The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-08-12
GRANT nEaIINIscENcEs.

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GRANT "REMINISCENCES.
An Old PhiiadelphIan's Reeollections About
the Dead Hero.
Phtlaaelphia Pres.
There Is an old gentleman in Philadel.
phia who knew Grant and Of whom the
latter was very fond. He Is Joseph Pat
terson, Of 90 South Seventeenth street.
He VAS the first man sent out by the
United States Christian Commission and
followed the army from the beginning to
the close OF the war.
~ never asked General Grant for q
thing to help on our cause that he did
not give it to me at once" he said, 'and
almost always when we met he asked
how the work Of the commission was get
ting on. Did ever hear. him swear? No,
indeed, nor never saw him under the
effects ofliquor. At City Point one day
he was joking me about giving out so
many catechisms, and I told him l did It
because, next TO the Bible, they were best
for the soldiers.
"'Yes,"h he said, that's right i remem-
Der how my mother used TO teach me the
catechism, and how disappointed she was
when / forgot the answers.'
"He was very kind.hearted," Mr. Pat.
terson went on. zone day at City Point,
no saw soldier whipping a horse that
couldn't pull a load out OF q rut. He went
up aud put his shoulder 10 the wheel, and
helped push the cart out. Then he said
to the man:
".If you would assist your horse, in
stead Of beating him, you would get along
better
"fWho ara your asked the soldier, as
Grant turned away.
"If you'll come over there you'll End
out" lie replied, pointing to headquarters.
That man Was scared nearly out Of his
wits when be found out whom he had
been talking 10.
Just before General Grant left City
Point to meet General Lee and arrange
the terms Of surrender some one asked
him.:
"Haye you confidence in General Lee?
Do YOU think you can trust him?"
GHOST certainly I do" was the emphatic
reply. ale is too honorable a man to
break his word"
GRANTS DRINK BEFORE NlCksUVku.s
General Grants personal habits in the
use Of liqnor have been matter OF end
less ASSERTION and contradiction chiefly
because he was o man OF sober life, who
sometimes used whisky freely, and with
such men a single witness who has seen a
drink taken Will color the gossip Of ado
catie with some story which Is u concretion
of ialsehood about single grain OF truth.
General Rawlins early saw that safety in
the trials, temptations and exposures Of
camp life lay in total abstinence, and
while he controlled the headquarters mess
the only liquor permitted in the head
quarters stores was in the stall surgeons
chest, aud precious little OF that. lathe
campaigning, which stretched from Shiloh
on, General Rswlins was relentless on
any evasion OF this rule. An officer on
General Thomas staff tells a story OF a
visit 10 General Grants headquarters in
the field during the Vicssbarg campaign,
where he was made at home in the head.
quarters mess. itwasa Mississippi June,
not and dusty, aud he was surrounded by
old West Point iriends; but first the alter
noon, supper, and then the evening wore
away without word or sign OF show as
they used to say in the Seventh Cavalry.
At last he ventured on suggestion, q
timid, hating remark, to the surgeon
on headquarters staff, who, in q whimper,
explained that General Rawlins vas
death ON liquor, but that towards taps
the surgeons shelter tent might hold
something. An hour later found the OIL
Ger and the surgeon sitting on each side OF
cracker box which carried lineup, a
goblet and bottle-the one in headqnar-
ters. There was a gurgling sound, the
aroma OF old rye was on the air and out:
side came etsp-the two men looked
guilty at each other; the flap Of tho shell
ter-tcnt moved-the lips OF tho surgeon
shaped the words: "It's Rawlins, land
the flap flew back and Grant himself
stepped half in, reached out without q
word, seized the goblet, emptied it, and
retired as silently. swell, we are dished,"
was the comment OF the surgeon, but
breakfast found the General commanding,
silent and imperturbable and the head.
quarters men still dry. Years afterward,
The officer and General Grant were in the
smoker OF Pullman together. The lat:
ter dropped his cigar straight down, alter
a fashion he had, and asked abruptly:
IDo YOU remember that drink on the Big
Black Riyer?h Perfectly" said the
officer. with alacrity. ~ don't think /
ever wanted drink 80 much before or
SINCE" was General Grants solitary com
ment.
Just before the General sailed from this
port on the steamship Indiana on his tour
around the world, the Quaker City Yacht
Club offered to net as an escort to the yes.
sci. This autographed letter was written
Pa1LApK1pntA, Pa, May IL, 1877.
caqs. A,stin, Commander Quaker City Yacht
SIR: The tender Of the Quaker City
Yacht Club, rs an escort on my departure
from this city on the 17th inst Is highly
appreciated by me and accepted with
great pleasure and with many thanks to
Tue club for courtesy. 1 have the honor
TO be, with great respect, yonrs,
now THR FAMOUS MANS FATHER LIVED.
ain the summer OF 1872, while in Gin
cinnati on business" said a friend OF the
Generals, II strolled across the suspen-
sion bridge over to Covington, and, coming
| in front ofan old, dilapidated brick house
which had upon it the sign 'Postofiice,,
| Il occurred to me that this was the Office
to which President Graut had recently
appointed his father. Stepping inside I
| Inquired for MIR. Grant, ana was told that
he had not been around for several weeks,
but That he oorld be found at his house,
which was pointed out. 1t was an old
isehiored lnnhlA brick house. evidently