Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-23
How Grant Escaped jenkins Confederate
Cavalry.

Special correspondence Cincinnati Times.l
DEAR TINES The following little epi-
sode in the life Of Gen. Grant has never
been iu print, and will not surprise your
readers any more than it will the man Of
reticence himself:
In the summer of 1865 business Of an
important character called me to Louisa,
Kentucky, small county town, located
some thirty miles up the Big Sandy river.
On arriving there presented to Colonel
Mimms, the commander Of the place, my
recommendations, which were of such
charscter as to cause me to be placed in
one OF the incest rooms in the only hotel
of the burg, which was also the head
quarters of all the officers. One day !
noticed Colonel Mimms talking with an
officer Of the rebel army, who had
come in and given himself up. Mimms
seeing me, called me up aud introduced
the stranger as General Korns, lately in
command of Jenkins famous Virginia
cavalry. A few minutes conversation
was enough to recall quite a number Of
battles in which we bad been mutually
engaged, though with our faces turned
toward each other. Learning that he
was without accommodations cordially
invited him TO share my room with me
an invitation that he was not slow in
accepting, as his quiet dcmeanor and
natural modesty led him to avoid being
an object of curiosity for the many blue
coats who had never had the pleasure Of
seeing Johnny" before Alter srriv-
ing in my room and drinking several
glasses of water (?) together, we again
sat down and recalled our hardships and
efforts in behalf of our respective causes.
After musiDg for moment to himself,
the General looked up and said. I" | came
very near giving this war different ter
minatiop." Such an assertion from a
man whom / knew of few words excited
my greatest curiosity, and / told him that
a rehearsal of such an important affair
would be peculiarly interesting; and, to
show that / was not far out of the way, l
ha We concluded to give, as nearly as pos
sible, his own version of the matter:
"YcW remember in the latter part of
1863, after Grant had knocked daylight
out of BrGggs army by capturing Look
ont Mouutsio, for which he was promoted
to a Lieutenarit-Generalship, be took
tour of inspection through East Tennes-
see. At this time was with my old
command in that section of country, and
early one morning / started my men off
on long march, remaining behind a
short time to arrange some of my private
papers.
"In few minutes l heard horsemen
coming up the road, and to avoid being
seen | stepped into heavy thicket, and
had barely done so when Union officer
wearing major generals uniform, &C.
companied by three or four oraerlies,
came riding past. Being alone, of course
/ could not do anything, and before
could have had time to reach my com
msud aud returned, the officer would
have reached the Union camp, which was
only about thrse-qusrters of mile from
where | was. Thus the game slipped
through my hands. and | soon afterward
learned that the officer was Grant"
The recital was enough. / agreed
with him, and the query naturally passed
my mind as to what would have been the
result if General Grant had been cap
tured, and was prevented from having
a ft Of Mysteries by remembering that
we still had Sherman, Thomas and |
Sheridan. Bro GUE.