The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-08-14
He Meant to Shoot Grant.
THE STORY THAT AN OFFICER IN LEE S
ARMY is SAID TO HAVE RELAT-
ED AFTER TIE WAR.

A writer in the New York Sun tells
this story A few months after the
termination of the siege of Paris in
1871, during which had acted as spe-
cial correspondent for an English news.
paper, was staying for a short time
at the Grand Hotel in that city. While
] was slipping coffee and smoking ci-
gar an American friend, Colonel W.,
entered and introduced me to a gentle
man who accompanied him. We sat
down at the little marble table of the
cafe for chat. The conversation soon
became interesting, for all three were
brimful of military anecdotes and re-
minlscenccs of the late war in France
as well as of the war in America.
Colonel WIS friend, whose name has
escaped my memory, was prevailed up
on to relate the following story, which
is given as thoroughly reliable:
"Although the Colonel here and
were firm friends from the days of our
youth, we found ourselves, like many
others, when the war of secession
broke out, ranged upon opposite sides.
We were, however, spared the distress
of being thrown into immediate per-
sonal contact during that dreadful Pc
riod. l was always headstrong, i'm.
pctuous sort of fellow, and a red-hot
partisan of the Confederate cause.
Toward the latter part of the war l
had worked up my Incorporate zeal to
the point of believing that nothing
could save the Confederacy from de-
struction except some heroic deed of
self-sacrifice. The continued series of
defeats which we had recently sustain
ed at the hands of General Grant had
served to inspire in my mind an intense
rage which ultimately degenerated into
bitter personal hatred against the
man himself
Sat this particular period we were
nearing what proved to be the termi-
nation of the terrific struggle, for Gen
eral Lee, in whose army l was an Off
Ger, was expecting to come into actual
collision with General Grants main
army from day to day. OF course you
have read and heard all about the final
surrender of the Confederate forces.
AS soon as information reached me
that our sacred cause was ruined my
indignation rendered me furious, but /
breathed not a word of the ignoble
resolution which l had suddenly form
ed, namely, that General Grant should
not survive his triumph. Briefly, l so
contrived as to get mixed up among
the group of staff officers surrounding
General Lee when Grant rode down
unostentatiously to receive the formal
surrender of our chieftain. had pre-
viously, however, fortified myself for
the critical moment with two stiff
glasses of whisky. Then set myself
to watching closely for an opportunity
of getting shot at him with my re.
volver.
"When Lee advanced with mclan-
choly but courteous dignity and ten
dered his sword to the conqueror |
could have lodged bullet in Grants
heart with dead certainty, but some
mysterious interposition of Providence
stayed my murderous hand for the mo-
ment. General Grant took the proffer-
ed sword with both hands, examined it,
and, with a winning smile, gracefully
handed it back to its owner, saying
This beautiful weapon could not be
worn by braver or worthier men.
Therefore, General Lee, ! have the
honor of returning it to you, or words
to this effect.
"a sudden revulsion of feeling over
came ne and tears rushed to my eyes.
Time passed and it was not until about
two years ago that found the chance
OF once more seeing General Grant.
On that occasion l was presented to
him in the White House by Colonel
w. With choked utterance | entreat-
ed few private words with him, con-
fessed the shame, which for several
years had weighed heavily on my
heart, and craved his forgiveness. Lay
ing his left hand on my shoulder he
held my right hand within his warm
aud friendly grasp, as with that sad
but bewltching smile of his he said
softly: Let us both thank God, sir,
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