Adam Badeau , Grant's Gay Friend...

5fish said:

The attack did not score... I an fascinated that everyone knows about Grants one Indian friend Parker and every bio of Grant's make sure you know he had an Indian friend but nothing about his gay friend Badeau... resent ones at least mention Badeau as gay and than move on...

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Ely Parker was a friend of long standing to Grant and was on his staff throughout the entire war. The surrender documents that Grant and Lee signed at Appomattox are in Ely Parker's handwriting. He also had a strong postwar career. To make a long story short, Parker was a true friend and a "somebody." Badeau, who only joined Grant's staff in 1864, was merely an employee and a nobody. Therein lies the differnce in their relative places in history.

Jim Klag said:

Ely Parker was a friend of long standing to Grant and was on his staff throughout the entire war. The surrender documents that Grant and Lee signed at Appomattox are in Ely Parker's handwriting. He also had a strong postwar career. To make a long story short, Parker was a true friend and a "somebody." Badeau, who only joined Grant's staff in 1864, was merely an employee and a nobody. Therein lies the differnce in their relative places in history.

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sounds kinda reasonable

Eli Parker was a very good friend - he and Grant met when Grant was a clerk in his brother's store in Galena, so they went way back. It's funny - Grant was dealing with some drunk who decided he wanted to fight Grant. Parker asked Grant if he needed some help. The drunk cussed and turned around - there was a very large Indian looming over him...not smiling. He left!

To me, Badeau was another example of a virtue of Grant's that too often became a fault. He would stand by someone even if warned they weren't very worthy of his loyalty and trust. Sherman thought his pal was naive, but I tend to think Grant preferred to see the good in people. It often came back to bite him.