The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1885-04-17
AT GRANTS BEDSIDE.
Further Scenes and Incidents
During his Illness.
The Generals Tenacious Struggle
With his Disease.

From the reports Of the New York papers
describing the varying phases of General
Grants prolonged battle with disease, we
give the following further particulars;
When General Grant awoke on Saturday
morning he told the doctors of a dream he
had He thought he was off travelling some
where afoot carrying a satchel. He thought
he was very poor, only half dressed and with
out money. This worried him good deal, al
though, as he said, | thought to myself
that ought to be used to it by this time"
lie felt himself altogether in bad predica-
ment, without money and without friends
he came to fence and got over it very
awkwardly, there being a stile one side only.
When he got over he found that he had left
the satchel on the other side and that he
could not get it unless he paid duty on every
step of the stle as he went ack. Then he
thought he would 60 back home and borrow
the money of Mrs Grant. He found she had
only Sl1, and that was not enough, and then
he was very glad to wake up.
AT 800 A. NJ. Tuesday morning, the Gener-
al, who had been sleeping quietly, walked up
and took nourishment. Almost instantly al
terward he was seized with parOxysm of
coughing, which ended in a sudden flow of
blood from the mouth The acct lent that all
along the physicians had feared had arrived.
The ravages of the disease had 50 weakened
the walls of an artery of the throat
that the strain of coughing burst it.
DR. Douglas at once saw the gravity of the
situation, aroused the family, and sent for
friends and help. The general was perfectly
calm. He composedly wiped the blood from
his lips manifesting not the slightest concern.
The flow of blood stopped of itself after a
time, and an anodyne was administered,
under the influence of which the patient was
soon fast asleep. DR.. Sands went away in "a
short time, there being no occasion for his
services, and soon after DR.. Douglas said
that the immediate dancer
DIR. Newman walked slowly down the front
stoop in the drizzing rain at q A. NJ Wednes-
day morning and went toward Madison
avenue Glow is the general this morn
ingi" he was asked, and he replied:
He is stronger than yesterday and the
great weakness has in a measure disappeared.
He is still in a critical condition and n very
sick man, but it seems miraculous that he
should have been snatched from the jaws of
death. When he was so weak he seemed to
have lost his will power and to have sunk into
state of dependency. This morning, how
ever, he appeared more like himself than he
has for several days. and his wonderful will
was again showing its supremacy The doctors
do not know what to think of the case. Such
recuperatlve power is rarely, il ever, met
with, and if it were not for the moral shock
that the general received when his troubles
began he would undoubtedly have been IN a
good condition to-day. His mind is perfectly
clear and he is inclined to be cheerful. Whcn
moments ago to bid him goodbye | found
him sitting in his easy chair close by the
bright fire. He turned his face toward me
when | entered and said in his quiet way
and reverental tone doctor, let us have
our morning family prayer" and calling his
family near him we all knelt down and
joined in thanks to God for having spared
our lives. The general closed the prayer
with an "amen" softly spoken, and lett him
then, looking happy and contented.
The night had been one of wind and rain.
and yet out in front Of the mansion there
were crowds of people, expecting every min
ute to hear that the generals wish had been
realized and that he had passed away. They
stood i'll the rain and wind, these people, and
discussed the life of the dying man, recalling
stirring scenes in which he was an actor,
and minding not one whit the rain that
beat down upon them. The raising
of the window the flicker of gas
, light in the sick chamber, were all
that was needed to set the hearts of these
people beating, and snch sight as that of a
messenger boy scurrying away, bulletin in
hand, set every one agog with excitement.
So propitious were the beatin IS of the pulse
and sanguine We're the doctors that the day
was not to see the close of General Grants
life, that Mrs. Fred Grant and Jesse Grant
went out in the morning probably for the
benefit of the formers health. Visitors said
that the constant attendance on her father
had made her thin and nervous
General RoSSer, the well known Confeder
ate cavalry leader, of South Carolina, was
admitted to the generals room at ESQ p. NJ,
and remained for twenty minutes. He
brought with him some flowers, and the eX-
preston of sympathy from many Southern
hearts that had le,n enlisted against the
Union in the war. The old general could say
little, but he was deeply moved at the atfec-
tionate regard shown by one who had been a
bitter foe in the days gone by. After General
Rosser had gone he spoke to his family of the
part that the Confederate officer had played
in the war
An express wagon brought large box of
flowers that had been sent from Philadelr hia
by Mr. G.. W. Chlds. They were invoiced at
$40, and the eXpreSsman said that a similar
box was to be delivered daily. Senator Chaf-
fee, who had spent the night at the house,
called again in the forenoon, and when he
came out he said that the general had walked
around little while he was there, and talked
readily with everybody. His face was full
and showed no evidences of sickness, but his
body was greatly emaciated.
Shortly after P. NJ, Mr.. Chaffee and q.
S. Grant Jr., came out together and walked
toward Fifth avenue. Mr.. Chaffee said that
they left General Grant resting quietly and
free from pain. At $50 Samuel l.. Clemens
Mark Twain passed up the front steps and
went into the house. Mr.. Clemens bore
message to the general from an intimate
friend He did not see the sick man. At
with the sufferer.
On Thursday, which was the twentieth an
niversary of General Lees surrender at APP
pomattox, there was great Improvement in
the patients condition, and for the first
time in two weeks he was left
during great part of this
day without any physician in attendance.
The chief incident of the day was a cable
message from Queen Victoria 1t was re-
ceived at the house late on Wednesday night,
but was not made public until Thursday af-
ternoon, because it was desired that the mes
sage and the answer should go out together.
These read as follows:
"AIx-LEs-BAISs, sth April, 1855.
MRS. GRANT, General Grant, New York:
"Ihe queen, who feels deeply for you in your
snxieties, commands me TO inquire after General
Grant. DowAGER MARCHIONEss OF ELY"
april . 1ss5.
"MARCHIoSEss OF Ely, Aix-les-Bairs
MRS. Grant thanks the queen for her sYmpa-
thy and directs me to say Gene al Grant IS no bet
Ter. FRED. ID. GRANT.
A cable dispatch was received from Lon
don, England, asking that bulletin of the
condition of General Grant at , O'Clock i'll the
evening be prepared by the doctors, in order
shat it might be cabled as speedily as possible