Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-05-06

countrys material prosperity The closing line of
his letter of acceptance when first nominated for the
presidency was not phrase written at random,
but an utterance of the true sentiment of his
heart: " Let us have peace
His heart was intensely sensitive to every form
of human suffering This trait often the subject
of remark by those who were with him under the
varied circumstances of his life, through which he
passed At the outset of his career, in his earliest
battles he never failed to give minute instructions
beforehand regarding the care of the wounded At
Shiloh, after the fatigues of the day, he sought
shelter in hut to catch a few hours of much
needed sleep. The surgeons had taken possession of
the place, and began their horrid work of
amputating the limbs of the wounded. The General
found the sight painful that he said it
more uncomfortable than the fire of the enemy"
He left this only place of shelter, preferring
to brave the storm which was raging outside. and
passed the rest of the night sitting under tree with
torrents of rain pouring down upon him.
The General ate less than any in the army.
Sometimes the amount of food taken did not seem
enough to keep bird alive His mess, consisting
of himself and staff, was frugal enough in its fare to
suit the tastes of an anchorite. bottle of wine
was scarcely ever seen on the table and cold water
was the habitual beverage He usually spent only
few minutes at meals, and often took little more
than cup of coffee, some hard bread, and sliced
cucumber, little fruit, when any could be found.
Twenty-Four Cigars Day
HIS smoking has become historical. This habit
IL the field has not been exaggerated During the
second day of the Battle of the Wilderness he smoked
tWenty-four strong cigars. The number of cigars
the occasion, and when his pockets were loaded up
with extra supply in starting out in the morning,
1T usually meant that the going to have
as much work hand that day as it could con-
veniently attend to.
He could drop to sleep at will, and always tried
to get eight hours repose out OF the twenty-four.
OF course this was often made up of snatches of
sleep of few hours in length when active service.
The night of May 6, 1864, the second day of the
Wilderness, a critical occasion. A desperate
attack made the right Seymour cap
tured, then Shaler; SedgWCk's corps forced
back; the right was partly turned; and a confusion
arose which for little time seemed destined to
into panic The General hurried reenforcements to
the point of danger. and made every disposition
for the protection of the right AS the attack
days movements, threw himself his camp bed,
and IN two minutes fell into sleep that not
broken till the firing began in the morning.
When his death-bed, tortured by insomnia he
power to sleep" Upon being reminded of the night
in the Wilderness, he dwelt upon it for time and
said: " 1t seems strange that l. who always slept
well on the field should pass whole nights in
the quiet of my house without closing my eyes.
Many Of the motives which actuated him and the
real sources of strength employed in putting forth
his singular powers will never be fully understood;
for added to a habit of communng much with him
self was a modesty which always seemed to make
him shrink from speaking of matter so personal
to him as an analysis OF his own mental powers.
When visiting St. Louis with him while he was
President he made characteristic remark, showing
how little his thoughts dwet upon those events of
his life which made such deep impression upon
others.
Upon his arrival horse and buggy were ordered,
and drive taken to his farm about eight miles
distant He stopped on the high ground overlooking
the city and stood for time by the side of the little
log house which he had built partly with his
hands in the days of his poverty and early struggles