Grant So Many Twist To This Story

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Came across this article in the CS Vets magazine and it has so many different twist from Grant having dinner with a CS officer many night to Gen. Forrest troops being chased out of the house and not getting Grants sword. But it does show civility on the part of the lady of the house.
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Nice story of humanity. Surely Grant knew about the Govan lad, but chose to show kindness to the family. Glad the Mrs. was a take no nonsense lady. Surprised she didn't kick the troopers butts down the stairs herself.
 
Nice story of humanity. Surely Grant knew about the Govan lad, but chose to show kindness to the family. Glad the Mrs. was a take no nonsense lady. Surprised she didn't kick the troopers butts down the stairs herself.
Oh I'm sure Grant knew but the sword would have been a great trophy :thumbsup: for Gen NBF
 
Thank you for the great story
Nice story...But... Reminds me of this from the SHSP's.
"NOTE. -- Having read the MS. of General Rains' valuable paper, I desire to say that the total number of vessels sunk by torpedoes in Mobile bay was twelve, instead of three, viz: three ironclads, two tinclads and seven transports." Dabney Herndon Maury, Late Major General C.S.A.
This is a note to a paper by Gen. Rains, Chief of the Confederate Torpedo Service, SHSP vol. 3, page 260

But....In "Mobile Bay and the Mobile Campaign" by C. Hearn it is noted, pg 117, that although Farragut's fleet suffered heavy damage durning the battle for Mobile Bay, he only lost the Tucumseh by torpedo and the supply ship Philippi abandoned and burned when it grounded on the shoals west of Fort Morgan.
Ok, having inserted that material, the story of Grant at Holly Springs is somewhat off in reality.
When Van Dorn hit Holly Springs Grant had his headquarters at Oxford his headquarters. Now Mrs Grant had left Holly Springs the day before the attack, heading for Oxford to be with Grant. Van Dorn, mistaking Mrs. Pugh Goven, who had been left in charge of the property when the owners, the Walters fled south, for Mrs. Grant. Although the house was searched Van Dorn put a guard on the house with instructions to permit no one to disturb "Mrs. Grant" or any of her personal property.
"in consideration of the courage exhibitied by Mrs. Govan in protecting his wife's baggage, General Grant gave Mrs. Goven and the Walther's place "a safeguard and a guarantee during the remainder of the war against search or traspass or devastation by Federal parties that might afterwards have occasion to be in Holly Springs." The Walter mansion was spared while others in the area were burned. (As of the copyright date 1985) It was still standing.
My source The Vickburg Campaign Vol. 1, by Ed Bearss, page 315-6
There is also noted that Mrs. Goven was there with 2 companions, nothing about a son.
 
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