Chapter XIII

           DuringallthetimethatCowperwoodhadbeenbuildinghimselfupthussteadilythegreatwaroftherebellionhadbeenfoughtalmosttoitsclose.ItwasnowOctober,1864.ThecaptureofMobileandtheBattleoftheWildernesswerefreshmemories.GrantwasnowbeforePetersburg,andthegreatgeneraloftheSouth,Lee,wasmakingthatlastbrilliantandhopelessdisplayofhisabilityasastrategistandasoldier.Therehadbeentimesas,forinstance,duringthelong,drearyperiodinwhichthecountrywaswaitingforVicksburgtofall,fortheArmyofthePotomactoprovevictorious,whenPennsylvaniawasinvadedbyLeewhenstocksfellandcommercialconditionswereverybadgenerally.IntimesliketheseCowperwood’sownmanipulativeabilitywastaxedtotheutmost,andhehadtowatcheveryhourtoseethathisfortunewasnotdestroyedbysomeunexpectedanddestructivepieceofnews.

           Hispersonalattitudetowardthewar,however,andasidefromhispatrioticfeelingthattheUnionoughttobemaintained,wasthatitwasdestructiveandwasteful.HewasbynomeanssowantinginpatrioticemotionandsentimentbutthathecouldfeelthattheUnion,asithadnowcometobe,spreadingitsgreatlengthfromtheAtlantictothePacificandfromthesnowsofCanadatotheGulf,wasworthwhile.Sincehisbirthin1837hehadseenthenationreachthatphysicalgrowthbarringAlaskawhichitnowpossesses.

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