The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-10-14
BUCKNER AND GRANT.
Two Touching Incidents in the Life of
the Two Soldiers.

tne Two Soldiers.
The Washington Post tells of two
touching incidents in the lives of Gems.
Buckner and Grant. The incident of
Grant lending Buckner the $500 occur
red at Fort Doneson after the latter,s
surrender.
Grant and Buckner had been excellent
friends at the academy and had served in
Mexico together. So when his old time
friend and comrade had to meet such a
terrible humiliation, though it was a
great bit of good fortune to Grant, and
he knew it well, none the less did his
soldierly, manly nature go out in the
deepest sympathy to Buckner When
his old friend came into his tent, Grant
Fmet him cordially, invited him to be his
guest, until some of the detail of the sur
render could be adjusted ut Washington.
Finally rs Buckner was taking leave, the
exchange having been arranged, Grant
said: "Buckner, how are you off for
money? Have you enough to do you till
you can hear from your people,"
"Well, l don't know. / have perhaps
a hundred dollars.
"Well, you had better let me give you
$500 or $500 more. You may need it be-
fore you receive funds.''
So Grant went to his chief commissary
and borrowed $500 in gold which he gave
ms old-time friend, and after restoring
his two fine blooded saddle horses, Grant
babe him good-by. Buckner returned
the money through general officer who
was being sent back in exchange to
Grants. army, but he never forgot Grants
kindness
Nearly quarter of century after the
incident mentioned when Ward had
looted the Grants, the generals fortune
gone, he himself dying with an incurable
disease, friends heving fallen away, he
received one morning IL letter running
like this:
Louisville, Ky, 1S95.-NIy dear Gen.
Grant: have read with inexpress able
pain in the journals of this date of the
great calamities that have befallen you. the
loss ofWour entire fortune and the attacks
made upon you by an incurable disease
AS read the dreadful news our youthful
days together came wildly before my
mind Nothing could have made me feel
your terrible misfortune more deeply.
My dear Grant, Il am about to take a
great liberty with you, and also to ask IL
great favor. The liberty is in begging
your acceptance of the inclosed draft on
the - National Bank of New York city
| Tor 50, 600 as loan to be returned at YOUR
convenience. The favor is that you will
draw upon me Mt sight for as much more
viz, S5,000--also to be returned at your
| convenience should you he in need of this
sum. You may tell Mrs. Grant, but no
one else of this
Trusting that matters may not be so
| bad as depicted with you, believe me, my
dear Grant, your faithful friend,
S. b. BUCKNER.
No wonder that the great heart that
had met one calamity after another with
| courage and heroism undaunted broke
down ut this. sob, what is it," Mrs.
Grant said as she heard sob burst from
her husbands throat and saw his face
buried in his hands. "What more can
have happened?' He silently passed
Gen. Buckner's letter to her. OF Gen.
Grants wealthy friends, this one, the ex-
rebel, was the first, and so far as the
world knows, the only one, to respond in
any such fashion.
but, then, this is Buckner's way,n
said Gen. Grant afterwards speaking of
it to some friends. she never does
things like any one else.' BE this as it
may, it was the reason that among the
very last visitors the cX- President receiv-
ed at Mount McGregor was Gen. Buckuer.
and in writing Il list of. his pail bearers
Gen. Buckner was included No kind
ness ever done him touched Gen. Grant.
sick, broken as he was, as did this un.
asked for loan from his old-time friend in
his hour of greatest need.