New-York tribune., 1896-10-25
HOW GRANT NET LINCOLN
THE FIRST INTERVIEW BETWEEN ru,
SOLDIER AND THE STATESMAN. a

GENERAL HORACE PORTERs STORY OF THE nm
ToRIc NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. FRANK
CONFESSION OF HIS IGNORANCE
OF THINGS MILITARY.
From advance sheets Of the November Century.
On the evening Of March the President ana
M Mouse DSse Fssess s s
the usual receptloncroom. known as the Bue
shook hands cordially with everybody, as the vast
procession Of men and women passed In front of
do%n e collar size too large The necfts tie'Sse %e:
rather broad and awkwa1IdIy tied e.. He t was more
feet four inches enabled him to look the hes6s
| OF most OF his visitors; His form was ungalny
legs bordered at times upon the srOtesque. III III
eyes were gray and disproportionately small. HIS
lines lines Indicating the sense q rssponsiSity vSisR S
weighed upon him; but at times his features
merry twinkle in his eyes as he greeted an old &C.
Guaintance and exchanged Ia few few words With him
common people to become one OF the most uncom.
mon Of men.
For a time she stood a line with him and took
part in the reception but afterward stepped back
net officers and other personal acquaintances who
were in the room. At about $3.50 o'clock sudden
cOmmOtiOn the entrance to the room ct.
tracted general attention. and. upon looking In
that direction, was surprised to see General Grant
toward iais Mr. Mr." Lincoln. He had arrived from the
that eeps hs nS had to h to se WIT:
had been IN Washington but once before. when he
yssd ii fer dly & soon vn affT ha nad e w
had never met before. Mr.. Lincoln recognized the
General at once from the pictures ,, ne had seen Of
vanced rapidly Two or three steps toward N his dis.
ngushed visitor % ana ,S Gfed OUT erea Mny nsas sere
assure you" at the same time sezlng him by the
,fxo oh the extreme cOrdallty OF thu
welcome.
THE MEETING.
The scene now presented was deeply impressive
two iiiustrious men. whose names will always be
inseparably associated In connection with the War
Iapel of his coat: his head was bent slightly for.
ward. and his eyes upturned toward iinGolns race:
down with bea ming countenance upon his guest.
Although their appearance. their training ana their
characteristics were in striking contrast. yet the
were numerous points OF resemblance IN their re-
| Each was Of humble origin and had been com.
PEELED learn the first lessons Of life In the severe
Pile possessed an abiding confidence in them; and
| always retained deep hold upon their affections:
Each might have said to those VINO were inclined
| TO sneer at his plain origin what a marshal Of
France. who had risen from the ranks TO duke;
| to snub him In Vienna: i am an ancestor you
only descendants" In a great crisis o. their
| vice from the same State. Both were conspicuous
for the possession of that most uncommon OF all
virtues. common sense Both dsspisea ,he arts o Of
the denagogue and shrank from posing tor ehecs b;s
ndusns In mock hesocs % nc snrvsa @sen 10 tnes sSn
plement each other. and to add sun grea,es Ws
Sensn TO ans caore or vy io With souls
by jealousy. they lived to teach the world tnat
comes so narrow that two cannot Walk ~ abreast
THE HERO IN A CROWD.
The statesman and the soldier conversed for .
few minutes, and then the President presented ne
DISTINGUISHED guest to Mr. Seward The Sec,resaIy
| and after exchanging few words. led the Genera
whore Mrs Lincoln was standing ana presented
| and pleasure at the meeting. and she and the Gen.
eral chatted together very pleasantly ior some some
minutes. The visitors had by this time becons
40 curious to catch sgni Of the Gehsfs sbsv ths. M
| consummate knowledge Of the wes Of diplomacy
nti"n no| '"i IL Succeeded in struggling through II.
| crowd with the General until they reached
arse es Ths only
| rary relief The people by this time had WORKED
Th w Vast throns surssd and swayed and
crowded until alarm was felt for the safety OF the
Then came cheer after cheer Seward after some
persuasion, induced the General to stahd as Ipvn W.,
| sofa thinking the visitors would be satlsned WHn
n view OF him and retire: but soon as they caught
sight OF him their shouts were renewed. and rush
word tha, he and the Secretary OF War would
| await the Generals return IN one OF the small
|
was able TO make his way there ana then only WIN
! the aid of several officers ana usners -,
The story has been circulated that at the CONFER.
ence which then took place. or at the interview rns
| next day. the President and the Secretary OF war
| urged General Grant to make his campaign toward
| Richmond by the overland route. and finally pel'
suaded him 10 do so. although he had sci i3tn 'as
| superior advantages of the water route. There
moi the slightest foundation for this rumor: Gen.
eral Grant some time after repeated TO members OK
his stan Just what had taken place. and no refer.
ence whatever was made TO the choice OF these wv
| routes
| LINcOI.N'S IGNORANCE OF WAR
| He said: I'm the first interview had with the
| President. when no others were present. ana he
| coud talk freely he told that he did not pretend
TO know any thing about the handling Of troops, ana
II was with the greatest reluctance that he ever IN
| terfercl with the movements CT army commanuets!
| but he had common sense erough TO Know i tns.
celerity absolutely necessary, that while armies
were sitting down waiting for opportunities 10 tu.n
| ND which might. perhaps, be more favorable from
| a strictly military point OF view. the Governments
| was spending millions of dollars every day; thet
| there limit to the snews OF war. and time
might be reached when the spirits and resources OF
| the people would become exhausted. lie mad always
contsnded these considerations should be taken
| into account, well as purely military questions
and that he adopted the plan Of issuing MS execu.
tive orders principally for the purpose of huitEnt
| the movements OF commanding generals pu, .nss
| he believed knew the value of minutes. ana tnat
| he was not going to interfere with my Operations
He said. further. that he did not want TO know ny
plans. that IT was. perhaps better that ne shou.o
find out from him something about the contem'
plated movements, and there was always teinp.s
| ton 10 leak | have not communicated my paas
to him the Secretary OF War. The only suS.
! gestion the President made-and II was merely
suggestion. not definite plan--was entirey Inn I'm.
practicable and 1t was not again referred 10 IN o''
conversations.
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