y tall, the President recognized me over the mass of people and
holding up both white-gloved hands which looked like two legs of
mutton, called out: 'Two more in to-day, Cameron, two more.' That is,
two additional States had passed the Jackson-Lincoln resolutions."

Apart from the light this incident throws upon political life, it is
rather remarkable that the same man should have been called upon by
two presidents of the United States, twenty-eight years apart, under
exactly similar circumstances and asked for advice, and that, the same
expedient being employed, both men became candidates and both secured
second terms. As was once explained upon a memorable occasion:
"There's figuring in all them things."

When in Washington I had not met General Grant, because he was in the
West up to the time of my leaving, but on a journey to and from
Washington he stopped at Pittsburgh to make the necessary arrangements
for his removal to the East. I met him on the line upon both occasions
and took him to dine with me in Pittsburgh. There were no dining-cars
then. He was the most ordinary-looking man of high position I had ever
met, and the last that one would select at first glance as a
remarkable man. I remember that Secretary of War Stanton said that
when he visited the armies in the West, General Grant and his staff
entered his car; he looked at them, one after the other, as they
entered and seeing General Grant, said to himself, "Well, I do not
know which is General Grant, but there is one that cannot be." Yet
this was he. [Reading this years after it was written, I laugh. It is
pretty hard on the General, for I have been taken for him more than
once.]

In those days of the war much was talked about "strategy" and the
plans of the various generals. I was amazed at General Grant's freedom
in talking to me about such things. Of course he knew that I had been
in the War Office, and was well known to Secretary Stanton,[21] and
had some knowledge of what was going on; but my surprise can be
imagined when he said to me:

"Well, the President and Stanton want me to go East and take command
there, and I have agreed to do it. I am just going West to make the
necessary arrangements."

I said, "I suspected as much."

"I am going to put Sherman in charge," he said.

"That will surprise the country," I said, "for I think the impression
is that General Thomas should succeed."

"Yes, I know that," he said, "but I know the men and T