Headquarters Army Of The Potomac, April 4, 1864.
If you believe all you see in the papers about Grant, you
will be greatly deceived. All that I have seen are pure inventions. I mean such
stories as his being opposed to reviews, balls, etc., having given orders to
stop them; of inviting soldiers into his car; of announcing his displeasure at
the luxury of the officers of the Army of the Potomac, that all he wanted was
soldiers' fare, pork and beans; of the enthusiasm with which he is received by
the soldiers, etc., etc. All these are humbugs, and known to the writers to be
without foundation, but are persistently put forth for some purpose unknown.
When he first came down he said he wished to keep out of Washington as much as
possible, and it was his intention while in this part of the country to remain
with my army, and he asked me where he could find a good house for his
headquarters. I told him his only chance was either in Warrenton or Culpeper;
that the former was rather out of the way, and that I thought he could readily
get one in the latter place, which he did; whereupon the newspapers announced
him as establishing his headquarters eight miles nearer the enemy than even I
did. Not content with puffing him, they must have a fling at me. Grant is very
much annoyed at the foolish way they are mentioning his name; but it is a
matter he cannot very well notice. As I have before told you, he is very well
disposed towards me, and has talked very freely and properly about my
particular friends Hooker, Sickles and Butterfield.
SOURCE: George Meade, The Life and Letters of George
Gordon Meade, Vol. 2, p. 187
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