General Grant was given command of the Eastern army, and pushing the enemy hard, victory after victory came to the North. Gen. Sherman marched his army right through the middle of the enemy, dividing it into two parts. He captured Atlanta and then went on to the sea. The song, "Marching through Georgia," was written over this wonderful march. There were more victories in the South and West. General Grant was made commander-in-chief of the armies, and it soon became clear that the cause of secession was lost. Mr. Lincoln had written an emancipation proclamation and was working it over, thinking and consulting about it. He did not know just when was the best time to issue so momentous a document, that would set free four million of colored men in the degradation and bondage of human slavery. Mr. Seward was Secretary of State and a very wise man; he gave him some good advice about it. Mr. Carpenter quotes Mr. Lincoln's words as follows: "I put the draft of the proclamation aside, waiting for a victory. Well, the next news we had was of Pope's disaster at Bull Run. Things looked darker than ever. Finally came the week of the battle of Antietam. I determined to wait no longer. The news came, I think on Wednesday, that the advantage was on our side. I was then staying at the Soldiers' Home. Here I finished writing the second draft of the proclamation; came up on Saturday; called the Cabinet together to hear it, and it was published the following Monday. I made a solemn vow before God, that if General Lee was driven back from Maryland I would crown the result by the declaration of freedom to the slaves." The Emancipation Proclamation is certainly the greatest thing in the nineteenth century. The Confederate army continued to grow weaker. They were short of food and rest. General Grant's army gave them no rest but pushed after them day and night. They made one more gallant and brave attack on the Union forces, but in vain, and April 9, 1865, Gen. Lee surrendered unconditionally to Gen. Grant at Appomatox Court House, Va. At the instance of President Lincoln, Gen. Lee's soldiers were allowed to ride home their horses, and, no longer rebel soldiers, but American citizens, begin to plow the ground with their horses, to till the soil and make a living for themselves and families. To-day there are none that rejoice more than the men of the South that African slavery is forever abolished. In 1864 Mr. Lincoln was again elected president by a very large majority over Gen. McClellan, the Democratic nominee. At his second inaugural he uttered some very fine things. Some of them are as follows: