Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-12

=, L.iN WI lhucoln often visited
General Grant. lie always slept and
usually took his meals on His steamer
but passed many hours nc Headquarters.
sometimes joining the group around tho
campfire. sometimes sitting with Grant
in has tent. or riding along the lines with
nun sometimes remaining IN camp and
rvnding dispatches as they came I'M from
the different armies. lie was very nc.
cessiblc to the stan officers at such times.
ready TO talk with any of thcm. making
minute Inquiries In regard TO military
matters, aud even discussing politicnl
AFFAIRS on occasions. but never commit.
ting himself unwisely, never saying
WORD mat ne could Afterwards have
wished unsaid. No man could be more
cautious or more rcticcnt when he
chose.
At one time ne remained several weeks.
and ! got 10 feel that / knew "A GOOD
deal about the character of his mind
Ills penetration. the broadness Of his
views. the sagacty as well as the won
deriul fairness Of his judgment amounted
10 ntclcctuality while his Astounding
charity, his humility, tempered by
certain dignihed consciousness of his
position and the Importance of hiS de-
clsiOhs. his tendCr-henrteducss, his kind
moss to the humble were remarkable
He never spoke hurshly even of the
enemy he was mcrcitul TO criminals aud
deScrters. He was indeed ia his own
almost divine words, fun Of charity for
all. with malice towards none" And
when Thought that this man was the
hutt OF every vulgar whitening North
ma south. that the enemy had christeued
him the "hUbOOn.' and millions of
Norherncrs and Europeans mnligncd
ana affected TO dcspisc him In spite of
myself ! was reminded OF Him. who
when he was rcvilcd. reylicd not again.
and when bulictrd and spit upon vet
PERM ttcd himself to bc called king of
the Jews
Yet hc was. AS every one knows q
plain man, sometimes q course one. His
language often betrayed hi, origin. his
manner was never urtiNcilly polished
though 10 rose into absolute dignity iu
emergencies hut this was from the in-
nate superiority of his nature not the
acquired grace Of society His jokes
offended the taste of many who admit
ted his greatness and his awkward
bearing was the counterpart of one phase
| iumliar To- his ugly features But
through the mask Of pluinurss the great
soul shOne ont at tunes. the great mind
perhaps more rarely, the great heart al.
ways.
Up to this period had not formed an
exalted idea of Mr. Lincolns ability. but
when / saw him IN this uudrcss of char.
ncter, IN this familiar, every dizzy sort
Of intimacy, hearing him discuss with
| Grant the greatest affairs for hours and
chatting with Lieutenant 10y turns; when
j saw him receive Sherman and MeDdc
rs We'll AZ Grant us their master, meet
! iugSrWard add stanton and other cabinet
ministers, who sometimes attended him:
iueN themselves of mCoutestibie mark
senators, too, and foreign ministers and
showing himself easily thc superior OF
them all, not only In station, but im that
indcinublc something that bespenks au-
Il .tHs... 4 q
wcsterd lawyer To sit In the chair at
Washington la an emergency greater
! than Washington ever knew.
lie was at City Point when Grant Il.
nally moved his armies uut ia that cam.
pllgn which cudcd I'm the capture of
! kichnOiFd and the surrender of l.epl re-
| member being present whenGrnnt handed
him the orders prepared for Meade and
| Sheridan and Ord and heard his iuqui-
/ rics concerning the meaning of this
| phrase or the object OF Tint movement.
! He offered no suggestion, far less order,
| leaving every military matter absolutely
/ tO the commander Of His armies. hut his
| comments were tcrsc aud showed keen
! appreciation of the slulation.On the morn
| ing of the 18th Of March Grant started i'm
person Tor the front He and his stafl
| wcat by the military road that led 10y
! Meade's headquarters and the presi-
! dent accompanied ms 10 the station.
]
| of 81, was of the company, captain
on Grants Inn. Mr. Lincoln shook
J hands not only with Grant and his son.
| but with the other officers. God bless
! you, gentlemen he said az the train
| moved away you have my best wishes
for yOur success and safety, all of YOU.
j shall never forget the sad grave face
! fun of kindness, but yet weighed down
by responsibilities, looking out at us
| ycurningly and fading away In the dis
lance as we went ON 10 end the
| war.
He did ont return 10 Washington. but
| remained on his steamer 10 bc near his
! armies, aud was at City Point when he
! received the news Of the victory OF Five
| Forks. In two DAYS more PETERSBURG
was captured and Grant sent him an iis
| yitation to come out by the railroad
and examine the prize. They met in
the porch of house In the captured
town. before which the armies had lain
for nearly a year. Troops were moving
news was coming every few moments
from one corps or another secessiuulsi
women or negroes started AZ them from
the streets or the neighhOring houses
aud there the happy president and sue
cessful general sat for more than an
hour discussing the wonderful present
and its effects upon the future How
little they dreamed what the Immediate
future would reveal,
Sooon after arrived dispatches that
made 10 necessary for Grant In person
10 start in pursuit Of Lee, aud mOuuIinl
our horses we babe the president good
hy. He rose "a salute MS as we turuet
towards ApppomattOX. and IL was o.
this nuspiciOus moment ! took my las
look AT Abraham Lincoln, wrapped 10
the very halo of victory.