REMINISCENCE OF GENERAL GRANT.
ONE of the strongest evidences of General Grant’s nobility of character was his respectful treatment of the men in the ranks. They were all men, and were treated as men. He did not toady to the officers, or bully the privates. His attitude to all was respectful and considerate.
He was more approachable to the men in the ranks than were many of his inferior officers.
An ambulance driver at City Point told me this story:—
“The road was narrow, and I was allowing the horses to jog on at a slow pace, when an officer rode up and said, ‘Drive your ambulance to one side, please, and allow my staff to pass.’
“I was paralyzed when I looked up and saw it was General Grant who was talking to me so nice and polite. I looked back and saw a lot of officers coming, and you may be sure I got out of their way as quick as I could. Most officers would have sworn a blue streak because I was in the road, but that isn’t General Grant’s way; he is a mighty nice man.”
I had occasion to call at an officer’s headquarters to report that there were supplies at the landing for his regiment. He was very much pleased that I had taken the trouble to call on him personally, as he was from my own State. As we sat in his tent talking socially, a private soldier came to the tent-door, made the military salute, and was about to speak, when the colonel thundered his words of command:—
“Begone; what business have you coming to my headquarters?”
“The lieutenant sent me to”—
“Begone, I tell you.”
The soldier turned away deeply humiliated, and no doubt indignant. I, as indignant as the soldier, arose, and without ceremony left the tent. I have never thought of that officer since, that I did not want to go back to that lost opportunity, and tell him how mean and ignoble he was.