The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-05-22
Grant as q Smnker

i Nv tohNOl VI lilt lUTOIl winch Is
slowly but surely eating away the life
of Gen. Grant, has by some medical
authorities been attributed to the in
veterate smoking for which the hero
of AppomattoX is noted. Others again
ridicule the theory. The subject is
one that has received considerable dis
cussion in the medical journals.
In the popular Imagination Gen.
Grant has always been associated with
cigar. He has been called the great
est smoker in the world. 1t is mark
ed popularity of the man. When st
The Hague. on his tour around the
world, at the dinner rendered in honor
by the Dutch King, cigars were either
omitted In the menu, or perhaps it
was thought discourteous to smoke in
the presence of royalty. When Gen
Grant was, therefore, observed to take
a cigar from his pocket and complac-
entity light tin the presence of the
King, there was murmur of surprise.
But, then, sit was said, she is a
great mana very great man." In
the simplicity of the Dutch Court it was
thought probably that none but the
very great would dare to smoke on
such an occasion. 1t is generally be-
lieved that Gen. Grant has been an in
cessant smoker ever since his boyhood.
1t may be news to many to learn that
it is only since the famous battle of
Shiloh that the General became so fond
of the weed. A Commercial Gazette
reporter, in conversation with an in
innate Cincinnati friend of Grant, was
told the story of the ''cgar.'
The General, in speaking to his Gin
cinnati friend of the popular idea that
he was lifelong smoker, said tina
prior to the battle of Shiloh he rarely
very rarely-smoked; that only once
in a great while did he "take q
smoke" and that it had never been a |
habit, much less a pleasure. At the
battle of Shiloh he Glanced to smoke a |
cigar, while riding over the field, and
the newspaper correspondents, seizing
upon the incident, described it graphi-
cally in their accounts of the battle to
the papers in the North. The idea of
a victorious commander of great
army, in the midst of frightful scenes
of carnage and destruction, surround
ed by the dangers of battle, with
life hanging on the result,
looking on calmly and serenely-com-
smoking cigar-when most
men would be overcome with excite
ment, if net nervousness, was some
thing that appealed irresistibly to
popular admiration. Here was man
who was not to be frightened by the
hangers of war; who knew that in war
The mass of men are almost frantic
Of hot thof I. |
md destruction; that this was the bust
ness of war; and the GOODNESS of his
mind seemed to say: ''Tho only way
o do is to strike blow upon blow, and
hus crush the rebellion. !"
1t was not the idea of butcher, but
he idea of war, and the mistake of the
Army of the Potomac was in net recog-
lizing it and failing to follow up a
ictory, or '.leaving its work only half
as Gen. Grant expresses it,
or fear that there would be greater
osses.
Grants admirers and friends, read
1g the accounts of the battle, suppos-
d him to be great smoker, and al
lost deluged him with cigars. Every
xpress brought boxes of cigars as
resents from his Northern friends.
IS the General said, There were al
-ays two or three boxes on the table
| my tent or headquarters free for the
SO of my staff and visitors. Having
lem always at hand, it was but natu-
al that should every little while take !
fresh cigar, and in that way the Z
abit grew upon me so that it became
and the people no doubt !
re right in calling me an inveterate !
noker. y Cincinnati Commercial Ga J
tie.