National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-07-28
STORIES ABOUT GRANT.
RELATED BY FORMER COMRADES OF THE
GREAT UNION COMMANDER.


Gen. Grants death n score Of soldiers
and politicians gathered in welLknown
club, and listener heard remarkable
series of anecdotes of their former com.
mander.
al was in Galena," said one, in 1860
and 1861. Several times tried to talk
with Grant abodt politics and the inn
pending war, but IL was no use. Il don't
know anything about such things he
would say, and / don't want TO know
anything about them. Tanning leather
is my business now II was this dsn.
clination to talk that made him failure
as clerk in his brothers store. You
know the prime qualification of a country
storekeeper, especially out west, is to
talk politics with the customers
"How did Grant get appointed TO West
Point 2" some one asked.
"Through his mothers influence.
Grants father, you know, was politi-
clan, and had had serious falling out
with the congressman for that district.
SO, when O vacancy at West Point &C.
Cured, the old man wouldn't go TO the
congressman and ask him TO appoint
Ulysses. But Grants mother was wo-
man of great tact and influence, and she
was still on good terms with the congress-
mans wife. So she went TO see her, and
got her TO persuade her husband to ap-
point young Grant. II didn't require
much persuasion either, for the congress
man was very anxious to please old Grant
and get in his good graces again, and this
appointment brought about reconcilia-
ton between the two men,"
eat Vicksburg." said soldier, "when
Joe Johnston was advancing to raise the
siege and Sherman set out to meet him,
Grant wrote to Sherman 'Vicksburg
seems TO put great deal Of faith in the
Lord and Joe Johnston; but you must
whip Johnston and drive him away, and
/ will attend to the rest / don't sup
pose he exactly meant that he would
serve the Lord as he wanted Sherman TO
treat Johnston"
81 once asked Grant," said promi-
nent Washington man, 'if 1t was true
that the government supported him in
his campaigns more cordially than 1t did
any of his predecessors in command of
the army of the Potomac. Il dom tknow,'
he said perhaps 1t did. But l know
there were strong influences and com
binations of influences working against me
all the time, both at Washington and in the
army in the field. l never could find
out the origin and extent Of 1t, and 1t
hampered and troubled me great deal.
/ don't know but that IL would have dis
couraged me altogether il it hadn't been
that l knew Lincoln trusted me fully. 1t
was that that cheered me and kept me
up
est is remarkable" said another, chat
Il 30 in
His desire always was for q sudden exit
from the world. He used to speak OF
Garfeld's death, and hope such never
would be his lot. 1t must have been
terrible he would say. for poor Garfield
to lie there, day after day, and see death
coming remorselessly nearer and nearer,
and know there was no escape. His mental
torments must have been awful. / would
q thousand times prefer sudden, even
instantaneous death to such as that.
In fact, why should q man who is
ready to die fear sudden deathT And
vet Grants own end came in lingering,
agonizing form"
During the last weeks of his illness
o friend called on Gen. Grant and began
talking about horses, q favorite subject
with the general.
General" he said, ~ like to sit be-
hind one of those horses that just doubles
up, with his tail flying sraight behind when
lam holding the reins tightly, and going
about $3.50"
"Thats i'll That's i'll" cried the general,
and his eyes glistened and twinkled. AL
though very weak, he smiled and said
again: "That's the way. But" he added
with sigh, 'I'll never be able to do that
any more"
From early last winter, when the first
severe weather set in, the general has be-
lieved that he could not recover. DR..
Douglas said to him one day: Suppose,
general you should get we'll Suppose
in two months you could go out of this
room we'll mann"
Suppose !" replied the general, as
if soliloquizing. Accusing himself, he
added:
II would do many things over again.
1 would correct many things. And 1
would trumpet the praises of my doctors
the world over"
The general. during his illness, did not
talk of his war experiences so much as
of other things. A friend asked him
while he sat in his easy chair, General,
is it true that you were arrested in Wash
ington for fast drivingp"
eyes," he answered, laughing at the
same time, ~ bought this horse Butcher
Boy from Washington butcher. The
butcher made me pay him 1875, although
he had paid only $125 few days be-
fore. Somebody had told him that when
l saw horse liked would buy him.
Well, was driving pretty fast. knew
the policemen were Watching me, but I
didn't bother with them, for wanted to
see what the old horse would do. was
arrested, paid $40 fine, and drove slowly
back to the white house."
"But let me tell you," he continued
with animation, "about the time I was
at Long Branch. A gentleman said he
had an 80, 600 horse, and If l wanted to
drive him was welcome to do 30. So
one day had him hitched up and
started out. As l was going along
caught up with an old farmer, who was
driving an old plug in front Of top
buggy. The wind was blowing against
him, too. Well, he just said 'g'lang,
and never saw so much dust fly in my
life. Said to myself, Grant, here you
are sitting behind an $4,000 horse and
let an old fellow like that beat YOU
mo! MOI said I. shook the reins over
my steed, but, though he let himself out,
1 could not catch the farmer. l was
covered with dust from head to foot and
was q sad sight"
"Did the old farmer know your" in
quired the friend.
"Well, l didn't think he did; but hold
on minute. caught almost up to him.
The old fellow looked out of one side OF
his wagon, and remarked:
"'General, how do you like the dust
think it's about time for rain
"Well, Just clenched my teeth and
said to myself If this horse is worth