Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1883-04-09
STEPHENS AND GRANT.

Washington special to the Cincin-
natl Commercial Gazette: Mr.. Craw-
ford of the Sunday Herald relates
the following as the late Alexander
Stephens estimate of Grant: 81
shall never forget my first interview
with Grant. 1t was when [ came up
in 1864 with the peace commission
from Richmond. I had been reading
a great deal about Grant in all our
papers during the war. / had read
Of him as ''Butcher Grant so long
that that involuntary idea became
pretty firmly established in my mind.
/ could not get out of my head a
picture of a coarse, boorish, brutal
man. We had with us leading Of
fcer of Lees staff. He was in full
uniform, well gotten up for visit of
extreme ceremony. When we reach
ed Grants headquarters it was near
ly night. We had been passed by
the sentinels with a great deal of GER
emony. We thought when we reach
ed Grants headquarters to find a
great military scene. I expected to
find Grant, the then commander of
an army of million men, in splen-
did position, surrounded by all the
display that great military power
makes possible.
But what was my surprise, when l
reached the headquarters, to find only
a log house, with not even a sentry
in front of it. / doubted if this
could be Grants headquarters. /
advanced with my party and knocked.
There was no servant, even, in at
tendance to announce callers. The
door was opened by plain, medium
sized man in civilians clothes. He
held lighted lamp in his hand.
| said: Il wish to see Genera
Grant"
81 am General Grant," he said il
the simplest possible way. evil
you not walk in, gentlemen"
We walked in and were seated b,
him. He was alone in the room
From the first he evinced the great
! est interest in the object of our mis-
sion. l observed him closely during
the hour we were with him. Grant
simplicity and modesty were object
, of my most profound admiration.
, noticed also when orderlies came il
to receive orders that these were Civ
2 en- in an ordinary voice. There wa
5 nothing Of the commander in his d
2 rections. He usually concluded a
: order with the words ego quickly,
d, delivered in conversational tone
When our first consultation ended
y Grant insisted upon our sleepin
d upon his headquarters boat. W
# asked where the boat was. Instea
J. of summoning an orderly or a Sc
n want, Grant said:
re 81 will 60 with you myself
a The night had now become vel
lie dark. We came out of the log hou
h and went stumbling along aft
Dr. Grant, who skipped ahead with Il
to lightness and agility of boy. Eve
D. now and then we would meet a Sc
Mt tinel. To his call of "Who 90
there?'' Grant replied, 'sThe genel
ch of the army" He conducted
d. personally to the boat, and then {
MT signed us to staterooms. / thi
n one of the best traits of his charact
he was the great anxiety shown by hi
as on this occasion, to further the
les terests of peace. Instead of findi
in him hard and Incorporating,
III was ready to make every concessi
Its in the interests of this peace.
III The next morning when I awe
no and had dressed, / went out uI
* the deck of the vessel, and there
v: saw Grant running along on the bal
nd jumping like boy, as he waved
to dispatch in his hand. ! soon fol-