The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-25

uointmcnts in Ohio and Kentucky
He Likes Cheap Drinks-Is Fond OF
Presents His influence Altogether
Pestiferous.
5correspondence of the New York SUM-
CINCINNATI, December 6.
Immediately after the battle OF Beimont,
which set Cincinnati almost oeslde issel. VIII ,ha
Excitement, and brought to its notice Tor the
first time Brigadier-Genera U. S. Grant, there
enneared about the newspaper of1ces here a
stalwart old man, armed with poncerous
hickory stick, with battered silver heaa.
old fashioned high shoes, tied with leatnern
thongs, his head surmounted by an oid, pat
fered hat. from under the rim Of which there
Deered pair Of deep-set, straoismlc eyes, as
sisted by heavy pair OF silver spectacles,
there was nothing either remarKaole or un-
usnal in his appearance to attract attention., or
jmpress the behulder that any extraordinary
Individual stood before him among the crowd
The old mans eyes habltually sought the
ground he never looked any one In the iace
while he spoke but he was good lsten-
er. and was always found In the street cor
ner groups where the name and actions
of General Grant were discussed. when
, yhe smoke it was as lone having autnorl-
:ty.r certain sententiousness OF man
ner and emphatic self-asserton always
scharacterizing his utterances. The Cinclnnatl
papers commented rather severely upon tne
,s.osiuct Of General Grant at the battle OF Bel
51nont, and repeated stories OF his previous lie,
in all of which he was exhibited as under the
influence 1fdrink. It was positively asserted
by business men in the streets that before the
battle OF Belmont General Grant, then Colonel
Grant, was seen by them drunk, IN the muddy
oy-ways Of Cairo; and more than once the tele-
graph from that interesting Jint came Missing
Rot with the same intelligence. 1t was the
custom in those days to read the dispatcnes 10
the surging crowds at the newpaper ofnces as
sthey were received, and 1t was also customary
to suppress o great deal that was received.
When the news Of Belmont was filling the pub
lie ear. perhaps the most attentive listener was
the old gentleman with the formidable SUCK,
but as one account In which Grant, dismount-
ed. was celebrated as running q race with MS
horse 10 get aboard one of the transports walt
ing to convey the routed troops to the oppo-
site and safer shore of the Ohio River, fell upon
his auickened tympanum, he started suddenly
as IL burned by hot iron, and screamed OUT
ats damned lie, and the man tnat says SO Isl
liar, Idon't care who he Is" All eyes were
turned for moment upon the speaker HIS
face was crimsoned with rage he clutched MS
hickory with nervous firmness, and half Drand-
.ishing 1t, repeated his assertion. Nobody carea,
but ali were curious and the old man saw MS
opportunity and seized 1t. Z" | am Grants
father, and it's id le," he repeated. ~
know all about him he never was drunk IN
his life."
JESSE r. GRANT, THE PRESIDENTS FATHER.
After this time there appeared semi-occaslon-
ally In the papers paragraphs stating that
General Grants father said so anu so, or tnat
he was called upon at his residence In CoVlnS-
ton Kentucky, by this or that commlttee, or
that such and such facts were stated IN q prl-
yate letter from General Grant TO his father
Indeed, public interest in the old man wenbso
far, that jenkins ielt called upon to visit the
paternal residence Of the Grants, and describe
the inside and the outside OF the plain ciick
house In that sleepy Kentucky town, cwclling
with lengthening fondness upon the simple
appointments of the house, and dilating with
critical enthusiasm upon the landscape pant
ings and superb embroideries that adorned the
walls and furniture, because they were the pro-
,duct of the skill and industry Of Miss Jenny
Grant. UD to this time, not more w2s known
of Jesse R. Grant in Covington than in Cincin-
natl He had come there quietly ana settled
down bought hides and sent them to Galena,
Illinois. and dabbled little In trade, but at
'rracted no attention.
Thus affairs whirled along till after the bat
Sle of Shiloh, for the conduct OF which many
intelligent people here held Grant to bitter
account The Western newspapers were I'M
sparing of him, those OF this city blaming him
In the most unequivocal aerms. This made Mr'
Grant furious he charged upon the newspa-
per offices like an infuriated old bull. His self
assertion and un1inching purpose to put down
uupodtion, lent a certain degree of weight to
the vigorous old man. His very words were
valuable, for In close business circles 1t was
whispered that this and that citizen OF CoVlng-
stan made monev as sutler to this or that regl-
s1nent or brigade, on o Recommendation from
Mr. Grant to his son, the General.
HOW JESSE R. OPERATED IN MISSISSIPPI COTTON
Among the first trades people of Cincinnati
70 utilize the war, were the children OF israel
While there were true patriots among them,
there were others who smuSgled arms, uni
forms and medicines South; they filled fruit
cans with whiskey, and sold 1t in the Northern
armies rs fruit. permits were issued for
traffic. Corinth was fought and won. Rose
Grams star was bright, and his police agents
keen. Rumor had it that Mrs. General Grant
was detected communicating win irienoS ID
Mississippi. and certain letters were intercept
ed which gave color to Ihe Story. a GeneLn r,a
Grant W., at Jackson, Tennessee, ana MS
father, acc ompaned by Henry Mack, liberal
Jew, of Cincinnati, was on his winding way
down the sinuous ohio, bound for Columbus,
Kentucky the railroad point to Corlnth anu
Jackson Henry had ''monish" and Mr. Grant
had influence" Cotton was ripe ana plen!y'
and so undisturbed was the peculiar institll-
tom by the jar of war up to that fall OF 1857,
that the penetrating armies of the North enjoy
ed the wide-mouthed admiration Of the mild
eyed ''feld hands" as the dirt roads trlv-
.ersing Northern Mississippi were trodden
hard by the blue-coated hosts. Holly springs
vas the objective point of the cotton buyers,
spectators and thieves. One Colonel Dubois,
OF the regular army, was in command OF the
post. A telegram was received from Column
Ibns. keltucky, to the effect that General
Grants father was there, and wanted g Nass
.forhi hinselfau four Jews to Holly Springs. One
NTFas sent for self AMI friend and in due time
the old gentleman, with his friend, arrived.
The 3. v tried the Curnth region for cotton,
abut Rosecrans was too much for them and
II hey held aloof until he was sent to the Depart
49, -. ,,I, Cn,nberand Everything that
conld throw discrcdit or ignominy upon bis ad-
l..I.--ra..... ~ i.ole by his successor to the
,eommand Of the LETT wing of the army of the
Mississippi, Brigadier-General C. s. Hamilton NIX !;
and prominent among his actions was r,Saa Siie "p-
.noiptment of one Colonel Murphy, OF ~lscon-
AN. 70 the command Of Holly Springs, as
Teouke to Rosecrans for reprimanding thai