Tuesday, August 15th, 1865. I was wrong when I said 1869. But I'm always happy to be wrong if it gives me a chance to learn something.
"Tues. 15th. Gen. U. S. Grant passed through in a special train which stopped + he shook hands with many (Com. 8-19-65)." So says an index card in the Ypsilanti chronology of Events file. The handwriting is that of Louis White, former Ypsilanti historian. James Mann, who was at the Archives today, very kindly found this card for me (waves).
I sped to the Archives' microfilm reader and feverishly threaded on the correct spool of film. June...July...ah hah! The microfilm reader does not have a printer, so I copied down the article from the August 19 Ypsilanti Commercial newspaper. Here 'tis:
General Grant in Ypsilanti
The special train conveying the hero of a hundred battles passed here Tuesday at 5 p.m. There was a large gathering of the people to greet him. The cars remained about 10 minutes giving quite a number of citizens an opportunity to take him by the hand. He was kept very busy in shaking hands.
General Cutcheon shook hands with him and remarked, "General, I was with you at Vicksburg." The great commander took off his hat and politely bowed.
Mr. Howland remarked to him, "I am a tanner," and he passed him the same compliment.
He took a number of children who pressed around him by the hand. In appearance he is some taller than we supposed. He looks every inch the soldier. He has an intellectual look. We endorse the poet Holland when he says "whose giant combinations and campaigns" won from his boys the sobriquet --'Old Brains'."
"That peerless man and soldier Gen. Grant." We call the especial attention of our readers to the poetry in another column. Unassuming, not a streak of vanity discernable in his nature, the people delight to do him honor--Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan a glorious trio. We honor them not in the spirit of man worship, but representing in their persons and acts the overthrow of the rebellion--the unity of the Republic disenthralled and marching on to a grand future." --Ypsilanti Commercial, August 19, 1865.
