The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1885-08-10

country, and such he appeared, summoned
from the pursuits of peace, as il were by
Providence, to conduct us through the trials
of fratricidal war, the grandest, truesl-
noblest and best product of American citizen,
ship since the days of Washington. In ac-
cepting from the lamented Lincoln the COM
Stission as General of the armies of the United
mates, he modestly said that whatever success
he might achieve would be due to the gallant
armies he was appointed to command, and to
the favor of Providence which leads both ma
tons and men. And how great the change.
From confusion, order; from distrust, conf
dence; from fear, courage. Maidens who had
despaired of their lovers, and wives who had
counted husbands lost, hoped again. Weeping
mothers dried their tears. Bankers who had
closed their vaults, opened wide the iron
doors. The sailor as he hoisted the rusty
anchor, the marine as he paced the deck, the
sentinel as he trod his weary beat, was filled
with new courage and a new inspiration.
The burning sands Of the gulf, the bayous and
lagoons of the Mississippi, the mountains of
Tennessee and the plains of Virginia re- echoed
the battle cry of "GRANT AND VICTORY"
The excellences of General Grants character
are best understood by contrast with the
pecuharities of other successful soldiers.
Jealousy among military comrades is CO. exist
ent with the history of wars. He rose by de-
grees from the rank of colonel tn that of com
mander- in chief but history has yet to record a
single instance wherein his conduct was actu-
ated by jealousy of rivals or love of self. Many
believe that the stern duties of soldiers life
tend to deaden his friendships and affections,
but there is something touching in the warmth
of Grants attachment for those of high rank
who served with him, and his respect for the
gallant soldiers who fought under him. In
stead Of the flaming and congratulatory orders
upon past successes, and loud prophecies of
future victories, his published orders were
modest and concise.
Honored as he is in his death, he, like all
who have won military glory, did not escape
calumny and detraction. 1t has been charged
upon him that his generalship was of that un-
feeling type that prompted needless sacrifice of
human life. While he did not look upon war
as pastime, or drill soldiers for parades or re-
views, / believe that he never sacrificed life,
except when he believed that cruel means were
justified by noble end and, as am address,
ing Maine audience, l may be perdoned if 1
recount single instance of his tenderness, for
the accuracy of which can vouch, and which
has never vet found its way into history. In
Virginia, in the dark days of July, 1864, when a
portion of our troops were sent to Deep
Bottom for the purpose of drawing Lees
forces away from Petersburg, and while the
2nd corps, commanded by the gallant Han
cock, was at the point of greatest danger,
General Grant quietly approached the picket
line with a single orderly, and there met Gen
erals Hancock and Meade, and awaited the
return of General Sheridan who had Just
been accommodating the north side of Rich
mond with view of making an attack.
4 l.. L. H.
sitting quietly upon knoll near the picket
line, discussed in measured tones the situa-
ton, and even the impetuous Sheridan, burn
ing, as he was for new glories,-he who,
Grant had long before predicted, would be
the greatest calvary leader of the war,-was
forced to admit that the Notifications upon the
north side of Richmond were SO complete
that any assault in that direction would cost
a fearful sacrifice of life, and be doubtful in
its results. Whereupon, without comment,
and apparently without further deliberation,
General Grant turned to General Meade, and
said: "You will hold your forces well in
hand, and return quietly to the south side,
as I do not wish to sacrifice life un-
necessarily" And every soldier of the End
corps as he marched silently and YEARLY at
midnight around to the south side of the James,
knew that desperate undertaking had been
abandoned knew that many life had been
saved, but little dreamed that the order to
return was the result of regard for human
life upon the part of their beloved leader; and
when you, my hearers, remember that within
the ranks Of the I'd corps there were then serv-
tl.~- 1,-4th- arad -1zth- --oo;,nants of your
State and that many of those noble men were
by this tender act of their commander allowed
to return to their homes, and that some now
present before me, are by the same kind deed,
enabled to witness and join in
these ceremonies, you will unite with me in
paying heartfelt tribute to the tenderness of
the great chieftain-
Honored as he was by the rational Congress
in re- creating for him the grade Of Lieuten-
ant Celo,al, promoted by the suffrages Of a
grateful people to the highest civil office in
their gift, he was still further honored in his
famous trip around the world, as no other
man has ever been, by the soverelgns and
people of every nationality whom he visited,
they paying grateful homage to his gifts as a
military chiettain, and his manly bearing as
the representative of great nation.
Holding the 3rost important military COM
mand in our armies, filling the highest civil
station in our,gift, honored beyond all Ameri-
cans during his life, faithful to his friends, and
yet magnanimous beyond all precedent to a
defeated foe, the people of the North grateful
for his deeds of valor, and the people of the
South, thankful for his forbearance to g
defeated enemy, meet to-day to re-
hearse his praises and commemorate hi:
virtues. The South remembers that at the
surrender of Lee at Appomattox, it was Grant
who said to the Confederates when the cap
tured horses were turned over to him as the
spoils of war; ''Take them you viii need them
to plow your fields" And the North remem-
bers that it was Grant who delivered to u:
Donelson and Vicksburg, and with the aid Of
Sherman in his famous march to the sea, and
Meade in the Virginia campaign and Farragut
peering from the masthead through the can
mons smoke, gave us Atlanta, Rich
mond and Mobile. And while the uth''remem-
bers him for his tenderness, and the North fol
his persistency, a united country does not for
get that it was Grant who expressed the wisl
of every true American citizen when he uttered
the famous words, "Let us have peace
And to you, comrades of the Grand Army
of the Republic, what fitting words can l say
as the body Of your dead comrade lies in hi
coffin with the badge of our order upon hi
noble breasta You who followed him at Donel
son and at Vicksbarg and from the wilds of tn
wilderness to the c-owning glory of Appomat
tox, are to-day by choice and by right, hi
chiefest mourners. Soldiers of Maine, repre-
sentatives of a State which sent $4,000 men t
the war and never lost flag, to you these OBJ
sequies are full of meaning. Inspired by tn
example of your beloved commander Will
living, his memory will be to you watchworC
of patriotism and devotion to your duties a
citizens and as men, and to- day, as Sherman AM
rrtts-, ctr1Ss-
Hugh Lee who marched beneath the Souther
cross, walk with measured tread to mutfie
drum beside the mournful bier. reunite
North and South clasp loving hands across tn
coffin of the truest noblest, grandest soldit
! of the age.
Gen. Mattocks was followed by Judge Goo
dard as follows:
WESTERN JOSHUA.
The world has never witnessed such
funeral as Grants. Like Cromwell, this mo-
illustrous military genius of the age or hemis
phere achieved his renown amid the fratricid
strife of civil war; and yet for him was rt
served the unexampled happiness to die witt
out an enemy. See his vanquished foes rev
erently bearing the pail of their mighty cor
aueror and doing homage at his open gIav
while seven millions of freedmen are bowling
grateful alteration to the Lord of Hosts Il
that Western Joshua whose prowess wroug
out the deliverance which the great lawgiv
had proclaimed Immortal honor to the men
ories of Lincoln and of Grant!
Modest, sincere, kindly and true, the gre
soldier of America betrayed no trace OF vanit