Porter House

Porter House. . , “I’ve noticed that that band always begins its noise just about the time I am sitting down to dinner and want to talk.” – General U.S. Grant, City Point, Virginia, Earthworks had been thrown across the neck of land upon which City Point is located. This intrenched line ran from a point on the James River to a point on the Appomattox River. A small garrison had been detailed for its defense, and the commanding officer wishing to do something that would afford the general-in-chief (General Grant) special delight, arranged to send the band over to headquarters camp to play for him while he was dining. The garrison commander was in blissful ignorance of the fact that to the general the appreciation of music was a lacking sense and the musician’s score a sealed book. About the third evening after the band had begun its performances, the general while sitting at the mess-table remarked, “I’ve noticed that that band always begins its noise just about the time I am sitting down to dinner and want to talk.” I offered to go and make an effort to suppress it. On my return the general said: “I fear that the band-master’s feelings have been hurt, but I didn’t want him to be wasting his time upon a person who has no ear for music.” A staff-officer remarked: “Well, general, you were at least much more considerate than Commodore_________, who…heard music on the deck, and said…”Have the instruments and men of that band thrown overboard at once!” – Quoted from Campaigning with Grant by General Horace Porter.