The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-08-26

was oAS"CAhS inquiries pAOpOuAoC0
by Gen. Grant, and used the expression
innocently, by way of illustration.
Gen. Grant, in his Personal Memoirs"
gives the story in full, with apologetio
mention of the fact that he gave Off
cial currency to the peculiar state
ment. "The position which Gen. But
Ter had chosen between the two rivers,
the James and Appomattox. was one
of great natural strength, one where
large area of ground might be
thoroughly inclosed by means Of
single entrenched line, and that very
short one in comparison with the ex-
tent of the territory which it thorough
ly protected. His right was protected
by the James river, his left by the
Appomattox. and his rear by their
junction, the two streams uniting near
by. Then bends of the two streams
shortened the lines which had been
chosen for entertainments, while it in
creased the area which the line en-
closed. Previous to ordering any
troops from Butler, 1 sent my chief
engineer, Gen. Bernard, from the army
of the Potomac to that of the James
to inspect Buffers position and ascer-
Tain w luSI COulo dAh SdiCiN
an order for Gen. Buffers movement
in cooperat ton with mine, now that
was getting so near Richmond; or, il
l could not, whether his position was
strong enough to justify me in with
drawing some of his troops and having
them brought around by water to the
white house to join me, and reinforce
the army of the Potomac. Gen. Ber-
nard reported the position very strong
for defensive purposes, and that
could do the latter with great Sc
curity; but that Gen. Butler could not
move from where he was. in coopera-
ton, to produce any effect. He said
that the general occupied a place be-
tween the James and Appomattox
rivers. which was of great strength,
and where with an inferior force he
could hold it for an indefinite length
of time against superior, but that he
could do nothing extensively. l then
asked him why Butler could not move
from his lines and push across the
Richmond & Petersburg railroad to
the rear and on the south side of Rich
mond. He replied that it was inn
practicable, because the enemy had
substantially the same line across tho
neck of land that Gen. Butler had.
HE then took out his pencil and
drew a sketch of the locality, remark
ing that the position was like bottle
and that Buffers line of entrench-
ments across the neck represented the
cork; that the enemy had built an
equally strong line Immediately in
front of him across the neck; and it
was, therefore, as If Butler was in
bottle. He was perfectly safe against
an attack. but, as Bernard expressed
it, the enemy had corked the bottle
and with a small force could hold the
cork in its place. This struck me as
being very expressive of his position.
particularly when I saw the hasty
sketch which Gen. Barnard had drawn,
and in making my subsequent report
l used the expression without adding
quotation marks. never thinking that
anything had been said that would at
tract attention, as this did, very much
| to the annoyance, no doubt, OF Gen.
Butler, and, l know, very much to my
own. I found afterwards that this
was mentioned in the notes of Gen.
Badeau's book. which, when they were
| shown to me, I asked to have stricken
out; yet it was retained there, though
against my wishes. / make this state
| ment here because, although l have
often made it before. it has never been
| in my power until now to place 1t
where it will correct history, and
desire to rectify all injustice that
may have done to individuals, paYticu-
larly to officers who were gallantly
serving their country during the try.
| ing period of the war for the preserva-
ton of the union. Gen. Butler certain.
ly gave his very earnest support to the
war, and he gave his own best efforts
/ personally to the suppression of the
rebellion"
The relations between Grant and
| Butler at that time were very much
strained, Butler, in fact, upon Grants
suggestion, having been removed, by di-
rection of President Lincoln, from the
command of the department of North
Carolina and Virginia, and ordered to
repair to his home in Lowell, Mass.
After the war the differences be-
tween the erratic genius from the
Bay state and the hero of APP
pomattox were amicably adjusted.
1t was because of his desire to set But
Ter right that Grant devoted so much
space in his book to description of the
| incident.
Now we know how that expression
| IL l.