with whom I was in partnership, and found him considerably exercised. We had a long talk about the situation, and he expressed himself as very uneasy about the march Sherman was making through the Carolinas, and its effect upon the Confederate bonds we had on hand. I was not as easily frightened as he was; but I could not help acknowledging that if Sherman succeeded in accomplishing what he aimed at, it would be bad for the cause of the Confederacy, and that it would do much to kill the sale of the bonds. I therefore allowed myself to be persuaded into making a trip to London, for the purpose of a personal interview with our agent there, the idea being, without letting him or others see that we were uneasy, to persuade him to sell off the paper we held at almost any price.
A Visit to London and Paris.
I accordingly proceeded to London by the next steamer, and on finding the agent, was soon plunged into business with him. Confederate bonds were not selling very well just at that time, but as ours cost us very little, we could afford to dispose of them at very moderate figures and still make a handsome profit. I put mine on the market as rapidly as I was able, but before I had cleared out the lot, intelligence was received that Sherman had established communication with Grant, and many persons jumped at the conclusion that this was a virtual end of the rebellion. When this news was received, I was on a flying visit to Paris. I did not think that the end was as near as many persons supposed, but saw very clearly that there was no market in London just then for Confederate bonds; and, congratulating myself that I had made out as well as I had, I posted to Liverpool, and arrived there just in time to catch a steamer.
As we were going into New York harbor we heard the news of Lee's surrender, which had taken place the day before, from the pilot. He was unable to give us any particulars, and every one on the steamer was consequently in a fever of anxiety to get ashore, and learn the full extent of the disaster to the Confederate arms. No one was more anxious than myself, as no one had reason to be, and the idea that the hitherto invincible army of Virginia—the conquerors in so many well-fought fields—should at last be compelled to yield to the enemy fairly stunned me.
Many of the passengers seemed to think that this was prac-
