Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-07
MEMENTOES OF GRANT
Viewed by Members of Chi
cago Historical Society.
INDUSTRIOUS CAREER
RELICS OF GREAT COMMANDERS
TRIP ABROAD.
Collection of Swords, Uniforms
Shoulderstraps and Other Articles
Inspected Yesterday.
INDUSTRIOUS CAREER

Cal society Oh OnCaBO the ENdlOHdA
Museum yesterday afternoon to inspect the
Grant relics which are displayed in great
glass cases In that institution. These form.
perhaps, the most interesting and valuable
historical collection of the many in the big
museum. The relics are always under the
watchfui eyes of several attaches, to pre-
vent thieves vandGis from GeSpoiling
them.
Capt. Walter f. hardwood, who heads the
delegate IN of visiting historians, stated last
night that unusual interest attaches to the
Grant collection because 1t represents
many phases in his eventful career, from
his boyhood days in Illinois to the final sad
hours At Mount McGregor. n. Y. The great
captain. he said preserved these memen-
toes with great care while he was alive and
they ere now even more zealously guarded
by the great nation which owes to him in
a large measure its present happy, reunited
condition. and the unexampled prosperity
which followed in the wake of the reunion
An army officer who served under Grant
made the remark:
The intrinsic value of the collection ia
great but its sentimental value to the re-
public cannot be expressed in words"
The visitor may know that he has reach
cd the cases containing the Grant relics
when ne Is confronted by a life-size white
marble bust of the hero of Appomattox
which seems to stand as silent sentinel
over the priceless collection In the first
case Is The insignia of his browning military
glory. the epaulets he wore when he was
promoted to the highest military rank
general OF the American army These are
or pure gold with solid crescent, the device
LeihS TWO nVe-rayed stars and the coat of
arms Of the United States embroidered in
gold between the stars.
Collection of Shoulder Straps.
Close by fha
straps with four golden stars, worn by
General Grant after the war; also his
shoulder straps at lieutenant general three
golden stars. which he wore during that
rnomentouS period when he was lighting the
last decisive campaign Of the civil war be-
lore petersburg and Richmond Nearby are
MS shoulder straps as brigadier. one star.
"hiSn ne wore in the early days of the
confict at Belmont, Fort Donelson and
Shiloh. -N
One of the Chicago visitors who was
with Grant in his early campaigns in the
southwest, pointed to an age-colored eagle
ornament in the case and said:
General Grant wore that fighting bird On
the front OF his army hat. 1t looks pretty
rough and age-tarnished now, but 1t is
entitled to place of honor in that case
with those diamond and gold ornamented
trophies which are intrinsicaly 50 valuable.
Its value to this nation cannot be com
puted in dollars and cents"
Grants old wartime uniform, around
which cluster so many thrilling memories,
is also there. 1t Is age-dusty and rusty and
lily compares with the natty twentieth
century uniform now worn by army officers:
but that time -soled uniform once covered
the form Of an American general whose
rame Is worldwide and whose military
achievements form one of the brightest
pages In the history of this republic.
The well-worn field glasses used by Grant
IN MS several campaigns and through which
he viewed the ever-changing panorama of
war, is not the least interesting article in
the collection The cylinders are SCARED
and battered and the covering is badly fray
ed as result of the strenuous campaigning
they went through in the sixties.
Gen. Grants Swords
The sword of Donelson Is the next Of
the Grant relics. 1t bears the inscription:
Presented to Gen U. S. Grant. Galena, ILL.,.
by G. w. Graham. C. w. Lagow and John
Cook" The weapon has straight blade,
etched with military figures The pommel
is decorated with bas reliefs and the grip
Is of carved ivory.
Then there Is 1.-The sword of Chattanooga"
presented to General Grant by the citizens
of 10 Daviess county. Ill This blade is also
straight and double edged etched with a
monogram and military trophies The
pommel is of gold and tortoise shell and is
inscribed, THE Hero of the Mississippi"
The scabbard is of gold. engraved with the
names and dates of the battles of the Mexi-
can war in which he was engaged. also of
the DdttIeS Oh BtllnO1lt BLACK river
Vicksburg and Chattanooga. 1S61-'63
Grants old war saddle Is an interest
ing exhibit. 1t was used by him in the
battles in which he participated from 1867
to 1865. when General Lee surrendered at
Appomattox The Mclean table Is model
in solid gold and miniature fac-simile of
the table on which General Lee signed the
articles of surrender. April 8. 1855. F. 7.
Weldon former confederate soldier who
was at the surrender presented this costly
golden model to General Grant in 1870. The
original AppomattoX table Is of mahogany
with a marble top.
In hinged frames near one of the mu-
scum cases are the official certificates of his
army appointments and promotions. The
first of these is his commission as first lieu
tenant by brevet In the United States army
CHS first military promotion and a very
slight one at thaO for gallant conduct at
the battle OF Molino del Rey. Mexico, Sep
TENDER :. 1871" Next Is his commission as
full first lieutenant. 4th Infantry U. s. A..
February 7. 1913, and that of his promotion
to be captain by brevet, dated May p. 1851
Then comes his commission as full captain
in the 4th Infantry. February 8, 1854. fol-
lowed by that of colonel of the 21st Illinois
Volunteers. June II. 1861. The next COM
mission. signed by Abraham Lincoln. Presi-
dent is dated May II. 1861. and was delayed
In transmission. 1t promotes Colonel
Grant to be brigadier general. U. S. A.
Commission as Major General.
His commission as major general. also
signed by President Lincoln. is dated at
Washington. July a. 1863. and that of lieu
tenant general. March 2. 1864. likewise
bears the familiar signature of Father
Abraham" as the President was affection
ately termed by the soldiers. Then comes
the high-water mark of Grants military
career and fame, his commission as general
of the army. dated July %, 1868. and sign
ed by President Andrew Johnson. In a
nearby frame Is the joint resolution of
thanks of the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatves. dated December H. 1863. 1t is
titled: ITO Major General Ulysses s.
Grant and the officers and soldiers who
have fought under his command during
the rebellion; for their gallantry and good
conduct In the battles in which they have
been engaged" The resolution orders that
a gold medal OF honor be struck for Gen.
Grant.
The trophies presented to the great cap
tain after the war include cane from the
Caledonian Club OF Philadelphia made
from wood from the estate of Sir Walter
Scott at Abbotsford. Scotland: cane turn
ed at the Norfolk navy yard from a piece
of timber from the Inflated frigate Cum
berland, which was sunk in Hampton Roads
by the confederate Merrimac. and
- oil hap 40 hoo