More than once the soldier friend thus came to the rescue when crafty politicians sought to entangle Grant. I shall have other stories like this to tell. At these crises Sherman returned with interest all the constancy and loyalty that Grant had so often displayed toward him during the war. He now cruised along the coast of Mexico, visited one or two points, performed no duty of the slightest importance, and in a month or two returned. For all that had been accomplished he might as well have remained at St. Louis. He declares in his memoirs: ‘I am sure this whole movement was got up for the purpose of getting General Grant away from Washington.’ Grant always attributed the conception of the scheme to Seward.
About this time Grant received the following letter, which I opened and handed to him. After reading it he threw it into the fire, but I snatched it from the flames and thus preserved it:
Nothing more was ever heard on the subject, but the letter is curious, as showing the fears that some entertained at this time.
