The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1893-01-20
"REMINISCENCES OF GRANT.
The Simple Greatness or His Character
Given New LiluStrations

The Simple Greatness or His Character
Given New IiluStrations.
During a talk with Secretary
Stephen B. Elkins, said Frank G.
Carpenter, he spoke most interest
ingly of Gen. Grant. Mr.. Elkins
lived next door to Grant in New
York, and the two were close friends
during the last year of Grants life.
l had asked Mr.. Elkins as to how
Gen. Grant impressed him, and he
replied:
Gen. Grant was one of the noblest
men | have ever met. He was great
in many different fields, and he had
with it all simplicity of character
and modesty of manner that en-
deared him to all that knew him. He
was one Of the best of conversations
alists, and l consider his Memoirs
one of the great autobiographies of
our literature. Gen. Grants SIM
plicity was one of the most charming
traits Of his character. He talked
about himself and his great actions
| in the most simple way, and was sur
prised that the world thought he was
more than an ordinary man. I re-
member chatting with him once on
the porch of my home at Deer Park
when the conversation turned to his
boyhood, and he spoke of his appoint
ment as cadet at West Point at the
request Of Congressman Harmer.
After telling me how Harmer came
to appoint him, he turned to me and
said: DO you know, Mr.. Elkins, Har-
mer thought l had something in me?'
Something in him! He uttered this
as though it were surprise to him,
and as he did so Hooked at that great
bundle of greatness and wondered"
HOW GRANT FELT IN BATTLE.
cat another time in the same Ian
guage," continued Secretary Elkins,
Grant referred to Lincoln's opinion
of him as though he was surprised
that he should hold it. 1t was one
night when we had dined out together
and after the dinner he had dropped
into the Union League club for
moment before we went home We
were both members of the club,
though we seldom visited it. This
night, however, Gen. Grant was in
chatty mood and as we passed the
club he proposed that we go in and
rest awhile before we went home.
While we talked, the battle Of Fred
erlcksburg came up and Grant told
me all the details Of that terrible
fight. AS he finished | looked at him
with wonder and asked:
General, have often tried to
imagine how man feels when he is
in the midst of some great transac-
tion which he must know is to change
the face of the world, which is to
affect the condition of millions and
which is bound to go down IN history
as one of Man's great deeds. Can YOU
not tell me your sensations in the
midst of one of those great battles?
What did you think OF: How did
you feel:
| don't know he replied simply,
L can't say that l felt anything, save
that | knew had to whip in the war,
and | was bound to do it,
APPLIED FOR A COLLEGE PROFESSOR
| SHIP.
ut is not generally known" Mr..
Elkins went on, "that Grant applied
for professorship in the University
of Missouri before the war. 1t was
at this college that | was educated.
and. had he succeeded, | would have
been taught my mathematics by him.
He made the application in 1857.
He was at st. Louis at the time, and
was at the end of his resources when
this vacancy occurred in the chair of
mathematics. Gen. Grant wrote a
modest letter to the board of trustees
in which he stated his Publications
and his needs, but another man got
the place. l talked with Gen. Grant
about 1T year or two before he died,
and he said:
81 think / could have filed the
place quite we'll. was pretty well
up in mathematics at West Point,
but If had gotten it | presume |
should not now be here | must have
oeen IN my sophomore year when
Grant made his application, for |
graduated in 1850"