Evening star., 1897-02-13

Np~ were So
-s-<aSSS tic of our greatest
general. Col. Grant
Is just as unassuming as his father was
Talking casually with him you would never
Imagine that his life had been one OF thrill
ing experiences: that he had been in five
great battles before he was thirteen years
OF age; that he had done hard fighting
with the Indians cur western frontiers;
that he had been one Of the fonored guests
with Gen. Grant his tour around the
Gorld. that he had been United States
minister to Austria, and that he was now
one of the three commissioners of the
greatest and most turbulent city OH this
hemisphere Col. Grant seldom speaks
about himself or his father. and it was only
by questioning that 1 was able to draw
from him the reminiscence which l give
today.
Gen. Grants Boyi,Ood.
During the chat 1 asked him what he
thought of the matter that is now being
published about Gen. Grant He repIied
that the most of it was unreliable. Said
he: "A great part of the stories which are
told are made up of talks with men who
knew my father as a boy and who through
lapse of time and memory deal i'll exagger-
atSd statements To read those stories you
would suppose that fathers family was
very poor and that they sometimes lacked
the necessities of life. This is not So NV
grandfather was not rich for these times
but he was the richest man in his vicinity
II was not common then to send boys
away to school Still. father was sent to
school at Maysyille, KY. where he had to
pay his board Another statement is tha:
my father was poor student. | do not
peheEe thls 1 know my grandfather often
asked me why did not like my books bet
ter and study more Ike my father Father
stood well at West Point. He was NOT the
highest. II Is true. but he was by no means
no l.
was due to the library He had, you know,
lived IN the country. where books are
scarce When he got to West Point ne
found fine library there. and this he has
often told me was like a new. world to him
lie vas not graded upon his reading out
s!'ie OF ms studies, but / venture. that he
received great good from it,"
Why Grant Wanted a Third Term.
Was your father a very ambitious man.
colonel"
Il think not" replied Col. Grant. His
only desire seemed to be 10 do what was
before him
How about politics? Did he not desire
a third term"
No. l don't think So was the reply.
ather was willing to take third term
Almost entirely on patriotic reasons He
beLeFed he could be of great heIp to TIE
American people. He had just returned
you know. from a trip around the world
1it A4itt4f -idl Trip Just az the close of his
ADMINISTRATION and he studied the rest of
the world from the standpoint of a Presi
cent believe the United States woui,;
nave been greatly benefited by him had he
A"" another term Had he been elected
again ne would have brought about diplo-
matte relations which would have broupht
US tAe bulk OF the trade of the orient This
would nave meant an increase to us of
more man one hundred million dollars a
year lie would have made the United
States the leading country of the world in
ihe eyes of the far east, and we should
nave been looked upon as its protector and
friend
Gen Grant the Author of Reciprocity.
Speaking of our foreign trade. Col
Grant. had your father any ideas of re-
ciproeiiy as means of increasing it?'
les. was the reply. Gen. Grant was
In fact the real author of reciprocity as an
American policy. While he was President
1t became advisable 10 decrease the reve-
hutS, ana there was a movement in Com
greSS TO take the taxes off of coffee and
Tea. which articles were then called the
poor man Iuxuries.' Father sent for
James u B.aIne. who was then iii Con-
gTeSS. and told him what afterWard proyed
10 he the fact, that If the United States
tcok the tax off of coffee Brazil would add
export duties equal to the amount taken
or ana ne people would have to paw the
some Tor t..eir coffee nevertheless He a1
NiSeI Blaine to make the reduction a.
basis or a reciprocity treaty which shouI5
prevent such action by Brazil and ar III.
same time Increase our trade. Mr.. Blaine
hhed the Idea, but ne said hat the CRY of
the poor mans luxuries' had been rnade
so prominent that he did not know that tbe
matter could be arranged. He kent faith
or suggestion in mind. however and from
1t. believe. evolved the reciprocity scheme
which is now connected with his rsne >,
Twelve-Yenr-OId Boy In BattIe
q {,
Grants war experience His father took
him TO the field with him when he was
only twelve years OF age. He was with
Grant in battle again and again through-
out the war, and vas close 20 him durinp
the "n"le OF the Nicksburg campaign AT
TINS time he was wounded and he rad
many narrow esceTes / asked him how
the general happened TO allow him to come
10 him.
He replied. MY father liked 10 have mo
Win hlTn- i suppose he wanted me to see
something OF the war. / was only twelve
years OF age ard was at school at Coying-
ton, by. in 1863 when he wro.e me that
i could join him in the field | met him al
Young's Point, where lie was lust before
he attacked Nicksburg. / remember the
hrSt thing did on my arrival WAS tn visit
the eunboat Benton with him. This was
the flagship of Admiral Porter. was
shown over the gunboat while father talk
ed 10 the admiral and i have Stree uI6er-
stood tfat while l was absent father first
tteES-
burg. II was this suggestion that brought
about the campaign whi,h was afserward
carried out"
Were you on the boats when they ran
the battery?.' / ask ID.
Yes i was with father We had six
gunSoats ana three transports. The gum
boats were TO engage the enemy while the
transports got by l remember there were
bales OF hay packed around the boilers in
order 10 protect them. The night we
started IL was very dark. All OF our lights
were put out We left about 10 O'clock
We had not gone far. however, before a
rocket went up from the shore Then
cannon ball flew across the river In front
OF our boats moment later the flames
burst out of a house at the little town of
De Sofa, opposite Vicksburg. Then another
building was fired on the river front and
soon there were fires burning al along the
shore SO that the river was almost as
bright as day. Through this flaming path
way moved cur six gunboIts. / remem-
Der IL seemed to me that they looked like
great black turtles. Behind us came the
three transports, all floating directly to-
ward the batteries Of Nichsburg. As we
went onward the guns on The hills opened
their fire, the batteries senr broaGside
after broadside. and in less than ten min
utes all OF our boats were in the midst of
the battle. You must remember i was
only boy of twelve and the scene was
terrible one to me. Our boats Gsre pour
Ing out ST OF and shell at the enemy As