Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1905-02-10
GRANT AND MEXICO.
Gen. Lew Wallace's Mex
ican Mission.

Gen. Lew Wallace's secret mission
to the Rio Grande was one of the
most interesting episodes of our civil
war" was tho remark of Gen. Hor-
ace Porter, who served on Gen.
Grants staff and acted as his military
secretary while he occupied the presi-
Dental chair. Gen Wallace's let
ter, as published by the World, is cor
rect so far as the military phase
is concerned. Late in 1864, Gen.
Grant saw that the movement of Ma
poleon III. to establish an empire in
Mexico was not only fragrant viola
ton of the Monroe doctrine, but also
real menace to the United States
AS commanding general Of all the fed
eral armies he looked upon the land
ing of Maximilian as an effort on the
part Of the French to annoy our gov
ernment. He saw that the success OF
Bazaine would afford the confederates
a wider door for the admission of arms
and war munitions.
Taking this view, Gen. Grant had
| frequent conversations with President
Lincoln and Secretary Stanton, whom
he convinced that the confederates were
in possession Of large part of the bor-
der line between Texas and Mexico, so
that should the patriot forces under
| Juarez be overwhelmed by the French
! levies on their way to support Maxi
milan, the confederate government
would be able to avoid our blockade
along the southern Atlantic coast and
replenish their stores of war material
| h., 20
thought it very possible that Napoleon
would finally recognize the confed-
eracy.
Gen. Wallace was in command of
the middle military division, with head
quarters at Baltimore. The command
ing general knew him to be an intelli-
gent officer, who, having served during
the war with Mexico, was familiar with
the country. Wallace was summoned,
therefore, to City Point and given his
instructions. have always understood
that Gen. Wallace performed his task
to Gen. Grants entire satisfaction for
he ascertained the precise conditions of
the Mexican patriotic forces, as well as
the actual strength of Maximilian. This
action of Gen. Grant was entirely prop
er, for he was in active command of all
our troops, and as a strategist it be-
hooved him to have an eye on Mexico
as possible source of danger in pro-
longing the civil war. This action
was approved by President Lincoln and
his secretary of war.
That was a very critical period of
the war. Though Gen. Grant was
aware that the confederacy was on its
last legs because of the success of our
armies in the field and the rigor OF
the blockade of all southern seaports,
he saw the real attitude of France,
and feared that Napoleon's success in
Mexico might give the confederates
fresh hope. That was why he sent Gen.
Wallace down there, and his subsequent
action closed this Mexican backdoor for.
ever to the confederates.
1T is not generally known that after
the surrender of the confederate arm
les under Lee and Johnston, Gen.
Grant assembled $4,000 veteran troops
from the western armies on the Rio
Grande, placing them under command
of Gen. Sheridan. These were retained
in service long after the great bulk of
the volunteer forces had been mustered
out, and it was their presence on the
border line under so distinguished a
5 general which led to the final with
D drawal of Bazaine and the bulk of the
, French troops.
That withdrawal was the beginning
- of the end, for MaximiIian, after a
= desultory campaign or two, was at
\ length surrounded by Juarez's armies
h made prisoner and executed. l also
know that had the Mexicans continued
: unsuccessful, Gen. Grant intended to
urge the United States government to
t organize an army for the purpose OF
q driving Maximilian from the soil oil
n Mexico.
The details concerning bonds and
n purchase of arms for Mexico, as given
a in Gen. Wallace's letter are very in
teresting, as they afford a hitherto
. sacred page of our history"
o Gen. Sheridan in his Memoirs" gives
the details of his instructions from Gen
# Grant relative to occupying the Texan
: frontier, which would seem to corrobo
: rate what is stated above.-N. Y. World