. During the
American Civil War, Reid wrote under the by-line "Agate", acting as a correspondent at several battlefields, including the Battles of
Shiloh and
Gettysburg. His account of the Battle of Shiloh contains tales of confusion, courage, and disaster narrowly averted, and was described as classic war reporting. In 1868, he joined the staff of
Horace Greeley's
New-York Tribune. The following year, he was named managing editor. In 1872, Reid was part of the Liberal Republicans, a movement that opposed a second term for President Grant and that ultimately supported the ill-fated Greeley for the presidency. Greeley died just days after the election, and a short time later, Reid became the new editor of the
Tribune. Reid continued the role of the
Tribune as one of the foremost Republican newspapers in the country. He emphasized the importance of partisan newspapers in a speech in 1879: : The true statesman and the really influential editor are those who are able to control and guide parties.... There is an old question as to whether a newspaper controls public opinion or public opinion controls the newspaper. This at least is true: that editor best succeeds who best interprets the prevailing and the better tendencies of public opinion, and, who, whatever his personal views concerning it, does not get himself too far out of relations to it. He will understand that a party is not an end, but a means; will use it if it lead to his end, -- will use some other if that serve better, but will never commit the folly of attempting to reach the end without the means.... Of all the puerile follies that have masqueraded before High Heaven in the guise of Reform, the most childish has been the idea that the editor could vindicate his independence only by sitting on the fence and throwing stones with impartial vigor alike at friend and foe.
U.S. Ambassador to France During the
Hayes and
Garfield administrations, he was offered diplomatic posts in Germany, both of which he refused. However, upon the election of President
Benjamin Harrison, he was offered the role of
United States Ambassador to France, which he accepted and served as from 1889 to 1892. As Harrison's wife was dying, Reid was a more active candidate than the president. Despite his best efforts, Harrison and Reid lost to the Democratic ticket of
Grover Cleveland and
Adlai Stevenson, as Cleveland became the first former president to recapture the office. ==Appointed offices==