Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-05-12
.2TENETR ArdfRAfT ~ SAsYRr
A Sketch Of IIts Personal Habits
Incidents La the Field.
cots.R0ndeggse9f lbs y Y: Evening Pcs,

Coresponderceof the Y. Evening Pos, tn
''4VIlIIVlA Nv AsHiSufoN, April 80.
A military friend who has just passed
some days at the headquarters in Culpepper
has given me an account Of his visit, and Of
tho habiesof the sientenaut-G Geperd thai
am glsd to trsFpribe Gen, Grant ipesses
with his staff in house in the village and
at his table sits familiarly with every mem
Der of his military family. The expenses
of the mess are divided among theten, not
in equal proportions exactly, but in man.
ner that issatisfactory to all There is not
IIthe slightest attempt at show or parade in
+ the furniture and eqpipage.; everything is
t0r,use and economy.of' trouble aud space.
! The erockery is sean,y, and of the biafnest,
and the fare, though sufficient in quantity,
just as bomely as that Of any thrifty and
careful MECHANIC in your city. A chop with
a cup OF coffee for breakfast a bit Of roast
beef, with potatoes and I" hard hard" CON
fronting a dish of pork and greens /"
served for the 5 o'clock dinner, which was
concluded without pastry or dessert. A,cup
. Of tea and bit OF bread and butter at 81
O'Clock finished up the day. The beds are
! simply. camp cots, some with and others
without mattresses; aud all the toilet ap-
parstuses anywhere visible were few tin
wash-basips, a moderate supply Of towels
a bit Of looking glass, and horn comb. At
, the table neither distilled liquor nor wine is
permitted, The General will not have either
about him, for his own or Others, use.
The. inventory of the Generals baggage
when he made his brilliant campaign in the
tear Of Vicksburg is, take it, we'll remem-
bered---a briar-wood telescope and tooth
brush. La what relates to personal adorn-
ment and, outside of the necessity of eating
and drinking, personal comfort, be has not
greatly enlarged bis possessions, His three
stars Indicate his exalted rank, but to say
nothing Of the, charm which, in soldiers
eyes, these glittsring marks Of rank possess,
doubt IT there,is cOmmissariat officer in
his army who is as plainly clad as he. His
clothes are worn threadbare, 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 General understands the relation be-
tween & Scleanliness,apd godliness ,butin his
opinion, practically eyinced, there is as
much of either III flannel shirt as in one Of
linen OF dfawlng-room immaculateness.
our readers, must not suppose that lam
describing a careless or indolent man, or one
wv ubSo uObi hIpW luc ulItGICUce UelWcGu
the garb of a gentleman aHd that of
sloven.. The facts are pointed out only as
proof that this man mind is so intent upon
the great problem before him, that he has
neither the time nor the inclination to con
slider miserable frivoities. He holds great
nations fate in the palm of his hands; and
/ it is an encouragement to know that every
faculty of bis mind is calmly but profoundly
exercised for tho national welfare. All his
thought Of carriages centers in the carriages
which bear his field pieces; his discussion
OF the question of eating extends no further
than to the rations of his men; and he would
hate himself. if he could spend minute
over the fit or fashion of his coat
|, =, General Grant never swears. No man in
his camp has ever heard him give utterance
to profanity in any of its many forms. He
rarely laughs. either; but he has sort of
grim humor which is not without its effect.
1t is related as sort of gossip of 1.-THE
'front.'" that an officer attached to the
Quartermaster's department of his army,
wanted one wet day to consult with the
Generatin Chief He is a believer in the
old regime, and practiced what under Nc
Clellan he was taught. He had half q
dozen miles to go, more or less, so he order
ed out his close carriage, and as it was like
ly 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 dragons, he start
ed. happy, no doubt, in the belief that he
was proof against the descending rain. if
q, Approaching Culpepper, he met an ordi-
nary looking man on horseback, attended
only by anorderly.r As he passed he recog-
nized the Lieutenant General, who, in spite
Of the rain, was making his usual round, in
his usualmodest way. To descend from his
carriage and salute his chief was but the
work of a moment; but Grant, irritated by
the style and pretensions of his officer, was
in no hurry to see him gain theshelter of
his carriage-roof again. "Walk along with
me a. little, " said the General, II want to
talk with you. With polished boots and
upexceptienable kids, Mr.. !Quartermaster
did as he was bidden !; and with, a touch Of
that grimuess to which i have referred, the
General led him through themuddiest parts
of the road. and did not release him until
he was wet to the skin--ss was the General
himself He was then dismissed with an
admonitiont that will be remembered, though
| 4, was interlarded. with no osths., ..,,..r
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