Year: 1868

A PRIVATE LEfTER-THE GENERAL AT HOME

 The Tribune says: "The following letter has been placed in oar hands by gentle man who furnishes it from collection ol autographs. It was written by Major-Gen eral Grant to his father from Milliken < Bend, Louisiania, during the Vicksbure campaign

 ''MIL1IKEN's BEND, LA, April 21, 1863

 'Dear Father: Your letter of the 7th oi April has just this day reached me. I has, ten to answer your interrogations. When l lett Memphis, with my past experience, I prohibited trade below Helena. Trade to that point had previously been opened bv the Treasury Department. 1 give no per mits to buy cotton, and If find any one engaged in tho business send them out of the department and seize their cotton for the government. have given & few families permission to leave the country and to take with them as far as Memphis their cotton. In doing this I have been 1 deceived by unprincipled speculators, who have successfully smuggled themselves along With the army, in spite of orders pro- hlbltlng them, and have been compiled to suspend this favor to persons anxious to get out of Dixie

 "l understand that government has adopted some plan to regulate getting the cotton out of the country. ] do not know what plan they have adopted, but am satis- fled that any that can be adopted, except for governme nt to take the cotton them selves, and rule out spectators altogether, will be bad one. Heel that all army follow CTS who are engaged in speculating off the mlsfortunes of their country, and really ai- ding the enemy more than they possibly could do by open treason, should be draft ed at once and put in the first forlorn 1 hope.

 "l move my headquarters to Now Car thage tomorrow. This whole country is under water, except strips of land behind l the levees along the river and bayous, and makes operations almost impossible l l struck upon plan which thought would give me foothold on the east bank of the Mississippi before the enemy could offer any great resistance; but the difficult ty of the last ono and half miles next to Carthage makes it SO tedious that the ene- my cannot fail to discover my plans I am doing my best, and am full of hope for complete success. Time has been con sumed, but it was absolutely impossible to avoid it. An attack upon the rebel works at any time since arrived here, must in- evitably have resulted in the loss of large portion of my army, if not in an entire de- feat. There were but two points of land Haines Bluff and Vicksburg itself-out of water at any place from which troops could march. These are thoroughly fortified, and 1t would be folly to attack them as long as there is 8 prospect of turning their position. never expect to have an army under my command retreat, unless it is very badly whipped and can't help it; but 1 have no idea of being driven to do a des- Rerate per or foolish act by the howlings of of course, to see the course pursued f1el; 6y some of the papers; but there is no one less disturbed by them than myself. I have never sought large command, and have no ambitious ends to accomplish. Were it not for the very natural desire of prov I me, and the evidence my removal would 1 afford that I was not though equal to it, l 1 would gladly accept less responsible po- l sition. I have no desire to be an object of envy or jealousy, nor to have this war con- tinue. want, and will do my part toward it, to put down the rebellion in the short est possible time, without expecting or de- l string any other recognition than quiet approval of my course.

 ''I beg that you will destroy this letter; at least do not show it.

 "Julia and the children are hero, but will go up by the first good boat. l sent for her to come down and get instructions about some business l want attended to, and see no immediate prospect of attend ing to myself.

 ULYSSES"

 A correspondent of the Chicago Eoening Post gives the following pleasant account of General Grants private life at his home in 1 Galena:

 ssThe furniture and equipage of the homestead are ill perfect keeping with the general unpretentious appearance of the establishment Fairness good taste, sim plicity and utility have been consulted ill the fittings; so all is harmony, all modest, and all good enough. Here the General, with Mrs. Grant, MT. Dent. the father-in- law; now eighty-one, and two bright chil- dren-a daughter of twelve and 8 son of nine years-are spending the vacation which the General is giving himself after his years of labor. I stay here. said he, because like my place and my good neighbors, and because l want quiet. l did think would spend some time at the watering places; but on second thought, l came to the conclusion that a stay at Sara toga or Long Branch would be kind of martyrdom that I do not care to endure. And here his course of life is just what a plain man would make it. Riding or walk ing over the hills, lounging into the busi- ness streets, chatting at the bank with the cashier and idlers, dropping into Felt's store to have cigar with the proprietor in the counting room, driving out to the mines and smelling establishments, mak' ing little trips to the surrounding villages these and the like consume all the time not devoted to his official business. One of his military family, General Comstock is member of his household, acting as secretary; to him most of the labor of the correspondence IS assigned.

 Knowing everybody, familiar with eye rybody, with not the remotest suggestion of pride of place or superiority of intellect, the General makes his way about, followed by the kindly greetings and polite atten- tions of his townsmen of all shades of po- litical belief-a plain, honest, modest dem. ocrat, as well as the most distinguished commander of modern times. Almost ev- cry day visitors make their way to his place-some excited by curiosity, others impelled by political considerations; but their number is few and their stay usually short. The General does not talk politics except unwllingly and then so briefly that the most inveterate bore would soon be m.