The Washington times., 1903-04-26

exception TO the oft-quoted
proverb that no parsonage. how
ever successful or distinguished, is ever
a hero in the eyes OF his valet. IN the
estimation Of Harrison Terrell. General
Grant was always everything the world
at large held him to be.
Harrison Terrell is the mulatto who
served General Grant as steward, valet,
and finally. in his last illness, as nurse
for upward of five years. To this ever
ready servitor were directed the last
artierIate words uttered by the great
silent soIdier-President:
Give ne ice water, Harrison"
For months the great commander al
most wholly leaned on Harrison, par
ticularly in the later period at Mount
. NcGregor when the ceaseless agony he
suffered became almost unbearabIe.
There is no doubt that General Grant
was a martyr 10 great pain and for con-
siderable periods in the last few weeks
OF his illness. In these paroxysms Har-
rIson Terrell was his constant attendant
anu lE1ctllStrts H - AAAlE NS+ an ma
this ex-sIaye performed a noble part in
The tragedy OF Mount McGregor-
Master and Man as Friends.
In the peculiar circumstances of Gen
eraI Grants later career in New York
it so happened that the relations of mas
ter and servant assumed the form of a
sort Of camaradeTie- BY an accidental
fall on the slippery steps of his own
home, long prior to his final illness,
General Grant was severely injured in
the hip. For several months he was
compelled TO use cTutehes- While thus
partially disabled it was Harrison Ter
reI's part to accompany the general
everywhere. his business affairs as well
as social duties compelling him TO go
out more than he liked. Indoors he
hobbled about a good deal leaning on
his servants shoulder.
Thus this humble orderly came to be
intimately familiar with the peculiar
character of a great man. Familiarity
begat no contempt here. General Grants
commanding qualities of heart and mind
his loyal faith in friends, simple man
ners, generosity, and, above all, his IN
complaining fortitude and courage
made the same powerful impression upon
this valet they had upon the world at
large.
General Grants trust and confidence
were repaid by Harrison Terrell with a
sIeepless vigilance which doubtless pro-
Ionged the patients life, and certainly
ameIiorated the bitter pain Of many Of
his last hours at Mount McGregor. Day
By day. IN this close communion. Harri-
sons respect for his dying patron in
creased, until it bIossomed into some
thing like alteration. To this day he
never tires Of recounting little incidents
OF that trying period which emphasize
the IovabIe side Of the military chief
tain's character.
Penned by Grants Own Hand.
Even in death the great man reached
out his powerful arm for the safeguard
ing of the future Of his last attendant.
Only month prior to the final catas-
Iropne. knowing that the end could not
then be far of. General Grant, Of his
own voIition, penned the following let
ter;
New York City. June 2. 1885
Harrison Terrell
give you this letter now. not
knowing what the near future may
bring 10 q person in my condition Of
health This is in acknowledgment
Of your faithful services TO me during
my sickness up TO this time and
which ] expect viii continue TO the
end This is also to state further
that for about four years you
have lived with NE, coming first
as butler, in which capacity you
served until my illness became so
serious as 10 require the constant
attention Of q nurse, and that IN
both capacities 7 have had abundant
reason 10 be satisfied with your at
teution, integrity. and efficiency.
hope you may never want for
place Yours. [. s. GRANT.
This remarkable letter alone. if there
were nothing else entities Harrison
TerreII-s story 10 the attention OF every
patriotic American. His career has been
singuIarIy striking. If not dramatic. con
sidering his station in life. He was
horn a slave on the place Of Buckner
Terrell, in Orange county, Va. In 1910,
the day on which Gen. William Henry
Harrison was elected President. From
this circumstance he was named William
Henry Harrison Terrell taking his mas
AE4 AGll-tAf llalA4t a. AiAt AtA-'tJA-4 az
slavery times. Eventually however. he
dropped the william Henry prefxes,
signing himself simply Harrison Terrell.
He is generally known only as "Harri-
son. only his more intimate acquaIn-
tances being aware that his surname is
Terrell
Made Free Fifty three Years Ago.
He was the child OF mulatto parents.
plantation house servants Of consider
able intelligence for country slaves
Harrison himself is as 1ight-shInned as
many white people. He became Buckner
TerreI's aboy''-that is. personal ser
zant-when he was a mere pickaninBv.
The masters back was broken by a fall
from log cabin he was building when
Harrison vas about ten years old. The
injured man lived for Eve weeks after
The accident. and during this distressing
Interval the Iittle slave lads attentions
were so kind and weIl-directed that
Ruekner Terrell. the day before his