gary
Captain
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2005
Out west here stands the St. James Hotel in Cimmaron, New Mexico. The St. James Hotel was owned by Henry Lambert, a veteran of the Union Army. According to Lambert, he was Grant's chef and Grant recommended him to Lincoln who then had him as a chef at the White House. This story is told today at the St. James which is still operating as a hotel and a restaurant. Many of the post-Civil War famous lawmen and outlaws ate and dined there. There were gunfights and killings at the hotel.
Anyway, I doubt if Grant recommended Lambert to Lincoln and my friends in California never found mention of Lambert in any of the Lincoln papers. We know Lincoln read all the telegrams at the War Department's telegraph office and even added things to telegrams before they were sent off. Hence Lincoln knew about Grant's capture of Donelson and naturally, of Vicksburg. Grant as a soldier and field commander would not have communicated with Lincoln. I don't think the two men met until Lincoln appointed Grant as commanding general of all the Union armies. How then could Grant have recommended Lambert to Lincoln? I think it's fiction created by Lambert.
Thoughts, comments, refutations are welcomed!
Anyway, I doubt if Grant recommended Lambert to Lincoln and my friends in California never found mention of Lambert in any of the Lincoln papers. We know Lincoln read all the telegrams at the War Department's telegraph office and even added things to telegrams before they were sent off. Hence Lincoln knew about Grant's capture of Donelson and naturally, of Vicksburg. Grant as a soldier and field commander would not have communicated with Lincoln. I don't think the two men met until Lincoln appointed Grant as commanding general of all the Union armies. How then could Grant have recommended Lambert to Lincoln? I think it's fiction created by Lambert.
Thoughts, comments, refutations are welcomed!