And
I'm the humblest man who walks God's earth to-night!"
In spite of his bitterness, the simplicity and honesty of the President
found John Vaughan's heart. No vain or cruel or selfish man could talk
or feel like that. In the glow of his eager thought the ashen look of
his face disappeared and it became radiant with warmth and tenderness.
In dreamy, passionate tones he went on as if talking to convince himself
he must not despair. The younger man for the moment was swept
resistlessly on by the spell of his eloquence.
"They are always asking of me impossible things. Now that I shall remove
Grant from command. I know that his battles have been bloody. Yet how
else can we win? The gallant, desperate South has only a handful of men,
ragged and half starved, yet they are standing against a million and I
have exhaustless millions behind these. With Lee they seem invincible
and every move of his ragged men sends a shiver of horror and of
admiration through the North. Yet, if Grant fights on he must win. He
will wear Lee out--and that is the only way he can beat him.
"Besides, his plan is bigger than the single campaign against Richmond.
There's a grim figure at the head of a hundred thousand men fighting his
way inch by inch toward Atlanta. If Sherman should win and take Atlanta,
Lee's army will starve and the end is sure.
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