The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-10-17
GRANTS HABITD.
Letter from Gen Lew. Wallace, Of
Indiana.
CRAwFoRDSvILLE. md, l
August 80, 1872. (

CRAwFoRDsvILLE. md.
August 80, 1872.
Editor Omaha Republican and 2rib-
ane:-I am In receipt Of your letter of
he 2Sd instant, asking II General
Grant was drunk at the battles of Don
slson aud Shiloh, and requesting full
particulars.
II MAS my fortune 10 he one Of .
council Of war, assembled on Grants
poat, at Fort Henry, the day before
he army moved on Fort Donelson
The council was In session the greater
part OF the afternoon. General Grant
presided In person, and Wds perfectly
sober. There was box OF cigars on
he table, but no liquor was drank.
The army marched next morning
February l2th). shook hands with
Ien. Grant when h. mounted his
.orse aud took his place IN the column
he Wds perfectly sober then.
The General lef. me behind In COM
nand Of Fort Henry but, by order,
I rejoined him on the l4th, about noon.
He was at his Headquarters, close IN
he rear Of Gen. G. F. Smith's line OF
Investments. There were crackers,
''offee and cider. but no liquor. In my
presence Gen. Grant wrote al order.
constituting the th ird division Of hi.
.rmy. specifying the precise regiments
your noble lst Nebraska among the
rest-snd assigned me to the COM
,nand. have the original order yet
It il lengthy, aud in General Grant,
,wn hand. ~ were nearly all the or
iers that came from him In that cam-
paign The guns were pounding
away at the time he wrote. A drunk
Ell man could not have written 1t.
The division was organized ~ Il,
passed along on the road. Then Gem
eral Grant rode along with me to des
i9nate my position In the center. He
showed not sign Of intoxication.
Next day about noon. while the
First Division was being assembled
nd reoryanized, Gen. Grant came
where Gen. McClernand and ! were,
and after hearing an explanation OF
he misfort unes Of the night, he or
lered the lost position to be retake n
History tells what ensued. The inter-
view lasted about ten minutes. l re-
member General Grants appearance
and ma we'll, for the moment was
Of great interest in fact 1t WAS the
crisis Of the battle. He was mounted
and held . telegram just received. He
heard the story calmly and without
interruption then he flushed up aud
crushing the dispatch, ordered the a.
sault. The flushing OF his face WAS no,
from liquor; 1t was the viaible emo
ion, natural to man In position oi
vast responsibility, resolving upon .
decisive action. The draft upon his
mind can be appreciated by his ene-
mics even. when they are told that
the telegram which he gripped so hard
vas from General Halleck, directing
MIN to "retire. throw up defensive
works and wait for reinforcements. =
Had he. falling the inspiration OF his
own genius. ot,eyed that order, Donel-
sou would have been to our arms the
empty success that Corinth was few
days later. He was perfectly sobel
throughout the interview, and left VI
20 direct similar attack by Gen. c. f
smith.
The morning Of the surrender. aftel
occupying the rebel works on tho lef
Of their line. break fsstcd with Gen
Buckner ut his headquarters In Dover
An hour or two thereafter Gen. Gran
appeared. was with him some time
He wrote an order directing me to re
turn To Fort Henry. with my division
He Oas per- fecfiy sober.
Next. asto Pittsburg Landing.
Sunday morning, the first day o
the battle, Gen. Grant hastened from
savanna 10 the field. fast ~ steam
could carry him, stopped his boa
alongside mine, TO ask some questions
A conversation took place betweeI
Us across the guards Of the steamers
Had be been in the least intOx icated,
would have noticed It. h pas ne,
fectIy sober.