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Subject: [GM-L] GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT - Visits Groton, MA 1869 Part 2 of 2
Date: Sat, 3 Jun 2000 16:05:09 EDT

Subject: General U. S. Grant Visits Groton, Middlesex, MA in 1869

Source: Appendix of Vol I - Groton Historical Series by Dr. Samuel A.
Green 1887

p. 3 of Appendix Part 2 of 2


GENERAL ULYSSES SIMPSON GRANT'S VISIT TO GROTON

(By the way, Jeff Shaara's book - 1998 - "The Last Full Measure"
focuses on General Grant and Lee and like his father's book and Jeff's
other book on the Civil War .... it is a great summer read.)

p. 1 Appendix

The visit of the President of the United States will long be memorable
in the annals of Groton. General Grant passed the night of Wednesday
June 16, 1869 at the house of Governor Boutwell (of Groton) where on
the next day he held a public reception, which was attended by a large
gathering. People poured into the village from all the neighborhood,
and never before was there so great an assemblage of persons withing
the limits of the town. No accident occurred to mar the festivities
and everything passed off satisfactorily, thus making the occasion a
complete success.

A musical festival, known as the Peace Jubilee, had begun in Boston on
Tuesday, June 15, which lasted five days. It was intended to celebrate
the downfall of the rebellion and the restoration of peace and good will in
all parts of the country, which at that time so recently had
been rent asunder by Civil War. Several thousand voices sang in the
chorus and the audiences were correspondingly large. A building known
as the Coliseum was erected for the special occasion. General Grant
attended the concert in the afternoon of the second day of the Jubilee
in company with Governor Boutwell, a member of his Cabinet, and with
other distinguished guests. After a dinner in the evening given by
the city of Boston, a special train was despatched to Groton, which bore the
President and his party. The following accounts of his visit
were published at the time in the "Boston Daily Advertiser" and the
"Springfield Daily Republican."

THE PRESIDENT AT GROTON

p.2

The President and his party left the supper room in the Revere House
at a few minutes before eight o'clock last evening and after a few
minutes' conversation in the ladies' parlor, proceeded to the Fitchburg
Railroad station, where a special train awaited his arrival. The party
consisted of the President, Ulysses S. Grant, Jr., Secretary Boutwell,
Governor Claflin, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Hon. J. M. S. Williams, Dr.
Samuel A. Green, Colonel Daniel Needham and his wife, Mrs. McAfee and
Mrs. Wellington of Groton, General A. B. Underwood and the Rev. William
Clark, chaplain of the New Hampshire legislature. The President was
loudly cheered as he entered the cars, where Mr. P. S. Gilmore had a
brief interview with the President. The train made brief stops at
Waltham, Concord and South Acton, and at each of these stations the
President bowed his acknowledgments to the gathered crowds and shook
hands with hundreds from the car window. During a large portion of
the journey to Concord, the President conversed freely with Mr. Emerson
chiefly on educational matters, and the two distinguished gentlemen
evidently enjoyed the interview.

At the Groton Junction station a great crowd was gathered and great
enthusiam was manifested when the President made his appearance. After
a little delay he proceeded with Secretary Boutwell and a select party
to Groton Centre where he passed the night as the Secretary's guest.
A salute of guns greeted his arrival, and the whole town was in a state
of excitement. A public reception is to be held at the Town Hall, at
half-past nine o'clock this morning, when an immense gathering is ex-
pected.

The genial and frank conversation of the President while on the train,
showed that when inclined to be communicative he has no lack of words
to express his ideas. He gave many little war incidents bearing upon
different officers, and in the course of some remarks made in reference
to General Sherman, he said that he considered him fully capable of
commanding any army that the country could raise against any nation
with which we should ever be called to fight; that he had sound judge-
ment, great nerve and was always ready to do what he was ordered to do,
even when against his personal wishes, and never grumbled. In a re-
mark made to Governor Claflin concerning the election of last fall, he
said that Massachusetts entered into the contest as if she had not
a vote to lose - as if she was a doubtful State; and this compliment
was well responded to by different gentlemen present. It may be said,
in brief, that the President greatly enjoyed his visit to Boston and
that all the arrangements made for his benefit were highly satisfactory
to him.

The President leaves for Worcester today at 12:30 P.M., the hospitalit-
ies of that city having been tendered to him yesterday by Mayor Blake.
He will remain in the city but a few hours, returning to New York by
afternoon train. He will be received by the city government, and
escorted through the principal streets by the military, the Highland
Cadets and the Grand Army of the Republic. He will review the public
schools, and partake a collation at the Bay State House. Secretary
Boutwell will accompany the President to Worcester, but will return to
Groton in the evening.

"Boston Daily Advertiser," Thurdsay morning, June 17, 1869.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

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