score—­the sacrifice must be made and endured.  The North had found in Grant a fit weapon by which to give the blow—­a man who could calmly see the slaughter of thousands to gain an end, if by so doing the end in view could be expedited.  The absence of all feelings of humanity, the coolness and indifference with which he looked upon his dead, his calmness in viewing the slaughter as it was going on, gained for him the appellation of “Grant, the Butcher.”  Grant saw, too, the odds and obstacles with which he had to contend and overcome when he wrote these memorable words, “Lee has robbed the cradle and the grave.”  Not odds in numbers and materials, but in courage, in endurance, in the sublime sacrifice the South was making in men and treasure.  Scarcely an able-bodied man in the South—­nay, not one who could be of service—­who was not either in the trenches, in the ranks of the soldiers, or working in some manner for the service.  All from sixteen to fifty were now in actual service, while all between fourteen and sixteen and from fifty to sixty were guarding forts, railroads, or Federal prisoners.  These prisoners had been scattered all over the South, and began to be unwieldy.  The Federals under the policy of beating the South by depleting their ranks without battle in the field had long since refused the exchange of prisoners.  They had, by offers of enticing bounties, called from the shores of the Old Country thousands of poor emigrants, who would enlist merely for the money there was in it.  Thousands and thousands of prisoners captured could not speak a word of English.  They had whole brigades of Irish and Dutch, while the Swedes, Poles, Austrians, as well as Italians, were scattered in the ranks throughout the army.  In the capturing of a batch of prisoners, to a stranger who would question them, it would seem more like we were fighting the armies of Europe than our kinsmen of the North.  In fact, I believe if the real truth of it was known, the greater part of the Federal Army in the closing days of the Confederacy was either foreigners or sons of foreigners.

Were there ever before such people as those of the Southland?  Were there ever such patriotic fathers, such Christian mothers, such brave and heroic sons and daughters?  Does it look possible at this late day that a cause so just and righteous could fail, with such men and women to defend it?  It is enough to cause the skeptic to smile at the faith of those who believe in God’s interference in human affairs and in the efficacy of prayers.  The cause of the South was just and right, and no brave men would have submitted without first staking their all upon the issue of cruel, bloody war.  Impartial history will thus record the verdict.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXXIII

In the Trenches Around Petersburg.