Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-29
WHEN UNKNOWN.
GENERAL GRANT COMMANDING IN
INTELLECT BEFORE THE WAR.
Interesting "reminiscences Told by
Rev. DIR. j. III. Vincent, His
Pastor at GaIena.

The Rev. ]. II. Vincent, D. D.. LID,
writes to the S. s. Tines, Philadelphia, the
following interesting sketch of General
Grant, as he accidentally becam e acquainted
and knew him prior to the war, together
with subsequent incidents, and concerning
the general character of the man, which
cannot fail to be of interest, although much
has already been said
My first interview with Mr.. Grant was
in Dubuque la hotel one Sunday morn
ing III the winter of 1859 and 1860 [ was
at that time pastor of the Methodist Epis-
copal Church in Galena, and had gone to
Dubuque the night before on an ex-
change with the pastor of the Methodist
Episcopal Church OF that city, the Rev
Robert Laird Collier. Coming downstairs
on Sunday morning stood for few min
utes by the stove in the Office of the hotel,
where gentleman. whom l did not recog-
nize. saluted me. = hear you preach, Mr..
Vincent, every Sunday" he said " | live
in Galena, and my name is Grant,
had at one time been in correspondence
with the speakers iather concerning the
occupancy of the Coyington (Ky) pulpit;
but this Mr.. Grant, the son. had never
met. We at once entered into conyersa
soon occupied our attention. was greatly
surprised at the intelligence Of my newly
discovered parishioner He seemed to
understand and to be deeply interested in
national affairs and discussed men and
parties, perils and possibilities, with great
ease, and with remarkable sense and abil-
lty. The conversation was continued for
hall an hour or more, and | was surprised
TO lind that l had man of such force and
thoughtfulness in my congregation; for he
assured me that since his arrival in Galena
he bad regularly attended church.
As he stood by the stove that winter
morning, with mis- broad shoulders slightly
stopped, his compact head and calm but
emphatic manner | then and there COM
pared him in my thought to the familiar
picture of the great Napoleon and on my
return 10 Galena | told my wife of the dis
covery and the comparison. did not dur
ing the first interview learn nor had l
before known, that he had been in the
army.
The Mississippi river at that season was
full OF ice; and as my wife had been some
what anxious about my crossing it late on
Saturday evening, and as Mr.. Grant was to
return to Galena that morning, asked him
to call at the parsonage and relieve her
soilcltude. This service he promptly rem
dered. After that / watched carefully the
pew where my parishioner sat, and l found
him to be most helpful listener, giving
close attention to the sermon from begin
ming to end; and it was not q little hattel-
ing TO my professional pride when, four
years later, at City Point, General Grant
introduced me to President Lincoln, saw
ing, Mr.. Vincent was my pastor in Ga
lena, and do not think l missed one of
his sermons while l lived there This
apparent praise of the preacher was simply
an unconscious tribute to the conscientious
ness and reverence Of the nearer.
Galena is city set on a hill. 1t rises
from the river side, climbs the steep de-
clivity and crowns the summit. One who
travels much through its streets must
mount many steep stairways. From the
front door of my church to the front door
of the parsonage just behind il. there were
between eighty and one hundred steps 10
climb. About fifty steps more brought
Mr.. Grant to the level on which. a short
distance back from the brow of the hill, his
own house stood. We often climbed these
steps together, lingering on the frequent
and welcome landings for conversation on
the news of the day and the prospects of
the nation, What pity that one cannot
sufficiently foreknow the career of q hero
to keep record of his sayings in such
moods of frankness and enthusiasm! [
always loved to meet Mr.. Grant" the Cap
tain, as l occasionally heard him called
and more than once | saw him with the
old blue army overcoat which has gone
INTO history. did not again think of the
Napoleonic comparison instituted at the
first interview in Dubuque ! was too
much interested in the supplemented, in
telligent, friendly neighbor whom | re-
spected and loved. He lived quiet life:
was, as / understood, clerk III his fathers
81 Iol !
well in business; had been in the army,
and was an excellent man, who went TO
church and sent his children to Sunday
school. That was all I knew of him.
On the breaking out of the war, Captain
Grant presided at the first war meeting in
Galena. He soon left with a company of
men for Springfield; and on the occasion OF
their departure / was requested to deliver
the farewell addreSs-an address to which
he kindly alluded when, four years later.
he sent q message to me in Chicago, asking
me to go with him to Galena for the grand
reception which that faithful old city was
eager to give the returning chieftain The
ride from Chicago TO Galena on the day Of
the return in 1865, is memorable A special
train of elegant drawing-room cars had
been provided for the invited guests.
Every station was crowded with enthusi-
astic people to greet the great conqueror.
At Galena the demonstrations were most
hearty. The crowd was immense. There
was q touch of neighborly affection and
pride IN the expression of their welcome.
On the way the General asked me to be
his spokesman in Galena. He said Mr..
Washbune viii deliver the address of vel |
come. l want you to answer for me-
dou't want to speak myself. do not say
that cannot speak but you may say for
me that never having been accustomed to
making public addresses, l do not think it
well to begin now. Tell the people of Ga
lena how thankful ] am for their welcome,
aud tell them | shall consider Galena as
my home for the future These thoughts
he desired me to express for him. at
tempted it, but never wish again 10 repre-
sent another man on the platform. / did
the best l could, but was embarrassed at
the time, and much more embarrassed in
the remembrance of il. And it was to me
a little more than amusing to have q friend
of mine from the neighborhood, an "old
countryman," say to me in the afternoon,
as he clasped my hand heartily: Weel,
Dir. Nencen', We blatted fur the Gineral tn
day"
People have now come to know that
General Grant was an admirable conversa-
tionalist. In private, he always spoke with
ease, never hesitating for word. On the
car that day he gave me with great free
dom his opinion of the leading men OF the
times: Sherman twho was just at that
time speaking little too much for his
own good, whom General Grant ably de-
fended), Sheridan, Stanton, Rawlins, Lin
coin and others He paid tribute to Gen
eral Sherman's honesty and enthusiasm
and to General Sheridan's dash and brill
fancy OF Lincoln, among other things.
he said; 81 have learned to love him.
He is a wonderful man."
When We reached the station at Galena
the General seemed positively timid. Mrs
Grant had to urge him TO show himself to
the crowds that climbed up on the plat
form TO see him. They want to see you,
Mr.. Grant Why don't you give them
chance?n Like an obedient husband, he
drew near the end Of the car, and bowed
and blushed as any modest maiden might