The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-09-07
THEY AMAZED GRANT
HIS RECEPTIONS IN THE NORTH
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.

AT EN- tE1C SiNIL WAN.
The General, az n Rule, Appeared
Unresponsive to the PIaudits of the
People, but There Were Times
When His Feelings Overcame Him.
"At the close of the civil war;" said
the old major. "the country was full of
hero worshipers, and 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 filled 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 an1 pride to-
ward Grant.
"Up to that time no sue crowds had
ever been seen in this co114ry. 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-
tion. 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 unresponsive.
"When the enthusiasm ragged in
tumult about him, when men cheered,
when women held out 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. His 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 a word ex
cept Thank your When the people
howled for a 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
ho
"There 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 an 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 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
/ I,s ,l,o hoI lo1 4
visions in the army said brusquely to
the children: You can't shake hands
with the general. He is tired. But al
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 tc
the pleading, the general stepped dowr
and took her hand. Instantly, with
screams of delight, the girls were upor
him, and the guard of generals retired
admitting their defeat. This does moi
mean that the girls kissed the general
they simply caught his hand, touched
his shoulder straps, reached forward il
ecstatic delight to put their hands or
his head, and then they went away sat
isfied.
"When Grant and Farragut cam,
through the country with Presiden
johnson and his cabinet, the genera
and the admiral were the centers of in
, terest. On one occasion Farragut
walking through the rotunda Of tn,
, state capitol at Columbus, was stopped
; by a group of women. One of then
asked, Are you Mr.. Seward?' 2 Farragut
with twinkle in his eyes, said quick
ly: ooh, no; am much handsomel
/, man than Seward. My name is Farra
, gut. The elderly woman took his han(
in both hers and said simply: Il am 81
glad Of this. I want my little daughte
, to shake hands with you The gir
came up as though she were approach
ing saint, and Farragut stopped ant
| said, She shall not only shake hands
: but will give her kiss to remembe
{ me by, and then he went on.
, "When General Sheridan cam,
, through the country after the war in
, hurried, informal way, he looked upol
the proposition to give him a reception
, as great joke. He left the car quietl,
at Columbus with two military friend
, and started up the main street of tn
3 city. As soon as Sheridan was recog
uized great crowd gathered aroun'
3 him. He was forced to shake hands an,
! was greatly amused to see with wha
orderliness the men, women and chill
8 dren arranged themselves in line; bu
{ in five minutes he bolted. He could no
a escape, however, and was compelled t.
I take position and shake hands with tn
Q crowd that had pursued him with tn
q wild clamor of any army stampede. -
t Chicago Inter Ocean.
II Sharpness of Lunatics.
Having an appointment to preach q
an insane asylum for the first time, th