Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1865-08-31

great degree disheartened, still he would
not give up he is described as a broken
down man. At this time Captain Grant
was drawing beyond his expenses,
though this was not ascertained till the
end of the year. He could not live on
$40 month. He seldom went abroad.
| A few near neighbors were all he visited
| here he would sit and smoke his pipe.
! His conversation was varied, but he
! liked to talk on the Mexican war;
! Mostly he was man of silence. Mr..
| Washburne tells me that he seemed to
| him to be thinking on some abstract
l. subject and that he took him to be
! thoughtful, reflective and large minded
man. Such being his condition, one is
reminded of the case of Frederick the
! Great during the years he was banished
| by his father. But in whatever makes
a man, Grant, the American Hero, far
| excels. | will say here that he always
was temperate, and every way correct in
his behavior.
A month or so before the Fort Sumter
outrage, and afterward, Capt. Grant was
uneasy. He walked through the streets,
| to and fro lin the store, saying nothing,
and apparently was in troubled state
of mind. About those days the Douglas
Guard organized in the city to counter
act the Lincoln Wide Awakes, and Capt.
Grant, as military man, was appointed
orderly sergeant. His reply was that
captain in the United States Infantry
was not the one to take such position.
He did not go near them. He meddled
so little with politics that it is to this
day unknown whether he voted for Lin
coin or Douglas.
At last war came: war meeting was
held, and Capt. Grant was appointed
Chairman. Then he went to Mr.. Wash
burne and said he had been educated at
West Point at the expense of. the gov
ernment; he had resigned, expecting
never to serve again, but now he offered
his services for what they were worth.
A company was raised in the town, and
under his direction it was equipped and
sent to Cairo.
Galena is in the northwest part OF the
State Sometimes the wants of this
corner are disrt garded. At Springfield
there is always ring Of politicians who
are anxious to provide for their set. 1t
is difficult to do anything with them.
Mr.. Washburne urged Captain Grant to
go down and offer his services. He
would help him all he could. The capt.
went down, and after some delay he was
set to work drawing up and composing
papers. After a while he told them
they could get somebody to do such
work as well as he for dollar q day,
1t was not in his line to be kept in a
corner at a desk, seeing nobody and Go.
ing so little. He was met coldly, nobody
knew him, nobody cared for him. Other
apme2g pGls1s them h Mr, Ms Houghton and M ii Mr.
! Mcclellan, President of the bank here.
The latter in particular pressed the cap
tains claims.
Then he was appointed an Aid OF Gov.
Yates, and directed to hunt up the State
arms. He found about 1900 rusty mus
kets. He also mustered in men. Still,
so many were his discouragements and
so coldIy was he looked upon, that he
told his friends he was not wanted and
that he had better go home.
The Importance of hiring a man OF
military knowledge was urged upon the
Governor 1t was proposed he should
be the Colouel of the 2lst Regiment, but
another got it.
About this time Capt. Grant went to
Ohio to see his father, when Gov. Denni-
son was urged to give him an appoint
ment. The prospect here was good
Then he came back to Illinois. By this
time the 21st Regiment had become de-
moralized. The men talked Of putting
the Colonel in the guard house. Capt
Grant was sent to them by the help ol
Logan; the men were quieted, and then
our Captain was appointed their Colonel
The regiment turned out to be one oi
the best in the State.
Then Col. Grant came back to Galena
to get his clothes; yes, to get. his clothes
He had to have have a uniform. To get
it money was borrowed and security
given for the money. The American
people can afford to read this now. Ther
he went back. On taking his men ht
had them march, saying they would
learn four times as fast. He went tC
Missouri, and was under Fremont.
Meanwhile his friends, like Cromwell:
little daughter, were indeed very few.
Mr.. Houghton, editor of the Gazette, OF
the 81st of May, 1861; describes Colone
Grant as the soulsof honor, and no maj
, breathes who has a more patriotic heart
, and our new soldiers need the leader
ship of rare man like Capt. Grant.
June Goth, the paper says, command
, of an Ohio regiment has been rendered
!, to Capt. Grant, and it urges his fines
/ for a high command. June %, is no
. tice that Capt. Grant has accepted tn
, IltColonelcy of the 7th District regiment
) July 81, states, that Col. Grant is to b
promoted to Brigadiership, and con
graduates the service on the event Dec
81, in an editorial estimating the char
: acter of Gen, Grant, and in particular i
mentions his modesly, frankness, ssgac
3 ity and strategy. I take these thing
from the files of the paper myself
2 ! To this stage of the hero's life histor.
\ does not furnish an example OF any othe
! man who has been so successful in
I righteous cause.
. T. Gen. Grant is still thoughtful man
r ! When he speaks he holds down his hea,
and thinks. Some say he has not for
I gotten Mexico. 1t is too soon to est
] mate his character indeed, very littl
is known In wide hTimmPd ravalr