His last days were full of suffering from an illness which proved a worse
enemy than ever he had found on the field of battle. After nine months of
brave struggle, he died on July 23, 1885. Undoubtedly he was one of the
ablest generals of history.
The war, in which these two distinguished commanders had led opposing
sides, had cost the nation not only thousands of men, the vast majority in
the prime of their young manhood, but millions of dollars. But it had two
striking results: it preserved the Union, for it was now clear that no
State could secede at will; and it put an end to slavery. The Emancipation
Proclamation had set free only those slaves in the States and parts of
States which were under the control of Union armies; but after the war the
Thirteenth Amendment set free all the slaves in all the States in the
Union for all time. These were the benefits purchased by the terrible
sacrifice of life.
If we count those who were slain on the field of battle and those who died
from wounds, disease, and suffering in wretched prisons, the loss of men
was equal to seven hundred a day during the four long years of the war.
When it was over, a wave of intense relief swept over the country.
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