maximilian had come to power in mexico during the civil war and he has supported the. former rebel troops were streaming into mexico seeking refuge. state department opposed any actions that might lead to war with mexico. so sheridan conducted a clandestine cold war, arguably the first in u.s. history. he conducted conspicuous troop maneuvers near the rio grande river, and he secretly provided mexican insurgents with weapons from the federal arsenal. partly due to sheridan's efforts, but also due to events in europe, france's emperor, napoleon iii, withdrew his support of maximilian. maximilian's regime collapsed and the mexican insurgents that sheridan had supported took control of their country. sheridan was a military governor in texas and louisiana during the early phases of we construction. the army commanders in the south were caught between congresses harsh reconstruction policies and president andrew johnson's opposition to them. most of them kept a low profile. sheridan did not. urged on by grant, he alone removed elected officials who defied congress' policie