The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-06-18
GEN. GRANT AND 4 CHILD

GEN. GRANT AND 4 CHILD
49, +
4 Surgeons "Reminiscences Of t1s Days q
Appomattox.
AT the surrender of Lee," said
surgeon Of Erie, in the hearing Of q re-
porter a day or two ago, IT was serving
as medical director of the Second Divi-
sion of the Twenty fifth Army Corps.
After the surrender the division IVES
ordered to join the balance of the CORPS
near Petersburg, and we left Appomat-
tox Court House on the 18th Of April,
following the south side railroad. The
general commanding directed me to
take an orderly and proceed to Prospect
station and there select camping
ground for the division and also a.place
to pitch our headquarters tents. pro-
ceeded. as directed, and after select+
ing q suitable, camping ground
crossed the fields to a large white
house near the station. As I rode up to
the gate a most venerable and noble
looking gentleman, of probably IS
years, came to the front gate, and l
asked him if he would have any objec-
ton to our pitching headquarters in his
yard. He said: L should be very
glad to have you do 1t, as 1t will be
protection against the vandalism of the
stragglers of the army He asked me
to come in, but I told him would pre-
fer to sit in the verantla. Finding him
to be Methodist minister and most
polished gentleman, became interest
ed in him and we. at once began to dis
cuss the unfortunate division of the
Church in 1874, and then 1 switched off
on to war.
"He took the extreme Southern view,
whilst [ took as extreme view of the
other side, but the discussion was friend
ly and exceedingly pleasant to me. I
found he really felt that the South had
been badly treated in the election of
Lincoln and that secession was in his
view an act of self-preservation. After
the discussion had continued for about
an hour he said: L take it that the war
is now over, SO what will your govern
ment do with General Lee?' and added,
L suppose Mr.. Lincoln will follow him
with all the vindictiveness of his nature"
II replied: If he gets no punish
ment only that which originates from
the vindictiveness of Mr.. Lincoln's
nature, it will not kill him. as Mr.. Lin
coin is one of the kindest- hearted men
born into this world He gave me a
look full of skepticism, and asked me
what meant. told him that there was
much more danger of Mr. Lincoln offend
ing the North by his leniency than
to punish out of revenge, and then
told HIM who and what Mr.. Lincoln
was, dwelling especially on the merciful
side of his nature. He replied: If
that is Mr.. Lincoln, the President of
the United States, he is not the Lin
coin described to us by our papers.
He is not the man of whom we have
heard, and of whom we have read. The
Lincoln described to us is man of
blood, and full of venom, WHO cares
neither for the lives nor for the rights
of the people, and from whom we have
no mercy to expect. This is the demon
whom our people have been fighting
these four years. After thus delivering
himself he said in s1lbdued tone: If
you have properly described MI. Lin
coin to me then have been most shame
fully deceived and have as shamefullv
misjudged him, butt said he, L was just
as badly deceived in my view Of General
Grant
II asked him if he had ever seen
Grant. Yes said he, my house was
full of your generals last night. There
were Sheridan, Humphreys, Meade,
Custer, Ord and quite number of
others, and they were lively set and
full of fun, and all were quite jolly with
the exception of one officer whom
noticed sitting in corner smoking and
taking but little part in the sports in
which the rest were engaged. They all
went out of the house but this solitary,
silent man, and as was going out he
asked me where the pump was, as
he would like to get a drink. On
offering to get him some water.
he said: No, sir, I am younger
than you, will 60 myself and as l
passed out he came up behind me.
When in about the middle of the hall
this little grand daughter came running
towards me, but the silent man, spread
ing out both arms, caught her. took her
up and fairly smothered her with kisses,
saying: This reminds me of my little
girl at home and makes me homesick.'
To the question where is Jour home
he replied: 'Galena, ILL.,, but 1 have
my family at City Point and am anxious
70 get back to them 1 said, will you
permit me to ask your name, sir . Ger
tainly; my name is Grant Grant,
exclaimed I. General Grant. and I
stood there awestricken and paralyzed
with astonishment, whilst my heart
went out after this man. thought to
myself, here is a man whose name is
now in the mouth of man, woman and
child throughout the civilized world
and yet withall he exhibits on emotion
and seems unconcerned and unmoved
until the little child reminds him of his
loved ones at home. and fairly broke
down, as General Grant had been pict-
ured out to us as a bloody butcher, and
had looked for a man looking as saw
age as Comanche Indian. To say
was agreeably disappointed when I saw
Grant express my feelings but feebly,
and now y on give me another surprise
by your description Of Mr.. Lincoln
Just here saw the head of the division
advancing, and bale him good evening""
A Big Meteor IN California.
The Chico (Cal.) Chronicle contains
the following account of great meteor
that recently fell in that vincinity. It