blow the enemy had yet received.

During the winter, the General paid a visit to the North. Congress was in session, and one day he entered the hall of the House. That body immediately took a recess of five minutes, to enable members to pay their respects to him. After Speaker Colfax called it to order again, Schenck of Ohio said :

"In order that the representatives of the people and all loyal persons present may have a better opportunity of making the acquaintance, at least by sight, of the Lieutenant-General, I move that he be invited for a moment to the stand."

The report of the Congressional Globe continues:

"Lieutenant-General Grant was conducted to the speaker's desk, amid general applause, and took the stand on the left of the speaker.

"THE SPEAKER.-Gentlemen of the House of Representatives: I have the honor of introducing to you this day our heroic defender in the field, the Lieutenant-General of the armies of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant. [Great applause on the floor and in the galleries.]

"The Lieutenant-General bowed to the House, and then withdrew."

In the Senate he was received with equal attention. His plain manners and garb were remarked by the grave and reverend seigniors, and one commented:

* January fifteenth.

November thirteenth

1865.]

PHILADELPHIANS PRESENT HIM A HOUSE.

445

"Why, even a second lieutenant in my part of the country dresses a great deal better, and puts on a great many more airs!"

He spent a few days in New York, which he had not revisited since his return from California, ten years earlier. He was beset with callers, and overwhelmed with attentions. He paid a visit to the veteran of the Mexican war, who received him cordially, and gave him a copy of his autobiography, just issued, first writing upon a fly-leaf:

"From the oldest to the ablest general in the world.*

"WINFIELD SCOTT."

Citizens of Philadelphia, gratified at Grant's purpose of making his future home among them, presented to him a completely furnished residence on Chestnut Street, between Twentieth and Twenty-first. To their letter he replied :—

"It is with feelings of gratitude and pride that I accept this substantial testimony of esteem from your loyal citizens;-gratitude, because it is an evidence of deep-set determination on the part of a large number of citizens that the war shall go on until the Union is restored; pride, that my humble efforts in so great a cause should attract such a token from a city of strangers to me. I will not predict a day when we shall have peace again with the Union restored. But that this day will come, is as sure as the rising of tomorrow's sun. I have never doubted this in the darkest day of this dark and terrible rebellion. Until that happy day comes, my family will occupy and enjoy your magnificent present. But until then, I do not expect nor desire to see much of the enjoyments of a home fireside."

Returning, he took with him Mrs. Grant and one of the younger children, who remained at City Point until the final surrender. During his absence his tent had been replaced by a rough log-cabin, which he occupied as headquarters until the end of the conflict, sleeping on a plain camp cot, and eating with his staff at a rough table. The cabin is preserved in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia.

The new year opened. The confederacy, shorn of its fair proportions, retained less than half its original territory. Our line along the Mississippi cut it in twain, and Sherman

* Two generations before, Frederick the Great had sent a sword to George Washington, inscribed:-" From the oldest general in the world to the greatest."

446

THREE REBEL PEACE COMMISSIONERS

[1865.

had plowed a broad furrow from Chattanooga to the sea. Mobile, Charleston, and Wilmington were its only remaining seaports.

Still to a superficial observer it stood imposing and indestructible. The tone of its newspapers was never more confident; but the very vehemence of their daily reiterations that they would never, never, never succumb, tended to excite suspicion. The confederates had made a wonderful fight. Of course, they found the money question the most difficult one. Until November, 1861, their currency remained at par; afterward it steadily depreciated. The amounts required to buy one dollar in gold, were:

Jefferson Davis, in many respects an able leader, was also a very obstinate one. He had none of that humility of opinion, that instinctive respect for the popular will which characterized Abraham Lincoln. Always in retaining an inefficient cabinet, and generally in assigning officers to high military commands, he flew in the face of public opinion.

But the party clamoring vaguely for "an honorable peace"- though by no means avowing its readiness to submit to the Union-had grown too large to be longer ignored. So by Davis's appointment, Alexander H. Stephens, vicepresident of the confederacy, R. M. T. Hunter, and John A. Campbell, proceeded to Hampton Roads, for a conference with the Government authorities. They were particularly anxious to meet the President in person, and Grant* telegraphed Stanton:

"I will state confidentially-but not officially, to become a matter of record—that I am convinced by conversing with Messrs. Stephens and Hunter that their intentions are good, and their desires sincere to restore peace to the Union. I have not felt myself at liberty, to express views of my own, or even to account for my reticence. This has placed me in an awkward

February first.