Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-11-13
Anecdotes of Farragut and Grant,

Anecdotes of Farragut and Grant.
A Scotch traveller, who visited the
United States during the war, furnished
to the Edinburg Scotsman the following
anecdotes:
Mr.. Osborn president of the Illinois
Central railroad) told me story of Ad-
miral Frrragut and his son. They were
ON the Missippi, and Farrguts fleet was
about to pass Port Hudson, which was
then held by the Confederates. Farra-
CUTS son, a lad of about twelve, had been
inportuning his father that he might be
sent to West Point, where the military
cadets are educated. Old Farragut said:
/ don't know how that would do; l am
not sure whether you would stand fire.
'Oh! yes, father, could do that Very
well, my boy, well try; come up with
me here The Admiral and his son went
up together into the maintop; the old
man had himself and the boy lashed to
it, and in this way they passed Port
Hudson. The lad never flinched while
the shot and shell were flying past him.
Very WE'LL my boy, that will do; you
shall go to West Point
OF Grant, who now commands the
Federal army before Richmond, he told
me this: In the first action in which
Grant commanded, his troops at first
gained slight advantage over the Con-
federates. They began to plumber the
Confederate camp, in spite of all that
Grant could do to stop them. At last
Grant, who knew that Confederate rein
forcements were coming up, got some of
his friends to set fire to the camp, so as
to stop the plundering. Then he got his
troops together as weM as he could, and
retreated. But, in the mean time, the
| Confederate reinforoements came up, at
tackled Grant and defeated him. There
were thirty-fve colonies under Grant,
who had not by any means supported
him efficiently in his attempts to stop the
| plundering and collect his troops. Mr..
Osborn saw Grant a day or two after
ward, when he expected to be deprived
of his command on account of the de-
feat. He said: why do you not report
these colonels? They are the men to
blame for not carrying cat your orders.
Why said Grant, these officers have
never been under fire before they did
not know how serious an affair it was
They have had lessoa which they will
not forget. will answer for it they will
never make the same mistake again. I
can see by the way they behaved in the
subsequent action that they are of the
right stuff and it is better that l should
lose my command, if that must be, than
the country should lose the services OF
five such officers, when good men are
scarce Grant did not lose his com,
mand, and three out of the five officers
have since greatly distinguished them.
selves.
The dhy before Grant attacked Fort
4 Donelson, the troops had had a march Of
!, twenty miles, part Of it during bitter
+ cold night. Grant called council Of
war, to consider whether they should at
tack the fort at once, or should give tht
troops day or two's rest. The officerl
were in favor of resting. Grant said
nothing till they had all given their opin'
ion; then he said There is desertel
come in this morning; let us see him
and hear what he has to say When HI
came in, Grant looked into his KNAPP
sack. Where are you from ?'' For
Donelson.' Six days rations in YOU
knapsack, have you not, my man 2 Yes
sir. When were they served out?-
Yesterday morning, SIR Were tht
same rations served out to all the troops 7
Yes, SIR Gentlemen said Grant
troops do not have six days ration
served out to them in fort, if the,
mean to stay there. These men mean t.
retreat, not TO fight ; we will attack a
once He did attack the Confederates
defeated them, and took large numbel
of prisoners"