Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-09
RICHMOND w HIG.
TUESDAY MORNING. MAY 9. 1865.
LIEUT. GEN. GRANT-A GRAPH G
SKETCH.

We take the following Skelcn OF LIEUT. uSh'
Grant from the Washington letter of "Occa-
sionaI," correspondent of the Philadelphia
Press. Tie letter is dated 30th ult:
Yesterday morning General Grant returned
from Raleigh aad laid the result of his confer
ence before the President. As | had never
had the honor of o formal introduction to or
conversation with General Grant, L embraced
the opportunity of being presented to nm
last evening, in company with two gentlemen,
one of them his intimate friend. He was not
in his room when we arrived, so we waited
till he came in from the War Department.
confess, when the door softly opened, and
gentleman about the size of Governor An
drew, Of Massachusetts, first quietly looked
in. aud then as quietly entered, smoking tie
stump Of a cigar, | was good deal surprised
We we're accordingly irtrOduc ID. Putting l.
hand into bis side poke, lie drew thence 4
paper OF regalias, Lighting fresh oae himself,
at the same time OIL ring them 10 his guests
And this vas the Lieutenant General OF the
irresistible army Of the United States 5! TINS
was the man whose achievements, os well IN
capturing Richmond as in the closing scene
with Lee. are now discussed at every Ameri-
can, 6reside, and by all the military critics
in the civilized world But for the three stars
ON his shoulders he never would be taken for
what he is by a stranger. Indeed, in citizens
dress. he would look more like respectable
Pennsylvania farmer than thoroughbred mil
itary man. There is such an utter absence OF
the cbarac .eristics of the Martinez that it was
A ficult to realize that we stood in the pres
ence of the first soldier in the void. Gen.
Grant reached his iorty-thii ear on Friday,
from which you may have an idea that J g is
very Young looking, as, indeed, he is. There
was no care on his brow, no hesitation In his
speech, and not the slightest disposition TO
conceal his thoughts or his opinions. In this
was as much surprised as in the singular
SIMPLICITY of his bearing. That he was gen.
tleman you perceived at once.
he does not talk like Il New Englander,
or a Southerrer, but rem nded me of a Scotch =
Irish Western Pennsylvania. / could ea.i y
understand, however, in his looks, and in cy-
erv word lie spoke, that | was gazing ~ on
snd listening TO the happiest man in America.
| He fe't (none more SOY the great loss su'
tanned bv our country and by mankind, but
there was in his whole department a cCnsci us
| n .ss that the rebellion was crushed, that an
honorable peace was at hand, andthat our H.
lustrious President had been succeeded by
one eminently fitted to finish the good work.
| lie paid the highest tribute TO Gen. ShtrDa ms
patriotism, compliments him for his aston
jshing march ftom Savannah 10 Goldsoor ough,
| and incidentally stated that he had himself
selected him for that undertaking on account
of his rare capacities. He also spoke OF the
nrompt manner in which the orders counter
| manding the negotiations " tn Joe Johns on
had been executed by General Sherman ana
his cCrps commanders.
When he referred TO the condition Of the
Southern people, it was as one who talked oi
| an unfortunate a desolatcd race. Two armies
had fought, advanced, ald retreated, again and
again. over the best portion of their soil, and
had left despair and misery, and aim vt siary'
a.ion. before, behind and around them. AL
tborqh he carefully avoided the slightest re-
fer.nce 10 politics, or to the numerous sug.
sessions in connection with what is called re-
construction or reorganization, and confined
himself strictly to military topics, he more
than once revealed that he would treat the
masses of the South with lindDeSs and hu-
manitv especialy in vew Of the fact that
they had been forced to obey their own des-
perate leaders. In referring 10 the surrende!
of Gen. Lee, of whom, by the way, he spoke
highly (as lie did OF Joe JChns;on), he said
that bis army Nee'sJ had been Greadinlly re-
duced in the retreat. That relel chief was
touched by the liberal terms conceded TO him
by the Lieutenant General anu Wneh ne lh-
timated to Grant that he trusted Every efo
would be made to conclude the arran iements,
so that his soldiers might Immediately be pa.
rolled and sent TO their homes, he added that
they we're in a pitiable condition, not having
had the most ordinary raiiors for two days
II was then that General Grant directed his
eommissaries to issue TO the surrendered forces
rations for nearly twenty-six thousand men
| mention this circumstance in refutation Of
charge that General Lee had demanded
rations, when tie fact IS that Grant rendered
them, as have stated. OF one thing this in
tervicw impressed my friend and myself the
great plans which have excited so much adnli
ration, and have been so unhinchingly ad
hercd to, in the midst OF ridicule, calumny
and disaster, until victory sealed snd confirm
ed them, have been the plans of Gen. Gran
himself. OCCASIONAL.