The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-05-31
Gen. Grant I'm Camp.

A military friend who has Just
passed some days at the headquarters
in Culpepper, has given me an account
of his visit and Of the habits of the
Lieutenant General, that / am glad to
transcribe. Gen. Grant messes with
his staff in house in the village; and
at his table sits Familiarity every men,
ber of his military family. The expen-
ses of that mess are divided among the
ten, not in equal proportions exactly,
but in a manner that is satisfactory to
all. There is not the slightest attempt
to show or parade in the furniture and
equipage; everything is for use and G.
economy of trouble and space. The
crockery is scanty and of the plainest,
and the fare, though sufficient in guam
tity, is Just as homcly as that of any
thrifty and careful mechanic in your
city. A chop with a cup of coffee for
breakfast; a BIT of roast Beet, with po-
tatoes and s'hard tack" confronting q
dish Of pork and green's, served for the
5 o'clock dipner, which was concluded
without pastry or desert. "A cup of tea
and bit of bread and butter at 81 o.
clock finished up the day. The beds
were simply camp cots, some with and
others without mattresses; and all the
toilet apparatus anywhere visible were
were few tin wash-basins, moder-
ate supply oftowels, bit of looking
glass, and a horn comb. AT the table
neither distilled liquor nor wine is per-
mitted, The General viii not have ei-
ther about him, for his own or others
/ use. sst fpglua sis raf.p
The inventory Of the Generals bag
gage when he made his brilliant cam
paign in the rear of Vicksburg is, l
4 take it, well remembered--a briar-wood
telescope and a toothbrush. In what
relrtes to personal adornment and, out
side of the necessity of eating and
drinking, personal comfort, he has not
greatly enlarged his possessions. His
/ three stars indicate his exalted rank,
( but to say nothing of the charm which,
in soldiers eyes, these glittering marks
of rank possess, | doubt if there is a
eommissariat officer in his army who is
as plainly clad as he. His clothes are
worn tereadbare, and despite the steady
! brushing of his servant, they will have
an untidy look, due, no doubt, to the
Generals habit of going everywhere
and seeing everything for himself. The
Geoeral understands the relation be-
tween cleanliness and Goodness; but
in his opinion, practically evinced, there
is as much of either in flannel shirt
as in one of linen of drawing-room i'm
maculateness ~ rTFFrT --er
Your readers are not to suppose that
am describing careless or INDECENT
man, or one who does not know the
difference between the garb of gen
tleman and sloven. The facts are
pointed out only rs proof that this
mans mind is SO intent upon the great
problem before him that he has neither
the time nor the inclination to consider
miserale frivolities.
Gen. Grant never swears. No man
in his camp has overheard him give ut
terence 70 profanity in any of its forms.
He rarely laughs either; but has a grim
sort of humor which is not without its
effect. 1t Is related as part of ''the
'front.' that an officer attached to the
Quartermaster's Department Of his ar
my wanted one wet day to consult
with his General-in-Chief- He is be-
lieyer in the old regime, and practised
what under Mcclellan he was taught
He had half dozen miles TO 90, more
or less, 50 he ordered outhis close ear.
riage, and as it was likely that night
would come before he could return, the
lamps were trimmed and hung out on
each side Of the drivers seat Then
with an escort of twelve dragoops, he
started, happy, no doubt, in the behef
that he was proof against the descend
ing rain. Approaching Culpepper, he
met an ordinary-looking man on horse.
back, attended only by an orderly. A.
he passed he recognized the Lieutenant
General, who, in spite of the rain, was
making his usual round in his usual
modest way. TO descend from his
carriage and salute his chief was but
the work of mament; but Grant, irri
tated by the style and pretension o1
his officer, was in no hurry to see hin
gain the shelter of his carriage-roof a.
gain. ''Walk along with me q little,'
want to talk with YOU" With pol
ishcd boots and unexceptionablt
kids, Mr.. Quartermaster did as he was
bidden, and with touch of that grim.
ness towhich have referred, the Gen
eral lead him through the muddies
parts Of the road, and did not releas,
him until he was wet to the skip--a;
wet as the General himself He then
w1s then dismissed with an adrnonitior
that will be remembered, though it was
interlarded with no oaths; - flashing