Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/120

 that month the North won at Vicks-burg, Port Hud-son and Get-tys-burg. The next month Lin-coln had a day of thanks set for the North, while the South, on its part, set a day to pray and fast.

Grant had done so well that, in 1864, he was made Lieu-ten-ant Gen-er-al and all the force of the U-ni-ted States, 500,000 men, was put in his charge. He had been at the head of the "Ar-my of the Ten-nes-see," the "Ar-my of the Mis-sis-sip-pi," the "Ar-my of the Cum-ber-land," and now he took charge of the "Ar-my of the Po-to-mac."

With him to Vir-gin-ia Grant brought Sher-i-dan who was a great help and did bold deeds. One of these was that ride in the Shen-an-do-ah Val-ley when he made a rout of the foe af-ter they drove back the Un-ion troops while Sher-i-dan was off at Win-ches-ter. The tale is told by T. B. Read in "Sher-i-dan's Ride."

GEN. PHILIP H. SHERIDAN.

Grant had felt that he must go to Vir-gin-ia and meet Rob-ert E. Lee who still had a large force there. He made his plans, and the cry of "On to Rich-mond!" rang through the North.

Lee was a great chief and a brave man. He did grand work for the cause of the South. Long and fierce was the strife twixt the two ar-mies. At last a white flag was seen. Lee sent it. It was his wish to know what terms could be made. Grant wrote back:

"Let the South lay down their arms. This will save life and bring the war at once to an end."