Grant and Lincoln's invitation

[loetar44]

I now know who was the "unidentified friend", who wrote about why Grant left Washington. It was journalist John Russell Young, the seventh Librarian of Congress (did not serve long in that office: from his confirmation by the Senate on July 1, 1897 until his death on January 17, 1899).

After Grant left office, he urged Young to accompany him on a well-publicized trip around the world. Young agreed, and the result was the two-volume compilation, "Around the World with General Grant" (1879). "Around the World with General Grant" is a narrative of the visit of Grant to various Countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, in 1877, 1878, 1879. Added are certain conversations with Grant on questions connected with American politics and history. It's Young's work, not Grant's.

The story which was verbatim printed in Grant's obit came from "Around the World with General Grant", part II, p. 356 / 357:

   

In a review Brooks D. Simpson (author of Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph over Adversity) says: "the former president sought to set the record straight on a number of matters in interviews with John Russell Young ..."