The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-12-26
GRANT IN PEACE.
NO. xxx.
Grant in His Family.

I firss saw Grant at Nashville soon after the
battle Of Chattanooga; his wife and his youngest
child were with him. and this war typical OF all
/ knew OF him. 1t is hard for me to think of him
apart from his family. All through the war Mrs
Grant visited him whenever he remained for a
while in town. and even in the field she Often
shared his tent or cabin when the armies were
not engaged in active operations. In 1877
wrote to him asking for information in regard to
her visits % aid in my history of his campaigns
aud he answered from Paris:
'sI cannot give you definite information as to
dates when Mrs. Grant visited me at City Point
She went tlere, however. soon after my head
quarters were established there She returned
to Burlington. n j.. after short visit, TO ar
range for the children's schooling and went
back TO City Point, where she remained with the
exception Of two short visits to New jersey, until
Lees surrender and my return to the national
capital. Mrs. Grant made short visit 20 me
the first time after leaving Cairo--at Corinth,
next at Jackson Tenn, then at Memphis
where left her when / went to Young's Point,
one or two days before running the Vicksburg
batteries, and at VicksburR, after the surrender.
She again visited me at Nashville"
venture to add what wrote after this in my
history it was submitted to General Grant and
read to his wife and approved by both. Indeed,
every line in my history was read by him before
it finally went to the printer. and had his sane
ton as completely as any portion of his more
Personal Memoirs With this knowledge the
following passage has peculiar significance. 1t
is what he was willing should be said to the
world;
1.-THE wife of the commander in-chief had
often spent few weeks with him in camp or
siege or when he was 9uartered Ia captured
town. At Memphis, Vicksburg. Chattanooga,
Nashville, she had joined him. and now again In
front of Petersburg. His children, too.
visited him; the eldest only fourteen
years of ago at this time 1854, the
youngest seven; and the man who directed
the destinies OF armies. and was unaiterabe In
his decisions when he believed them right; VINO
ordered the devastation of the valley of Virginia.
and went unshrlnking through the Wilderness
campaign, was as bland and playful with his
wife and children as the humblest soldier In the
ranks before he went to war All the simplicity
and gentleness of his nature came out In this
companionshp. He had been married sixteen
years and still seemed to find his greatest solace
in the domestic relations while like true
woman, the wife was interested In whatever con
cerned him, anxious TO relieve him from petty
cares proud of his success, but never trenching
beyond her proper spheres exercising all her
womans influence to sooth and support, never
to yex, or annoy or disturb.
have no word to withdraw from this picture
now 1t was written ten years ago, and have
spent many hours in close companionship with
Its subjects since, in still greater intimacy with
each than had then enjoyed. saw them after
ward in all the pageantry OF their European tour
/ accompanied them to palaces and arranged
their invitations and their travels was with
them in America amid the aspirations after q
third term, in the defeat Of those desires. and
In the retirement to comparative privacy,
was their frequent guest, both at Long
Branch and in New York. Mrs. Grant
said to me more than once that the General
wished me to consider his house Of my
homes. / went to them In the first distress
after the failure of Grant 6 Ward. and spent
seven months under their roof in the last year
of General Grants existence when the terrible
shock of the cancer came during the prolonged
suspense, and when we all thought that the end
had arrived; so that at the crises ct their double
life for nearly twenty years, was witness as
close and intimate. when all the circumstances
are considered, as that life knew. and 1
venture trustwithout indelicacy, for General
Grants private life is matter of Importance to
mankind venture to testify.
There Is nothing that the survivor will be I'M
willing to disclose az that should shrink to re-
veal No more beautiful domestic life can ever
be known. General Grants regard for his wife
WAS constant, tender. true; the worthy love of q
worthy nature; trustful. absolute, unceasing In
great things and small anxious for the happi-
ness of Its object He would do anything to
crafty bis wife in her merest fancy most
momentary within; while in important affairs,
repeat Mrs Grant did not overstep the line
which both perceived, though possibly neither
ever indicated it to the other. She did not
strive to affect or change her husbands judg-
ment In matters OF strategy or public policy.
She never dreamed of influencing his military
decisions, or his political ones, except In regard
10 individuals
Like all women she was full of personal feel
ing but it was feeling about and for Der hus-
band. If she wanted man deposed sup
ported it was because she believed him true or
false to Grant; and her instincts some
times nearer right than his judgment She OF
course may have erred. but her motive was pure
In personal matters. up to certain point, her
influence was undoubtedly great; but after the
point was reached, even In personal matters,
Grant was immoyable. Mrs Grant wanted the
position of many persons changed, whether for
better or worse and many things done which
she was unable to accomplish. There came
times when the General distrusted her
Judgment, thought her prejudices or par
tialities affected her. and then he did
not yield; at least ever to do injustice He
may sometimes have gratified Der by advancing
man whom she favored higher than he would
otherwise have done. but he also supported
others whom he believed that Mrs. Grant I'M
Justly disapproved He would not overthrow
man in whom he trusted, though there were oc-
casions when it would have been better for him
had she succeeded.
In greater than personal matters she always
simply urged him to follow his own Judgment
and conscience. / know Of one or two instances
were brought to bear and almost warped his
judgment, and she simply but strongly advised
him TO do what he thought right, and perhaps
induced him to do IT, though he as little as any
man, believe. required such inducementa
Mrs. Grant shared many of her husbands Sc
crets, but not ALL and those of others which
were meant for him alone. He more than once
spoke TO me of matters which he said he had not
disclosed 10 her II usad To sav tn tease her