Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 186?-1872, 1868-03-27
Grants Drunkenness.
To the Editor Of the Times:

To the Editor OF the Times:
nGraat for Presididentr Cou'd the ne.
gro worshiping fanatics, who clamor 50 loud
ly for the accidentally manufactured Jupiter
who commands our armies to be chosen
Chief Magistrate OF the nation, have as
clear and positive knowledge Of the habits,
character and ability of the man rs has the
writer thereof il Is doubtful IL many would
be 80 loud In their laudations Of his supposed
virtues, bis exaggerated bravery, his ques-
tionable wisdom, or his overlauded heroism.
It has been my privilege to know General
Grant intimately since be first asscmed
command Of the forces in the Mississippi
Valley, when he made his headquarters In
Carlo; and what am about to sote OF him,
his habits, character and conduct, shall sub
stantiate by tie statements of gentlemen
well known In this city, and whose word
will not be disputed, IL they may be asked
whether my statements may be true or false.
Not only will all write be corroborated by
the persons shall name, Radicals though
they may be, but scores Of the most respccta-
Bile citizens Of Cairo viii respond most un-
equivocally to the accuracy Of my allega-
tioRs.
That sobriety was the exception and not
the rule Of General Grants conduct while To-
Gated at Cairo, 10 a fact too we'll known to
need confirmation; but individual instanc q
Of beastly drunkenness are not of rare oc-
currence. will mention two or three
which fell under my personal knowledge
and which AM ready 10 verify on call.
On the 9Th day OF November, 1861, the
steamer Alec. Scott started from Cairo on q
trip to Columbus, KY, earring flag of truce
and General Grant, his staff, and few othei
army officers, the newspaper correspondents
and some Invited guests. When the boa
reached her destination, a bevy of rebe
ok-csrs came on board, among whom wer,
General Cheatham, General Pillow, Ociene
Rusk, and Gereral from Arkansas, who's,
name do not remember when general
drunk commenced, which was kept up unit
late in the night after the flag Of true,
officers had separated aad the Scott had re
turned to Cairo. When the boat reached th,
wharf at Cairo, General Grant was In such
beastly state of intoxication that II wa
deemed imprudent TO take him to his head
quarters, over the City Bank, where his wifi
was awaiting him, and he was escorted an,
assisted TO the st. Charles Hotel, where
remained during the night
I When he arrived N the hotel II was fo,rn
that be was So drunk that considerable as
sistauce was needed to enable him to reach
room on the second floor and Captain r.
Hatch, Post QuartermasteE and Robert Fol
: syth, general freight agent of the Illino
Central Rsilroad--one upon either side an
each with shoulder under the Generals arm
= pit-hoisted him up the stairs TO Ceptai
, uatn A H..
|, messed this scene, and loud and many wei
the expressions uttered Of censure and {
J. disgust at the spectacle. About twel,
}. o'clock that night Grant got musical, and 9
q orderly was dispatched for the brigade bar
e to come and serenade him. The band sot
4 put in an appearance, and were about to cor
u mence playing, when Mr.. Bedard and N
e Lansden, the proprie,ors Of the hotel, a
q tempted to stop them; but, on word beil
g taken to General Grant of the obstruction
D the music, he, with drunken and profane |
ts deeency, declared that he was commander
that post, and he would have the band pl
le when and where he desired. So the band pI
st ceeded to the ball, outside the room where I
re General was rollicking in his drunkenne
re and for half hour played to drown the u
d, roar of the hell within.
D. A month later to day, the same steam
:? was the scence of another gorgeous drum
,e upon another occasion Of alag of true
IN visit to Columbus, when Grant became
,e wretchedly drunk that his friends put h
It, to bed, and kept the boat in the river un
D. he became sober enough tc be taken home.
K But Of his most disastrous spree-that
Of Fort Donelson--I shall not speak until a
ID other time. lfpossible to induce the Chic
ID 60 Tribune TO tell the truth, woulo be 81
to to have Governor Bross relate what be 81
IN and what he said Of the scene when Genel
er Grant landed from his flag Of truce visit
le Columbus, just after the battle OF Belmo
Is when be (Grant was SO drunk that he fei
Ye half dozen times in going up the levee frc
te the wharf-boat and the united efforts
We Captains Eillyear and Lsgow were ;nsuffi
ar ent to keep him on his pins.