sion as major-general of volunteers, showing the correctness of Grant's own words addressed to his soldiers: "The men who fought that battle will live in the memory of a grateful people." CHAPTER III. THE FIRST RE-ACTION. THIS blow was felt not only with force upon the fortunes of the Confederacy, but had no small share in shaping diplomatic action abroad. The humiliation of the South was reflected in the statement of Forrest, a Southern general: "Grant landed with a petty force of fifteen thousand men in the very centre of a force of nearly forty-five thousand having the interior lines for concentration and command, by railway at that, and was able to take two heavy fortifications in detail, and place hors de combat nearly fifteen thousand of the enemy." The effect of this remarkable victory upon the North was incalculable. The bravery of that section had long been demonstrated. The willingness to give life and treasure for the flag had never been in dispute from the start. The growing question was, "Is all this sacrifice of any account? or are we pouring out our life-blood and our treasure in vain?" In a single day a victory worthy of the most brilliant tactician gave an answer that assured our destiny. Europe was compelled to forbear from wholesale depreciation of the Northern campaign, and to study the con sequences of the conquest of Donelson. Inspiring the loyal portion with a sense of unbounded cheer; staggering the enemy in his council as well as his camp; furnishing the speech of the common people with new terms of expression that became a vernacular of victory, this grand triumph brought the captor into such prominence, that men began to ask, "Has the appointed deliverer come?" From the sea to the frontier every loyal household breathed with more freedom as it felt the tide at last had turned, and was now setting resistlessly forward to the supremacy of the nation over its deadly assailants. With this notable re-action of public sentiment towards the Union cause, the formidable emergency of protracted discouragement was successfully encountered. |