Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-02-25
GRANT AND MEADE.
"Reminiscences of the Richmond
Campaign-Mesde 10 be Minister 90

"Reminiscences of the Riehmond
Campaigu-Meade 20 be Minister a
France.
From the Savannah (Gs.) News.
The following letter, which was
sent to us through the mails, will be
read at this time with interest, espe'
cially as there is so much specula-
ton in the Radical camp in regard
to Grants appointments. We sin
cerely trust that the writer's state
ment is true, and hope Gen. Meade
will get the appointment. We would
much prefer him as Minister to
France than as Dictator or Satrap
OF District No. g." or inventor of
sweat-boxes for refractory Rebels.
The letter is authentic, and time viii
prove whether Grant will redeem
his promise or not. 1t is as follows
ATLANTA, Feb. ii, 1S69.-There
is great deal of talk and specula-
ton concerning the cabinet of Gen.
Grant, and in this connection beg
to relate conversation / heard at
Gen. Grants headquarters, near
Spotsylvania Courthouse, during the
last campaign of the war. / was a
carrier at headquarters, and on the
night following the charge of Han
cock upon and capture Of the Con-
federate Gen. JohnstoR's division,
Gen. Meade rode up to Gen. Grants
headquarters, he got down and came
up to Gen. g., when the following
occurred:
Meade-Good evening, General,
have come to congratulate you.
Grant-Thank you; Hancock has
certainly done good thing to-day,
and the army will now rise in the
estimation of the public.
Meade-Hancock has certainly
achieved a brilliant success but
you will become the head of the
nation.
Grant-What do you mean?
Meade-I think you will be the
next President.
Grant (laughing)-You are jok-
ing. L care not for the Presidency.
| am satisfied to command the army.
Meade-Whether you like it or
not, on tomorrow you will find
that your fame has been telegraphed
to the four corners of the nation,
and your name will be on the lips of
the people. You will be taken up
as the coming man. You will be
seized upon by the Republican par
ty, and nOlenS, rolenS, will ride upon
Hancock's back into the White
House.
Grant, think you are wrong.
Hancock's success will certainly
put new heart into the country, and
the papers will glorify over it for a
week; but amid the coming incidents
of the campaign it will soon be for
gotten.
Meade am so certain that to
days doings have made you Presi-
dent, that / have come partly to-
night to ask you for an office. II
want the Saint Cloud Mission.
Grant (laughing)-I am perfectly |
safe in promising you what you
want, and willingly do so if / am
made President.
Meade-This is no idle request
[ feel that you are the country's
man, and as our future Chief Mag
istrate sincerely ask yOutO appoint
me Minister to France, allowing me
at the same time to retain my posi-
ton as Major General in the army.
Grant-All right, Meade-that is
settled-let's have drink and a CT |
gar, and / will offer the toast-Our
future Minister to France
The above conversation happened |
as l have above stated, in my |
presence. The next day there was
heavy skirmishing and artillery |
firing. Gradually the cloud of bat |
tie drifted by the left flank toward
the objective point, Richmond, and
after the numerous engagements
that marked their bloody march,
the grand finale was enacted under
the tabled branches of the Apo
mattox apple tree. We gained the
victory Lee surrendered to Grant |
and the war ceased. In the changes
that occurred in the redistribution
of the forces / found myself two
years after the treaty of peace in
Atlanta, attached to the headquar-
tiers of Gen. Meade, and l heard him
tell Gov Brown, of Georgia, the |
above conversation, and he con-
tinued by saying, ! have invariably
boned Grant about the French mis- |
sion whenever | have met with him. |
At first he took it in very good
grace, but by and by, when his name
actually became the watch word of
the powerful Republican party, and
it seemed to grasp at his nomination
as the talisman to save it from ruin,
he would fight shy of any allusion
to it, and evidently was enraged by
having it recalled to his mind, but
finally when l made direct point, |
and asked him if he intended to
carry out his promise, he said,
Meade, l am certainly the choice of
the people. made you the promise
of the mission to France; it was
given in jOcular meeting at my
camp fire; but as you demand that
it was a serious conversation, l will
here confirm it. l never have yet |
failed to meet a promise, and no
matter what may come of it, you
shall be Minister to France if ! am
elected President.
JOHN MCCARTHY,
Private second New York cavalry,
Of the fifth United States cavalry. |
THE NEXT CONGRESS-.
The number of vacancies in the Forty
G.. N Al L.