September 11 Friday – Sam wrote a rather long reply, from Elmira to Henry Ward Beecher, who wrote on Sept. 8 asking to see the Grant Memoirs to aid in a eulogy Beecher was to deliver on Oct. 22. He asked for Sam’s views on Grant and especially his opinion on Grant’s drinking. Sam hid behind a “promise” he’d made to Webster to “Honor no order for a sight or copy of the Memoirs while I [Charles] am absent, even though it be signed by Mr. Clemens himself.” Sam had not foreseen that Beecher would ask, or he would have made an exception. On the drinking issue, Sam defended Grant, said that such sprees had ceased before Grant came east to be Lt. General, and referred Beecher to General William B. Franklin on the matter.

It was while Grant was still in the West that Mr. Lincoln said he wished he could find out what brand of whisky that fellow used, so he could furnish it to some of the other generals [MTP].

Fox & Co. Hartford grocers, billed Sam $28.48 for “Mdse as per pass book”, no paid date shown [MTP].

Clarence C. Buel for Century Magazine wrote “I have outflanked Johnson (who is having a letter vacation) and sent the ‘Private History’ to the printer” [MTP].