Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-01
GRANTIANA.
Personal Characteristics OF the Great
General-SOme Interesting Reminis-
cenceS.

0raht ana Coi MARYLAND, OF this city, rom the
time they were boys together at the same school
until the death of the former, q representative
OF THE STAR who met Col. NJ with others at the
residence of q mutual friend the other evening.
LOOK advantage Of the opportunity to ask him
1or some light upon point about which doubts
were entertained. After the desired infOrma-
tlon mad been furnished the conversation which
followed between those present became rather
general In its character, but still with General
Grant as the central figure, and during its
course COL MARYLAND related many interesting
incidents which came under his observation,
ana described several of the dead hero's per-
sonal Observation-Disclosures of which have not
before been made public. The conversation
never assumed the form Of an interview, but
times, nor the order Of sequence preserved, care
has been taken to give the exact substance in
each case.
AS A sCHooLBOY.
He was my school mate and play fellow in
bOyhoOd days, said Col MARYLAND. At school
he was quiet, studious boy. rarely on the
playground during recess but then engaged in
study. He was exceedingly kind in prompting
those of his classmates who were q little negli-
gent and behind in their rotations. He was
tempered gentle and seneroDs He ' was menu nss
Der of the Philomathean society, to which be.
longed, and he was a good debater at that time
that society, he displayed many of the traits
which were prominentin him in after life.
GENERAL GRANTS CONSIDERATION FOR OTHERS
1t was not in General Grants nature to give
personal offense by word or act, unless he felt
that his kind feelings and good name had been
willingly trit1ed with, and then he did not hest
tate to resent such trifling In firm and unmis-
takeable way. He was never bOiSterOus in
words, but very decided in word and act
Tho ~.
character was kindness for others. For his Bit
terest personal enemy he would try to make
some excuse. When excuses were not gratifled
he severed friendly relations promptly and as
was very slow to believe that any one would
take advantage of his confidence or do him a
wrong.
AT Cairo, in 1861, it was reported to General
Grant that young officer, who was stationed
at Fort Holt, across the Ohio river, in Ken
lucky, had been culpably derelict in the dis
charge of some delicate duty: The General was
to bring the officer to him in irons.
Capt Rawlins, the adjutant, said what is the
use OF General Grant giving Webster such an
here in irons, Grant will reprimand Webster
and recommend the officer for promotion"
covered that the officer had been n1isrepre-
sented to General Grant, he simply asked the
officer to return with him to the Generals quar-
tCio anu Iudhc Ills statement Vi the case. W men
the officer came into the presence of General
Grant he was received with much kindness,
and when he had told his story the General
modification. Not long after that the General
did recommend his promotion, as Rawlins had
predicted, and he found In him q valuable off,
Ger during the war.
HIS REGARD FOR SUBORDINATES,
The Generals sympathies were always with
the private soldier and that class OF officers who
had not received a military educatio-i and
training. At Fort Donelson, after the surren-
der, a complaint was made to him that an off,
Ger was not diligent in enforcing discipline
The General replied: HE inspired them to fight
at the right time and in the right way; that is
the Kind Of discipline We want"
-
At the same time a German officer who COM
manded battery Of fine new guns came and
reported to the General that his battery had
been captured. The General asked him If he
spiked the guns before they were captured. The
oIncer astounded tine General by exclaiming:
Nv hat! Spike those good guns? MY God! No.
The General smiled and said: II am satisfied
that the captain fought his guns to the last, and
would have taken care of them as public prop
erty, II for no other reason
HIS MAGNANIMITY.
On the day of the surrender of Donelson q
newspaper reporter called at the quarters O
General Grant and introduced himself giving
WIN ihO va luC paper TIC represented. General
Grant said to him: eyes, don't think your
paper has ever said kind word of me- and has
never failed to abuse me; but that makes no
difference. will have to be abused n GOOD deal
before they find out what kind of u man am.
My confidence is in the soldiers and not in the
newspapers. We will have something 10 eat
after awhile; stay and get dinner with us"
When President Grant was about to appoint n
prominent gentleman to the position of Com.
missioner of the District of Columbia, his at
tention was called to the fact that the entle-
man in question mad sighted him when In his
poverty and want OF employment, and had as
sailed his private character in the darkest pc
ROD OF his command during the war. General
Grant replied: "He was mistaken them and
he knows his mistake now. He has Qualities
that Mt him for the place, and am going toiap-
point him." and he did appoint him.
HIS IDEA OF WAR.
When first met General Grant at Cairo T
had gone out from this city, and he was much
interested in knowing the feeling here as to a
vigorous prosecution of the war or a hope of
some kind of a compromise. He said: 81 see by
reviews and that sort OF thing. l think that is
a mistake. compromise at this stage is i'm.
possible: 1t will have to be fought out, and
intend 10 make 1t as hot as can, SO that it
won't last long"
HIS PERSONAL COURAGE.
General Grant was absolutely fearless He
--~ - civil Al AIo JuuSIl0ut anu luck.
He and his staff viewed the naval fight at Fort
Henry from the decks of a small tug boat.
which was moro nearly in the range of the
guns OF the fort than were the irOnclads and
gunboats. Gen'l Tilghman told me after the
surrender that If he had known that General
Grant was Oh that tug during the fight he would
have blown 1t out of water, and deprived the
Yankees of one of the best men they had.
s*&
The soldiers of the south who had been in the
Mexican war knew Grants value as fighter.
When he left COrinth for Grand junction and
jackson he went on platform car wholly nm.
protected, and passed through sectton of coun.
try infested by guerrillas
~
The non-combatants who visited his head.
quarters, and who We're proud to ride around
the lines with him, will remember that they
never wanted to go with him but once. He al.
ways managed, some how or other, to get under
lire.
From Cairo to Appomattox he took the
chances of war, in every form, fairly and
squarely. He did not ask others to take risks
that he was not willing to take himself He
nag the faith which prompted him to say:
whole body Is gone" He meant by that that he
had confidence in the courage and persistency
OF his whole command.
HIS TRUST IN OTHERS,