The Washington bee., 1911-05-27
GRANTS LIFE SAVED
CoIored Servant In Need
WILL HELP HERIF SHE NEEDS
GEN. GRANTS LIFE SAVED.

Would Have Been WlIu LAlSOli
When Assassinated but for the Mis-
take of His Negro Servant-Inter-
esting Facts in the Case-Sketch OF
TIE Family.
CFrom the Wood County DemOcrat)
Nearly three years ago IN the
Washington Hospital died colOred
man. George w. Barnes, whose career
had an important part in the great
war of I86I-65. He was a historic
character.
After the surrender of Lees army
at Appomattox Gen. Grant directed
his personal baggage to be shipped
from City Point to Washington.
Barnes was given charge Of the same,
with directions to take it to the old
Willard Hotel, at which Mrs. Grant
was stopping For some reason the
baggage was taken to the old Balti-
more & Ohio Station instead OF the
hotel
An arrangement had been made be
tween Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Grant
that their husbands should accom-
Danv them, on tne night OF the I4th
of April, 70 Ford's Iheater to Wit
ness the farewell play of Laura
Keene in Our American Cousin.
Imagine the disappointment occa-
stoned by the mistake in not having
the baggage sent to the hotel as was
arranged. When Gen. Grant reached
the CITY the entire plans of the even
ing were changed. The General was
without suitable change OF clothing.
Instead of enjoying the pleasure OF
the evening at the theater, he and
Mrs. Grant took The early train Tor
Burlington, n J.. to visit briefly some
Of her relatives. When the train
reached Philadelphia a telegram IN
formed them of the assassination OF
the President and the attempt upon
other prominent officials. The party
went on. however, to Burlington, but
Gen. Grant arranged to return IN the
morning to the Capital on the hrst
train.
Mrs. Grants disappointment in not
beinp permitted to attend the theater
was at first keenly felt, and she did
not attempt to conceal her feelings
in the premises. Later, however, she
was inclined not only to forgive the
faithful servant, but to express graft
tude that her distinguished husband
was saved from a fate that seemed tC
have been planned for the taking
away of the two principal characters
for the preservation of the Union. As
long as the General and MIS-. Grant
lived the faithful servant was duly re.
membered on the return OF every
Christmas and New Years Day.
AS showing the genuineness OF thl:
case and the devotion involved, the
writer wishes to submit COnfrmatOry
statements. In a personal letter from
Mai-Gen. Fred D. Grant, command
ing the Department of the Lakes
dated Chicago, June ?, 1910, occurs
this statement: The cOlored boy
William Barnes, came to my father!
headquarters at Cairo late III the tai
or early IN the winter OF 1901, anC
was employed by my fathers Aide
de-Camp, then Lieutenant but after
wards Colonel Clarke B. Lagow. He
was with headquarters i'll the service
of different staff officers until just be
fore the Vicksburg campaign, wher
he went to Colonel BlOOmer and re
NAMED with him until Colone
B1oomer was killed during the siege
of NiCksburg. He then returned Il
the headquarters, and was employed
by my father as a valet, and remained
with him until my father went on
of office as President of the United
States"
In another letter, dated June IS
1910, Gen. Fred d. Grant says
Barnes was a dependent to a grea
extent upon my family from the fal
of 1861 until he died He was eithe
in our employ or else in employmen
we secured for him with others near
ly all the time. and when out of EN-
plOyment altogether was assisted iron
time to time by my family. l woul,
be glad if | could be of any assist
ance to his widow now, though | hav
many calls upon me, and l do not fee
like volunteering too much"
From a statement dated 8 Eas
Doth street, New York, Jan. 10, 1891,
Mrs. Julia D. Grant, widow Of tn
distinguished war General and moth
er of Fred D. Grant, says;
'William Barnes was employed b,
Gen. u. s. Grant as his personal ser
want for the greater part of the war
also at our private residence i
Washington and again at the EXecu
tive Mansion"
Mrs. Barnes, the widow of William
Barnes. is living in a dependent con
dition with her daughter at I454 !
street northwest, in this city. Sh
has a sword, a camp stool and a ba
in which the Generals clothes wer
carried to the laundryman. The swor
is alluded TO thus, in one OF Genera
Fred D. Grants letters to me: Il re
member very distinctly that my faith
er's sword was shot off at the battl
of Shiloh, and that a new one wa
furnished him by General John 4
McClernand, one of his division com
manders."
It is suggested that Congress ough
to make some provision for this faith
ful colored woman by providing
small pension for her for the remain
der of her life. Some small allow
ance might be made for the article
l have enumerated, and they migh
then be deposited in the SmithsOnia
Institution with other relics. TIL
pictures OF General Grant preserve
in the little room by his loyal, faitf
full colored woman attest the faitf
fulness of the colored race during tn