The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-09
KEY TO GRANTS SUCCESS.

The Washington correspondent OF the
New York Post writes the following
story:
There goes a nan whose jaw, brow,
eye. walk. and manner of speech tell me.
as physiognomiSt. that II we ever have
long war. ne ought 10 be heard from
remarked a veteran army officer. as he
looked after the retreating figure OF q
young major who literally won his spurs
IN the war with Spain But you cant
always tell how fellow will turn cut
under such a test. Nature intended him
for masterful career; he may spoil II
all, though, by remaining what ard
| where he is now. instead of broadening
with increased experience and observa-
| ton
You know how little many OF the older
men. brought up in the red-tape school
OF their day, thought Of Grant when he
was first set 10 do big task ! have
| had. at various times. many Of his mill
tary papers TO read, and II has been a
subject OF curious study for me how
these reveal the change that gradually
| took place in him, not as the result OF
any particular incidents or episodes, but
through absorption. as IL were. He was
a great man TO notice little things that
would escape an ordinary apprehension
/ don't doubt that, If We were 10 analyZe
his career with care, We should ind
many evidences OF the part this faculty
| played in winning his victories. Where
did / see the signs OF il? In the way he
wrote his letters and drew up his formal
! reports. For example. when he began
his career in the civil war. he was a sim
ply fearful speller. and ungrammaticai
i and uncouth in his eXpressions-the kind
! Of man. in short. who would eXasperate
a purist or a person of methOdicsl bust
ness training. and make one ache TO
order him for term or two TO the COM
mon schools Before he had got through
/ his work ct-rnu1RfrfCn1 and finished
his handwriting was neat, his papers
| were drawn up with accuracy. and he had
acquired style which, though extremely
simple, was strong and full of individu-
| atty.
"A chronological order in reading his
| papers would show you how he had over
come one fault after another merely
through noticing what other officers did
| with whom he was in correspondence.
| The correction Of a spelling. for instance.
! though conveyed through no other me-
dunn than the proper spelling Of the
same word in the letter that came back
J TO him, was never ignored-you cannot
/ find the place where he makes the same
mistake again. 1t was likewise with the
strengthening out OF his awkward phrase
ology. I have had occasion to study the
correspondence and notebooks Of many
officers. but l never saw a series in
which the development of a mans mind
on lines which many persons would con-
slider unworthy of much thought was so
plainly marked. To me il seems part Of
Grants nature revealed through a very
little window. Thoroughness lies at the
basis of all mental and moral broaden
ing; and Grants readiness to observe.
and. what is better. 10 act on his OBJ
servations. in even comparatively small
details, is in my judgment one key TO his
supremacy.
You remember, perhaps the terms Of
surrender which Grant prepared for Lee
to sign? They We're notable. first. for
their terseness; as they crowded into
dozen lines what almost any one else
would have spread over as many pages.
but still more for the fact that they were
written in Grants own hand-as. indeed.
was substantially every one OF his pa
pers Of that whole war-and while the
party sat at the rendezvous Horace
Porter our present ambassador TO France.
was there. as aide to the general. He
tells me that at McLeans house Grant.
after greeting Lee and his secretary and
exchanging a few. sentences Of converse
ton with them. motioned them to chairs
opposite the center table, and then seated
himself and began TO write. II he had
been sending a casual note inviting a
brother officer to dinner he could not
have been less agitated outwardly. at
least. and yet he was bringing TO an end
a war of four years duration, one of the
stubbornest and bloodiest in modern his
tory. and one which, but for his success.
might have changed the whole current Of
human civilization.
He had just closed a sentence. rs
shown by the momentaTy cessation Of the
scratching on the paper, when q little
ray of light broke through an opening
between him and the Confederate officers,
and fell on Lees sword hilt. Ordinarily
nothing would have resulted from this.
fr.r1
forms and arms We're in a pretty battered
condition on both sides; so in preparing
for the eliminating act in the drama
that morning, Lee and his secretary had
discarded their old tOggery. and dressed
themselves in the best they had. including
a jewelled presentation sword which Lee
probably had never had out OF its case
before. The light falling on its orna-
mented hilt was reflected with a piercing
fash which struck Grant fun in his eyes.
He had just raised them for an instant.
Responsive TO the fash. they sought the
details Of Lees attire. and down they
went upon the written sheet again while
there flowed from the nib Of his pen the
provision that the Confederates should be
allowed to wear home their side arms. u
was a fine Illustration of the power Of
mOmentary suggestion.
when it was all over and Lee was
riding of in the direction of his headquar-
tiers. Grant issued a few routine orders
and then summoned Ingalls, by a nod.
and silently mounted his horse and rode
away in the opposite direction Ingalls,
had ridden over with him that morning.
and they had been engaged on the way
in "Reminiscences of the men and advent
ures they had both known In the Mexican
war. Porter. youthful and fun Of cnthusi-
asm. believing that the first utterance
Of his chief after this magnificent days
work would be Of historic significance I
hastily mounted and rode after the pair.
Grant did not open his lips for some min
utes. Then. taking UP the thread Of the
mornings chat. and with a faint smile
creeping over his sunburnt face. be said:
% BY the way. Ingalls, do you remember
the fellow who drove that shave-tailed
mule in the baggage train Of The --th
infantry the morning We went out 10 re-
lieve Jones?
r-f-