Chapter XIII

           DuringallthetimethatCowperwoodhadbeenbuildinghimselfupthussteadilythegreatwaroftherebellionhadbeenfoughtalmosttoitsclose.ItwasnowOctober,1864.ThecaptureofMobileandtheBattleoftheWildernesswerefreshmemories.GrantwasnowbeforePetersburg,andthegreatgeneraloftheSouth,Lee,wasmakingthatlastbrilliantandhopelessdisplayofhisabilityasastrategistandasoldier.Therehadbeentimes—as,forinstance,duringthelong,drearyperiodinwhichthecountrywaswaitingforVicksburgtofall,fortheArmyofthePotomactoprovevictorious,whenPennsylvaniawasinvadedbyLee—whenstocksfellandcommercialconditionswereverybadgenerally.IntimesliketheseCowperwood’sownmanipulativeabilitywastaxedtotheutmost,andhehadtowatcheveryhourtoseethathisfortunewasnotdestroyedbysomeunexpectedanddestructivepieceofnews.

           Hispersonalattitudetowardthewar,however,andasidefromhispatrioticfeelingthattheUnionoughttobemaintained,wasthatitwasdestructiveandwasteful.HewasbynomeanssowantinginpatrioticemotionandsentimentbutthathecouldfeelthattheUnion,asithadnowcometobe,spreadingitsgreatlengthfromtheAtlantictothePacificandfromthesnowsofCanadatotheGulf,wasworthwhile.Sincehisbirthin1837hehadseenthenationreachthatphysicalgrowth—barringAlaska—whichitnowpossesses.

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