Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1889-11-16
A Chapter of Secret History.

General Lew Wallace has just made
public, in a letter to President Diaz
of Mexico, an interesting chapter of
secret history attendant upon the
last days of the war Of the rebellion.
1t was in 1864, and Grant was on the
peninsula at City Point pushing
things" with that grim determine
ton that was as irresistible as fate.
He felt sure that the end was APP
preaching. So certain was he of it
he began at once to forecast what
might be a possible next move, and
what its effects upon the United
States. We were greatly exhausted
by the vast and prolonged efforts that
had been put forth, and it was vitals
~ important that no new enemies
should confront us when the ones
with which we were then engaged
in the last life.and-death struggle were
Overthrown. Just at this time, it
will be remembered, MaXimilian was
contending for the supremacy of Mex
leo, having invaded that country
with the open assistance of Napoleon
III. of France, and set up his usurp-
ing empire there. So vigorously had
he pushed that enterprise that the
Mexican republic was reduced to
the greatest straits. President Jaurez
had lost one province after another,
and had been driven north into Chi
huahua, where its capital was then
located. His credit was practically
nothing, his people discouraged and
his army reduced to such dire straits
that, in default of being able to secure
firearms, they were actually falling
back upon the use of bows and arrows.
Lincoln, Stanton and Grant, at this
critical juncture, were fearful lest the
COnfederates, when finally defeated
on their own soil, might cross over
into Mexico in large numbers, place
their tried bravery and veteran abili-
ties at the disposal of the ADVENTURE
from Europe, and inevitably turn
the scale in his favor. In that event
it meant simply transfer Of. the
seat of the Southern Confederacy
across the Rio Grande, a perpetuatiOn
of its hostility to the United States
and the certainty that France would
continue to be the ardent friend and
supporter Of the Mexican empire in
the new form, as she had all along
been, in which event friendly rela-
tons with US could hardly be main
tanned. This state of things meant
an indefinite prolongation of our
struggle in new form, and with the
powerful support of France added to
the forces that Ihad been arrayed
against us. Just at this point, Gener-
al Wallace says, he was sent for by
General Grant and intrusted with Il
secret mission. Armed with Presi-
dent LincOln's authority, he went to
BraZos Santiago, an island near the
mouth of the Rio Grande, on which
was the only United States military
post in all that region. Here he
placed himself in communication
with General Carvajal, commanding
in the mountains Of Tamaulipas a
small remnant of JuareZ's forces. The
upshOt of the mission was that Carav.
.ial secretly came on to Washington
with Wallace, and in CONJUNCTION with
Senior ROmer0,the Mexican Minister
and with the active secret aid Of oul
government, was enabled to buy
large quantities of army supplies and
munitions of war, which were ship
ped into Mexico, and which provided
the means by which the Juarez force;
were enabled successfully to compete
with Maximilian's troops, and finally
eXpel them from Mexican soil. Blu
for this aid, rendered at just thi,
time, it is difficult to see how thi,
could possibly have been done. The
facts are now made fully public fol
the first time.