Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1885-07-31

@@N8 W. i
LLSHED.
AT this time every scrap of narrative
Of the illustrious dead will be read
with interest. 1t is our good fortune
to be able to relate an incident of Gen.
Grant, that puts in the best light the
kindness and g~entleness of character
for which he was noted.
On the 9Th of July, 1868, a Southern
planter and Mrs. Dockery, of Arkan-
sas, slowly made their way to Gen.
Grants headquarters in the rear of
Vicksburg. The day before the long
tedious siege ended in the surrender of
the Confederate forces to Gen. Grant.
All was, therefore, in confusion and
hustle, but the Union soldiers were in
excellent humor, and offered no op-
position to the progress of
the two visitors to see the
"old man." as they loved to call their
Commander.
Mrs. Dockery was the wife of a Con-
federate Brigadier General, who took
part in the defense of the city. Dur
ing the seige she had remained eleven
miles in the rear Of Vicksburg with
the planter and his family. She could
hear the fearful commanding all dur
ing the long combat, and at times the
reports Of the cannon were as rapid as
the notes of a quick tune on a violin.
AS soon as the city surrendered, she
determined to hear the fate Of her hus-
band, SO she persuaded the planter to
get an old dilapidated buggy left on
the place by some of the struggling
soldiers and with harness improvised
with old straps, ropes and strings, and a
mule caught on the highway to attempt
the trip to Gen. Grants headquarters.
The mule pulled the buggy and
its two occupants along the hot dusty
road at a lively pace and by eleven
o'clock Grants shady retreat about
three miles to the rear of Vlcksburg
was reached. His headquarter tents
were pitched just a little to the north
Of the old Jackson road on a ridge
thickly covered with dense shade trees
AS soon as the guards were reached, 8
sergeant informed the two they could
proceed no further, as he knew Gen
Grant would not see them, Mrs
: Dockery with tears in her eyes begged
: the soldiers to 60 to Grant and tel
him that a lady In great distress
wished only to see him just "one littl
minute" The officer went into tn,
y Generals tent, remained only n in
slant, returned and invited Mrs
Dockery and the planter tt
walk in. They left tn,
buggy with the guards and trembling
ly approached Grants tent. What wa
d that agreeable surprise to be cordial.
; invited by Grant himself to be seated
Before hardly a word was spokel
Grant instructed an orderly to serv
6 his guests with cool water and insist
q ed Or Mrs. Dockery taking IN cas-
, chair, which he vacated for her. A
sooR as Mrs. Dockery could comman
IT language, she poured into the General
D. ears her fears that her husband wa
T. wounded or dead, and asked for a pas
to go to Vicksburg and learn wha
d was his fate. Grant replied almos
word for word as follows MADAM
y Gen. Grant has issued an order tina
there shall be no passing to and fror
Vicksburg, and he cannot set the e1
lie ample of violating his own orders"
y Mrs. Dockery was in tears, when sh
said, "oh my God what shall l do"
A smile almost passed over Grant
face as she replied.
ID "Oh don't distress yourself /; 1 wi
y take it upon myself to get news fror
AZ your husband. He must be a gallar
q fellow to have won such a devote
wife,"
s. "But when will you find out for me
Can you not see this suspense is almo'
killing meE" replied the lady.
he Fright now" said Grant, land 20
Id shall be my guest until my orderly ca
ne fly to Gen. Pemberton's headquarteI
y, ~ and get the news"
10 Grant instantly instructed n
re his aids to write a note to Gen. Pen
berton and inquire of him whether {
"a not Gen. Dockery of Bowen's Divisio
~ had escaped unframed, and all tn
m news about him, as Mrs. Dockery Wa
e. at his headquarters exceedingly anxior
SIS to know.
VI While the orderly was Oona Ganar,