The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-05-05
DAILY LEADER.
Jenkins After GeneFal GEA1t-Ene
Hero 9ners Cigars 20 his Gussts-
IWsshinEton (ApriI sol OorTvHpondsnee Philadsi'

- A--A--A-A
Jenkins After General aE@1t-Ene
Hero 9ners Cigars % his Guests.
Washington (AprfI sol OorssPondsnce Philadsi-
pbia PresS.I
Yesterday morning General Grant re-
turned from Raleigh and laid the result
of his conference before the President. As
had never had the honor Of formal in-
PRODUCTION TO, or conversation with General
Grant, embraced the opportunity Of be-
ing presented to him last evening, in COM
psny with two gentlemen, one Of them bis
intimate friend. He was not in his room
when we arrived, 90 we waited till he esms
in from the War Department. confess,
when the door softly opened, and gentle
man about the size of Governor Andrew,
of Massachusetts,, first qnietly looked in,
and then as quietly entered smoking the
stump of 3 cigar, was a good deal sur
prised. We werelacuordingly introduced.
Putting his hand into his side pocket be
drew thence paper of regsliss, lighted q
fresh one himself st the same time Offering
them TO his guests. A1d this iOGs Us
Lieutenant General of the iTTesistS6ts ar
mics of the United iStGtesl This was the
man whose achievements, as well in cap
turing Richmond as in the closing scene
with Lee, are now discussed st every
American freside, and by allthe military
critics In the civilized world / But for the
three stars on the shoulder he never would
be taken for what he is by stranger. In
deed, in citizens dress, he would look more
like 8 respectable Pennsylvania farmer
than a thoroughbred military man.
There is such an utter absence Of the char
acteristics of the martinez that it was diff.
cult to realize thst We stood in the pres
ence of the first soldier in the world.
General Grant reached his forty-third
year on Friday, from which you may have
an idea that he is very young-looking, IS
indeed he is. There was no care on his
brows, no hesitation in his speech, and not
the slightest disposition TO conceal his
thoughts or opinions. In this l was IS
much surprised as in the singular simplicity
of his bearing. That he was gentleman
YOU perceived at once. He does not talk
like New highlander, or Southerner, but
reminded me Of 8 Scotch Irish Western
Psnnsylvanian. I could easily understand
however, in his looks, and in every word he
spoke, that was gazing upon and listen
ing TO the happiest man in America.
He felt (none more SOY the great lUss sus-
tanned by our country and by mankind;
but there was in his whole department s
that the rebellion was crush
ed, that an honorable peace Wss at hand,
and that our illustrious President had been
succeeded by one eminently fitted to finish
the good work. He paid the highest tri-
butte to General Sherman patriotism, and
L IL
march from Savannah to Goldsboro, and
incidentally stated that he had himself
selected him for that undertaking on ac-
count of his rare capacities. He also spoke
of the prompt manner in which the orders
countermandiDg the negotiations with Joe
Johnston had been executed by General
and his corps commanders. When
he referred to the condition of the South
ern people it was as one who talked of an
8 desolsted race. Two armies
had fought, advanced, and retrested, again
and again, over the best portion of their
soil, and had left despair, and misery,
and almost starvation, before behind
and around them. Although he
carefully avoided the slightest reference
to politics, or to the numerous suggestions
in connection with what is called recon-
struction or reorgsnizstions, and confined
himself strictly to military topics, he more
than once revealed that he would treat the
masses of the South with kindness and hu-
especially in view of the fact that
they had been forced to obey their own
desperate leaders. In referring to the sur
render of General Lee, of whom, by the
wsy, he spoke highly las he did Of Joe
Jchnston), he ssid that his army (Less)
had been dreadfully reduced in the retrest.
That rebel chief was touched by the libersl
terms conceded to him by the Lieutenant
General, and when he minated 70 Grant
that he trusted that every effort would be
made to conclude the arrangements, 90 that
his soldiers might Immediately be paroled
and sent 70 their homes, he added that
they were in pitisble condition, not hav-
ing had the most ordinary rations for two
DAYS. 1t was then that General Grant oi- |
rected his commisssries to issue TO the sur
rendered forces rstions for nearly twenty
six thousand men. 1 mention this circum-
stance in relutation of a charge that zen.
Lee had demanded rstions, when the fact
is that Grant rendered them, as have
stated. Of one thing this interview i'm
pressed my friend and myself: the great
plans which have excited so much admira-
Iion, and have been so unhinchingly sd-
hered to, in the midst of ridicule, calumny
and disaster, until victory sealed and con-
hrmed them, have been The plans of Gen.
Grant himself.