commander　was　now；　for　the　first　time；　overmatched；　for　against　all
  his　devicesthe　products　of　a　mind　fertile　in　defenseGeneral　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
  disappointmentson　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　RIVERASSIGNED　TO
  THE　COMMAND　WEST　OF　THE　MISSISSIPPILEAVING　WASHINGTONFLIGHT　OF
  GENERAL　EARLYMAXIMILIANMAKING　DEMONSTRATIONS　ON　THE　UPPER　RIO
  GRANDECONFEDERATES　JOIN　MAXIMILIANTHE　FRENCH　INVASION　OF　MEXICO
  AND　ITS　RELATIONS　TO　THE　REBELLIONASSISTING　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　Mississippiholding
  intercourse　with　him　in　person；　or　through　such　officers　of　the　rank
  of　major…general　as　you　may　selectthat　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　li