The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-05-02
Grant When Shiloh Opened.


1t will not be news to the intelligent
readers of the Northeastern to say that
the enemies of General Grant have
charged him with being intoxicated
during the great battle of Shiloh, and
for some days before that terrific event.
Fortunately for his memory, it is pos
sible to retute the evil allegation by in
contestible evidence. When the battle
began he was at the little village of
Savannah, Tenn, which lies on the
west bank of the Tennessee river, five
or six miles distant from Pittsburg
Landing. His headquarters were, and
had been for some days, in the residence
of MIR. William H. Cherry, a wealthy
and highly esteemed citizen of the COM
munity. Mr.. Cherry himself has now
been dead for many years, but his
widow, Mrs. Anna l. Cherry, is still
alive, and has long been a resident of
this city. In recent letter addressed
to friend she says:
Your letter of inquiry concerning
General Grants physical condition
the morning on which the battle of
Shiloh began is received. You will
please accept my assurance, gladly
given, that on the date mentioned I
believe General Grant was thoroughly
sober. He was at my breakfast table
when he heard the report of cannon.
Holding untasted a cup of coffee, he
paused in conversation to listen to the
report of another cannon, and then
hastily arose, saying to his staff officers {:
Ge ntlemen, the ball is in motion, let's
be off, His flagship, as he called his
special steamboat, was lying at the
wharf, and in fifteen minutes he, his
staff officers, orderlies, clerks and
horses had embarked. During the
weeks of his occupancy of my house he
always demeaned himself as a gentle.
man, and never appeared in my pres
ence in a state of intoxication."
In the same communication. Mrs
Cherry adds some other statements that
reflect great honor on the private
character of General Grant. We do not
envy the man who can read the follow
ing lines without touch of generous
sensibility:
&" AS a proof of General Grants
thoughtful kindness, | mention that
during the battle on Sunday (about
noon) he wrote, and sent my mother,
Mrs. Irwin, safeguard to prevent her
home being used for a hospital. Yield
ing, however, to the appeals of human
ity, she did open her house to the
wounded and sick for three months in
succession, often administering in per-
son to their wants and necessities. In
such high esteem did General Grant
hold her animity-manifested un-
der the most provoking circumstances
that he thanked her cordially, assur-
ing her that, considering her great
losses and the gross indignities she had
received from the soldiers, her nobility
OF soul was more to be admired than
the fame of a general leading an army
OF victorious soldiers"
This Mrs. Irwin was in every way a
notable woman. She was the daughter
of an eminent lawyer, John Sewer,
Esq, and sister of the late United
States Senator Andrew H. Sewer of
Arkansas. In all her convictions and
feelings she was staunch Southerner,
and made no effort to conceal the fact,
having sent her sons with her maternal
blessing into the Confederate army
She was devout Christian and an ar
dent Methodist, living in constant com
munion with God, and adjoining her re-
ligious profession in singularly beau.
tiful life. The recollection of her high
and pure character still fingers in the
minds of her children and friends like
the perfume that foated from the
broken alabaster box in Bethany.
Honor to the memory of the stern
soldier who had the knightliness TO
pause on the ragged edge of the battle
and issue an order for her protection.
And honor to her that in the pre- sence
OF wounds and groans and death she
forgot everything except the claims of
mercy.
We quote further paragraph from
Mrs. Chery's letter that also shows
General Grant at his bts. There must
have been fine fiber in the man who
could forget his own emnence, Law
aside his unlimited power, and be so
considerate of other people as the fol-
lowing lines prove that he could:
ION one occasion he asked to be in
troduced to my mother and family, say
ing: eff you have no objections to
presenting me shall be much pleased
| replied: Not because you are
great general, but because | believe
you to be gentleman, l will unhesi-
tatingly comply with your request.
La Difference to the fact that was
Southern lady, with Southern proclivi-
ties, he attired himself in full suit of
clothes, and, touching his
shoulders, said (alluding to the absence
of epaulets): 1 thought you would
like this BETTER thus evincing deli
cate courtesy of which the honors of
war and merted promotion had not de-
prived him."
Things like these are not written
down in the big books of history. The
authors of those portly volumes have 1
no space and little inclination for such |
details. But, all the same, the folks
who believe that kind and gentle
heart is the noblest thing in the
world will find satisfaction in the
of every noble deed |
that Eliminates the darkness of a
fratricidal war. Chivalry did not die
out with The crusades, and, among the |
men and officers who faced each other
on thousand fields from Manassas to |