Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1865-12-16
General Grants Southern Visit---The
Trip from Wilmington 10 Savannah
The Reception ut Charleston.
Of the New York Times.

Correspondence of the New York Times.l
| SAVANNAH, Tuesday, Dec. 3, lS65.-Pre-
cisely at II o'clock NJ, Nov. 80, | found
| OunSIdl Grant standing the wharf at
Wilmington, patiently waiting and calmly
| surveying the slow motions of a gang Of
dusky creatures, seemingly making an effort
to smash the baggage or pile it on to a d.
minitive, snorting tugboat used now for
conveying passengers six miles up the north
east branch of the Cape Fear River to the
present terminus of the Wilmington and
Manchester Railroad.
| The General was dressed in the plainest
citizens clothes, without any mark or rank
whatever, and wore on his head a black felt
hat which, l should judge, cost about two
dollars in greenbacks. The gentlemen ac-
companying him, Brig Gen. Comstock and
| Coils. Babcock and Badeau,) were also in
plain dress. To many they were unknown,
and but slight attention was attracted.
Our passengers comprised gray and but
| tenut-coated eXrebs., North Carolina tur-
pentine men, stockholders of the road. re-
turning home from a general meeting Just
adjourned (all supplied with a bunch of
| sweet potatoes and cheese,) a few ladies,
and, of course, good sprinkling of woolly-
heads.
LIS idSlN illlit tllH SllOTlS anu DcSit1ltefS
everybody with mud and water. Times
up but we don't go. The General looks at
his watch. "Why, it's ] o'clock-an hour
after time, says he; "what are we wait
ing for?" A grav-bacI reckons they're
awaitcn' for stockholder." The General
makes for an old colored apple-woman and
provides for contingencies, climbs on board.
lights a cigar and looks resigned Another
hour goes by and another. During the af-
ternoon the shareholder arrives, and the
tug founders away from Wilmington. We |
arrive at the cars two hours after. The tug |
blows terrifcally and plunges her nose into |
the bank. Here an exciting race takes |
place from the tug to the cars. The train |
consists of only two cars, one white and the |
other black. The General is not behind, |
and is SO fortunate as to secure seat. | |
rather think he sent one of his staff in adj |
vance The great commander of the age
knew enough for that. After another long
stop we move off slowly, the shareholders
pull out their cheese and potatoes, and are
happy and talkative-the subject of their
being the negro question and
the insolvency Of the railroad.
AT o'clock at night we arrived at a sta
ton where supper is usually prepared. II
was cautiously whispered among the North
crn party, that the landlord did not expect
so many, and consequently somebody would
turn up short We kept our own counsel
prepared for charge the moment the train
stopped There goes the whistle! only
twenty minutes for supper and everybody |
ravenous The instant the cars stopped out
we rushed pell-mell, ray-backs, turpentine |
men. butternuts, stockholders, Grant and his
nerrie men. 1t was every one for himself
md all for the supper room. The doors
we're shut What now? The General was
n his elemcnt-strategy; he discovered a ,
ide door not locked. In he walks and the
'rowd follow. He secures a position at the
able and is actively engaged. The ragged
yo-bcgone son of chivalry is unconscious
hat the man who whipped him 50 eficctual ,
V is at this moment seated 10y his side The :
lands utterly consumed, We are off again, ;
he train moving slowly and uncertainty. a
Nv New York friend mysteriously intimates :
hat a eros tire is likely to be thrown on the 4
rack Pshaw too many owners on board r
10 fear. II
At Florence, South Carolina the General =
cceived a hearty reception from his own q
Dldicrs stationed there. Numerous bon ;,
res lent checrfulness TO the greeting, and
,bel gun, now out of service, doomed forth
loud welcome 10 the centre OF original | 4
n" South Carolina the cradle of secession. =
We left Florence at midnight. An uccas- +
NAL smoke in the colored car, and free r.
,cial talk with the General, whiled the |,
me away pleasantly, if not proftably. r,
General Grant is not at sll reticent in II
,cial intercourse His views regarding mat n
rs ofpoliticalimportw ere expressed with the m
.most frankness and simplicity. His opin- W
N of leading Generals, both union and 10
bel were freely given. Sheridan he con- o,
ders the best cavalry officer that has ever N
listed. Joe johnson is a iavorite of his. N
5 10 the Mexican question, General Grant W
,es not pretend to know more about it than ~
~ or l. al
We arrived in Charleston at ii o'clock A. ga
!. Gen. Sickles and all the officers at pres tn
i stationed there, together with the Forty ST.
yenth PENNSYLVANIA Volunteers and bard, All
ceiyed Gen. Grant and escorted him TO of
3 residence Of Gen. Sckles. In the even as
Q a Kind of torchlight demonstration came I'M
composed of the loyal citizens of Charles 20
4, made up Of the colored population al
lst entirely. Gen. Sickles made speech;
ant didn't. The next day Saturday the se'
neral received good many callers. du
On Sunday morning General Grant left | VII