Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-02-16
GRANT AND LONGSTREET.
HIGHEST TYPE OF MANHOOD AMER
ICA EVER PRODUCED"
Grant Was Modest, True to His Friends,
Faithful to Traditions, and of Per-
feet Personal Honor.

"If it were given all men to know the
motives which influenced Longstreet in
the years which followed the war;" writes
?. j. Moran to the Atlanta Constitution,
sympathy, if not approval, would at least
be extended to him. 1t was my privilege,
some time ago, to have talk with the
General, in which he fully explained the
ties which bound him to General Grant,
and the reasons which induced Grant,
when in the Presidential chair, to confer
upon him evidences of his personal es-
teem."
Ever since 1885," said General Long
street, 81 had been on terms of the closest
intimacy with General Grant. l well re-
member the fragile form which answered
to the name of Grant that year. His dis
tinguished trait as cadet was girlish
modesty, hesitancy in presenting his own
claims, taciturnity born of his modesty,
but thoroughness in the duties assigned
to him. AS | was of a large and robust
physique, | was at the head of most larks
and games. But in these young Grant
never Joined because Of his delicate frame.
In workmanship, however, he was noted
as the most proficient in the academy. In
fact rider and horse held together like the
fabled Centaur.
an 1912 | was attached to the Fourth
Infantry, as Second Lieutenant. A year
later Grant Joined the same regiment, sta
toned in that year at Fort Jefferson,
twelve miles from st. Louis. The ties thus
formed have never been broken, but there
was a charm that held US together, of
which the world has never heard. My
kinsman, Frederick Dent, was substantial
farmer, living near Fort Jefferson. He had
liking for army officers, and his son Fred
was pupil at West Point. One day l
received an invitation from him to visit
his house in order to meet young Fred,
who had just returned, and | asked Lieu
tenant Grant TO go with me. This he did,
and, Of course, was introduced to the
family, the last one to come in being Miss
Julia Dent, the charming daughter of our
host. 1t is needless to say that we saw but
little of Grant during the rest of the visit.
He paid court, in fact, with such assiduity
as to give rise to the hopethat he had for
ever got over his diffidence. Five years
later, in 1S4S, after the usual uncertainties
of a soldiers courtship, Grant returned
and claimed Miss Dent as his bride. | had
been married just six months al that time,
and my wife and | were among the guests
at the wedding. Only few months ago
Mrs. Grant recalled to my memory an in
cident of our Jefferson life that was con-
neeted with General Grants courtship.
Miss Dent had been escorted to the mill
tary balls often by Lieutenant Grant. On
one occasion, when she did not happen to
90 with him, Lieutenant Harkins went up
to her and asked, with pitiful expression
on his face, Where is that small man with
the large epaulets?
''In 1914 the Fourth Regiment was or
dered to Louisiana to form part of the
army for observation. Still later we formed
part of the army of occupation in Corpus
Christi, Texas Here, removed from all
society, without books or papers, we had an
excellent opportunity of studying each
other. and every one else always found
Grant resolute and doing his duty in
simple manner. His honor was never sus-
pected, his friendships were true, his
hatred of guile was pronounced, and his
detestation of tale-bearers was, may say,
absolute. The soul Of honor himself, he
never even suspected others, either then or
years afterward. He could not bring him
self to look upon the rascality side of hu-
man nature.
"While we remained at Corpus Christi
an incident illustrating Grants skill and
fearlessness as horseman occurred. The
Mexicans were in the habit of bringing in
wild horses, which they would sell for 81
or SO. These horses came near costing
one officer his life. One day a particu-
larly furious animal was brought in. Every
officer in the camp declined to purchase
the animal except Grant, who declared
that he would either break the horses
neck or his own. He had the horse blind
folded, bridled, and saddIed, and when
firmly in the saddle he threw off the blind,
sunk his spurs in the horses fanks,
and was out of sight. For three hours he
rode the animal over all kinds Of ground
through field and srteam, and when horse
and rider returned to camp the horse was
thoroughly tanned. For years afterwards
the story of Grants ride was related at
every camp fire in the country. During
the Mexican war we were separated, Grant
having been made Quartermaster Of the
Fourth Regiment, while | was assigned to
duty as Adjutant of the Eighth. At the
battle of Molino del Rey, however, had
occasion to notice his superb coolness and
courage under fire. So noticeable was his
bearing that mis- gallantry was alluded to
in the official reports.
''In the long days of our stay in Louis
lana and Texas" continued General Long
street, ''we frequently engaged in the game
of brag, and scent ante and similar diver
sicns. We instructed Grant in the mys-
teries of these games, but he made poor
player. The man who lost 75 cents in
one day was esteemed in those days pc
culiarly unfortunate person. The games
often lasted the entire day. Years later,
in 1858, happened to be in st. Louis, and
there met Captain Hollaway and other
army chums. We went to the Planters
Hotel to talk about old times, and it was
soon proposed that we should have an
old-tlme game of brag, but it was found
that we were one short in making up a
full hand. Wait few minutes said
IIollaway, and will find some one
ain few minutes he returned, with
q man poorly dressed IN CITIZENS clothes,
in whom we recognized our old friend,
Grant. Going into civil life, Grant had
been unfortunate, and he was really in
needy circumstances. The next day |
was walking in front of the Planters
when found myself face to face with
Grant, who, placing in the palm of my
hand S. gold-riece, insisted that | should
take it in payment of debt of honor over
fifteen years old. 1 peremptorily declined
to take it, alleging that he was out Of the
service and more in need Ct it than l.
"3You must take it, said he. i can