The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-12
A SINGULAR STORY.
Narrative of q Man Who Contemplated the
Murder of General Grant.

Narrative of Man Who Contemplated the
Murder of General Grant.
wv. )" in New York Sun.
few months after the termination of the
siege of Paris, in 1871. during which l had acted
as special correspondent for an English news
paper, was staying for short time at the
Grand Hotel in that city. While was slipping
coffee and smoking a cigar an American friend,
Colonel W., entered, and introduced me to a
gentleman who accompanied him. We sat down
| at the little marble table of the cafe for chat
The conversation soon became interesting. for
all three were brimful of military anecdotes and
"reminiscences OF the late in France, as we'll
as of the war in America Colonel w S friend,
whose name has escaped my memory. was pre-
vailed npon to relate the following story, which
Is given as thoroughly reliable:
although the Colonel here and l were firm
friends from the days of our youth, we found
ourselves, like many others, when the war of
secession broke out, ranged upon opposite sides.
We We're however, spared the distress of being
thrown into immediate personal contact during
that dreadful period. | was always headstrong
lmpetuous sort of fellow and red hot partisan
| of the confederate cause. Toward the latter
| part of the war had worked up my Incorporate
| zeal to believing that nothing could save the
! confederacy from destruction except some heroic
| deed of self sacrifice. The continued series of
| defeats which we had recently sustained at the
hands of General Grant had served to inspire in
| my mind an intense rage which ultimately
| degenerated into bitter personal hatred against
| the man himself
| "At this peculiar period we were nearing
| what proved to be the termination of the terrific
| struggle for General Lee, in whose army | was
| an officer, was expecting to come into actual
| collision with General Grants main army from
| day to day Of course you have read and heard
| all about the final surrender of the confederate
| forces. AS soon as information reached me that
| our sacred cause was ruined, my Indignation
| rendered me furious but | breathed not n word
of the ignoble resolution which l had suddenly
4 cd hat fcho
| survive his triumph. Briefly. I SO contrved as
to get mixed up among the group of staff officers
| surrounding General Lee when Grant rode down
| unostentatiously to receive the fQsmal surrender
| of our cnieftaiu. l had previously, however
| fortified myself for the critical moment with two
stiff glasses of whisky. Then l set myself to
watching closely for an opportunity of getting q
shot at him with my revolver.
when Lee advanced with melancholy but
courteous dignity and rendered his sword to the
conquerer, could have lodged bullet in Grants
heart with dead certainty, but some mysterious
lnterposition of Providence stayed my murder
GUS hand for the moment General Grant took
the protered sword with both hands, examined
1t, and, with winning smile, gracefully handed
1t back to its owner, saying: This beautiful
weapon could not be worn by a drawer or worth
Ter man. Therefore, General Lee, I have the
honor OF returning it to you,' or words to that
effect
IA sudden revulsion of feeling overcame me.
and tears rushed to my eyes. Time passed. and
1T was not until about two years ago that
round the chance OF once more seeing General
Grant On that occasion l was presented to him
in the White House by Col. W. With choked
utterance l entreated few words with him.
confessed the shame which for several years had
weighed heavily on my heart, and craved his
forgiveness. Laying his left hand on my shout
Ger, lac held my right hand within his warm and
friendly grasp, as, with that sad but bewitching
smile of his he said softly, Let us both thank
God sir, and never speak of the incident again.