The National tribune., 1896-10-29
GRANTS APPEARANCE.


A Pen Picture by One of His Military
Family.
From Accompanying ,Dith Grant" by Gen. Horace
Porter, IN the Nopenber Ccntury1
description of Gen. Grants personal
appearance at this important period of his
career may not be out of place here, partlcu-
larly as up to that time the public had re-
ceived such erroneous impressions OF him.
There were then few correct portraits OF him
in circulation. Some Of the earliest pictures
purporting to be photographs him had been
manufactured when he was at the distant
front, never stopping in one place long enough
to be focused" Nothing daunted, the prac-
tisers of that art, which is the chief solace
of the vain had photographed burly beef
contractor, and spread the pictures broad
cast as representing the determined, but
| rather robust, features Of the coming hero,
and it was some time before the real photo
graphs which followed were believed to be
| genuine. False impressions OF him were de-
| rived too, from the fact that he had come
forth from country leather store, and was
famous chiefly for striking sledge-hammer
blows in the field, and conducting relentless
pursuits of his foes through the swamps Of
the Southwest He was pictured in the pop
ular mind as s,riding about in the most APP
|
| Many of US were not little surprised to
find in him man of slim figure slightly
stopped, five feet eight inches in hight, weigh
| ing only 135 pounds and of modesty of
mien and genteness of manner which
seemed to fit him more for the court than
for the camp. His eyes were dark-gray, and
were the most expressive of his features.
Like nearly all men who speak little, he was
good listener but his face gave little in
dication of his thoughts, and it was the ex-
preston of his eyes which furnished about
the only response to the speaker who con-
versed with him. When he was about to say
ything amusing, there was always per-
ceptible twinkle in his eyes before he began
to speak, and he often laughed heartily at
witty remark or a humorous incident His
mouth, like Washington's, was of the letter.
box shape, the contact of the lips forming q
nearly horizontal line. This feature was Of a
pattern in striking contrast with that OF
Napoleon, who had bow mouth, which
looked as if it had been modelled after q
front view Of his cooked hat The firmness
with which the Generals square-shaped
jaws were set when his features were in
repose was highly expressive Of his force of
character and the strength of his will-power.
His hair and beard were of chestnut
brown color. The beard was worn full, no
part of the face being shaved, but, like the
hair, was always kept closely and neatly
trimmed.
Like Cromwell Lincoln and several other
great men in history, he had wart on his
cheek. In his case it was small, and To-
Gated on the right side just above the line
of the beard. His face was not perfectly
symmetrical, the left eye being very little
lower than the right! His brow was high,
broad, and rather square, and was creased
with several horizontal wrinkles, which
helped to emphasize the serious and some
what careworn look which was never absent
from his countenance.a This expression,
however, was in NO wise an indication OF
his nature, which, WAS always buoyant
/ cheerful, and hopeful. His voice was ex.
ceedingly musical, and one Of the clearest
in sound and most distinct in utterance that
, have ever heard. 1t had a singular power
| of penetration, and sentences spoken by him
in an ordinary tone in camp could be heard
!, at distance which was surprising. His
l gait in walking might have been called de-
8 cidedly unmilitary. He never carried his
? body erect, and, having no ear for music OF
t rhythm, he never skept step to the airs
played by the bands, no matter how vigor
ously the bass drums Emphasized the &C
r cent. When walking in company there wal
, no attempt to keep, step with others. II
= conversing he usually employed only TIVE
. gestures-one was The stroking of his chil
beard with his left hand the other was tn,
o raising and lowering of his right hand, ant
# resting it at intervals upon his knee or ;
table, the hand being held with the finger
n close together and the knuckles bent, 81
:, that the back Of the hand and finger
formed a right angle. When not pressed
IS by any matter of Importance he was Otter
: slow in his movements, but when rouse'
a to activity he was quick in every motion
r, and worked with marvellous rapidity. III
II was civil to all who came in contact wit
J him, and never attemted to snub anyone, Q
i treat any body with less consideration on &C
i count of his inferiority in rank. With hin
there was none of the puppyism SO often bre
IT by power, and none Of the dogmatism whic
- Samuel johnson characterized as puppyisI
d grown to maturity.