The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-12-15
GRANTS CABIN IN PARAMOUNT PARK,
PHILADELPHIA.

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PHILADELPHIA.
One of the most interesting relics
of the Civil War in the possession of
the citizens of Philadelphia, is Gen
eral Grants famous log cabin, which
stands in Paramount Park, in little
grove back of Lemon Hill, and very
near Girard avenue bridge.
At the close of the war it was pre-
sented by General Grant to his most
intimate friend George H. Stuart. 1t
was taken at first to St. Louis, but
twenty years ago was brought here
by George H. Stuart and placed in
the Park. Many of US remember the
couplet which ran in this way:
'And they haulded Grants cabling
A thousand miles,"
In February, 1898, George H,
Stuart, Jr., asked permission of the
Park Commission to move the cabin !;
this was granted with the proviso,
that the site be restored to its original
appearance. 1t never was removed,
however, and on July 4th, 1898, the
heirs of Mr.. Stuart made final gift
of the cabin to the Commission, and
it remains, and should remain, as a
memento of the great struggle, and of
the man whose memory is associated
with the successful issue of the War
of the Rebellion.
Da1iO L1,1,faNe 1%,I o,,J n 1e. 1,oxya Oo~
ried away parts Of the cabin, and
carved their names or initials on the
doors and surrounding woodwork.
The writer, in recent visit to the
old structure, could not help observ-
ing how tastefully and carefully some
of this carving was done, taking a
long time to execute and that with
the front door of the cabin within
one hundred yards of Sedgeley guard
house, and in plain view.
The history of this old cabin is we'll
worth knowing. 1t stood at City
Point, Virginia, and was Grants win
ter quarters during the terrible win
ter Of I864-5. 1t is rough one
story cabin of logs, some of which
have fallen away and the interestices
have been filled with boards; there
are two doors, one in front, the other
in the rear, four small windows COW
cred with heavy wire screens it con-
sists of two rooms entirely unfurnish-
ed, and evidences of decay are every
where about, the logs being eaten
away by worms.
Eight years ago a new roof was
put on the structure, and five years
ago the G. A. R. requested the Park
Commission to make necessary re-
pairs, but this it was unable to do,
as at that time it was neither in the
possession of that body nor in that of
the city.
1t has been suggested that the cab
in be kept open, and a man be placed
there as care-taker. This, of course,
will preserve it from relic hunters,
but not from its greatest enemy-the
weather. There was some talk last
summer of building shed over it, or
to remove it to Memorial Hall /; this
would detract very much to take it
from its beautiful and natural sur
roundings, so it is to be coated with
some wood preservative, and placed
on a new foundation. AS the tim
bers decay others must be substituted,
but it will always be Grants cabin. !"
1t is certainly a reminder of a most
critical period in the country's his
tory, which to every patriotic Ameri-
can it is, and should be preserved and
handed down to future generations.
The building was put up in Novem-
Der, 1864, and was occupied by Cen
eral Grant during the last four or five
months of the Rebellion. 1t stood on
the bluff overlooking the James river,
where the headquarters of our armies
were established from June, 1864, to
March, 1865. During the summer
and early autumn General Grant had
slept in a tent, but as the nights
grew colder and it became certain
that he must pass the winter at City
Point, cabins were built for him and
his staff. The hut of the General
was a little larger, containing two
rooms, while theirs had but one. Mrs.
Grant spent part of the winter there
with him.
In front was a flagstaff with the
headquarters flag, and the camp. fire,
about which the officers gathered at
night smoking and joking. If news
came from the front, Grant often read
the despatch aloud, and then went
into the cabin to send his reply. The
husband of the writer (who spent that
winter there with him) often said
81 can see him now in his long, blue
soldiers overcoat, his broad brimmed
hat, cigar in mouth, leaning over the
table and writing an order to one OF
his generals. i"
Important letters were written in
this cabin to Lincoln, Stanton or Hal
leck; maps always lay on the table,
and when he received dispatches from
Sheridan or Sherman he picked out
on the map the places which they
mentioned. Secrets of war and init
mate personal revelations enough to
fill volume hang around these un-
hewn walls.
In this cabin Grant wrote his orders
to Sherman for the march through
the Carolinas from here he summon
ed Sheridan to make the final strug-
gle; here he received the rebel COM
missioners who came from Richmond
in March, 1865, to treat for peace; and
here he wrote the orders for the con-
cluding operations of the war.
Lincoln, Stanton and Seward have
sat under this roof, and at one time
Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, Sheridan,
Meade and Porter were all crowded
into this little hut, which then con-
4o:.od -. s~,o1y sc a A,,,ar;Oo,c orroot