Daily Republican., 1885-08-01
Grant and . Child.


the Twenty. 18th Army Corps. After
the surrender, we left Appomattox
Court House on the 11th day Of April,
following the South Side Railroad. The
General commanding directed me to
take an orderly and proceed to Prospect
Station and there select q camping
ground and also place to pitch our
headqua rter tents.
" proceeded az directed andafter select
ing a suitable camping ground crossed
/ the fields to large white house near
the station. As rode up to the gate a
| venerable and noble looking gentleman,
probably of 65 years, came to the front
gate, and asked him if he would have
any objection to our pitching headquar-
| ters In his yard. He said - l should
be very glad to have you do it, as 1t will
be protection against the vandalism
Of the stragglers Of the army
He asked me to come in, but told
him 1 would prefer a seat on the veran.
da. Finding,him TO be aMethodist minis
ter and o polished gentleman, became
interested In him and We at once be.
gan 10 discuss the unfortunate division
Of the church In 1884, and then
switched off on the war.
He took the extreme Southern
4
sion was friendly"
az found he really felt that the
South had been badly treated in the
election of Lincoln, and that
secession in his view was an act of
self representation. After the discus.
sion had continued about an hour he
said
| Il take II that the war is now over,
and what will your government do
with General Lee p and added, I
suppose Mr.. Lincoln will follow him
with all the vindictiveness of his ma.
ture.'
90 replied: If he gets no punish
ment only that which originates from
the vindictiveness of Mr.. Lincoln, 1t
will not kill him, as Mr.. Lincoln is one
of tbs kindest- hearted men in the
world He gave me look of skepti-
cism and asked me what l meant.
tod him that there was much more
danger of Mr.. Lincoln offending the
North by his leniency than to punish
out of revenge, and then told him who
|, and what Mr.. Lincoln was, dwelling
Especially OH the nierciful side of his
nature.
He replied III that is Mr.. Ii ncoln
the President of the United States, he
Z is not the Lincoln described to us by
, our papers. He Is not the man of whom
we have heard and of whom we have
, read. The Lincoln described to us is a
! man of blood and full of venom, who
cares neither for the lives nor the right
,, of the people, and from whom we have
|, no mercy to expect This is the demon
, whom our people have been fighting
,, these four years After thus deliver
ing himself, be said in q subdue1 tone
a Is If you have properly described Mr
3 Lincoln to me then have been mos
shamefully misj judging him but, sale
he, was just as badly deceived II
j my views of Gen. Grant
IL asked hi N IL he had seen Grant
'l"Yes,' said he, my house was full o
! | your Generals last night. There wa
! Sheridan, Humphreys, Meade, Custer
a Ord and q number of others, and the,
4 were Q lively set and full Of fun, ant
, lall were quite jolly with the exception
of one officer whom I noticed sitting il
/: a corner smoking and taking but littl
/. part in the sports. They all went ou
Iof the house but this solitary, silen
!. man, and as I was going ont he aske'
r me where the pump was, as he woul
z like to get drink.
i. ION offering to get him some watei
he said: No sir. am younger tha
you; will go myself and as 1 passe
) out he came mp behind me. Whe
a about the middle of the hall this littl
ei grand daughter came running toward
a M Q, but the silent man spreading ou
both arms caught her, taking her W
d fairly smothered her with kisses, said
"a " This reminds me of home and make
"a me homesick.' To the question, wheI
v is your home, he replied Galens
" In, but / have my family at Cit
Point and am anxious to see them
r. said: Will you permit me to as
ID your name, sir?'
Certainly my name Is Grant.
"a Grant exclaimed I, General Grant
ir and stood there eawe-stricken and par
Iv liz zed with astonishment, while N
K heart went out after this man.
G thought to myself, here 10 a man who
n lname Is now In the mouth Of every ma
h. woman and child throughout the civ
q, izyd world, and yet withal he exhibi
n no emotion and seems unconcerned al
I'd unmoved until the little child remint
eeI him OF his loved ones ut home, and
ve fairly broke down, as General Grant b,
IL been pictured out to as rs a blooc
IN butcher, and looked for man as ga
ce age az Comanche Indian.
n. To say was agreeably disappo int
whom saw Grant expresses my feelil
but feebly, and now you give me a
other surprise by your description
Mr. Lincoln just here l saw the he
of the division and bid the old gent
man good evening""