Ohio History Journal


Centennial Anniversary of the Birth of Ulysses S

Centennial Anniversary of the Birth of Ulysses S. Grant 287

published in the character sketch by Judge Hugh L.

Nichols in the April QUARTERLY.

 

 

POETIC TRIBUTES

 

ON THE OCCASION OF THE GRANT CENTENARY

Though General Grant, as his son has stated, cared

little for music and, as other writers have told us, was

not fond of poetry, the centennial celebration of his

birth called forth poetic tributes.         The following ap-

peared in the papers of Georgetown, the first two on

April 28 and the last on May 11:

 

U. S. GRANT

 

BY BERTYE Y. WILLIAMS

On the banks of the Ohio,

In a humble little cot,

He was born -our nation's hero;

But the busy world recked not.

None came by to do him honor,

Only April breezes sweet

From the peach and apple orchards

Scattered petals at his feet.

There the little new-born baby

Grew and stretched each sturdy limb;

And the beautiful Ohio

Sang a cradle-song for him.

 

On the fair banks of the Hudson,

In a tomb of stately grace,

They have laid our nation's hero.

They have given him a place

Where the world goes by in pageant,

Where the city's full tide swells;

And the great of earth, in passing,

Place their wreathes of immortelles.

 

There the weary warrior resteth

From the stress of conflicts grim;

And the blue and shining Hudson

Sings a requiem for him.

-From   the Georgetown News Democrat.