Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-03-30

place, where he remained about ten days
when he was again ordered to the south
part of the State and put in command oi
district composed of Southeastern Mis-
souri, and Southern Illinois, with head
quarters at Cairo On arriving there he
| found that the rebels had possession oi
Columbus, KY, Is miles below; and were
coming in large force to occupy Paducah
He Immediately loaded up several steam
ers with troops, and got 10 Paducah in
| time TO get possession before the rebel;
got there. He put the place in com
mand of Gen. Smith, t"Badly") and
/ turned his attention TO Columbus; bui
before he got ready to move on theil
works, the Government called for five
regiments of his troops. which left him
without sufficient force.
About the first of November ne was or
dered by Fremont 10 make a demonstra
ton on Belmont. The object was to pre-
vent the rebels from reinforcing Price ol
JEFF. Thompson, against whom Fremont
and Oglesby were operating. The public
have been misled by army reporters al
to the propriety of this expedition; yet
in its results and effects it was one of the
most important battles of the war
Scarcely man in the army had ever beer
in a battle Grant himselfhad never been
in battle with higher command thar
Adiutant; there were no other General;
in that department who had ever partici
pated in battle; most of his men had
lain in camp for near six months, and, K
use an army phrase, were spelling for {
fight" 1t WAS necessary to develope the
qualities of both officers and men, and
the result showed that the officers and
men would do 70 brst, and the General 4
command
He fought the enemy two and hall
miles from tree TO tree, took their works,
and drove the rebels 10 the woods. He
saw then, that he must soon be at the
mercy of the enemy's guns at Columbus,
and ordered the torch to be applied 10
the camp and the men to retire TO the
transports some felt like taking a little
jollifcstion over their victory, and were
too slow in starting. They burned the
entire camp with S250,000 worth of the
enemies public stores, got all the horses
and mules, and two guns that had been
captured from us at Bull Run, on to the
transports; the other four cannon were
spiked and left about half way, for want
of time to get them to the transports
Except one regiment, commanded by
Colonel (now GeneralJ Buford, all got to
the transports without any loss. Col.
Buford, seeing that if he attempted to
reach the boats he must be cut off by a
large reinforcement then crossing from
Columbus, took to the woods, and march
ed up six miles, guided by the firing of
the two armies. General Grant ordered
the gunboats between the transports and
the shore, and then fought the enemy
from the gunboats for FIVE miles, causing
great slaughter in their ranks without
losing man. The enemy. finding this
an Improbable game, gave up the chase
after following the fleet five miles. The
feet then stopped and took in Col. Bu-
ford's regiment. The result was 262 dead
rebels we're left on the field, while our loss
in killed was IS. The men and officers
proved themselves gallant soldiers.
The taking of Forts Henry and DON
elson are well remembered and under
stood. The battle of Shiloh, as I think.
is not correctly understood. Grant never
has any reporters in his army or on his
staff. wish l had time to review it, but
the reputation the Generals concerned in
it have with the public, gives true his
tory of it. Grant, 1--WE use his own words)
says, "to save the field on Sunday, cost
me the greatest effort Of my life" He
never trumpets his own fame.
His subsequent promotion and success
is 8 matter of recent history and familiar
to ali; and is unparalleled IN history for
one of his age, and even of one of any age.
He has been in over thirty battles, and
i. Al.
472 cannon, and about $4,000 stand of
armsl Success seems to be natural for
him. A distinguished General in writing
to his father says, "he Grant is the
greatest fighting Genaral of the age" and
his success forcibly illustrates this truth.
His general traits of character are inner
tied from his parents. His fathers his
tory is success. He began life without
property or education, and has acquired
both. He has large property, four stores
and a number of tanneries that he Is car
rying on at the age of 20, with his other
son.. Heis man of great irmness, de-
cision and energy. Jesse Grant and his
wife are more equally balanced than any
parents l know. 1t is said by one who
knows Gen. Grant and his mother, "he is
like her-for he merer laughs, never cries.
and is Rsuer srcitsd;" and there is appa-
rently much truth in the remark. He
seems to be unambitious, has never
sought an appointment except at West
Point as cadet; but appointments have
sought him. 1 do not believe he would
accept of the Presidency if he could re-
ceive an unanimous vote.
Jesse Grant has FIVE children, three
daughters and two sons. Both his sons
and one daughter are married. General
Grant has four children, three sons and
one daughter. His eldest son is about
ii, and has been in five battles, on horse
back, with his father, Gen, Grant is
plain, straightforward, unassuming, en-
ergetic business man, and entirely en-
crossed in his business. He is small in
stature, in weight only 1873 pounds. On
his way from Washington, last Sabbath,
he called at the Spencer House, Cinsin-
natl, about half past ten in the morning,
and sent his son across the river TO Cow
ington to tell his father to be at home,
for he would call as soon as he could take
breakfast. In about half an hour he
came up on foot, and for the first time in
nearly three years, found his father and
mother and three sisters at home. They
saiiuted each other very affectionately,
and conversed for few moments; the
neighbors soon gathered in, and children
who knew his children. when last
there, and some soldiers also, who said
to him they "knew him on the battle
field" He answered all questions that
~sre asked him in brief sentences, as his
>aeT is, and did not lead in any con-
lnnno.;o,: nam and, | think, did not smile
III :, IT, ~ tb.> house. He pulled out his
warq ~atcb ~ On conn. ,S in. and looked, and said
he had only .ig gffs'. ss ' ra~st 90, and started
off. / walked with him, icoa sald 70 li1a nm !;
"Some call Sherman's last mo. iai1uie,
He said, with some animation; '"'
an entire and complete success, and aefoH'1
plisksd according to his Instructions" ! have
given more of his conversation before IN
the Journal. / made, in the converse
ton, some slight illusions to political
subjects. He did not seem 10 wish 10
talk about it, and should have nothing to
do with it.O While at the house OF his
father, some one of the family brought q
costly sword that had been presented TO