The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-08-22


she chief They took the great trooper in to
Grant and when Grant perceived the spirit of
Sheridan, he felt that the time had come. He
gave him the task he said he could perform, the
orders he asked for, and the result was-the
battle Of Five Forks.
That battle, Grant always acknowledged, made
possible the final assault on Petersburg, and
siopened the way for the Appomattox campaign
In which sSheridan led the terrible pursuit
fought Sailors Creek and outmarched Lee. In
all these movements he sent back suggestions
daily, almost hourly. to Grant every one Of
which Grant accepted ! sometimes think that
without Sheridan. Grants closing triumph
might have been incomplete, for it was Sheridan
who, by his rapid marches and incessant blows,
secured the envelopine, and thus the surrender.
of Lee This can be said without detracting one
leaf from the laurels Of Grant The most skill
fui workman requires tools Of finest edge; the
greatest commander cannot win without troops
and subordiuatss of msttle like his own.
After this Grant loved Sheridan. The affec-
Zion was founded on admiration the intimacy
grew out Of achievement 1t was the strange,
rich fruit of battle, watered by blood and ripened
by patriotism into close and tender regard. I
was an inmate of Grants home when he was be-
lieved to be dying. and Sheridan wrote me let
ter TO present to the family when the dreaded
hour should come. He added line. which
venture to repeat because il shows the peculiar
and delicate nature Of the feeling between the
soldiers. cit Is unnecessary for me. said Sheri-
dan, ito use words to express my attachment to
General Grant and his family have not gone
to see him as / could only bring additional dis
tress to them, and want to remember him In
good health"
Grant always regarded the French attempt to
establish an empire in Mexico as part Of the eff
fort to subvert our own Republic. At the close
Of the war; on the very day OF the grand review
at Washington, he dispatched Sheridan with Sc
cret orders to the Rio Grande. to watch the
frontier. He hoped to be able to bring the gov
eminent up to his own views, if their Emperor
dslayed and Sheridan was directed to be ready
for any emergency. He performed his task, and
when the question was settled, and the French
were withdrawn, Grant left him in command at
New Orleans.
Here he was found when the Presidents pol
Icy was rejected by the people, and when the
measures which johnson opposed became law
Sheridan, like Grant, set himself to obeying the
law. johnson, Of course, was provoked, but
Grant promptly Endorsed his subordinate Ii
July, 1856, violent riot occurred at New Or
leans, in which forty Union men were killed and
$50 wounded by Southerners. Sheridan's course
at the time was the subject Of a warm conten-
ton between Grant and the President, the latter
as usual, siding with the men who had once OPP
posed the Union. During the discussion Grant
wrote to Sheridan as follows.
ST am just in receipt of copy of your letter to
the President in reply to his dispatch of the 4th
INST. 1t is certainly q very clear statement of
the cause and effect of the riot, and in my judg
ment il is due to the public, to you, and even to
the President that 1t should be published
have requested from the President the publica-
ton Of all your dispatches on the subject Of the
New Orleans riot. on the ground that the partial
publications which have appeared put you in the
position OF taking partisan view of the matter,
whereas the dispatches given in full show that
you never dreamed of extenuating faults no mat
ter which side they occurred on. One thing you
may rely on, the purity of your motives will
never be impeached by the public, no matter
what capital the politicians may attempt to make
out of garblcd or partial publications of what
you say or write officially. Persevere exactly in
the course your own good Judgment dictates. 1t
has never yet led you astray as military COM
mander, nor in the administration of the affairs
of your military division"
On the 27th of March, 1857 in the exercise of
the authority conferred on him by the recon
structon acts. Sheridan removed from Office the
Attorney general of the State of Louisiana, the
Mayor of New Orleans, and the judge of the
First district court of the same city. Two days
afterwards Grant wrote to him: ~ have just
seen your order No s. II is just the thing, and
merits the universal appreciation of the loyal
q
also meet with like approval from the RECON-
sTRuoTED 1.-The emphasis is Grants. 1t will at
least prove advantageous to them and to the
quiet and prosperity of New Orleans and of the
State of Louisiana. I only write this toilet you
know that T. at least approve what you have
DONE
From this time the President seems to have
determined on the removal of Sheridan, for this
power had been left in his hands by Congress,
and in May Grant wrote to the threatened COM
manders
II have no doubt but that the reports Of your
contemplated removal have emanated from
high source It has unquestionably been In
contemplation, but it cannot hurt, though it may
ewbarrass You. Every loyal man in the coun-
try admires your course in civil affairs as they
did your military career. You have to the full
est extent thu confidence of the Secretaries. the
loyal people generally, and of myself Removal
cannot hurt you If it does take place, and l
do not believe it will You have carried out the
acts of Congress, and it will be difficult to get
general officer who will not, Let me say,
dismiss ell embarrassments on account Of ru-
mors OF removal Such an act will not reflect
on YOU
Encouraged thus by the man whom the peo-
pie who had supported the war now looked
upon as their chief, Sheridan persisted in his
obedience to the spirit and the letter of the law;
and Grant persisted in his encouragement On
the Sd Of June Sheridan removed the Governor
OF Louisiana. that official having made himself
an impediment to the faithful execution Of the
reconstruction act" and Grant Immediately
wrote to Sheridan: