Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-08-01
How Grant Impressed Robbins.

by the Confederate prelate-genpral.
How Grant Impressed Robbins.
My service in the army was under
General Sherman and General Scho-
field, therefore | never came in con.
tact with General Giant although. in
common with all the officers and men
of the various armies, felt that admi-
ration for his military genius and en-
ergy that instinctively grew up as his
campaign developed those qualities.
writes Irwin Robbins. Senior Vice Com.
manderin- chief G. A. r., to the Chi
cago Tribune.
| do not believe that he possessed
all the wonderful qualities that many
assign to him: but il is not necessary
to claim CIV 'rything for him in order
TO grant him the need Of being the
greatest general Of the age. II is suf-
ticient that his plans and his sticktoit.
iveness enabled him to achieve many
wonderful victories, and finally TO ter
inmate the greatest war of the cen
fury in "A manner most gratifying to
the victors and their foes. We see no.
where else in history a war followed
by the wonderful reunion of the con.
tending peoples and the almost total
abolition of the hatred elsewhere en-.
gendered by war.
This result was obtained in no small
degree by his action at the close OF
the war. and by his future HE as Pres
these three ways he earned and re
ceived the love and respect of his for
mer foes, without in the least losing
that of his own troops and Their
friends
After the surrender at Appomattox
in May, 1860. General Grant visited
Raleigh, y. c., where l happened to be
with my regiment. l remember that
he and Sherman sat on their horses
alongside the broad avenue that
stretches from the capitol to the COVER
nor's palac d., backed up by more than
100 general and staff officers, as the
Seventeenth Corps, commanded by
General John A. Logan. swept by in
review column by company. This was
during the preliminary consultation.
which ended in the surrender of Gen
eral Johnston and the rest of the Con
federate army.
On this occasion / had the good for
tune to stand within rod of Grant
and Sherman as these troops passed
In review 1t was the first time ] had
seen Grant | was impressed with his
stern dignity, his immoblie features,
his ability to conceal his feelings, while
sherman could frequently call his at
tention to some particularly fine regi-
ment or noted officer.
On Grants return from his tour
around the world the city Of Indianap-
oils gave him grand reception. On
this occasion it was my fortune. with
only one other comrade, TO stand on
the platform in front of him and direct
the people who crowded by to shake
his hand. For more tn n two hours he
took each citizen by the hand pleas
antly as his name was announced, and
closed the tiresome performance as
pleasant and seeming as fresh as he
had been at the beginning. He had
noted many things that took place gnd
was interested In watching everything.
On these two occasions, many years
apart. | was much impressed with his
greatness. shown in small things as
we'll as in matters Of great moment In
other fields. | believe that as we re-
cede from his period of life his actions
viii grow in the estimation of the
American people. even as Lincoln's
have grown. And when . century has
passed the lives of these two men will
be embaImed as is that of Washington.
My Mothers Hand