Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-09
npANr RRsIGNnD IN 80.
..,aieting AooOunts-Gen. Tombs his
Uo1. the cause was OVerindulgenee'
DO" s-., the Veqg York Sun.

csu Grant left the regular army lor
50! az, in the summer of 1894 has lately
c'I lived by the discussion OF the
e5D srstement attributed to Robert
s'- ot Georgia. The subject has al
JUN nssr involved In some obscurity by
way bIishad accounts of GRANTS resig-
l' ~ The commonly received story is
lA,g bad become tired Of the monotony
no. ,raar which in time of peace offered
o.VrI4t for energy and no prospect for
pOS 9,.i,. still Grant had only the year
So --.-. baen advanced a grade by promo
's''' beId the rank OF Captain in the
i!ll' .ts Ir-antry, which rank at that time
folt;sIj win ii comfortable income,
ea consid station, and often much re-
muou.ofIftv. he had reached it ten
aft4r graduation from West Point,
Il !e"tS- H. promotion had not been slow:
~ 10 10 ~asigning he went upon little
Il %n nnjlding himself log cabin there,
i9' IHovino hard work to make both ends
gnu at 50 that apparently ne gave up good
IL and pay and a life POSITION, with the
a-nnnulaied fruits of military educa-
'ion and long military EXPERIENCE, for
sosnerial prospects in civil life.
4 can Robert Toombs, in the interview
.oortsd ONE weeks ago, attributed this
Ian IN Grants having been cOurt-mar-
\ s.'edad for an alleged deficit in his ac-
INT ss regimental Quartermaster, re-
o'}itIno from MS having "paid out toe
much money to his brother officers" 1t
nro1id aDpear from the interview that this
n 5o6ci- was brought up as an argument
agsirst the confirmation by the Senate OF
Grsn.s promotion to a Captalncy, ana
4 tbsra sort Of compromise was arranged
n Nv which Grant was to resign from the
o!mv on receiving his commission, as he
accordingly did. This, at least, is the
n'o.t Ineligible Interpretation to be put
an Cen. To0mbs' alleged language. The
ottaok thus made against Grants early
seryirp in the army has brought out, and
il still bringing out, energetic replies
N from various officers, who apparently
4 know the facts more exactly than Gen.
n To5mhs One of these, in letter to the
i,nv and NGrV Journal recently said
d that although he served with Grant on
\ the Pacific coast, he had "never heard the
4 ouestlon OF accounts given as reason
n hr Grants resignation" and added these
& words:
n 1--WE Young officers at that time on the
4 Pacific coast never had any other feeling
tor Grant than love, esteem, and a SYM
n pstpy for the weakness which at that
4 time necessitated his leaving service in
n consequence Of the action Of his COM
a handing officer, Mai. George Wright, of
tine Fourth Infantry, commanding at that
N time duly 81, 1851, his regiment, l
& think, as well as his post up in Oregon.
a Grant was not so magnauimous as to
n show no dislike for Gen. Wright after
ward, but showed a considerable amount
Fl Of human nature when he got the
Fl chance
In the current number of the same pa
81 per Col Granville 0. Halter gives an ac-
count OF the transaction on which Gen.
l00mbs' distorted story Is apparently
A Funded. The loss of money by Lieut..
Grant mad really occurred years before, at
n Iacubaya, five miles from the city Of
y Mexico, during the armistice between
. Gems. Scott and Santa Anna. Lieut..
h Grant was Regimental Quartermaster
II and acting Commissary, and this, accord
q ag to Col. Haller, who was then Of the
n Fourth Infantry, is what occurred.
The company officers were Quartered
n as near as possible TO their respective
81 companies, and, not having sufficient
quarters for all of the regiment in the SC
0iniug houses, Lieut.. Grant took an iso-'
lated building in rear OF, and perhaps 100
yards from, the quarters Of the rest OF the
4 regiment. He was necessarily absent at
times from his office and quarters. On
one occasion returning to his Office he
n found his chest removed, which con-
tanned his moneys and other articles of
value. de gave tn alarm, and, on search
ing, she chest was found in an open field,
robbed Of everything OF value.
The funds, if l recollect correctly,
consisted principally, if not wholly, of the
savings from baking flour for the regi-
ment into bread, and affected the regimen
afA f.rr,r 10,
1ls private money excepted lost at that
time, do not and cannot recall the fact.
Lieut. Grant asked for a Board Of Survey.
which was ordered to convene and inves-
ugate the loss reported. After q careful
examination into all the facts connected
with this robbery, the board exonerated
Lieut. Grant from any laches.
" was then an officer of the Fourth In
iantry, and member Of the board then
oTdered.V
Meanwhile the Arn1y and Nam Journal
lid investigated the records in the Adju-
'anl Generals Office to see il there was
any basis for the charge made by Gen.
I0om0s, and reached this conclusion:
These records give no indication that
zen Grant was ever guilty Of the Offenses
charged against him on the authority of
lOomDs. II he had been ever court mar
Hslled returns would certainly show that
re nad been placed under arrest, which is
not tae TACT. Aside from this negative
testimony we have positive proof in the
recollection of officers associated with
Capt. Grant at the time he resigned from
lae Fourth Infantry. On their authority
we state thet he never was court mar
laiied on the Pacific coast or anywhere
use ana that the exact circumstances
these:
capt. Grant resigned July 81, 1854,
non Fort Humboldt, and not from Van
Vouter Barracks, as has been generally
stated. The circumstances Of his resIg-
IaHon were not such as to reflect upon
MS character as an officer or as q man,
w, S-' le nad been guilty Of an indiscretion
wy common in the army at all times and
uole common then than now. His COM
aAl1lng officer thought proper 10 eXer-
glse ms authority TO compel a resignation,
.IyIgn II Grant had stood a court mar
s va. us would not have lost his commits
sOl, TOT he was not on duty at the time
y. AS oVerindulgence Ia liquor, and his
Ptnit 'lment, il any, must have been
Inv Inv one. SO Tar as the official record
oes, more e nothing in Grants career az
~n once p fNnl hrst 20 last, chat reflects
l0u Alm ln the slightest degree. Those
-o We're associated with him as an Off
ei 1ne Fourth Infantry remember him
9ue on the best officers in the service,
auu laeir esteem and affection for him
"a n. a