Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-24

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ru XVII W satr Wv w ta' s~Rss'sA " I"
reporter day or two ago, writes M
Erie PAL correspondent TO the Phila-
delphia Times, :" I was serving - anedj-
cal director Of the Second division OF
the Twenty-fifth Army Corps. Afssr
the surrender the division was ordered
to Join the remainder Of the corps
near Petersburg, and We left Apo
maitox Courthouse on the lith Of
April, following the Southside railroad.
The general commanding directed me
70 take an orderly and proceed to Pros
pect station and there select camping
ground for the division, and also q
place to pitch our headquarter tents.
proceeded as directed, and afer Sc
lecting a suitable camping-ground
crossed the fields to large white
house near the station. As rode up
TO the gate most venerable and noble
looking gentleman, Of probably sixty
i've years, came 10 the front gate.
and asked him il he would have
any objection TO our pitching head
quarters in his yard. lie said y
should be very glad to have you do it,
as it will be . protection against the
vandalism Of the stragglers of the
army lie asked me 20 come in, but
told him ! would prefer q seat in the
yeranda. Finding him 10 be . Nctho-
dist minister and most polished gen.
tleman. became interested in him, and
We at once began to discuss the unior-
tunate division Of the Church in ls44.
and then switched of on the war.
''He took the extreme southern view.
whilst tsok as extreme view Of the
other side; but the discussion was
friendly and exceedingly pleasant to me.
| found he really felt tha, the South had
been badly treated in the election Of
Lincoln aud that secession was in his
view an act,s self-preseryation. After
the discuss on had continued for about
an hour. he said | take it that the
war is now over, so what will your
Government do with General feeg
and added, ! suppose Mr.. Lincoln will
follow him with all the vindictiyeness
of his nature.
II replied II he gets no punish
ment only that which originates from
the vindictivenesS Of Mr.. Lincoln's ma.
ture it will not Kill him. as Mr.. Lin-
coin is one of the kindcst-hearted men
born into this world He gave me a
look full of skepticism and asked me
what meant. | told 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 on the
merciiul side of his nature. II,
replied If that is Mr.. Lincoln,
the President of the United States.
he is not the Lincoln described TO us by
our papers. lie is not the man OF
whom We have heard and of whom We
have read. The Lincoln described 10
us is a man Of blood and full Of venom.
who cares neither for the lives nor the
rights 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 Aiter thus
delivering himself he said in subdued
tone: If you have properly described
Mr.. Lincoln TO me. then have been
most shamefully deceived, and have as
shamefully miSjudged him; hut, sAid
he. ] was just aS badly deceived in my
views of General Grant
Il asked him If he had ever seen
Grant. Yes sand he, my house
was full Of your generals last night.
There was Sheridan. Humphreys,
Meade, Custer, Ord. and quite num-
Der of others, and they were lively
set and full of fun, and all were quite
Jolly, with the exception Of one officer
whom ! noticed sitting in a corner
smoking and taking but little part in
the sports in which the rest were
engaged. They all went out Of the
house but this solitary silent
man, and as ! was going out he
asked me where the pump was, as he
would like 20 get a drink. On offering
TO get him some water he said No,
sir; | am younger than you; will
20 myself and as | passed out he
came up behind me. When in about
the middle of the hall my little grand
daughter came running toward me, but
the silent man, spreading out both
arms, caught her. and, taking her up.
fairly smothercd her with kisses, say
ing: This reminds me Of my little
girl at home, and makes me homesick.
To the question. Where is your homer'
he replied, 'GaleDa, H.. but ] have
my family at City Point and am anxious
to get back to them said, Will
you permit me to ask your name, sr?'
Certainly; my name is Grant
Grant exclaimed |. General
Grant, and stood there awe-strieken
and paralyzed with astonishment.
whilst my heart went out after this
man. ] thought to myself, Here is a
man whose name is now in the mouth
Of man. woman, and child throughout
the civilized world. and yet with all
he exhibits no emotion and seems
unconceined and unmoved until the
little child reminds him of his
loved ones at home. and ! fairly broke
down. as General Grant had been
pictured out to Us as bloody butcher
and had looked for a man looking as
savage As Comanche Indian. To say
| was agreeably disappointed when I
saw Grant expresses my feelings but
feebly. and now you give me another
surprise by your description Of Mr..
Lincoln just here | saw the head Of
the division advancing and bid him
good evening"
"A great many Virginia readers will
recognize above description Of Rev.
James Crawley, Of Prospect