William A. Crafts, Life of Ulysses S. Grant: His Boyhood, Campaigns, and Services, Military and Civil.

“ [74] of men whose loyalty is proved by their deeds of heroism and their willing sacrifices of life and health. They will rejoice with me that the miserable adherents of the rebellion, whom their bayonets have driven from this fair land, are being replaced by men who acknozwledge human liberty as the only true foundation of human government.”

When the policy of enlisting negroes in the army was adopted by the government, he gave it his hearty support, and he was not slow to acknowledge the bravery and discipline of the colored troops, nor to secure to them the full rights of soldiers.

He gave his hearty concurrence and his ready obedience to all orders and every policy which was calculated to weaken or break down the rebellion. But to such orders as he believed would indirectly aid and strengthen the enemy, he frankly presented his objections; and thus he urged cogent reasons against the policy of opening trade with the rebels for the sake of cotton, though he declared, what was always his rule of action, “No theory of my own will ever stand in the way of executing in good faith any order I may receive from those in authority over me.”

Speculators seeking profit from indirect trade with the enemy found no favor at his hands, but were persistently excluded from his lines. It is related that he once even kicked out of his tent one of this class who had the audacity to attempt to bribe him by the offer of a share of the profits of such illicit trade. This scrupulous integrity and devotion to the cause undoubtedly made him enemies, who disparaged and calumniated him; but it proved him all the more