Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 April 1885 — NEWS CONDENSED. [ARTICLE]

NEWS CONDENSED.

Concise Record of the Week. THE DYING SOLDIER. Gen. Grant’s Obstinate Battle with Death. Gen. Grant, after suffering a slight hemorrhage of the throat, early on the morning of the 7th inst., relapsed into a condition of greater weakness. The hemorrhage was from one of the arteries of the throat, and the General lost a"< uptul of blood. The following incidents of the day are reported by telegraph: Gen. Grant dozed in his chair in a darkened corner of the room. Dr. Shrady and Mrs. Grant by his side. He awoke suddenly and gazed vacantly about him. Mrs. Sartoris and his son Fred came into the room, bnt he did riot greet them as usual with a smile. On the contrary, he bent his head low and muttered some unintelligible things. Dr. Shrady was by his side in a second, lor be knew that the General’s mind was wandering. It was said at first that Gen. Grant was delirious; that he laughed like a child at play, and gave orders like a General: that he spoke of funny things; and tried to tell a funny story, but lost the thread of the narrative. The doctor soothed the old soldier,' and soon afterward he recovered his accustomed equanimity. A strange fancy came upon him later on, and he asked that his chair be moved to the window that he could look out upon the world. His wife came and sat by his side and spoke to him now and again, and when the General said “Dr. Newman." a messenger was sent for the divine. Dr. Newman came back to the house hurriedly, and he and Gen. Grant sat down by the window. Religion, Dr. Newman afterward said, formed the topic of conversation. The General was very resigned to death, and asked the divine to pray. The curtain was pulled down, and the dying man and the doctor i rayed with Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Sartoris for some time. Later on, U. 8. Grant, the son of Orville Grant, Dr. Newman, and Dr. Douglas were seated in his room. The General’s chair was pulled near to the window. The fading sunlight fell upon him. He looked at Dr. Douglas and smiled gently. The conversat.ion turned to Gen. Grant's friends. “The people all seem to be your friends at present," Dr. Newman said to the General. “Yes," said Gen. Grant, "and I have many friends on the other side." “Yes,” repeated Dr. Newman, “and they are waiting for you.” “So they are," returned the General. Then he paused a moment and added: "I wish they may not have long to wait." An ex-Confederate soldier sent up a box of roses with this unsigned note: “CoL Fred Grant: Please place these roses convenient to your illustrious father. Thev are from an old ex-rebel soldier who surrendered to him at Appomattox. There, with me, the war ended." At 5 o'clock on the morning of Wednesday, the sth, the General was sleeping quietly, though it was feared the end was near. New York dispat hes of the morning of Thursday, the 9th inst., reported Gen. Grant as resting quietly. His condition was better, apparently, than at any time for three days, thougii he was gradually growing weaker. During Wednesday, the Bth, many distinguished people called at the mansion where the old veteran lav dying, thougn only a very rew intimate rnendß, including ex-Senator Chaffee and Gen. Badeau, were admitted to the sick room. An expresswagon brought a large box of flowers that had been sent on from Philadelphia by Mr. G. W. Childs., They were invoiced at $U<», anathe expressman s.4d that a similar box was to be delivered daily. Monday and Tuesday were anniversaries of the battle of Shiloh. Dr. Douglas was at this battle, and Gen. Grant and the Doctor talked about it. Gen. Rosser, C. 8. A., who was wounded in the cavalry tight at Winchester, was au.org the callers. He saw Gen. Grant and expressed sympathy. He came from the Union Hquare Hotel, and brought a box of flowers. Mark Twain called and had a friendly chat with CoL Fred Grant. He did not see the General Gen. Grant's condition exhibited a perceptible change for the better on the morning of Friday, Apr 110, having obtained a good night's rest, <luiing which he dept soundly most of the time. Throughout Thursday the illustrious patient took his food regularly, and do.ed at intirvals, his pulse and tempera.ure being about nominaL A cable message was received from Queen Victoria inquiring as to the condition of the sufferer. The following facts relative to the General’s condition were obtained from one intimately acquainted with his case and in every way qualified to give a trustworthy opinion: “It will surprise Gen. Grant s physicians very much if he dies within a week. The chances are that he will live two weeks longer, and 1 would not give much odds that he will not Lve until May. What is to Ire feared most is bloed-poisining. The physicians are now trying to ward Off this danger. They may succeed for a couple of weeks. When his temperature goes up and his pulse becomes Irregular there is great danger of death. These symptoms mean that the poison has reached the blood. The cancer itself is really the last source of danger, It has been stationary for a week and is not likely to develop sufficiently in two months to prove fatal. A hemorrhage Is likely to occur at any time, but will not cause alarm. It can be stopped at any time. The General's faculties are clear. He would be able to direct an army in the field today, so far as his mental condition is concerned.”

The bulletins sent out on the morning of the 11th Inst, in regard to Gen. Grant’s condition reported the distinguished patient as having passed a comfortable night, the greater portion of which was passed in natural and refreshing sleep. The pulse was CO and the temperature normal. He had, during the preceding six hours, taken the usual amount of nourishment, had conversed freely with members of his family and intimate friends, had scanned the newspaper headings, and evinced an interest in the European war news. Gen. Dent, the brother-in-law of Gen. Grant, is reported assaying that the Grant family have become reconciled to the fact that the General cannot recover. He says the cancer has made greater progress than any one who has not seen it can imagine. The artery in the th 1 oat mijst certainly give way soon, and then there is nothing to prevent the General from dying by strangulation. The condition of Gen. Grant on the morning of the 13th, as reported by the dispatches of that date, was worse than at any time for several days previous. He had a bad coughing spell the evening before, and the physicians admitted a gradual development of ulcers in the throat. The pain in his throat kept the patient tossing about on his couch, restless, wakeful, and uneasy, and he complained frequently of his inability to sleep. He changed from his couch to the arm-chair three or four times in order to stop the constant cough and to breathe with greater ease, but he was no sooner settled in one position' than he wanted to change again. Sleep was induced by.ihe administration of morphine. His condition was reported to be more serious than the doctors' bulle’ins indicate. Du ing Saturday and Sunday the General sat for hours never speaking to persons about him. His only talk •was to himself, and then he appeared to be semidelirious, making now and then reterenoes to his participation in battles. Among the mail rece ved at Gen. Grant's during the week was a letter containing a check for $2,000, representing the amount of a loan, with accrued interest, which the General made to a Western friend many years ago. The General had long thought the borrower dead, so that the check came as an entire surprise.