Adam Badeau, Grant in peace: from Appomattox to Mount McGregor, a personal memoir

[425] movements, to describe the commanders, to give pictures of the country; and he seized the idea, and developed the sketch into a more protracted effort. It was copied by his eldest son, who carried it to the editors, one of whom came at once to see General Grant, and asked for more. What the General had given was so good that it made them greedy and they begged him to extend his article, suggesting one or two points for further treatment. He consented, and the paper became the elaborate one—elaborate for its author—which appeared in The Century for February, 1885. This was General Grant's first attempt at anything like literary or historical composition.

He at once became interested in the work. The occupation distracted him from the contemplation of his misfortunes, and the thoughts of his old companions and campaigns brought back pleasanter recollections. He agreed to prepare still another article. His first theme had been the battle of Shiloh; the second was the Vicksburg Campaign. If he had been too concise at the start, he was now inclined to be more than full, and covered two hundred pages of manuscript in a few weeks. As soon as it became known that he had begun to write, the story spread that he was preparing his ‘Memoirs,’ and half the prominent publishers in the country made him offers. Again he sent for me, and said he felt inclined to write a book; but that as my own history of his campaigns had been composed with his concurrence, and with the expectation that it would take the place of all he would have to say on the subject, he thought it right to consult me. He wanted also to employ the material I had collected and arranged in my work, and to use it as authority for figures and for such facts as his own memory would not supply. Besides this, he wanted my assistance in various ways; all of which was arranged. In October I went to live at his house, to help him in the preparation of his book.

At this time he seemed in tolerable health. He was crippled and unable to move without crutches, but he walked