The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1867-07-05
s1listelIaaeoas SsIfttians.
From the Ohio State Jonrnal.
ANECDOTE OF GEN. GRANT.

"A friend some time ago related TO us
an anecdote Of General Grant, which is
too good to be lost 80,
Such of our readers as served in East
Tennessee ufing the winter CAMPAIGN
of lSe3164-snd no doubt we have a
large number of them-will remember
that the soldiers were very scantily sup
piled with clothing, and it was = com
mon thing To issue corn IN the ear as
rations both to men and mules, each
man receiving from one to three ears of
corn per day. As the eontending arm
les were lying near each other, each de,
sirous of obtaining the mastery of the
there was daily skirmishing,
and, ,ein fact, such engagements, as in
the early part Of the war, would have
been considered respectable battles,
were of frequent occurrence. On sud.
den emergencies the soldiers would be
ordered into line, leaving their baggage
in camp, to which they might not re-
turn for days, and when they did re-
turn they, frequently found that the
enemy had been there in the mean
time, and carried off or destroyed ey-
erytbing Of value. This was especially
true. 0f brigade Of Indiana six,
months men, known as the aPersim-
mon Brigade" because, not relishing
corn in the ear, they chose to subsist
on persimmons So much were the
men kept on the alert that though Ma
ior Ballard, a Psymaster, was present,
the commanding officers could not al
low him tospsy off some of the regi-
ments for more than a month";. ~ g
Such was the state Of affairs when
General Grant, having been appointed
to the supreme command of the army,
paid a flying visit TO the forces occupy
ing the country to.the northeast of the
Clinch river, on his way to Washing
ton IN the winter Of 1864. A few
daysbefore, the main body Of the enc
my had retired toward Southwestern
Virginia, and Gen. Wilcox, who com
fianded the district of the Clinch, had
fixed his headquarters at one of the
county towns in the northern part of
East Tennessee. Grant arrived, un-
announced and unexpected, at the
place, on bitter cold day, and forbade
the firing of a salute or making any
other demonstration. Even the SEN
tinel in front of Gen. Wilcox's quarters,
who was one of the ..Persimmon Brig
ade,p was not aware Of his presence.
After spending some time with Gen.
Wileox, Gen. Grant went out; and mou Mt
ed his horse.s The sentinel. who was
an uncouth specimen. of the Hoosie.
was trying to keep himself warm by
walking to and fro, alternately striking
the butt of his Inusket on the pave
ment, and testing the solidity Of the
frozen earth by trying to thrust his bay
onet into it. So
Gen. Grant appeared to be amused
at the performance, and addressing the
soldier, said, "well, my man, to what
command do you belong?'
Picking upan old shoe on the point
of his bayonet, and twirling it IN the
air, the man replied, Il belong to the
wun hundred and--th Injianny;
Col. the d-d old rip"
= ''You don't seem to like CoL--,"I
said Gen. Grant.
Now, look here, Mister replied the
soldier, 81 don't wish you any harm,
but | wish you had to take my place
under him for month or two.'
'sWhy, what's the ematter with him ~
the General. a@
''Matteft-why' dod rot his old soull
he's starvin us to death!' - A
Starving yous"
'.Yes, sir, starvin' us! l don't expect
you'll bleeve me, for its 4 tough story
to tell. white man; but It's a gospiu
truth, l haint had a thing 10 eat now
for 1nore'n eight days except few
sssimmonsm So s gsss5s.H
: ''Wel, said Grant "that is a pretty.
tough story" < a.. .g-sg
9 q 9es, it IS but I'll take my solid
oath on stack of Bibles as high as
that house that it'severy word the Cos
pM truth Mister, can you give me a
chaw Of tobackerg' A*
81 have no tobacco about me,nl
said the Genefal, shut / can get you
some !" and turning toone Of, his escort
he got plug of tobacco and handed it