Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-08
AFTER VICKSBURG.S FALL.
A Little Incident, Showing Grants
Northumberland Plainly Told.

From the Vicksburg Miss Commercial, July 20.
At this time every scrap of narrative of the
illustrious dead will be read with interest. 1t
is our good fortune to be able to relate an Incl
dent of Gen. Grant that puts in the best light
the kindness and gentleness of character for
which he was noted.
On the 9Th of July, 1863, q southern planter
and Mrs. Dockery, of Arkansas, slowly made
rear of vicksburg. The day before the long
tedious siege ended in the surrender of the con-
federate forces to Gen. Grant. All was, there
fore, in confusion and hustle, but the Union SOL
diers were in excellent humor and offered no
opposition TO the progress Of the two visitors to
see the '.old man." as they loved to call their
commander.
Mrs: Dockery was the wife of a confederate
brigadier general who took part in the defense
OF the city,. During the siege she had remained
with, the planter and his family. She
could hear the fearful cannonading all
the reports of the cannon were as rapid as
the notes of quick tune on a violin. As soon
as the city surrendered she determined to hear
planter to get an old dilapidated buggy, left on
the place by some OF the struggling soldiers,
and with harness improvised with old straps,
ropes and strings, and mule caught on the
highway, to attempt the trip to Gen. Grants
headquarters.
The mule pulled the buggy and its two pccu-
and by IL o'clock Grants shady retreat, about
three miles to the rear of Vicksburg. was
lust a little to the north of the old Jackson
road, on a ridge thickly covered with dense
shade trees AIS soon az the guards We're reached
coed no further. as ne knew Gen. Grant would
not them. Mrs. Dockery, with tears in her
eyes, begged the soldiers to go to Grant and tell
him that a lady in great distress wished only to
see him just lone little minute" The officer
went into the generals tent, remained only
Dockery and the planter to walk in. They
left the buggy with the guards, and tremb-
was their apsreeabie surprise to be Cordially ina.
vited by Grant himself to be seated. Before
hardly o word was spoken Grant instructed an
orderly to serve his guests with cool water, and
insisted on Mrs. Dockery taking an easy chair,
which he vacated for her. As soon as Mrs.
no thy eass ber S Sae
band was wounded or dead and asked for pass
to go to Vicksburg and learn what was his tate.
Madam, Gen. Grant has issued an order that
there shall be no passing to and from Vicks-
burg, and he cannot set the example of VIC
Mrs. Dockery was in tears when she said:
"Oh, my God! what shall DOR
A smile almost passed over Grants face as he
"Oh, don't distress yourself; will take it
upon myself to get news from your husband.
He must be =, gallant fellow to have won such a
"But when will you find out for me? Can
you not see this suspense is almost killing me?''
Fright now" said Grant, sand you shall be
my guest until my orderly can fly to Gen. Penn
EertOn's headquarters and get the news"
Grant instantly instructed one of his aides to
write note to Gen. PembertOn and inquire OF
him whether or not Gen. Dockery. of Bowen's
division, had escaped unframed and all the
news about him, as Mrs. Dockery was at his
headquarters exceedingly anxious to know.
While the orderly was gone Gen. Grants din
ner was served, and Mrs. DOckery and the
planter dined with him and his friends. There
were perhaps twenty generals, colOnels, majors.
aides and others at the table, but not one of them
spoke q word that could wound the feelings of
the generals guests The general himself was
exceedingly agreeable, and instead of talking
| about war, or anything pertaining to it, de-
voted himself to getting all the information he
could about the south and its productions. No
cotton planter ever evinced more interest in
cotton than did tho great soldier to whom q
strong city had surrendered the day before.
Soon after dinner the orderly returned with q
note from Gen. Pemberton stating that Gen.
Dockery was in excellent health and would
visit his wife as soon as Gen. Grant would per-
NIT it. Gen. Grant smiled and said: "You shall
see him in a day or two; just as soon as we can
fix things little. I'll not forget your name,
and Of course will have to remember him."
When the Generals visitors arose to depart
he assured them he appreciated their call, and
taking scrap of paper wrote on 1t for the
guards to pass Mr.. and Mrs. Dockery to their
home and signed his name. Only one picket
had to be passed, but the pass looked SO much
more common than those regularly issued
that the guard scanned it closely. When he
the old man got to writing passes? Let them
NV,