The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-04-27
Confederate Officer Tells
OF Gen. Grants Kindness
Member of Gen. Robert E. Lees Staff Relates How Gen.
Grant Gave Him Full Equipment of Clothing
Also Ambulance and Four Mules

waited our turn in front of General
Grants headquarters. Soon our names
were called. and we entered Grants
tent. BY George, it is our Grant, the
same Grant we knew in Mexico Gen
eral - said to me.
"And sure enough. it was. Grant
looked. up and just the shadow of a
smile crossed his face. We approached
to sign our names, but he gave no sign
of recognition. We were strangers to
him, apparently.
Ncighbors in Virginia.
Having signed and been given GER
tificates of liberty, we departed from
the tent, and began at once making
preparations to return to our respec-
tive plantations; we were neighbors
in Virginia. For April was now well
advanced and we wanted to put in our
tobacco. We had no money. and our
clothes were rags; so it was work or
starve, and we both had families. In
the midst of our preparations and full
of the joyful anticipation of soon join
ing our families, we received an order
signed by General Grant to report at
his headquarters at 9 o'clock the next
morning. Imagine our disappoint-
ment at the unexpected delay! What
did he want with us? Why single US
out? In vain we sought influence for
an annulment of the order. However.
such was the order, and wait on the
pleasure of our captor we must.
Given Full Uniform.
Accordingly. we appeared before
General Grant at the appointed hour.
Diminishing other officers and order
lies from his presence, he rose to re-
ceive us. and, with a smile full of
friendship he took each of us by the
hand, and said, Well, old friends, for
you this is a. sad reunion, but it is the
fortune of war. I sent for you that
I might tell you that the gratitude of
old friendship is strong within my
breast for my comrades of the cold
army" whether now they be of the
North or of the South. However, this
is no time for a visit, and I have only
to say now that we happen to have in
our possession quite large quantity
of brand new Confederate uniforms
and other supplies, and am giving
you an order on our commissary for
a full equipment of whatever you may
need; for it is plain to see that you
are pretty close run for clothes, that
you need everything from the skin
out, head to foot. Go and outfit your
selves. You will find razors as well.
So make ready for a happy return
home. At the door of the commits
sary's tent you will find a Confederate
ambulance and four mules, a negro
boy on the box to drive. Take the
whole outfit and go home. begin life
anew ana, my ITlonOS, you HeeU IlOb
return the ambulance, the mules, or
the boy. They are yours
"Well, sir, we obeyed the new order
with joy, and when we came out of
the commissary's tent. We were re-
splerdent- in new Confederate uni
forms. and found the ambulance, the
mules, and the boy waiting for u.s.
A Story of Historic Interest.
Judge Reeder said, in conclusion,
that probably the gift of the ambu-
lance and mules was a stretch of Gen
eral Heth's imagination; that posi-
bly, even the uniforms were not so
new and respondent as the Confed-
crate officers said; but he had mar
rated the story as he had received it
from General Heth. and he thought,
that even without these minor "details,
the story was of historic interest. For
he had every reason to believe that
General Heth was not a man who
would be guilty of falsehood of the
whole cloth for the purpose of exploit
ing himself.
Judge Reeder's narrative interested
me so much that 1 wrote an abstra ct
of it to Senator Curtis. asking him
to call on the war department for
Identification of General Heth. and he
replied that there was a General
Harry Heth on General Lees staff.