The Waynesburg Republican. [volume] (Waynesburg, Pa.) 1867-18??, 1867-07-24
Seleet Rmding.
From the Columbus Journal.
ANECDOTE OF GENERAL GRANT.

n TREND some time ago related TO
us ananccdotc of General Grant, which
is too good to be lost.
Such of our readers as served in
East Tennessee during the winter
campaign of 1868 -64-and no doubt
we have large number of thcm-will
remember that the soldiers were very
scantily supplied with clothing, and it
was common thing to issue corn in
the ear as rations both to men and
mules, each man receiving from one to
three cars per day, As the contcnding
armies were lying near each other, each
dcsirous Of obtaining the mastery Ct
the country, there was skirmshing,
and, in 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 meantime,
and carried OF or destroyed everything
Of value. This was especially true Of
brigade of Indiana six montH5' men.
known as the "pciaimmon Brigade"
because, not rclishing corn in the car,
they chose to subsist on pcrsimmono.
So much were the men kept on the alert
that though Major Ballatd, a pay@Hs-
ter, was present, the commanding oil
GERS could not allow hin to pay of
some OF the rcgimen,s for more yhgn Il
month.
Such was the stA,c OF adaias when
General Grant having been appointed
to the suprcmc command OF the army,
paid'a flying visit 10 thciorcc, occupy
ing the country to the northwest of the
Clinch river, on his way 10 Washing
ton, in the winner of 1861. 4 few
days before, the main body Of the
enemy had retired toward Southwestern
Virginia, and Gen. Wilcox, who COM
mandcd the district of the Church, had
fixed his headquarters at one OF the
County towns in the northern part of
Tennessee. Grant arrived, unannounc-
ed and unexpected, at the place, on a
bitter cold day, and forbade the firing
of salute or making any other dem
onstration. Even the sentinel in front
of Gen. Wilcox's quarters who was
one of the "Pcrsimmon Brigade" was
not aware Of his presence. After
spending some time with Gen. Wilcox,
Gen. Grant went out and mounted his
horse. The sentinel, who was an up
couth specimen of the Hoosicr, was
trying to keep himself warm by walk
ing to and fro, alternately striking the
butt of his musket on the pavement,
and testing the solidity of the frozen
earth by trying to thrust his bayonet
into it.
Gen. Grant appeared to be amused
at the performance. and addressing the
soldier, said, "Well, my man, to what
command do you bclong?"
Picking up an old shoe on the point
of his boyonet, and twirling it in the
air, the man replied, 81 belong to the
wun hundred and-th Iniianny -
COL -, the id old rip"
"You don't seem to like CoI.-,"
said Gen. Grant.
"Now, look here, Mister" replied
the soldier, 81 don't wish you any
harm, but l wish you had to take my
place under him for month or two"
"Why, what is the matter with
him." inquired the general.
"Matter why dod rot his old soul
he's starvin' us to DEATH"
Starving you?"
"Yes sir, starvin' us / don't expect
you'll bleevc me, for it's a tough story
to tell white man: but it's a gospil
truth, / haint had a thing to eat now
for morc'n eight days, except few
simmons
,.r. "Well," said Grant, "that is a pretty
tough story"
eyes, it is! but I'll take my solid
oath on a stack Of Bibles as high as a
meetin, house that it's every word the
gospM truth Mister can you give me
chaw Of tobacker" %
81 have no tobacco about me-" said
the General, "butI can got sou some y