Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1885-07-29
An Incident at The Hague.

In the popular imagination Gen. Grant has
always been associated with cigar. He has
been called the greatest smoker in the wor d.
1t is Il marked popularity OF the man. When
at The Hague in his tour around the world,
at the dinner rendered in his honor by the
Dutch King, cigars were either omitted in
the menu, or perhaps IL was thought dis
courteous TO smoke in the presence OF
royalty. When Gen. Grant was, therefore,
observed to take II cigar from his pocket and
complaccntly light il, in the presence of the
King, there was murmur of surprise
But, them" it was said, "he is a great man
"a very great man." In the simplicity of
the Dutch Court il was thought, probably
that none but the very great would dare to
smoke on such an occasion. IL is generally
believed that Gen. Grant has been an inces-
SAINT smoker ever since his boyhood. 1t may
be news to many to learn that 1t is only
since the famous battle of Shiloh that the
General became so fond of the weed. A
Commercial gazette reporter, i'm CONVERSE
ton with an intimate Cincinnati friend of
Grant, was told the story of the 'cigar.
The General, in speaking to a Cincinnati
friend of the popular idea that no was life
long smoker, said that prior TO the battle of
Shiloh he rarely-very rarely-smoked; that
only once in great while did he take q
smoke" and that IL had never been habit,
much less pleasure. At the baltic of Shiloh
he CHANGED To smoke a cigar, while riding
over the field, and the newspaper correspond
graphically In their accounts of tho battle &c
the papers in the North. The idea OF vic
torIous commander OF n great army, i'm the
midst of frightful scenes of carnage and de
struction, surrounded by the dangers of bat
tie, with a nations life hanging on the ro
suit, looking on calmly and serenely-com
placently smoking cigar-when most mer
would be overcome with excitement, If no
nervousness, was something that appealed
irresistibly TO popular admiration. Here wa
n man who was not TO be frightened by tn,
dangers of war, who knew that in war th,
mass OF men are almost frantic with the fir,
OF battle; that IL meant death and destruc
lion; that this was the business of war, ant
the GOODNESS of his mind seemed to say: 9Th
only way to do is to strike blow upon blow
and thus crush the rebellion"
IL was not the idea of butcher, but tn
idea of war, and the mistake of the Army o
the Potomac was i'm not recognizing 1t an,
failing TO follow up victory, or "leaving IL
work only half finished, as Gen. Grant OK
presses it, for fear there would be create
losses.
Grants admirers and friends, reading o
the accounts OF the battle, supposed him :
be a great smoker, and almost deluged hiT
with cigars. Every express brought boxe
of cigars as presents from his Norther
friends. AS the General said, ''there wer
always two or three boxes on the table in m
tent or headquarters free for the use of m
star and visitors. Having them always q
hand IL was but natural that should ever
little while take n fresh cigar, and in tha
way the habit grew upon me so that IL b,
came irresistible, and the people no dout
are right I'm calling me an inveterate smoker.
Cincinnati Commercial Gazette.