The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-04-22
General Grant.

view with General Grant by Rev. DIR.
George b. Spalding is taken from the
Manchester Mirror
Upon the wall of my study is little
drawing made up of dozen or more
rude strokes and dashes of lead pen
Gil. AT the end of one line is the name
of Longstreet, and at the end of another
the name of Jackson. Here, in a
kind of wilderness of short, irregular
scratches, appears the name of Porter,
and on the opposite side, surmounting
a double column of heavy marks, is the
name of Pope. Underneath all is the
bold signature of U. S. Grant. 1t is a
crude military map, drawn and signed
and presented to me by the general
himself. | count this simple drawing !
as more precious than half the contents |
of my library, for it is not only sketch |
and a personal gift from a hand that |
struck the mightiest blow of the CEN
fury, but its every line is associated in
my memory with personal interview
with this man, in which some most in
teresting facts, of history and some of
his own great shining qualities, were
brought before me.
In January of 1882, while in New
York city, l was invited by friend to
accompany him in a call upon General
Grant. His Office was in the famous
Fort Sherman building in Wall street.
We were shot up to the seventh story
in the elevator. The black servant
ushered us into the inner office, where
the general sat at desk, busy with his
mail. AS he arose to receive us |
"took" the outer man. | had seen
Grant before. He had changed. His
form of medium height had become
more compact, his heavy shoulders
stopped, his hair and beard, close
clipped, were well-sprinkled with gray;
there was the broad, square brow, the
clear, mild eye, the heavy, set jaw, the
finely-cut mouth, into which came both
sweetness and strength. The face was
plain and serious and severely honest.
AS he had occasion to go into another
room and return, my friend called my
attention to the generals walk, saying:
" have often thought as l have seen
him that he was the handsomest gated
man l ever saw" But it was not alto
gether his " gait - it was his splendid
bearing and fine proportions, as well as
his elastic step.
After few commonplace remarks
had passed, the general became almost
silent. He sat there with his eyes
fixed upon figure in the carpet, pa
tent, receptive, taciturn. 1t flashed
upon me that the general had taken
our measure and had decided that we
had come to ask his influence in our
behalf with the administration. He
evidently was meekly waiting for us to
begin. | know that one of the party
felt uncomfortable, and heartily wished
himself on the paving-stones below.
That face was settling itself into the
: rightly and self-concealment of an
Egyptian sphinx. Ny companion
striking out in a blind way, said: Gen
.. eral, l should think that you would pre-
= fer to spend the winter in Washing.
ton" The answer came slowly and
5 with low voice: No, not while this
administration is in power. / am afraid
that nothing could be done by it with.
, out its being said that | had interfered
for that end. am satisfied with New
r York" This remark rather confirmed
5 me in the feeling that the general was
regarding us as place-seekers; and so
ventured to say, as preliminary to re-
a firing: We have no axes to grind
$ we have called simply to pay our re
S spects to one to whom we shall alway'
, be grateful" Helooked up; there was
faint smile upon his face; it was tn,
d, slightest possible recognition of thu
| really sincere compliment l had pait
. him. The face instantly was as plain
set, incomprehensible as before. | fel
that it was time to 90. Just as | wa
+. rising to leave, my eye caught sight o
s one of the New York dailies lying upoi
Z the desk. The papers at that time wer
W debating, with more or less heat, tn
question which was being discussed il
congress as to the treachery of Genera
Fitz John Porter while serving unde
: General Pope. Some of the paper
A were rejecting more or less severed
e upon General Grant for coming to tn
defence of General Porter in the fac
of his former adverse criticism of him
alluded to the case and to the stric
. lures of the press upon him. lmme
y, diately General Grants whole name
e changed His eyes frightened; hi
~ voice struck higher key, and his word
were prompt and forceful. For a
hour he discussed the men and event
connected with the second Bull Ru
re battle with largeness of spirit, and
fuency and terseness of eXpressio
. that to me have never been eXcelleC
He began by saying: 1t may be some
body's idea of consistency to stick to
mistake, but it is not mine. If | al
!. wrong am glad to know it, and glad
confess it. When this battle was fougl
l was busy elsewhere, and afterwar
knew but very little of those move
ments which led to its disasters. az
cepted, as most did, the verdict of tn
! court-martial which condemned MI
Porter for not obeying Mr.. Pope's o
Sc der to attack and turn Jackson's right.
e, Il noticed that General Grant all throug
re- this most interesting talk spoke of NJ
Pope and Mr. Porter. | have bee
told that this is the usual way in whic
T. army officers of the highest grade spea
- of each other. General Grant col
!: tinued; 81. afterward had time an
/. means for thorough study of this cast
:; had the improved battle maps, an
- the reports of the affair from the col
to federates' side, which came to ligl
after the war was over After the full
T. est and best consideration which
, could give to the subject became sa
: isfied that Mr.. Porter, during all thes
years, had been greatly wronged.
am anxious to undo the sore iniustiC