Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1900-11-30
sRAvE MEN WHO MET ON THE
FiELo oF BATTLE.
fhr,i,ias srsr,e. Of the Reb.ll,.n-
Old soldieSs and Sailors Relate RENT.
aiscences Of Life In Camp and on

L
1t was slow work at first, when the
people began to clear away the debris,
preparatory to the rebuilding Of their
town. Nobody knew exactly the lines
Of the main streets. They were buried
under such piles of ashes and fallen
brick walls that there was no trace left.
| Finally the rubbish was carted off
and some rough streets were laid off.
Then buildings began to spring up rap
idly, and two-story brick hotel was
erected in central locality. 1t was a
very respectable looking hostclry, and
the Federal army officers, who We're
quite numerous while the city was un-
der martial law, thronged the lobbics
day and night.
Whenever a distinguished general or
Northern statesman came to Atlanta he
always stopped ut the National. In
fact, there was no other first-class h0-
tel. The others were simply large
boarding-houses.
One dark, rainy night was walking
down Alabama street With my umbrel-
Ia drawn well down in front to keep off
the sheets of water driven before the
gale. 1t was stormy, and few people
| We're to be seen on the muddy and
ragged streets, which had not been re-
paved. Vehicles had to move with care
as there were holes along their roui
deep enough to SWALLOW them.
Suddenly gust of wind tilted back
my umbrella just as buggy passed
me. For half minute saw the faces
Of its two occupants. One was a Fed
eral officer of high rank, and the other
was a plain-looking man in the garb Of
civilian.
Where had seen that face before? l
asked myself this question as walked
on, but was unable to answer it.
In a vague way recalled scene in
Boston, in the summer of 1865, when
saw General Grant in a carriage on his
way from the depot to the Parker
House. The people We're wild with en-
thusiasm, and saw several respectable
citizens gently dubbed by the police to
prevent them from taking the horses
and drawing the carriage themselves.
The face of the man in the buggy was
marvelously like that of the man saw
In the carriage in Boston. 1t was q
square face, covered With short, dark
brown bcard-a face full of resolution
and courage and yet a pleasant face
one that inspired confidence.
| How like General Grant? Then 1
laughed at my fanciful thoughts. OF
course, Grant was in Washington. He
had never visited Atlanta, and could
think of nothing to call him Southwark
at time when the people were in an
angry mood, and the bayonets of the
visitors had not entirely restored order
"Grant, indcedw said to myself.
"Why, his life would not be safe here
an hour. Some desperate fellow with a
pint of whisky in him would be sure to
+. go cunning for him, and then we would
be worse off than ever"
did not mention the matter to a sin
gle person, for fear of starting some
sensational rumor without any founda-
tion. The next morning newspaper
man met me with a frowning face.
| "What is the matter?" asked.
Matter enough. General Grant ha.
been in town q day and two nights. He
left early this morning. and none of
the reporters knew that he was here.
feel like kicking myself"
You are always around the Nation.
al" said: "how did you miss him?"
''That's the trouble" was the reply.
"he didn't stop there. He went to the
Central Hotel, that big boarding house,
you know. 1t is kept by Mr.. Sans, a
Baptist preacher. 1 suppose he regard
ed as 1t safer than the National. Prob
ably he had his reasons for not having
his presence known, as it might have
created too much excitement. At the
National he would certainly have been
recognized"
1 told my friend about the square.
faced, Drown-bearded man in the
buggy.
''That was Grant" he shouted.
"Great Scott, IL you had told me I
would have made scoop"
what was the object of his visit?" I
asked.
"Don't know. He saw the command.
er Of the post and few other officers.
and also three or four citizens-Union
men. They were confdentially noti-
fed, and called on him. Their confer
ences We're behind closed doors. and
nothing has leaked out"
This mysterious visit was a nine days'
wonder, but everything was explained
q little later. The General had been
sent South by President johnson to OBJ
serve and report upon the condition of
the country, the sentiment Of the peo-
pie, etc.
Shortly after returning to Washing
ton he made his report, and to the sur
prise and qualification of the Southern
ers the magnanimous conqueror not
only spoke well Of them, but he ex-
pressed the opinion that there was less
disloyalty and lawlessness among them
than had prevailed in other countries
under similar conditions. He recon-
mended "a liberal and conciliatory pol.
ICY in order to speedily restore the
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