The aegis & intelligencer., 1895-01-25
Fact About General Grant That IL Not
Generally Known.

Fact About General Grant That Il Not
Generally Known.
Mrs. Grant, while retiring in her tastes,
loves to talk of her husband and recall
the sweetness of days that are now only a
hallowed memory.
II was with the general through nearly
the whole of the war;" she remarked in a
recent interview, land Unjust confess am
fond of the army. was glad to be with
him, and he always arranged his head
quarters, If possible to do SO, in order that
might share his lot. I remember when
he was stationed at Nashville he sent for
me to come and few days after my ar
rival he was ordered away to another
post He came into the headquarters look
ing very depressed, and when I told him
that some of the ladies had remarked that
he always ran away when came he said
that he had been planning all in his pow
er to remain where he was, but that Long
streets movements forced him to 60 to
the front.
I'm his last campaign in Virginia I was
with him and lived for several months In
log cabin on the banks of the James riv-
er. We had waited long and anxiously for
the surrender of the south, and I remem-
Der how gladly he hailed the news that
Lee was ready to lay down his sword. The
general had a severe headache when the
tidings came, but he said 1t vanished In
stantly. He was glad the war was over
for the sake of the southern people. He
bore no feeling of animosity toward his
opponents and often he has told me that
for the good of the south he wanted to end
the struggle. They are people, he some
times remarked, like ourselves They are
IL I,,,A hoE 01nAo md
impulsive and led on by fire eaters. They
have struck out wildly, and for their own
sakes 1 wish to bring this war to an end
the sooner the better for both sides, for
divided nation could never live. We must
be union
'And always his expressions were full
of feeling that longed to bring the whole
nation back into harmony. At the time
of the convention, when he was urged as
presidential possibility, I said to him,
'Ulyss, do you really want to be presi-
dent?' He was dressing at the time, re-
member, and he looked at me and smiled
Really l don't believe have any say in
the matter, he laughingly replied But
do you think of the responsibility of CIV
ing a satisfactory government to such
vast nation-a nation of such diverse feel
ings and needsF asked. Well, would
feel that If my country calls me I must
obey he answered gravely. do believe
that the people of the south know me to be
a genuine friend, and that they have con-
fldence in the kindness and Justice Of my
course.
Few perhaps know that General Grant
was a Shareholder, but the fact Is that he
had several in the state of Missouri, and
these were freed, like those in the SOUTH
by the emancipation proclamation. These
slaves" said Mrs Grant, 'came to him
from my fathers family, for lived in
the west when l married the general, who
was then lieutenant in the army. llived
in the army then for awhile, and after
ward we farmed in Illinois. When the
war broke out, followed him to the field
Then followed a period of rest at Wash
ington and the eight pleasant years we
spent in the executive mansion.
when General Grant was i'll, he spoke
of his last resting place and remarked
that it was likely that the people would
desire to bring him to Arlington or that
his remains should rest at the Soldiers
home, but he did not wish to be placed in
either cemetery, for the reason that he
wished to lie in death alone where could
rest by his side, aud he believed there was
a military restriction against any one ex-
cept a soldier being buried in these
grounds