The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1868-06-18
[From A. D. RiehurdaOn's Life Of Grunt.I
Grants Personal Character.


I first met General Grant, on his way to
DOnelsOn,5 before the world had heard of
him. His unassuming fraukness. and a
certain quiet earnesthess, which seemed to
''mean BUSINESS" won greatly upon me,
but kindled no suspicion that he was the
coming man. Indeed, my fancy painted
that expected hero as quite the opposite of
this prOsaiC brigadisrs faneied that he
would ride lofty horses, issue flaming proc
lama6iOns in the supreme moment Of a
battle, charge at the head Of the body
guard, crying 'fGOd and the UniOn.0 talk
in words that would ring through the land
like a trumpet, and do all things in the
high Roman fashion.
expected that either Fremont or Banks
would ride to the head. But, like scores
Of other processing Generals, they failed to
achieve leafleTsbips Meanwhile, 1 saw
more and more of Grant, sitting beside
him around nightly canp-ires, at the most
trying period Of his life. Even then, when
he was assailed, defended him little
haitinglys / held him pure man, an en-
ergetiC fighter, but by no means one of the
few immortal names. ..-.-.. b..
At last, educated to humility Of opinion
through "the long, dull anguish of pa
tience," it daWned upon me that Grant
was winning great successes simply be-
cause he was great General-rising into
the key position of the national batteries
solely because he was our gun Of heaviest
metal and largest oaIiber.
In these pagesI touch lightly upon some
Of Grants public achievements. The
world knows them by heart. seek rather
to show what made him the man he is
the stock from which he sprang; the
moulding influences of his bOyhOOd his
early military and civil life; his intellect
ual growth, and political education during
the great rebellion and through all, the
little things indicating the interior life Of
the man-what he thought and said, hoped
and feared. Hence give minute incl
dents, believing that those, even, which
seem trivial and pOintless, may help to
throw light upon his organization and de-
velOpment.
Rarely has so much greatness been dis
figured by 30 few Ittlenesses so much
goodness been marred by so trivial faults.
believe Grants character one of the
soundest and most beautiful in history
a worthy companion to that of the great
and good President, murdered through the
foul conspiracy which was aimed at his
life also. Happily he remains to complete
the great work Of Abraham LineOln--tO
whom he is so unlike, and yet so like
with the same steadfastness and sagacity,
the same ''charity for all, and malice to-
ward nOne."
He is utterly genuine and guileless. He
still preserves in his high estate the sweet
ness and simplicity of his country boy
hood. Altogether free from cant, his lips,
Obeying the teachings Of his mother, have
uttered no oath, been soiled by no coarse
ness. He is miracle Of serenity and self
pOise. During the terfOrs of Belmont,
when an aide, with pallid cheeks, cried,
"Why, General, we are surrounded |"
there was no perceptible change in his
pleasant face or calm voice as he answered,
'Then we viii cut our way out" Three
years later, as he read Lees dispatch. pro-
posing the surrender of the array of North
ern Virginia, he was equally unmOved; no
elation shOne in his face, or sounded in the
ordinary tone in which he asked, "WeII,
Gen. Rawlins, how do you think that will
do ?" sTried by both extremes of fortune,
and never disturbed by either, (" he remains
as simple and unaffected to-day as in his
years Of poverty and Obscurity.
Our war might have developed leader
prOAigate, corrupt, or uueasiIy ambitious,
as so many great captains have been in the
past. Fortunately, it gave us the pure,
modest, imple-hearted man, who is loyal
and admirable in private life, who loves
himself last, and who believes most en-
Enthusiastically. in the United States OF
America. Leadership in war, magnanim-
ity in victory, wisdom in civil government,
and unseldshness in all things-What are
these If they be not greatness 2