Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1865-06-17
GEN. GRANr---IIIS EARLY EYPE.
RlENCE In THE WAR.

Sitting round blazing camp fire a
few evenings since, several Illinois officers
related their experience of Gen. Grant in
civil life. Here is, as near as I can recol.
lect it, what Gen. John f. Smith said on
the subject:
II don't believe any man in Illinois
knew Grant better than did, and l think
| had quite as much to do as any other
man in bringing him into the war. lived
in Galera, at the time. lie kept hard
ware and saddlery store l used to drop
in and see him very often, on my way
home, and be and would generally smoke
our pipes together, in his Office adjoining
the store. He was very poor business
man and never liked to wait on customers
If q customer called in the absence Of the
clerks, he would tell him to wait a few
minutes till one Of The clerks returned,
and if he could at wait, the General would
60 behind the counter very reluctantly,
anu drag down whatever vas wanted, but
ho hardly ever knew the price Of it, aud
in nine cases out of ten, he charged either
too much or too little. He would rather
talk about the Mexican war than wait up.
on the best customer in the world
"Whtn the war broke cut, told him
one day, that | was going to Springfield to
See Governor Yates, who had sent for me.
Grant merely remarked in Qniet way
1 GU can say to the Governor that if can
be Of any use to him in the organization
of those regiments, | will sc glad to do
what can | went to Springfield and
made arrangements Immediately for Grant
to he sent for. lie came ri,ht down an,
went to work to organize ten regiments,
cH)lec out as a s0r: of home guard, for 50
days at first, but afterwards enlisted for
three years. When he had done this, he
was ready to 20 home, Governor Yates
offered him the co'one'cy Of the 2lst regi'
mont, ere Of lie ten. He ACCEPTED it,
ard irc sd'ate!y went 10 camp. went
with him. and | never shall forget the
scene that occurred when his men frs.
saw him. 1t WAS very laughable. Grant
was dressed very clumsey, in citizens
c'othes-an cd coat. worn out at the ell
bows. and a badly dingel plug hat His
men, though ragged and bare footed them
selves, had formed a high estimate of
what colonel should be, and when Grant
walked in among them they began max.
ing fun Of him. They cried out in deris-
ion-Look at our colonel' aud made all
sorts Of fun Of him. \ few of them, to
Show eff to The others, got behind his
back and commenced sparring at him, and
while one was doing this, another gave
him such n push that it n7aie him hi.
Grant a terrible blow between the shonld-
ers. The General soon showed them that
they must not judge the officer BY the uni.
form, and before he got through, the I'M
ruly fellow felt very much m fortified. One
of them generously confessed that it was
all in fun, and hoped the new colonel
wouldn't get mad about it. But he did.
"Grant went to work Immediately, and
in very short time had his men clothed
and fixed up in good style.
AT this stage Of tie conversation, Gen.
Logan Joined in as follows:
"Aud | can tell you that Grant came
very near going out Of the service at the
end of the thirty days for which his resi-
ment was first called out met him on
the streets of Springfield one day, looking
very badly. He told me that he felt dis.
Outraged because his regiment did mt want
to re:cnlist for three years. His men were
getting tired OF soldering aud wanted to
60 home. He asked me TO go to camp
and make speech to the boys, and did
it. I told them all the gores in store for
them, and how grand it would be Tor them
to be coming home to their wives and
sweethcarts a. the end Of three years.
hether my speech was good or bad it
had the desired effect, for the men all
enlisted for three years.. aud few DAYS
afterwards they started for Cairo under
Col. Grant,
General Logan then related how Gent,
Grant came to Le promoted to Brgadier
General:--
at was not for meritorous conduct. |
was in Congress at the time 1t was lust
before resigned. Lincoln sent a reones,
to the Illinois delegation to nominate niue
men for Brigadier Generals. Went into
caucus to do this aud Grant received one
more vote than any Of the other nine
Among the nine were McClernand, Prem.
tiss, liurlbnrt, Palmer, and others whose
name | do not remember. Dick Richard.
son was among them but he declined
Grant was at Cairo at the time, and he
knew nothing Of his promotion until he