The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1880-02-12
Grant, the Confederacy and Mexico.

John Russell Young, who made the
tour of the world with Gen. Grant, is
writing an account of the travels Of the
party. In the advanced sheets published
appear the following remarks by Gen.
Grant, in speaking of the Confederacy in
connection with Mexico:
"When our war ended, urged upon
President Johnson an immediate invasion
of Mexico. l am not sure whether l
wrote him or not, but pressed the mat
ter frequently upon Mr.. johnson and
Mr.. Seward. You see, Napoleon in Mex
leo was really part, and an active part,
of the rebellion. His army was as much
opposed to us as that of Kirby Smith.
Even apart from his desire to establish n
monarchy and overthrow friendly re-
public, against which every loyal Ameri-
can revolted, there was the active CO.
operation between the French and the
rebels on.the Rio Grande, which made it
an act of war. l believed then, and |
believe now, that we had just cause of
war with Macmillan, and with Napoleon,
if he supported him-with Napoleon
especially, as he was the head ofthe whole
business. We were so placed that we
were bound to fight him. l sent Sheri-
dan off to the Rio Grande. l sent him
post-haste, not giving him time to par
ticipate in the farewell review. My plan
was to give him n corps, have him cross
the Rio Grande, join Juarex, and attack
Macmillan. With his corps he could
have walked over Mexico. Mr.. johnson
seemed to favor my plan, but Mr.. Se-
ward was opposed and his opposition was
decisive. / was for fighting Napoleon.
There never was more just cause for
war than what Napoleon gave us. With
our army we could do as we pleased. We
had a victorious army, trained in four
years of war, and we had the whole South
to recruit from. had that in my mind
when l proposed the advance on Mexico.
WANTED to employ and occupy the South
ern army. We had destroyed the career
of many of them at home, and I wanted
them to 90 to Mexico. 1 am not sure
now that | was sound in that conclusion.
I have thought their devotion to slavery
and their familiarity with the institution
would have led them to introduce slavery,
or something like it, into Mexico, which
would have been a calamity. Still. my
plan at the time was to induce the South
ern troops to 20 to Mexico-to 60 as
soldiers under Sheridan, and remain as
settlers. I was especially anxious that
Kirby Smith, with his command, should
90 over. Kirby Smith had not surren.
dered, and 1 was not sure that he would
not give US trouble before surrendering.
Mexico seemed an outlet for the disap-
pointed and dangerous elements in the
South-elements brave and warlike, and
energetic enough, and with their share of
the best qualities of the Anglo.Saxon
character, but irreconcilable in their
hostility to the Union. The best place
for our defeated friends was Mexico. 1t
was better for them and better for US. l
tried TO make Lee think so when he SUR
rendered. They would have done per-
haps as great work in Mexico as has
been done in California. No one dreaded
war more than 1 did. 1 had more than
| wanted. But the war would hav. been
national, and we could have united both
sections under one flag. The good results
accruing from that would in themselves
have compensated for another war, even
If it had come, and such war as it must
have heen under Sheridan and his army
short, quick, decisive, and assuredly
triumphant. We could have marched
from the Rio Grande to Mexico without
n serious battle"