The Indianapolis journal., 1885-08-03

kindness for others For his bitterest personal
enemy he would try to make some excuse
When excuses were not gratihed he severed
friendly relations promptly and as quietly as the
circumstances would admit. He was very slow
to believe that any one would take advantage of
his confidence or do him a wrong.
'At Cairo, in 1861, it was reported to General
Grant that youhg officer who was stationed at
Fort Holt, across the Ohio river in Kentucky
had been culpably derelict in the dis
charge of some delicate duty. The General
was much angered, and directed Colonel Webster
to bring the officer to him in irons. Captain
Rawlins, the adiutant, said What is the use of
General Grant giving Webster such an order as
that2 IL Webster brings that man here in irons
Grant will reprimand Webster and recommend
the officer for promotion When Colonel Web
ster went to Fort Holt and discovered that the
officer had been misrepresented to General Grant,
he simply asked the officer to return with him to
the Generals quarters, and make his statement
of the case. When the officer came into the
presence of General Grant he was received with
much kindness, and when he had told his story
the General apolosized for having caused his
arrest and modification. Not long after that
the General did recommend his promotion, as
Rawins had predicted, and he found in him a
valuable officer during the war.
The Generals sympathies were always with
the private soldier and that class of officers who
have not received military education and train
ing. AT Fort DOnelson, after the surrender, a
complaint was made to him that an officer was
not digent in enforcing discipline The General
replied: He inspired them to fight at the right
time and in the right way; that is the kind Of
discipline we want
From Cairo to Appomatox he took the chances
of war in every form fairly and sQuarely. He
did not ask others to take risks that he was not
willing to take himself. He had the faith which
prompted him to say: When the head of my
army is whipped, the whole body is gone He
meant by that that he had confidence in the
courage and persistency of his whole command
don't think that General Grant ever had any
one about him that he did not have confidence
in. That applies to staff officers. clerks,
sentry guards and visitors. He only
was suspicious of the movements of the
enemy, and in that rarely betrayed
his suspicion in any other way than by his
orders. His staff of officers had his full conf
dence in the lines in which their official duties
were required to be performed. 10 some he
gave character Of confidence not necessary to
be given to others, and not withheld from dis.
trust, but because it had no relation to ofhclal
duties, and might not be interesting otherwise.
II never saw General Grant whisper or speak
in low tones, as if he unwilling that all
present might not hear. OF all men l ever
knew he was the one that knew what to say and
what to leave iGsaid lie told what ne wan1ed
you to know and it Vas useles to try to gain
further information from him by questlons lie
Joined freely with his staff ofhcers af76a-ssucn-
others as might be about his headquarters, in
conversation, and always added to the interest
of the occasion never knew him to speak
ing staff officers, wherever they may be, Will
have no more pleasant remembrance OF him than
of his polite language and genial manner to
them.
General Grant was specially thoughtful
about his staff before he left the army to enter
the presidential office. In December, 1868,
was invited by him to go in his special car to
Chicago to the grand reunion OF all the armies
Shortly after leaving Baltimore, he sat down
beside me and entered into conversation about
the future Of those who had been personally
identified with him during the war. He told
me the various Offices he had thought of for
such of the gentlemen as We're, or would be, out
of the army at the time of his Inauguration,
and then asked me if there was any office had
thought would like to have. l answered him
that had not, because was doing as well, II
not better in the business l was then engaged
than would in any Office he would be justified
IN giving me- He mentioned three for four
positions he had thought of rendering me. l told
him that could not possibly enter upon the
duties of any office before specified time, be-
cause of the business arrangements | was then
bound by. Nothing more was said to me on the
subject. At the time the business engagements
of which had spoken closed he, without any
animation to me whatever, sent my name to the
Senate for confirmation to an office he had not
before alluded to, and gave as reason for 1T
that that Office required disbursement of $780,
600 600 year, aud that he wanted an officer in
it who would see that it was properly disbursed.
The compliment was more valuable than the
Office.
While General Grant was last in Washing
ton, received letter from friend who had
some surplus money which he proposed to invest
in timber lands along proposed line of railway
in Mexico of which General Grant was presi-
dent He asked me to see the General on the
subject and if the General made favorable re-
port or expressed favorable opinion of the in
vestment he would 60 to the office in New York
and make arrangements to invest. When l
called with the letter, the General and Mrs.
Grant were out driving sat down and wrote
a note to the General stating who my CORE
spondent was, and the desire l had that he
should have accurate information, also nclosing
the letter Of my friend. | have here in my pock-
ct, think, his letter in reply, and it has more
of the true character of General Grant in it for
truth, integrity and fair dealing than You will
easily find elsewhere He never Intentionally
misled any man, unless it was his military ad-
versaries, and when he captured one of these he
treated him with unbounded magnanimity. Yes.
here is the letter and autograph all through, and
perfect photograph of the character OF the
man now:
1.-THE ARLINGTON, April 8, 1884
Dear Colonel-I am sorry l out when you
called. l return Mr.. --'s letter. OF course if he
should call would see him; but go to New York
Saturday, where it would be more convenient, prob
ably, for him. 1t is well to say however, that the
Mexican road with which name is connected is not
commenced nor is it likely to be | have
been that portion of the road along which abund
of valuable cabinet and dye woods said to
exist The information | could give, therefore would
not justify visit to that country for the purpose of
locating timber lands, much less investing in them.
"'Very truly yours, u. S. GRANT.
ITO Col. A. II. Markland.'
'Less than one month after this letter was
written General Grant was financially ruined by
the failure of the bank. His heart was broken,
and he made rapid steps to the grave, because Of
the treachery OF one to whom he had given his
confidence"