Omaha daily bee., 1902-12-21

One morning I thought I would take my
son Ulysses and run dow TO Oxford. There
was a military railroad. on I went. I ar
rived in the evening. The general was not
expecting me. When he heard I was there
he came out on the porch. He seemed to
be very busy about something, and was
much surprised to see me. I remember,
after he kissed me, he said in a very
strange voice: Julia, what brings you
here? / am very busy Just now. Make
yourself comfortable!' Then he turned to
my son, and, stroking him gently on the
cheek, said: You little soldier, have you
come down to help2'
81 observed" said Mrs. Grant, ian I'M
usual stir; officers and orderlies galloping
up, d~ismounting, receiving orders and then
of again. I knew that there was some
thing going on, so I kept out OF the way.
knowing that my husband would tell me all
about II when the rush was over. After
he had made the disposition OF his troops
he came out on the porch and seated him
self by my side. No one would have sup
posed that the enemy had cut his line Of
communication He took little Ulysses on
his foot and bounced him up and down as
II he were completely free from anxiety.
No one would have imagined that at his
command fully 1000 troops were then
shifting positions, and new lines OF cam
paign were being formed, which ended six
months later in the capture OF Vicksburg.
A Narrow Escap
my husband asked me many questions,
and then told me that I had made a very
narrow escape; that Van Dorne had at
tacke Holly Springs; that Colonel Murphy
of the Eighth Wisconsin had surrendered
with 1906 men without a fight, and that all
Of our supplies had been destroyed. He
oensured the oficer in command, but not
the troops.
ivan DoFne captured all my baggage.
horses. carriage. and left me without any
thing but what l had with me, I think
they expected to capture me-. too. for I had
noticed some very suspicious movements
about the house where was CHARTERED. ]
afterward heard that, after the surrender,
my quarters were the first searched by the
confederate cavalry. We were cut OFF from
the north for a whole week. and It was two
weeks before we received supplies. Ny
husband said It only demonstrated the
weakness of a long line OF communication
The land route of attack was at once aban-
doned and the Mississippi route adopted
In eighteen days after crossing the Missic.
sippi and fighting Ave or six battles Gen.
eral Grant had HE whole army In the real
Of Vioksburg. and. after a siege OF forty
seven days. the city. with $1,000 troops and
hundreds of guns. surrendered"
Julia Dent first met Grant in lg43, wheI
tho coming commander Of the union armlei
was a brevet second lieutenant OF thu
Fourth infantry. Their stationed at Jefferson
barracks. south OF St. Louis. At Yves
Point Grant had for a elassmate and room
mate r. T. Dent. a brother OF Julia, Tn,
cadets became great friends. and, ate
graduation. Dent visited Ulysses Grant a
his home in Bethel. o.. e~xacting tn
promise OF q return visit to "Whitehayen.
Thus II was that Lieutenant Grant an,
Julia Dent came 20 know each other. A
that time there we're rumors OF war wit
Mexico. and the drilling and preparations 4
anticipation of the CONFLICT made J~effersoI
barracks a busy place. II was betweei
drills that the young soldier was wont I
make his visits. riding to and fro betwee
Jefferson barracks and "Whitehaven" Of
horseback. Julia Dent was then a girl Q
IT. the eldest OF three sisters. She was a
the time OF Grants first visit at school 4
st. Louis.
The old Homestead.
"whitehaven." the Dent home. was a
unpretentious two-etory farmhouse. wit