The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-05
GRANT AND PORTER.
Recent Newspaper Attacks Upon
the Admiral.
Malicious Efforts to Create an Unpleasant
ness"- Extracts from Porter's Private
Journal-rnteresting Reminiscenaes.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8, 1870.

marks d,sparagIng TO General Grant, has been re-
published here, ana Is creating cons .derable cont
ment.
| No one can fall to remember the persistent efforts
Of two New York papers to provoke some reply from
Admiral Porter to their numerous attacks ON him,
for what reason commenced he never could divine.
| IL Is known how these papers have attempted 10
| AFFECT the confirmation by the Senate OF an onicer
whose great orencc seems 10 have been that he has
done his duty to his country for forty years. fought
through the whole period OF the rebellion as many
successful battles as any other oncer. ana at
tempted 10 resusctate the navy from the low ebb
10 which II had fallen at the close OF the war
1t is rather late in the day to attempt TO interrupt
the COED feeling existing between President Grant
and Admiral Porter--twO men who served so long
and harnonlousy together. This is eynced ny the
fOllo wing extracts from II very vouminous private
never intended for the public eye during his he
time but which he has now put into my hands 20
ana things While passing events were making his
tory. have not found on any OF the pages Of the
Journal single word that speaks OF General Grant
IN other than the kndest and most entlzslastic
manner. The following are
EXTRACTS PROM ADMIRAL PoRrER's JOURNAL
CAIRO ILL.,, Now, 1862.
. 1t was after hard days work ut my
desk and going round ansAg the vessels lifting out,
that accepted an invitation to supper with Captain
Nc Alistei, Quartcrmaster United States Army, who
was llving on board an old steamer. We were
)oying ourselves amazingly when little hustle
heard IN the room, aud General Grant
nOunced This was an unexpected arrival, for the
General was supposed TO be In Corinfh. mad never
before seen General Grant, ana he was quite differ
ent person from what expected. had seen so
many generals during me WAT with large SLAMS oi,
for General Grants sian. could, however, see
nothing but my own officers with their well laced
coats. captain McAiiiSter came To my end OF the
citizens brown coat with velvet
AIM All his nabiImeats we're covered With dust ana
looked as II they had travelled many mile. Those
clothes, secdy in the extreme, adorned the outer
man OF General Ulysses Grant. one always ferns
rather exaggerated idea OF hero and expects 10
not personal appearance at least IN the trapoings
| OF his rank but General Grant was distinguished
by neither Of these and stood before me on that oc
cason the plainest, most unassuming man ever
| behed. Grant ana Sherman mad been two OF my
heroes since they operated together in Western
Kentucky and tennessee, although had no acquaini
ance with either OF them. had closely scrntnized
Their operations since tho breaking out OF the war
| made UP my mind that thore was more good
gcRerasaip in those TWO men than in any other two
| mad read OF. In Grant saw the hoid-on bulldog
courage that viii tell III the long against the best
| arranged tactics, provided numbers and al are
equal; and IN sherman beheld tnat genus that led
| to such achievements during the rebellion.
| When introduced Grant look quietly by the
hand, as II were an ola acquaintance VITA "llow
are you Admlral" McAillster gave us q snail
down 10 talk with wild duck aud bottle " cham
payne before u.s. neither OF which Grant touched
While ] was looking earnestly at Grant, trying TO
make out how much OF the man there was under
that plain exterior the General was regarding ss
/
gilt buttons ana gold lace with which the Navy de-
partmsnt had bedzened my coat. The General
came At once 10 the point
'.Adnraln said be, what is all this you've been
writing meT'
told him Of my Interview with the President and
OF the laiters intention with regard McClernand
Grant looked serious for q moment only. when
| can you move with your neetr' he asked .'Io-
morrow or whenever you wish to start" replied.
Then" said he, Il VIII get or at once. Sherman
| Will meet you at Memphis on the 10th tDecernberl
| with 10000 men, all embarked on board OF tran
sports. will leave Holly Springs about the 18th.
| and march on Granada WIN all my force-aoout
| $1,000 men. This will draw OF The rebel army now
/ at vick~burg 10 contest my advance, and you and
Sherman can get possession Of the place, as ron viii
| meet with inferior numbers. viii be Ia Win the
| rebels II they fall back Oh Vicksburg."
told the General that would DC up to time, and
! Grant renamed only half hour longer, and Then
babe US good night. saying, ~ viii start back 10 M
1t is not my purpose to write history Of
General Grant military career. That VIII be done
| by ADLER pens Than mine; but intend 70 notice the
| personal character OF man whe has achieved,
perhaps. more IN military way than any other "
I. @* A lew days after my interview with Grant
! met General sherman and wrote to Jae Secretary
[ OF The Navy as toiicws:-
by no one general thai lived What other
and be glorious soldiers when She genes Of to-
| Mr.. Weles has more than once called my attention
10 this remark.
! : Speaking OF Sherman Then no
| turned to OF his Guartermasters. and they SAT
down 10 business. Here found different kind or
man IRON Grant, bard, wearher-beaten soldier,
| with naturally corrugated face, nervous. rest
less, active man, with All the equipments OF soldier
on him, and every inch u general. ie5 that plea
| SAINT genial look that belonged to Grants face was
/ waning in Sherman. | was not | must confess,
much impressed with General Sherman on my 1rsJ
interview, although unfavorable Impressions wore
of as soon as the guartermaster went away ana he
could attend 10 me- He turned towards me III the
most pleasant way, poked the DIRE and talked to me
as II he hsd snown me all his lie. Sherman, unlike
| Grant, WAS very laxative. He told me ali he had
done, what he doing, and what he intended TO do,
| Jumping up every three minutes to send message
| 10 some one. l that Sherman differed from
Grant In one respect Sherman attended to all ae-
! tails himself, While Grant lett fhem to Others
| always selecting good men to perform the work.
| Sherman's eye also the reverse Of Grants 1t
was black piercing and restless, ana appeared in
| strong contrast with bis sandy complexion, hair
and beard. Grants eye " az calm and cold. although
when he was angry II would Light up with neroe-
ness not pleasant TO encounter. { don't suppose
there ever was greater coGrast between any two
+, men tnan thai between Gra"s ana sherman. They
were unlike IN everything eyccpr IN their skill us
soldiers, yet they agreed perfectly.
often said IN the early part OF The rebellion that
ability That any one man ought 10 possess to
make nm perfect general ana ! SINCERELY
Seiieve that an :, army Of $4,000 men under
stroy any army III the world OF vastly superior HuE-
bers--snerman. with his genius TO direct tile InMe-
date movements OF the troops, ana Grant, with his
| indomtable courage that knows no such WORD as
| yield. This is my opinion, strengthened by long
association with these two distinguished men
Thus ended this glorious Fourth Of Ju.y--tne sur.
render OF vicSsDurg, with al Its immense supplies
Of gums ana al1fnuntIOn, ana the opening Of the
grand highway to the ocean that had been So long
sealed up. the repulse OF q great army. 10 win .cb
our navy largely contributed aud the battle OF Get
| tysDurg was enough for one day,
| These Old fellows who were wont TO patter down
to the Exchange aud watch the SIX per cent stocks
might vel, say well done my good and faithful.
but don't believe enc or them seriously thought
about It. Ten TO one. II they considered the matter
at all, they considered US remiss in not sutcncr
| Ing ths rebel prisoners. and thought that we were
fraternizing with them because we FURNISHED them
| with needles and thread 10 sew On their patches
| with. The navy had gone through great deal OF
hard fighting and severe labor. Few knew the anX-
ETY. felt for the Of the enterprise against
! Vicksbur2. had helped Mcclellan To plan 1t by
way OF New Orleans, and II was not that geueral's
fault that the place not Captured when we took
| New Orleans. TINS SHOWS how changeable hui
| man AFFAIRS. Here was Grant, AZ the time have
mentioned almost unknown, who mad taken the
place Of Mcclellan, then In the zenith OF hs glory,
| WIN IA lar Xxna tin,u alrn