William A. Crafts, Life of Ulysses S. Grant: His Boyhood, Campaigns, and Services, Military and Civil.

[96] those for young officers, and equally agreeable to the gay belles who admired such brave cavaliers. Balls in camp followed the grand reviews, and of course gallant officers exerted themselves to make everything charming for their fair guests and distinguished visitors. Pleasure-seeking ladies voted these festivities delightful; and as the gay scenes hid from their view the horrors and sorrows of war,--the battle-field, the hospital, the desolated home,--they were ever ready to contribute their part to such agreeable entertainments. The fashion set in McClellan's time had been duly observed when an opportunity offered.

The appointment of Grant to a superior rank, and his accession to the command of all the armies, seemed to some of the thoughtless a rare opportunity for the revival of the “grand reviews,” and the gay ball to follow it. The. project was buzzed about with approbation at one of the receptions of some official host, at which Grant was present, and a bevy of ladies gathered about him to propose it. They expatiated on the enjoyments of such occasions in the past, and with all their witchery begged him to have another grand review, and allow them to arrange for another military ball to follow it. Grant listened with the quiet politeness which he always shows to ladies, smiling at their eagerness, and putting a few questions relative to former festivities, and the assailants thought they were about to carry the fortress, to secure an “unconditional surrender” to their demands and their plans. But the new Lieutenant General dashed their hopes by saying,--

“Ladies, please stop the agitation of this subject at once, for if another ball is attempted in the army of the ”