The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-07

A Southern Woman Who Complained
TO Grant.

Gen. Horace Porter gives many amusing
pictures of army life in his series or papers
on Campaigning with Grant" now run
ming in the Century. He tells the follow
ing story OF the campaign the North
Anna i'm the February Century. When L
recrossed the river and returned TO head
quarters in the evening, found General
Grant sitting i'm front OF his tent smoking
a cigar and anxious TO hear the report az
TO the extent of the damage TO the railroad.
About the time i finished relating To MIN
what had been accomplished, an old woman
who occupied a small house near by stfolled
over 10 headquarters. apparently bent on
having a friendly chat with the commander
of the Yankee armies The number or
questions she asked showed that abe was
not lacking i'm the quality OF curiosity
which is supposed TO be common 10 her sex.
She wore old-fashioncd calico dress
about six inches too short. with the sleeves
rolled up TO the elbows. She mad a nose
so sharp that IL looked as n 1t had been
caught i'm the crack OF door. ana small
gray eyes that twinkled and snapped as
She began by nodding a familiar How
do Won do2'' To- the general. and saying in
a voice that squeaked like the high notes
of an E-fiat clarinet with q SOFT reed: L
believe you command all these yah Yam
KEGS that are comm down yah ana ca
vortin round over this whole section or
country" The general bowed an assent
and she continued: Il m powerful glad
General Lee has been licking you-all from
the RaDidan elan down hyah, and that
now he's got YOU jes VII an he wants you.
Then she drew up "a camp Shalf alons,
-
finding that her remarks seemed TO be re-
ceived good naturcdly. grew stu more IA
Tnlliar and went on 10 say: Yes, and afo'
long I.eeH be a-cnasin you-all up through
PennsylVany aE in. Was you up than IN
PeunsylVanv when he got aftah you-all
last summer" The general had great difii-
Guilty ia keeping his face straight az ne
replied: well. no. I wasn't there myself.
/ had some business IN another direction.
He aid not explain 10 her that Nicksburg
was at that time commanding something
OF his attention Said she: 4 notice our
boys got away with lots OF EN- ConestoEa
HOSES up than and they brought lots OF
en- back with en-. We've got pretty
good show OF EN- round this section of the
country and they're jes the best draft
horses YOU ever see. Hope the bOysn get
up thah ag'in soon. and bring back some
more OF EN-.
The general kept smoking his cigar.
and was greatly amused by the converse
ton After little while the woman went
back TO her house, but returned later. and
said: See h yah, 1 IA all alone in my house
and I am kinder skceTed. l expect them
Yankee soldiers OF yourn'n steal every
thing / have and murder me afo morning,
If you don't give me some protection.
oh" replied the general. wei see that
you not hurt and turning 10 l-ieu-
tenant Dunn. Of the stan, he said: Dunn,
YOU had better go ana stay III the old
lady's house to-n night. You can probably
make yourself more comfortable there IMAM
in camp anyhow: and l don't want her To
be frightened
Dunn followed the old woman rather res
| luctantly 10 her house. and played guar
dian angel TO her tiil the next morning