Grant Appearances at Appomattox

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Jan 24, 2017
"When I had left the camp that morning I had not expected to see so soon the result that was then taking place, and consequently was in rough garb. I was without sword, as I usually was when on horseback on the field, and wore a soldier's blouse for a coat, with the shoulder straps of my rank to indicate to the army who I was. When I went into the house I found General Lee. We greeted each other, and after shaking hands took our seats. I had my staff with me, a good portion of whom were in the room during the whole of the interview.

What General Lee's feelings were I do not know. As he was a man of much dignity, with an impassible face, it was impossible to say whether he felt inwardly glad that the end had finally come, or felt sad over the result, and was too manly to show it. Whatever his feelings, they were entirely concealed from my observation; but my own feelings, which had been quite jubilant on the receipt of his letter, were sad and depressed. I felt like anything rather than rejoicing at the downfall of a foe who had fought so long and valiantly, and had suffered so much for a cause, though that cause was, I believe, one of the worst for which a people ever fought, and one for which there was the least excuse. I do not question, however, the sincerity of the great mass of those who were opposed to us.

General Lee was dressed in a full uniform which was entirely new, and was wearing a sword of considerable value, very likely the sword which had been presented by the State of Virginia; at all events it was an entirely different sword from the one that would ordinarily be worn in the field. In my rough traveling suit, the uniform of a private with the straps of a lieutenant-general, I must have contrasted very strangely with a man so handsomely dresssed, six feet high and of faultless form. But this was not a matter that I thought of until afterwards."

The Complete Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant - pg 353
 
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Poor Grant, appearances were not his strong point. It is good that Julia was around to keep him looking spiffy when he got to the White House. I bet she did a twenty point check of him every morning when he left the bedroom. Then again at noon. And in the evening. :nah disagree:
He was like my husband, I think. He is the only man I know who can put on a made-to-measure suit, and look like he bought it at Goodwill.:frantic:
 
Despite the somewhat romanticized and uncharacteristic appearance of Grant in photographs and portraits he was not usually known to "dress the part". It seems that most biographers agree that Grant developed into a pragmatist and was not inclined to unnecessary dress or pomp. It is typically agreed upon that this is due to various factors of influence including his mother and fellow officers.

As a child growing up Grant's mother would have been a powerful influence of humility, contrasting somewhat to his more bombastic father. The Methodist reality that she passed on to her son would be that "nothing you could do would entitle you to praise... you ought to praise the Lord for giving you the opportunity to do it."

During his time at West Point Grant showed a rather casual disregard for dress, receiving marks against him for it.
Upon graduation when he returned to Ohio he was "Impatient to get on my uniform and see how it looked." He "wanted my old school-mates, particularly the girls, to see me in it." This possible touch of pride or vanity was immediately dampened as he rode into Cincinnati in his new uniform and a street urchin mocked him. Back in Bethel visiting his family Grant encountered another resident who dressed up and mocked his uniform as well.

Grant would again encounter a contrast in relation to appearances when he encountered Generals Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor. Although initially enamored by the highly adorned Scott when he visited West Point during Grant's cadet days it would be Taylor who "never made any great show or parade, either of uniform or retinue," that Grant would come to emulate. Taylor was all business and no show, eschewing the typical uniform and ceremonial protocols and focusing on the task at hand.

"Grant commended the two commanders with whom he served [in the Mexican-American War] but offered insightful comparisons. Zachary Taylor, dressed for 'comfort,' moved throughout the field of battle by his own timetable, without staff, trusting his 'own eyes' to sum up the situation. Winfield Scott 'wore all the uniform prescribed' and traveled with a large staff who notified his troops of the exact hour he would arrive, so that 'all the army might be under arms to salute their chief as he passed.'...'Both were pleasant to serve under-Taylor was pleasant to serve with.'" -from American Ulysses by Ronald White

During the Civil War Grant was described numerous times as unassuming in dress and appearance. Rarely wearing the complete prescribed uniform of his rank...

His first command as Colonel he showed up "dressed very clumsily, in citizens' clothes-an old coat, worn out at the elbows, and badly dinged plug hat." Even after securing money to buy the proper uniform, he still preferred his plain blue coat and felt hat and only wore his proper uniform on dress parade.

When Grant took command of southeast Missouri he entered headquarters in civilian clothes and nobody recognized him. At Belmont he was in a privates shirt. During the Vicksburg Campaign Grant was witnessed at timed still wearing civilian clothes. Congressmen Elihu Washburne jokingly wrote to Lincoln while visiting Grant during the Vicksburg Campaign, "I am afraid Grant will have to be reproved for want of style. On this whole move of five days he had neither a horse nor an orderly or servant, a blanket or overcoat or clean shirt, or even a sword. His entire baggage consists of a toothbrush." A war correspondent described him dressed in "A plain blue suit, without scarf, sword, or trappings of any sort, save the double-starred shoulder straps-an indifferently good 'Kossuth' hat, with the top battered in close to his head..."

Once Grant came East the soldiers who had never seen him were generally under-impressed by the "larger than life" General when they actually encountered him. One cavalry officer remarked that Grant "rode along the line in a slouchy unobservant way, with his coat unbuttoned and setting anything but an example of military bearing to the troops." At the battle of the Crater Grant went to the front wearing a privates' uniform with only his shoulder straps to designate his rank.

Grant's consciousness of his contrasting appearance to Robert E. Lee at Appomattox is described in the above post.

Even after the war Grant continued to dress modestly, sometimes in a plain business suit and battered old army hat. There is an anecdote which I can't find the reference for which describes his wife Julia directing her husband back to his room to redress himself because she did not approve of his outfit. During his trip around the world after his presidency the newspaper reporter who traveled with him noticed that Grant found the frequent military reviews and ceremonies he was obliged to witness to be tiresome and unnecessary.

Grant appears to have been prompted to "dress the part" for photographs, but otherwise he was regularly witnessed dressed down. As a pragmatist I don't think Grant saw the purpose in the regalia and ceremony attached to military affairs of the time. It was a job, a duty and only the basic necessities were needed to complete the task. Sashes, swords, tassels and pointy hats weren't going to win a war. I think it's important to note that all this took place in a time when individuals of increased status both civilian and military were expected to "dress the part." Grant was not a radical but certainly was less concerned with acquiescing to the status quo and more simply doing his duty.

Unfortunately we are unable to really get a good impression of the dressed down Grant as he seems to always be dressed the part in photographs. His dressed down appearance has been more accurately portrayed by reenactors though...

u_s_grant.jpg
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The surrender has been looked at from so many angles, beginning with the clothing. Lee would have dressed up because he might have been taken prisoner and tried. Despite Longstreet reassuring him about Grant, he must have been terrified deep down under the dignity. Grant's rough fighting uniform makes complete sense in his explanation, but I know his habit of dressing down modeled on Zachary Taylor, has led to many people thinking less of him than they should have, both now and in his own time
 
Despite the somewhat romanticized and uncharacteristic appearance of Grant in photographs and portraits he was not usually known to "dress the part". It seems that most biographers agree that Grant developed into a pragmatist and was not inclined to unnecessary dress or pomp. It is typically agreed upon that this is due to various factors of influence including his mother and fellow officers.

As a child growing up Grant's mother would have been a powerful influence of humility, contrasting somewhat to his more bombastic father. The Methodist reality that she passed on to her son would be that "nothing you could do would entitle you to praise... you ought to praise the Lord for giving you the opportunity to do it."

During his time at West Point Grant showed a rather casual disregard for dress, receiving marks against him for it.
Upon graduation when he returned to Ohio he was "Impatient to get on my uniform and see how it looked." He "wanted my old school-mates, particularly the girls, to see me in it." This possible touch of pride or vanity was immediately dampened as he rode into Cincinnati in his new uniform and a street urchin mocked him. Back in Bethel visiting his family Grant encountered another resident who dressed up and mocked his uniform as well.

Grant would again encounter a contrast in relation to appearances when he encountered Generals Winfield Scott and Zachary Taylor. Although initially enamored by the highly adorned Scott when he visited West Point during Grant's cadet days it would be Taylor who "never made any great show or parade, either of uniform or retinue," that Grant would come to emulate. Taylor was all business and no show, eschewing the typical uniform and ceremonial protocols and focusing on the task at hand.

"Grant commended the two commanders with whom he served [in the Mexican-American War] but offered insightful comparisons. Zachary Taylor, dressed for 'comfort,' moved throughout the field of battle by his own timetable, without staff, trusting his 'own eyes' to sum up the situation. Winfield Scott 'wore all the uniform prescribed' and traveled with a large staff who notified his troops of the exact hour he would arrive, so that 'all the army might be under arms to salute their chief as he passed.'...'Both were pleasant to serve under-Taylor was pleasant to serve with.'" -from American Ulysses by Ronald White

During the Civil War Grant was described numerous times as unassuming in dress and appearance. Rarely wearing the complete prescribed uniform of his rank...

His first command as Colonel he showed up "dressed very clumsily, in citizens' clothes-an old coat, worn out at the elbows, and badly dinged plug hat." Even after securing money to buy the proper uniform, he still preferred his plain blue coat and felt hat and only wore his proper uniform on dress parade.

When Grant took command of southeast Missouri he entered headquarters in civilian clothes and nobody recognized him. At Belmont he was in a privates shirt. During the Vicksburg Campaign Grant was witnessed at timed still wearing civilian clothes. Congressmen Elihu Washburne jokingly wrote to Lincoln while visiting Grant during the Vicksburg Campaign, "I am afraid Grant will have to be reproved for want of style. On this whole move of five days he had neither a horse nor an orderly or servant, a blanket or overcoat or clean shirt, or even a sword. His entire baggage consists of a toothbrush." A war correspondent described him dressed in "A plain blue suit, without scarf, sword, or trappings of any sort, save the double-starred shoulder straps-an indifferently good 'Kossuth' hat, with the top battered in close to his head..."

Once Grant came East the soldiers who had never seen him were generally under-impressed by the "larger than life" General when they actually encountered him. One cavalry officer remarked that Grant "rode along the line in a slouchy unobservant way, with his coat unbuttoned and setting anything but an example of military bearing to the troops." At the battle of the Crater Grant went to the front wearing a privates' uniform with only his shoulder straps to designate his rank.

Grant's consciousness of his contrasting appearance to Robert E. Lee at Appomattox is described in the above post.

Even after the war Grant continued to dress modestly, sometimes in a plain business suit and battered old army hat. There is an anecdote which I can't find the reference for which describes his wife Julia directing her husband back to his room to redress himself because she did not approve of his outfit. During his trip around the world after his presidency the newspaper reporter who traveled with him noticed that Grant found the frequent military reviews and ceremonies he was obliged to witness to be tiresome and unnecessary.

Grant appears to have been prompted to "dress the part" for photographs, but otherwise he was regularly witnessed dressed down. As a pragmatist I don't think Grant saw the purpose in the regalia and ceremony attached to military affairs of the time. It was a job, a duty and only the basic necessities were needed to complete the task. Sashes, swords, tassels and pointy hats weren't going to win a war. I think it's important to note that all this took place in a time when individuals of increased status both civilian and military were expected to "dress the part." Grant was not a radical but certainly was less concerned with acquiescing to the status quo and more simply doing his duty.

Unfortunately we are unable to really get a good impression of the dressed down Grant as he seems to always be dressed the part in photographs. His dressed down appearance has been more accurately portrayed by reenactors though...

View attachment 183350 View attachment 183351
Can I just say, your posts are always a delight to read, and offer such great explanations for the man, both personal and military. Thank you, again, for another wonderful contribution.
 
A few days before Lee had put on that same spiffy uniform and sword. The Union had broken his lines very early in the morning, early enough he was in his long johns, and when he went out on the porch to peer into the mists he saw forms moving. Weren't his troops. So, he went inside and got dressed up because he didn't think it would be very proper for him to be shot dead in his underwear on the front porch of his headquarters! His training from childhood gave him the correct posture and stance to properly fill out a suit of clothes, too. Grant wasn't trained to move in high society - he tended to look like an unmade bed no matter how gussied up he was. Except on a horse - then he could match Lee for class! But there was a lot more to the way the generals dressed for that particular meeting. It was really symbolic of the old South meeting the new Union.
 
Grant under dressed habitually.
When moving through his own army it created the possibility of seeing and hearing the soldiers in their unguarded nature.
And if he heard a few negative comments about the old man, it was part of the job to know that.
But when moving out to the picket line, he wanted to be inconspicuous to a man using a scope or field glasses.
 
I think Lee came to that meeting with as much dignity as he could muster on such a difficult and momentous occasion. Grant, on the other hand, seems to indicate that
I had not expected to see so soon the result that was then taking place, and consequently was in rough garb

He had also been feeling unwell the day before and it must have required some effort on his part to meet the occasion.

"On the 8th I had followed the Army of the Potomac in rear of Lee. I was suffering very severely with a sick headache, and stopped at a farmhouse on the road some distance in rear of the main body of the army. I spent the night in bathing my feet in hot water and mustard, and putting mustard plasters on my wrists and the back part of my neck, hoping to be cured by morning. During the night I received Lee's answer to my letter of the 8th, inviting an interview between the lines on the following morning. (Correspondence from Grant to Lee followed)

I proceeded at an early hour in the morning, still suffering with the headache, to get to the head of the column. I was not more than two or three miles from Appomattox Court House at the time, but to go direct I would have to pass through Lee's army, or a portion of it. I had therefore to move south in order to get upon a road coming up from another direction. (Correspondence from Lee to Grant received)

When the officer reached me I was still suffering with the sick headache, but the instant I saw the contents of the note I was cured." (Correspondence from Grant to Lee followed)

At this point, Grant states he had "no doubt about the good faith of Lee and pretty soon was conducted to where he was".
 
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https://www.civilwarmonitor.com/behind-the-lines/an-interview-with-elizabeth-varon

I've become interested in hearing more from Elizabeth Varon, who writes about the differing views of Appomattox right from the beginning. Grant and Lee saw the negotiation differently, reflecting and influencing their respective parts of the country.
Thanks for the share, and I'm going to watch this asap. I've no doubt both men were coming from very different places in the circumstances, but there's no doubt in my mind it was handled magnanimously.
 
Thank you, @Bee . I am still trying to work out what a 'private's blouse' looked like 'distinguished with shoulder straps'.
Maybe one of our uniform buffs could give me some idea, but right now I'm clueless.
A few days before Lee had put on that same spiffy uniform and sword. The Union had broken his lines very early in the morning, early enough he was in his long johns, and when he went out on the porch to peer into the mists he saw forms moving. Weren't his troops. So, he went inside and got dressed up because he didn't think it would be very proper for him to be shot dead in his underwear on the front porch of his headquarters! His training from childhood gave him the correct posture and stance to properly fill out a suit of clothes, too. Grant wasn't trained to move in high society - he tended to look like an unmade bed no matter how gussied up he was. Except on a horse - then he could match Lee for class! But there was a lot more to the way the generals dressed for that particular meeting. It was really symbolic of the old South meeting the new Union.
Why is it almost impossible to picture Lee in his long johns??
 
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Grant under dressed habitually.
When moving through his own army it created the possibility of seeing and hearing the soldiers in their unguarded nature.
And if he heard a few negative comments about the old man, it was part of the job to know that.
But when moving out to the picket line, he wanted to be inconspicuous to a man using a scope or field glasses.

That business of not being a target was a good survival technique. Wearing your uniform correctly at all times was part of the attrition problem Confederate officers had! Grant wasn't wounded, maybe a ding in his scabbard.
 
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