The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1885-08-28
THE MILITARY AUTHOR.
Grants Literary Methods and Ambitions.

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The New York Commercial Advertiser
of June 9 published some interesting
gossip about Gen. Grant and his liter
ary methods. 1t decribes him as COM
pletely dominated by the desire to
finish his book, that he may leave it
as legacy to his family. He some
times wakes up in the night, calls for
light, jots down some remembrance,
and then gees to sleep again. He
stops in the midst of conversation to
record "reminiscences.
Once on awakening, after a dose of
morphia. and when his attendants
thought that he could not stand, he
walked over to a chair, sat
down, and in his delirium said, as if
in great surprise: "Well, this is funny.
Here ale my books, papers, pictures,
and furniture, yet l am in Illinois.
Harrison, how did [ get out here?
Someone has brought me here. 1
wonder what for. l am away from
my book and no time should be lost in
its completion. suppose l shall have
to make the best of it. But, by the
way, Washburne and Morton are COM
ing to dinner with me, and have no
clothes on"
'.You are not in Illinois, said one
of those present.
That all right; I know what am
doing. Can't [ see the old barn? l
know every inch of this ground"
It was the action of a mind weighted
with one subject, and to this day the
| general does not know what occurred.
Not long ago in the middle of the
night he awoke.
Harrison, Harrison, light the gas"
| he exclaimed.
The man servant did so.
Bring me the paper and pencil"
They were brought; he jotted down
an idea, and then ordered the lights
to be extinguished. He was recently
asked:
''What about that story of the sur
render of Gen. Lees sword?'
II didn't take his sword" replied
| the general, ''because [ didn't think it
would be right. Nothing was said or
| thought of it,
at is usual to take the sword, isn't
Eyes: but wouldn't do it IN that
! case.''
To the writer of this article the gen.
eral said in the course of conversation:
81 have read good deal in my life,
but know of no grander man than
! Gen. Robert Z. Lee"
| His usual habit is to rise early,
| breakfast at 8 O. o'clock, and get to work
| py 9 or $3.50 o'clock. lie works steadi-
! ly until II or o'clock, and then takes
luncheon. Until recently he had a
short ride in the park almost daily.
| Later in the afternoon he sometimes
works for two hours again, and some
times even at night for q little while.
He writes in his own room, on the
first floor above the parlor. His writ
ing g-table-an ordinary card-table-is
set about the middle of the room. He
sits with his back to the bay-window
at East SiXty-siXth street. At his right
is the bureau, and further on the fire.
place. On the opposite side is his bed
He wears slippers, vest, trousers, and
dressing-gown. On his head he has
black silk cap, or a mixed worsted
one, as he is subject to attacts of
neuralgia He uses large, old
! fashioned pair of hard rubber spec
tacles. He generally writes with a
lead pencil on common MANILA paper.
The general composes with great
rapidity, and but seldom interllnes.
| When trying to express an idea just
right he often gets up and walks
around the room. although his locomo-
! ton is strained and slow, his leg still
being lame. 1t is thought by some
that the leg which was injured when
he fell on the slippery pavement was
broken and wrongly set.
In an adjoining room there is steno-
grapher, to whom, when the general
wishes to record an idea quickly, he
| dictates, the stenographer taken it
down. When debating the general
talks very rapidly, but the swelling on
the ueck is SO large that it interferes
considerably with the clcarness and
! distinctness of his speech.
The general keeps by his side many
records from the war department at
! Washington, and in handling them
! Col. Fred is of great service to his
! father. The general has great deal
of confidence in the ability of the colo
mel. He said some time ago: "For
an ordinary looking man Fred is the
best informed, particularly on mill
| tary subjects, | ever saw. When he
was in Europe he showed a great &C
| quaintance with the history of the
countries we visited"
1t was particularly unfortunate, says
the writer, that Gen. Badeau, when
Gen. Grant was thought to be dying,
should have allowed the impression to
exist that he, in great part, was the
author of the book. The family was
incensed at the report. Col. Fred
Grant showed the manuscript to
friend familiar with Ger. Grants writ
! ing, and asked whose it was. The
gentleman quickly responded: 1T is
Gen. Grants" 1t is Il significant fact
that nothing more is to be heard from
| Gen. Badeau. He has left the house,
bag and baggage, and has not been in
! 1t for some time.
When the book was completed Gen.
! Grant was much delighted. He took
it to Mrs. Grant, and said:
"Here is your book. Iu's all done.
It's the only legacy I have to leave
you or my family"
He invariably refers to the book
! now as Mrs. Grants. The first vol
ume of the book will appear in Decem-
J bor tho cooopJ in March r. has al