Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-06-12
WHEN GRANT TALKED.
After a Cigar in the Kitchen He Told tn.
Whole Story of the War

After a Cigar in the Kitchen He Told tn.
Whole Story of the War.
Lewis B. Smith. Deputy Collector of
Customs at Portland, Maine, tells CORES
pondent of the Boston Globe of an occa
sion when the silent Grant turned himself
into one of the rarest of story telers. 1t
was in 1878. President Grant, accom-
panied by distinguished party. was visit
ing New England. A trip to Bar Harbor
and other points on the Maine coast was
planned. A revenue cutter was taken and
the voyage begun, but bad weather COM
PEELED the party to put in at the little
island OF North Haven, and neat and un-
pretentlous tavern became their retreat.
In the noble party were: Speaker James
q. Blaine, of the National House; United
States Senator Eugene Hale, of Maine;
General O. E. Babcock and the Hon. Simon
Cameron, of the Cabinet; the Hon. Lot M.
Morrill,, ex-senator from Maine and ex-
Secretary of the Treasury; ex-Vice Presi-
dent Hannibal Hamlln; the Hon. A S.
Washburn; Governor Sidney Perham of
Maine; John Neal, Portland's famous poet:
Ulysses Grant, Jr., Walker Blaine. the
Hon. Thomas B. Reed, and others of nearly
as great prominence whose names the
deputy collector cannot recall, besides some
distinguished foreigners. An appetizing
I supper was spread by Host and Hostess
Mullen, and the party resorted to CONVEX
sation, card playing, etc
According to Mr.. Mullen statement to
a neighbor, President Grant was very
social with her and her husband He came
down into the Kitchen sat down on
stool and talked with them for long
time.
He said that he preferred to sit in the
kitchen, where he could smoke without dis,
turbing those in the parlor. He would say
a few words and then take puff at his
cigar. His conversation covered a wide
range of subjects.
He wanted no one to wait upon him"
remarked Mr.. Mullen. land
MADE LESS TROUBLE IN THE HOUSE
than young drummer on his first trip"
During his waking hours a cigar was
almost constantly in his mouth. Mr..
Mullen carefully preserves, as valued
memento of Grants visit an empty cigar
box marked Colorado Claro," an import
ed brand, an excellent likeness of the
General on the outside wrapper, and
half burned cigar left by Grant.
LAS the hours of evening wore on"
say Deputy Collector Smith land the in
terest In the games and conversation be-
gan to flag, President Grant re-entered the
parlor and made us a proposition. He
said:
My friends you can barely imagine
the relief and pleasure feel at now being
| able, for the first time in several years to
open my mouth and speak without having
every word telegraphed all over the country
and published in the papers, tonight we
| are cut off from any communication with
the outside world, no gentlemen of the
press are present. and now In case you care
to hear it. will give you an otf-hand out
line sketch of my campaigns.
1.-The suggestion was applauded to the
echo" continues Mr.. Smith, and we a
once grouped ourselves in the listening
attitude. Grant at once placed plain
hardwood chair at convenient place for
addressing the company, with the back
of it toward us, seated himself astride it,
and commenced his narration.
And such a narration. 1t was like
Alexander the Great gifted with the de-
scriptive power of Kinglake, telling the
story of his experience. 1t was Grants
Memoirs in condensed from, clear in pre-
sensation. unified In arrangement graphic
with light and shade, modest as regards
personal mention. He said little about
himself, but touched upon the merits of the
leading generals, and bestowed unboundod
praise upon the soldlery,
beginning with brief account of the
first regular engagement at Belmont in the
autumn of 81, he took us through the shift
ing scenes of Fort Donelson, Pittsburg
Landing and Vicksburg; thence to the
neighbor scenes of his struggles and tri
umphs, ending with the fall of Richmond.
1t was a brilliant recital, and it was the
unanimous verdict Of his auditors that we
| had then and there obtained clearer and
in every way better Idea of the war for the
| Union than any books or papers we had
ever read.
'It was indeed a treat to hear from the
lips of the leader of one of the grandest
armies the world ever saw the story of his
plans and their execution, interspersed
with spirited word pictures of an incident
al or personal character.