Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-07-22
General Grant as q Joker,
BIZ AN OFFICER OF HIS STAFF.

THE hero and veteran, who was citl-
zen, Captain, Colonel, Brigadier and Ma
! jOr- General, within a space Of nine mon
tbs, though a rigid disciplinarian, and a
perfect Ironsides in the discharge of his
official duties, could enjoy good joke,
and is always ready to perpetrato one
when an opportunity presents. Indeed,
among his acquaintances, he is as much
renowned for his eccentric humOr, as he
is for his skill and bravery as a cOmman-
der.
When Grant was a Brigadier in south
east Missouri, he commanded an oxpedi-
ton a sainst the rebels under JEFF .1Thom-
son, in northeast Arkansas The dis
tance from the starting point of the ez-
pedition to the supposed rendezvous Of
the rebels was about one hundred and
ten miles, and the greater portion of the
route lay through a bowling wilderness.
The imaginary y suffering that our soldiers
endured during the first two days of their
march, was enormous. 1t was impossi-
bic to steal or 'cenfscate' uncultivated
real estate, and not a hog, or a chicken,
or an ear of corn was anywhere to be
seen. OntHe third dag, however, affairs
looked more hopeful, for few small
specks of ground, in a state of partial
cultivation, we're here and there visible.
On that day, Lieutenant Wickfeld, Of an
Indiana cavalry regiment, commanded
the advance guard, consisting Of eight
mounted men. About noon, he came up
to a small farmhouse, from the outward
appearance of which he judged that there
might be something fit to eat inside. He
halted his company, dismounted, and with
two Second -Lieutonauts entered the dwell
. ling lie knew that Grants incipient
fame had already gone out through all
that country, and it occurred to him that
byGeprcsenfug himself to be the Gene
ra ie as-a-..h.a.u ,ne ae-t the house
.I- Go usss sfs t5-.,a SsFy 'nfefa-
.... --a.a-. .- -a- 0> Cd -He luH.tcS
sl sLst s.ual
. T-5 Js ned to anoa wao be was,
anu he t5,d G,em that he was Brigadier-
General Grant. At the sound of that
name they few round with alarming
alacrity,- and served up about all they
had in the house, taking great pains all
the while to make loud professions of
loyalty. The Lieutenants ate as much
as thev could Of the not over sumptuous
meal. but which was, nevertheless, good
I for that country, and demanded what was
to Nothing And they went on
their way rejoicing,
/ In the meantime General Grant, who
had halted his army a few miles further
back for a brief resting spell, came in
sight of, and was rather fayorably i'm
pressed with the appearance Of this same
house. q Riding up to the fence in front
of the door, he desired to know if they
would cook him a meal
No. said a female, in a grnf voice,
General Grant and hisstaff have just
been here and eaten everything in the
house except one pumpkin pie
Humplr murmured Grant; what is
your name?'1- b. --f
'Selvidge, replied the woman.
Casting half dollar in at the door, he
asked if she wOula keep that pie till he
sent an officer for it, to which she replied
that she would
That evening, after the camping ground
had been selected, and the various regi-
ments were notified that there would be
a grand parade at half-past 6, for orders.
Officers would see that their men all
turned out &c.
In FIVE minutes the camp was in a per
feet uproar, and filed with all sorts of
rumors; some thought the enemy were
upon them, it being so unusual to have
parades when on a march
At half-past six the parade was form
ed, ten columns deep, and nearly a quar-
ter of mile in length. .a - ..-.s
After the usual routine of ceremonies,
the A. A. A. G.. read the following or
der:
HEADo'Rs ARMY IN THE FIELD.
Special Order No. -.
Lieut.. Wick6eld, of the - Indiana
Cavalry, having on this day, eaten every
thing in Mrs. Selvidge's house, at the
crossing of the Ironton and POcahontas,
and Black River and Cape Girardeau
roads, except one pumpkin. pie, Lieut..