While a battle is raging one can see his enemy mowed down by the thousand, or the ten thousand, with great composure; but after the battle these scen… - Ulysses S. Grant

As the United States is the freest of all nations, so, too, its people sympathize with all people struggling for liberty and self-government; but while so sympathizing it is due to our honor that we should abstain from enforcing our views upon unwilling nations and from taking an interested part, without invitation, in the quarrels between different nations or between governments and their subjects. Our course should always be in conformity with strict justice and law, international and local.

Correspondents of the press were ever on hand to hear every word dropped, and were not always disposed to report correctly what did not confirm their preconceived notions, either about the conduct of the war or the individuals concerned in it.

There never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword.