To those who would submit to the rightful law and authority, all gentleness and forbearance; but to the petulant and persistent secessionists, why, death is mercy, and the quicker he or she is disposed of the better. Satan and the rebellious saints of Heaven were allowed a continuous existence in hell merely to swell their just punishment. To such as would rebel against a Government so mild and just as ours was in peace, a punishment equal would not be unjust.

We have good corporals and good sergeants and some good lieutenants and captains, and those are far more important than good generals.

My aim, then, was to whip the rebels, to humble their pride, to follow them to their inmost recesses, and make them fear and dread us. Fear is the beginning of wisdom.

We cannot change the hearts of the people of the South, but we can make war so terrible that they will realize the fact that however brave and gallant and devoted to their country still they are mortal and should exhaust all peaceful remedies before they fly to war.

We can make war so terrible and make them so sick of war that generations pass away before they again appeal to it.

If I had my choice I would kill every reporter in the world, but I am sure we would be getting reports from Hell before breakfast.

Courage - a perfect sensibility of the measure of danger, and a mental willingness to endure it.