The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1885-08-13
Testimonial To General
Grant.
From John HamSen, 5Sih
VI.

| ETO" 9Okbu 4hAuScu, Oot
q v.
, To the Editor Of the Heocking Sentinel:
Not having had an opportunity
to publicly identify myself witt
tho memorial services of the day
will yen Please give place IN you
columns for the following:
Gen. Grants body has reachet
it's resting place in riverside Parl
on the banks of the Hudson, IN th'
great American city.
The parade and demonstration o
hundred thousand cities. village
and county gatherings, are subsid
ing. The booming Of cannon, the
tolling of bells, the sounding of the
bugle are hushed and solemn and
awful silence, a deep and almost
impenetrabIe gloom has settled
around and over us, and we nov
more fully than heretofore realize
that there has gone from us, never
to return, the greatest man Ameri-
ca and perhaps the world has svel
produced.
How strange it is that the man
who accomplished so much, knew
so much, lived so far in advance of
his time, whose voice attracted the
attention of the world, whose pres
ence inspired at once in the mind
of friend and foe, American and
foreigner an admiration akin to de-
votion, should in one brief moment
be stricken from our midst.
We hesitate. we falter, we wonder
what it is, and where the power is
that can thus transform such great
ness. such power. such attractions
into nero clay like the pottcr's YES
sci! The answer comes back to us
in thurdcring tones "'Tls God,
tho wiser than the wise, the greater
han the great. the better than the
best.' and we must bow our heads
IN humble submission
Many great men have lived in
the world, but seldom, if ever, have
we been permitted to see such great
ness of mind combined with such
goodness of heart, a devoted hus-
band, an affectionate father. The
wife Of his youth, who toiled with
him in adversity was remembered
by him in prosperity. His greatest
enemy h:s never dared malign him
for want of devotion to family and
friends or to say he prosecuted his
enemies
The funeral procession of to day
is not only the largest but the most
magnanamnus ever recored in his
tory. The spectacle of tho Confed
crate General. who surrendered to
him lest than quarter of q century
ago, when malice and strife, love of
house and home institutions, ambi-
tious for victory and fame and all
the passions of the human head aud
heart were arrayed against him.
riding side by side with his subor-
dlnates-Generals, Senators. and
Governors from the North and
from the South vie'ng with each
other who shall pay him the greater
honor, the military organizations
from all parts of the land fastening
to the spot where his remains are TO
rest. The thousands of organize
tiens. military. maratime. religious
and civil composed as they are of
representatives of all nations and
tnngues. of all classes and colors.
the richest man and the humblest
peasant, the giant mind and cultnr-
ed intellect side by side with The un-
fortunate and uncultured, who on
ly knows that Grant is dead, pictur-
es to us scene superior and more
lasting in memory than the burial
of Bonsparte on his return from St.
Helena. or Of Cromwell aftor lying
in state at Whitehall.
1t was the esteemed privilege of
your writer to first see the great
commander just before fame was
perched upon hrs brow, on the IA
day of February, 1862, IN the woods
near Fl. Donelson. The first COM
mand from a General to us was from
his lips: "The 58rh Ohio will form
in limo in the Nashville road and
support Taylor's Battery" A few
minutes later and the 58th Ohio,
who we're less than ten days from
their quiet homes in the North.
were in the midst of a raging, surg
ing battle. Thanks to the bravery
and skill of Colonel Rempcl that
many more of us were not left there.
Well do I remember on Sunday
morning otter our regiment had en-
tered the fort of seeing General
Buckner with bowed head and
a downcast and forlorn look as he
marched from his headduarters to
the boat that was to carry him
North as a prisoner of war. Te
day he is demonstrating his superi.
or culture. his generous spirit, his
loyalty to the right, as one of the
pail bearers to the nations dead
lander.
At Shilo, Fort Wagner, Arkan-
sas Post. and Vicksburs General
Grant was with us and led us to
victory. but | can net speak of all |
or even few of tho many Incl
dents of his life which came under
my observation.
That the son of a tanner, poor
and unpretending. should at the
end Of four years war stand at
The head of our armies, crowned
by popular acclamation our great
est soldier, is a satisfactory an
swer TO criticism and a sufficient
vindication of greatness. We
may reason on the mans career.
We may show that in few pla-
;es only has heshown mark'd abil-
ity. We may augment his mis-
takes, we may swell the praise
of his subor.linates, but at last
MS career stands, wonderful, un-
worthy of the study of
Ill men.
Before l close l must express
4 sad regret that the many COM
rades in arms and among them
personal friends of Gen. Grant,