It has been my fortune to see the armies of both the West and the East fight battles, and from what I have seen I know there is no difference in their fighting qualities.  All that it was possible for men to do in battle they have done.  The Western armies commenced their battles in the Mississippi Valley, and received the final surrender of the remnant of the principal army opposed to them in North Carolina.  The armies of the East commenced their battles on the river from which the Army of the Potomac derived its name, and received the final surrender of their old antagonists at Appomattox Court House, Virginia.  The splendid achievements of each have nationalized our victories removed all sectional jealousies (of which we have unfortunately experienced too much), and the cause of crimination and recrimination that might have followed had either section failed in its duty.  All have a proud record, and all sections can well congratulate themselves and each other for having done their full share in restoring the supremacy of law over every foot of territory belonging to the United States.  Let them hope for perpetual peace and harmony with that enemy, whose manhood, however mistaken the cause, drew forth such herculean deeds of valor.

I have the honor to be, Very respectfully, your obedient servant, U. S. GRANT, Lieutenant-General.

THE END

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FOOTNOTES

(1) Afterwards General Gardner, C.S.A.

(2) General Garland expressed a wish to get a message back to General Twiggs, his division commander, or General Taylor, to the effect that he was nearly out of ammunition and must have more sent to him, or otherwise be reinforced.  Deeming the return dangerous he did not like to order any one to carry it, so he called for a volunteer.  Lieutenant Grant offered his services, which were accepted.—­PUBLISHERS.

(3) Mentioned in the reports of Major Lee, Colonel Garland and General Worth.—­PUBLISHERS.

(4) NOTE.—­It had been a favorite idea with General Scott for a great many years before the Mexican war to have established in the United States a soldiers’ home, patterned after something of the kind abroad, particularly, I believe, in France.  He recommended this uniformly, or at least frequently, in his annual reports to the Secretary of War, but never got any hearing.  Now, as he had conquered the state, he made assessments upon the different large towns and cities occupied by our troops, in proportion to their capacity to pay, and appointed officers to receive the money.  In addition to the sum thus realized he had derived, through capture at Cerro Gordo, sales of captured government tobacco, etc., sums which swelled the fund to a total of about $220,000.  Portions of this fund were distributed among the rank and file, given to the wounded in hospital, or applied in other ways, leaving a balance of some $118,000 remaining unapplied at the close of the war.  After the war was over and the troops all home, General Scott applied to have this money, which had never been turned into the Treasury of the United States, expended in establishing such homes as he had previously recommended.  This fund was the foundation of the Soldiers’ Home at Washington City, and also one at Harrodsburgh, Kentucky.