The Portland daily press., 1872-09-16
,ERMS 500 PER ANNUM In ADVANCE.

Next day about noon, while the First Di-
VISION was being assembled and reorganized.
Ueh. Grant came where Gen. McClernand
anu We're, and after hearing an explanation
oI the mlSfortunes of the night, he ordered
sne iosl position to be retaken. History tells
,a.t. "nat ensued. The interview lasted about
| twenty minutes. l remember Gen. Grants
appearance and manner we'll for the mo-
nieit was oil great interest," in fact, it was the
cfisis Oh the battle. He was mounted and
heid telegram just received. He heard tba
stoIy calmly ana without interruption: then
ne nusned up, and, crushing the dispatcb.
0fdered the assault. The flushing of the
face was not frsm liquor; it was the visible
emotion natural to man in position a
vast responsibility resolving suddenly upon of
decisive action. The draft upon his will can
be appreciated by his enemies even, when
they are told that the telegram he griped so
hard was from Gen. Halleck, directing him
to retire, Mr0p up defenSire lrOrks, and pdit
for reinforcements. Had he, failing the in
spiration of his own genius, obeyed that or
der, Donelson would have been to our arms
the empty success that Corinth was little
later lie was perfectly sober throughout
the interview, and left us to direct a simulta-
neous assault by Gen. c.. f. Smith. The
morning of the surrender, after occupying
the rebel works on the left of their line, L
Dreakfasted with with Gen. Buckner, at his
headquarters, in Dover. An hour or two
thereafter Gen. Grant appeared. l was with
MN some time. He wrote an order directing
me to return to Fort Henry with my divis-
ION. He acGs pc. fetcly sober.
Next, to Pittsburg Landing. Sunday
mornino, the first day of the battle, Gen.
Grant, hastening from Savannah to the field,
last as steam could carry him, stopped his
Doat alongeide mine to ask some questions
a conversation took place between us across
the guards OF the steamers. Had he been in
the silghtest degree intoxicated, would have
observed IL. He tcds perfectly sober. At 10
O'CLOCK, from the field, he sent me an order to
marcn to Pittsburg Landing. Unfortunately,
the officer that brought it, by mistake in its
delvery, sent me to join the right of the army.
at point four miles from the Landing. When
'ue mistake was corrected, had marched,
anu put the whole rebel army between me
ana fntsDurg Landing To save my division,
anu MAKE the Jr1ccion at the Landing, it was
hecessarJ 10 march back entirely aronnd the
lett OF the enemy. The movement took the
afternoon, so that l did not see Gen. Grant
again that day. Next morning, in the gray
OF the dawn, he came to me and in person or
dered my advance to the attack. One order
ly was his entire escort. The following was
the interview almost uerbdtim: ''Good morn
ing, he said to me. l raised my hat and re-
pied, Good morning, Sir.'' ''Your guns
arc at WORK early eS,' L said; land II
you will observe, have two batteries on one.
Inc affair can't last long" He studied the
direction of my line awhile, and then asked.
Are you ready to attack?'. Eyes, SIR" He
turned his horses head toward the enemy,
and with quiet wave of the hand said calm
ly, as II sitting in a parlor: "Then move
straight out there" As he started off, l call
ed to him; "Do you wish me to attack in any
particular 0rder?,' ''No. / leave that to
your own discretion. Good morning. He
was perfectly sober, and as confident as he
was sober.
saw him again about o'clock in the af-
ternoon. We were driving the enemy. Rid
ing 10 my side, he said: "We are getting
along very Well. !, 1 think you had better make
a quarter OF W eel to the right here, and
change direction little" ''If do that
replied, my left flank will be without sup
port." "Pll see to that" He was perfectly
sober when he left me.
This is plain, unvarnished statement of
what saw of Gen. Grant during the battles
to which you have alluded. Aftcrward was
his guest for weeks at City Point, and with
him at table and on the road. | do not be-
lieve he touched liquor in that time. Still la
ter, he was several times my guest at the Eu-
taw House in Baltimore. On such occasions
never failed to have wine for dinner, and he
invariably refused to drink it. In conclusion,
it is my opinion that Gen. Grants career and
successes are impossible to drunkard.
Very respectfully, yours.
LEW WALLACE.