The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-07-02
CEN. GRANT.

gives the following sketch of Ulysses
S. Grant:
The public have with great difficulty
been made to realize the fact that Gen
Grant was the first military genius de
veloped by the late war, and that for
tunate circumstances did not raise him
to the proud position he now holds
His career was comparatively so une-
ventful-his advancement came to him
so slowly and regularly and naturally,
his manner under all circumstances OF
victory and defeat continued so I'M
perturbable-his countenance was at
all times so stolid, and, though thought
full, inexpressive-in fact, he was so
provokingly commonplace that those
who read of him, and particularly those
who saw him, were unable to reallze
that this could be the face, the figure,
the manner. and the character OF sol
dier. The public formed its beam adeaI
of the warrior early in the war, baslng
it on its school-boy impressions of our
Revolutionary demi- gods; and good
deal of noise and fury, signifying next
to nothing, were necessary to complete
the picture. So at first the public was
pleased with men who talked, who
promised emo more retreats" estab-
lished "head quarters in the saddle"
and were guilty of like tit-bits OF ex-
travagance in expression. Grant, under
the common height in stature, light IN
stead of dark in complexion, calm and
retiring and modest, in fact bashful,
rather than impulsive or clustering or
81
stead of fiery about the eyes, shocked
and disappointed the hero-worshipers
who had looked for their hero in an
other and more questionable shape, and
they turned away from the contempla-
ton of Grant, satisfied that there was
no greatness in him.
"Now, have you ever seen a more
common looking man ?" l was once
asked by one of these skeptics, who, IN
his earnestness, repeated. Now, have
you, say ?"
Compelled to answer one can not but
D.. admit that physiognomy is at fault in
Grants case His face is not exactly
the index to great soul. But Grant
is physically contradiction. He is
unusually strong though very small of
limb, and he has much weight of flesh
compactly put on his bones. He can
undergo as much mental labor as bodi-
ly exposure; but can endure neither
without repose. He sleeps regularly
nine hours out of the twenty four. 1t
is to his somnolency that this noticea-
BILE dullness of facal expression is due;
and to this lack of expression and his
taciturnity that he owes his frequent
failures at favorable impression upon
beholders and listeners.
But with all his quiet reservedness
Grant is not always taciturn. He can
talk enough and well enough when it
is necessary. He is not by any means
confllng; he does not tell everybody
his intentions, his purpose, his uninish-
ed plans; he seldom asks advice upon
plans merely outlined but when he
has decided in his own mind and eX-
PLANTATION to others is necessary he can
be very fluent of speech. All of Grants
letters of instructions 10 his comman-
ders have been noticeable for their COM
pleteness, their quiet, conversational
tone, and the absence of any rhetorical
display, or boasting in matter. l par
ticularly remember the easy and IA
miliar style of his secret instructions
for the battle of Chattanooga; they
read more like pleasant letter from
one friend to another discussing domes-
tic affairs rather than the Commanders
in-chief's circular ordering the grand
movements OF an important battle
Shortly after he had been appointed
Lieutenant General, and before he had
actually received his commission, but
after he had been told what would be
expected of him, General Grant was
the host of Generals Hooker, Howard
and Geary, and one or two of their
statf-officers who had been invited to
dinner at his headquarters. After the
meal, and while host and guests were
enjoying their cigars, the former taking
down his map remarked to Howard,
meaning his remarks for all:
General, have shown you what I
propose to do as commandments 90
Howard, Hooker and Geary gathered
about Grant as he spread out his map
on the table, and began to explain what
he had decided upon for the campaign
OF 1854.
"The main efforts will have to be
made in Virginia and Georgia, as mat
ter Of course, since the powers-that is,
the armies of the Confederacy, are there,
Sherman is at Chattanooga and Knox.
vile. We shall have to reinforce him.
give him an overwhelming force, and
let him move toward Atlanta. Ofcourse
he will meet with serious opposition.
but we shall keep hill we'll supplied
with men-drafting will be necessary,
perhaps-he must have men, of course
he will keep battering away, and some
time during the summer he will get to
Atlanta. In the meantime Meade will
he strengthened-we must see that all
the men we can spare shall be in the
teld-and he will push Lee. Both
johnson and Lee will be kept busy. and
neither will be able to reinforce the
other. Meade will drive Lee, and
about the time Sherman gets to Atlanta.
Meade will have arrived in the vicinity
Of Richmond-I hope in Richmond.
But as the occupation of Richmond and
Atlanta won't end the war, we shall
have to- push on after the armies. Sher-
man at Atlanta with one hundred thou