The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-05-24
THEY AMAZED GRANT
HIS RECEPTIONS IN THE NORTH
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.

The General, as Rule, Appeared
UnrcspOnsive to the Plnudits OF the
People, but There Were Times
When His Feelings Overcanle Him.
..At the close Of the civil war, said
the old major, :'the country was full of
hero worshipers, aud there were heroes
by the hundred worthy of worship.
Grant was the first of the great gen.
erals to pass through the Union states
after the close of the war, and the
greeting to him was like an uprising
of the nation. The hearts Of men and
women were filed with thankfulness,
and the multitudes that gathered about
Grant seemed intent on taking the most
popular man Of the time in their arms
There were mothers by the thousand
who had lost sons, wives who had lost
husbands, children who had lost fathers
and old soldiers who had served with
him, all turning with the widest dem
onstrations of affection and pride to-
ward Grant.
Cup to that time no such crowds had
ever been seen in this country. Con-
trolled by strong emotion, they were
not easily managed. Grant never a
snowy man, stood before these great
aggregations of demonstrative human
ity amazed-almost abashed-by the
manifestations Of affection and devo-
zion. The fact that the people stood in
awe Of the commanding general of all
the armies restrained the great crowds
when the guards were powerless. There
was nothing in Grants manner or look
or conduct on such occasions to invite
enthusiastic demonstration. He seemed
rather to discourage it. So far as his
appearance went, he was unresponslve.
ssWhen the enthusiasm ragged in a
tumult about him, when men cheered,
when women held ont their arms and
called his name, when children screamed
in delight. he looked down on all with
an almost distressed expression on his
face, with an occasional look behind
him as though he contemplated running
away. Els silent protest against max
ing SO much of himself, the absence Of
all dramatic or snowy qualities in his
make up or his conduct, took him closer
and closer to the hearts of the people.
In those times he never said word ex-
cept Thank youl' When the people
howled for speech, he shook his head.
When they shouted at him the most ex-
travagant utterances Of praise, he sim
ply looked at them in amazement. But
he was not unresponsive. He was sim
ply modest man. saying in effect to
the people, I am not worth it.
.sThere were times when the crowd
broke through the line Of major gen
erals and brigadier generals and colonels
about Grant and got hold Of him. On
one occasion, after shaking hands with
thousands of people, the committee in
terfered, and the general stepped back a
few PAGES so that the people, moving
By in solid columns, would understand
that he was not to shake hands As he
stood there, with his hands in his pock-
cts, little girl slipped through the
guard Of honor about him, went up to
him in ali awe stricken, childish way,
took one hand out of his pocket. kissed
it and put it back. She was going
away as quietly as she had come when
the general, with a trembling Of the
lips, caught her up in his arms and
kissed her. Then the crowd poured over
the guard and on to him, and for ten
minutes the people had their way.
..Another time, when school children
were passing in a long procession. the
committee, as an act Of courtesy to the
general, had him retire beyond the
reach of the little hands held out to
him, and men who had commanded di-
visions in the army said brusquely to
the children: You can't shake hands
with the general He is tired. But as
the high school girls came through one
little miss took off her glove, and, look
ing straight into the generals eyes,
held out her hand.
Looking into the girls eyes, he un-
derstood the look, and, in answer to
the pleading, the general stepped down
and took her hand. Instantly, with
screams of delight, the girls were upon
him, and the guard of generals retired.
admitting their defeat. This does not
mean that the girls kissed the general; !;
they simply caught his hand, touched
his shoulder straps. reached forward in
ecstatic delight to put their hands on
his head, and then they went away sat
isfed.
"When Grant and Farragut came
through the country with President
johnson and his cabinet, the general
and the admiral were the centers Of in
terest. On one occasion Farragut.
walking through the rotunda CT the
state capitol at Columbus, was stopped
by group Of women. One Of them
asked, Are you Mr.. Seward2' Farragut,
with twinkle in his eyes, said quick
ly: .Oh, no; I am much handsomer
man than Seward. My name is Farra-
gut. The elderly woman took his hand
in both hers and said simply: I am so
glad. of this. I want my little daughter
to shake hands with you. The girl
came up as though she We're approach
ing saint, and Farragut stopped and
said, sShe shall not only shake hands,
but I will give her kiss to remember
me By, and then he went on.
..When General Sheridan came
through the country after the war in a