The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-12-31
STORIES OF MRS. GRANT
Incidents In the Life of the Fa.
nous Warriors Widow.
CONCEPTION OF DOUBLE TOMB IDEA

a
Dent Grant another link to that turbu.
lent civil period which witnessed the
greatest activity and untiring energy
of her illustrious husband has beer
severed, says the New York American
In sympathy with the great affection
which existed between General and
Mrs. Grant and following the wishes
of the general, found in his own hand.
writing after his death, the committee
which planned the noble memorial on
the banks of the Hudson made pro-
vision for the placing of Mrs. Grants
remains beside those Of her husband
after her death.
It was during General Grants ia
nous tour of the world, upon which
Mrs Grant accompanied him, that the
famous warrior conceived the idea of
double tomb for himself and wife.
With clasped hands they were view
ing the tomb of Ferdinand and Isa-
bella of Spain.
Julie" said Grant, that is how we
should be buried when it comes our
time to die"
After his death a note was found
among Grants papers in which he ex-
planned that while West Point was the
spot where he would prefer to rest he
was aware that under military regula-
tons his wife could not be buried there
with him, wherefore he desired to be
buried either in Galena or New York,
adding that he mentioned New York
because the people of that city had en-
deared themselves to him by their al
ways generous treatment of him.
The story of her married life Is
largely that Of both their lives. Mrs.
Grant, who In her later years devoted
much time to her pen, has written
charmingly of her experiences with the
hero Of Appomattox.
General Grant was my brothers
chum at West Point" she wrote in her
"Reminiscences "It was an odd coin
cidence that after they graduated my
brother was sent to a distant post,
while Lieutenant Grant was stationed
at Fort Jefferson. a few miles from
our plantation in st. Louis. Several
months later came the Mexican war,
and Lieutenant Grant went away Be-
fore he left for the front / had prom
Used to be his wife,
when the Mexican war ended, Lieu
tenant Grant came back with laurels |
and captaincy, and we We're married. |
Soon after Captain Grant was ordered |
to western post, and for several years |
he did frontier duty.
Captain Grant, however, was bet |
ter soldier in time of war than of
peace. He was happy in the fight and
din of battle, but restless in the bar
racks. He resigned from the army and
took plantation in Missouri and went |
to farming This was the first real do
nestle life we had experienced since
our marriage
"My tenderest memories cluster
around the old farm. 1t was there our
children were born, and it was the first |
place the captain and / bad that we
could call home When the civil war
broke out, the captain drilled a COM
pany and volunteered his services.
ut was some time before my husband |
would consent to my joining him, and |
then with what eagerness took up life |
at his side III a soldiers camp! / die not |
miss the comforts, the anxiety was so |
greatly lessened, and who could think
of luXuries with cannons booming and |
bullets flying and the strains of mar
tial music swelling every fiber with pa
triotism %
When General Grant decided to pro |
pose to Miss Julia Dent, who became
his wife, he started for the Dent farm
on horseback. On the way he had to |
cross Gravois creek, in which usually |
there is very little water and over which
at that time there were no bridges. A |
freshet had converted the stream into
torrent, says the New York Times, but |
Grant urged his horse into the water
determined not to be turned back from,
his purpose.
The horse was soon off his feet and
swimming with his rider down the
stream of the current Grant guided
the animal toward the other shore, how
ever, and finally reached it, drenched
up to the waist. IN this condition he
rode to the Dent home. where he pro
cured a dry suit from his future broth
er-in-law, a man nearly twice his size
Thus ridiculously attired he Woocd his
sweetheart. Before he left the farm
Miss Dent had surrendered.
Mrs. Grants eyesight was not good
for a number of years, and she had
to employ companion to read to her.
She always had her photograph taken
in profile. In connection with a slight
aff1iction of the eyes very pretty story
is told indicative of General Grants
tender devotion to her. When he was
president, she became somewhat Sensi.
tive about her eyes-she suffered from
stra bismus-and consulted specialist
to see what could be done for her. The
specialist told her he thought he could
improve her eyes, but the operation
would be painful. She consulted her
husband to learn whether he would ad.
wise the operation.
Don't have it done, DEAR" said the
general, pressing her cheeks with his
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