The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1878-04-19
Grant Under Fire.

( horseback, IN major r-generai UNIFORM
He dismounted and came over TO the
very spot where was standing did
not know his face, but something told
me il was Grant-Ulysses Grant, at
the same moment the hero Of the west
ern army. Solid he stood-erect, about
five feet eight. with square features,
thin closed lips, brown hair, broad
beard, both cut short and neat He
must weigh one hundred and fifty
pounds; looks just like the soldier be is.
/ think he is larger than Napoleon, but
not much-he Is not so dumpy; looks
/ like q man in good earnest, and the
/ rebels think he is And this was the
/ first time saw Grant. think | still
possess some Of the feeling that over
came me at that moment, as stood so
near TO one who held our lives, aud
/ possibly, our country's, in his hands.
| heard him speak: Men push right
along; close up fast, and hurry over.
Two or three men mounted on mules,
attempted to wedge past the soldiers on
the bridge Grant noticed it and quiet
ly SAID, Lieutenant, send those men to
the rear Every soldier in passing
turned to gaze OIL him, but there was
no further recognition. There was no
Mcclellan. begging the boys to allow
him TO light his cigar by theirs, or en-
quiriug to what regiment that exceed
ingly fine-marchirg g company belonged.
There was no Pope bullying the men
for uot marching faster, or officers for
some trivial detail remembered only by
nartinets. There was no Bonaparte
posturing for effect, no pointing to the
Pyramids. no calling the centuries to
witness. There WAS no nonsense, no
sentiment; only plain business man of
the republic, there for the one single
purpose of getting that command across
the river in the shortest time possible.
On horse near by, and among the
still mounted staff sat the general 5
son, a bright looking lad of about eleven
years. Fastened to his little waist by
the broad yellow belt, was his father 5
sword-that sword on whose clear
steel was soon to be engraved Vicks-
burg, Spottsylvania. the Wilderness
and Richmond. The boy talked and
iested with the bronzed soldiers near
him, who laughingly inquired where
/ we should camp, to which the young
field marshal replied, over the river.
/ Over the river, All, that night we
/ slept with our guns in our hands;
and another night. and another,
] saw more than one of our division
camped beyond and over the river-in
that last teDting ground where tho
reveille was heard no more.
| next saw Grant on May l8, 1868,
and this time at the battle of Champ.
ion Hills, in the rear of Vicksburg
We had crossed the Mississippi at
Grand Gulf, and swung off east and
north; and fought the battles of Port
Gibson. Raymond and Jackson, and
were overtaking Pemberton's army
fastening to the wall at Vicksburg. 1t
was q very hot day, and We had march
ed hard. slept little and rested none
Among the msgnolias on Champion
Hills the enemy, 10000 o. $4,000
strong, turned on us. Sherman's corps
was already engaged far on the right.
as we approached the field III that over
powering Mississippi sun. Our bri-
| gade was soon in line, on the edge Of
| the meadow, or open field sloping
| towards the woods, where the enemy
were concealed and steadily firing on
US We were in the most trying posi-
tion of soldiers. for regulars even-be-
ing fired on without permission to re-
turn the shots. We were standing two
files deep. bearing as patiently as we
could. not heavy, but steady fire from
infantry. while an occasional cannon
ball tore up the turf in front or behind
us. \ good many men were falling
and the wounded were being born to
the rear of the brigade, close to an old
well, whose wooden curb seemed TO
offer the only protection from bullets
on the exposed lire. Colonel, move
your men little by the left flank said
quiet, though commanding voice On
looking round. | saw, Immediately be-
hind us, Grant, the commander-in-
chief. mounted on a beautiful bay mare
and followed perhaps by half dozen
OF his staff. For some reason he dis
mounted, and mos, of his officers were
sent of. bearing orders, probably, 10
other : quartersi of thel field. 1t was
/ Grant under fire. Ths rattling of
musketry increased on our front and
/ grew louder. too. on the left flank
/ Grant had led his horse To the left, and
thus kept near to the company TO which
/ / belonged He now stood leaning
complacently against his favorite steed.
smoking-as seemed hsbitual with him
the stump of cigar. His was the
I only horse near the line. and must
/ naturally have attracted some of the
/ enemy's fire. What If he should be
killed, | thought To myself. aud the
army be left without its commander Z
Ia front of Us was an enemy; behind Us
+ and above us. and liable 20 overcome
and crush US. were his reinforcements.
For days we had been away from our
base of supplies. aud marching inside
/ the enemy's lines. What If Grant
should be killed, and we be defeated
herein such a place and st such a
times | am sure every one who recog-
nized him wished him away; Dat there
he stood-ciear, calm and immovabe.
| was close enough 10 see his features
Earnest they were; but sign of inward
movement there was none. IL WAS the
same cool, calculating face had seen
at the bridge the same careful. half.
cynical face | afterwards saw busted
with the affairs of state--Col. 5. H. "
Byers. ia the Philadelphia 7Imes.
'WHAR was de sun dis mornint asks
Rev. Mr.. Jasper, of Virginia why,
dat side ob my house Whar IS 1t now:
VI u L IL rfur ia