The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1865-05-24

| cral Grant was not OF the number. lie
had doubtless previously taken his last
farewell
When General Sherman entered into
his unfortunate negotiation with Joe
Johnston, the Lieutenant General him.
self carried the order countermandinS it.
Iustcnd Of making elaborate prepara.
tious, 1 quote the words Of one who saw
him take lis leave. {" lie had with him
only his small carpct.bag and 4 full
cigar case" Yesterday morning Gen
eral Grant returned from Raleigh and
laid the result Of bis conference before
the President. AS | had never had the
honor of formal introduction to, or
conversation with General Grant, l en-.
braccd the opportunity to be presented
to him last evening, in company with
two gentlemen, one ofthcm his intimate
friend. lie 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 gen.
,lcman about the size Of Governor An.
drew, of Massachusetts,, first quietly
looked in, and then as quietly entered,
smoking the stump Of cigar, was Il
good deal surprised We were accord,
ingIy introduced. Putting his hand into
his side pocket, he drew thence paper
Of regalias, lighting a fresh one himself,
at the same time offering them to his
guests. And this was the Lieutenant
Genera! Of the Irresistible army Of the
United States! This vas the man whose
achievements, as we'll in capturing Rich.
mond, as in the closing scene With Ice,
are now discussed at every American
tiresilc, 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 4 stranger. In.
deed. in citizens dress, he would look
more like 4 respectable Pennsylvania
larmc. lhau thorough bred military
man. There is such an utter sbscnce
Of the characteristics Of the Martinez,
! that it was difficult to realize that we
stood in the presence Of the first soldier
in The world.
General Grant reached his fortythird
year on Friday, from which you may
hare an idea that he is very young
looking, as indeed he is. There was no
care on his brow<, no. hesitation in his
speech, aud not the SlishtcS; 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 a gentleman you perceived
at once. lie does not talk like New
! t.nglanicr, or Southcrncr, but remind.
c. me Of Scotch. Irish Western Penn.
Sylvanian. could easily understand,
however in his looks, and in every word
hc spoke, that | was gazing upon and
listening to the happicst man in Amcri-
IN. He felt ozone more so) the great
loss sustained by our country, and by
mankind, but there was in his whole
department 4 consciousness that the
rebellion was crushed, that an honorable
peace was at hand, and that our ilIustrl
ous President had been succeeded by enc
cmincntly fitted to finish the good work.
lie paid the highest tribute to General
Sherman $ patriotism, comp!imcntcd him
for his astounding march, from Savannah
to Gold>Loro, and incincntally stated
that ue had himself selected him ;'or that
undertaking. on account o? his rare
/ capacities. lie also spoke OF the prompt
manner in which the orders counter
handing the negotiations with Joe
J Johnston had been executed by General
Shcrman and his corps commanders.
When he referred to the condition Of the
Southern people, it was rs one who
talked Of an unfortunate, deSpIated
race. Two armies had fought, advanced,
and rctrcatcd, again and again, over the
best portion of their soil, and had left
, despair and misery. and almost starra.
! ton, before, behind, and around them.
! Although he carefully avoided the slight.
est reference to politics, or to the nu-
mcrous suggestions in connection with
what is called reconstruction or rcorgan-
ization, and confined himself strictly to-
military topics, he more than once re.
vcalcd that he would treat the masscs Of
/ the South with Kindness and humanity,
especially in view o! the fact that they
had been forced to obey their own DIES
pe:atc leaders.
In referring to the surrender Of Cen
cral Lee, Of whom, BY the way, lie spoke
! highly, Gas he did Of Joe Johnston,) he
said that his army (hcc's) had been
lreadfully reduced in the retreat. That
the rebel Chief was touched By the lib
cral terms conceded to him By the Lieu
! tenant General, and when lie iulimatcd
tc Grant that he trusted that every effort
would be made to conclude the arrange
ucn:s, so that his soldiers might immc.
liately be parolcd and sent to their
homes, he added that they %ere in 4
pitia5le condition, not having had the
mos: ordinary ra,ioas for two days. 1t
was then that General Grant directed
his commissaries to issue to the surrcn-
dercd forces, ratioas for nearly twenty.
six thousand men. mention this cir.
cunstancc in refutation Of charge tha.
General Lee had demanded rations, when
the fact is that Grant rendered them, as
| n Al ~