Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-12-26

TIE STORY or HIS ENTRANCE INFO THE
ARMY.

ARMY
rAs Grant told ii back Of vickshurg in ''l
Gen. Grant said that when the Cover
nor of Illinois called for voluntee.2 the
first call-he wanted to offer his s, c"ices,
and he might have gone as nvate
soldier. but he knew that Uncle 5 II had
trained him up for something bett Than
that. and SO he arranged his littl busi-
ness affairs and with but little M, ley in
his pocket, he started for Springtir l. the
capital of the State Here the 'roops
were gathered in chaotic mass. - 1851
the novelty of army life was all active
enough. but to organize and ?, ri,ct 4
system such rs the authorities at wash
ington expected was puzzlmg IT, 'ii an
and beyond the ken of the Govei""r
staff. The quiet inof1ensive appeal fnce
of plain Citizen Grant from Galena cain I
seem TO help matters. for when u, pre-
scnted himself the Governor told nm
there were no vacancies, but iha9 ne
might call Tomorrow. Grant returned
to his tavern, where he was puttlr up,
and the next morning he did call IL Il re-
ceiyed about the same response. lie
called again and again, with no hetter
success One morning when his funds
were getting low, and the Governor was
being accustomed to his daily vlsitatlons,
Grant asked for office work. He asked
permission to occupy a vacant desk ana
fo applv his clerical knowledge and his
previous experience in the army to the
disposal Of accumulated business. For
tunately for the future of the government,
there was a vacant place that morning,
and there WAS lots Of unfinished business
upon the desk, and the Governor told
quiet Capt. Grant from Galena to pitch
in. He went to work, one of dozen
clerks in the office. and was much elated
by his position. He wrote to Mrs. Grant
that he was no longera drone in the busy
hive at the State Capitol but was DONG
something toward suppressing the rebel
lion. and he was happy.
Gov. Yates SAYS he does not reco!lect
ANYTHING i'll particular Of Capt. Grant
until the insubordination of the DIST regi-
ment was talked of and commented upon
in his presence, and Capt. Grant spoke
up and asked to beappointed drill-master
ofthe regiment. "Egad, I'll make you,the
Colonel if You will take the regiment off
nv handsr' said the Governor, and Grant
said he would do it if they would let him
send to Galenn for young lawyer there
to he his regimental adjutant. The ap-
pointments were made out and these two
citizens Of Galcn-the Colonel and Adlu-
tant joined 10y the fortunes of war in the
DIST regiment Of Illinois volunteers, en-
joyod each others sacred confidence III
everything throughout their illustrious
and cventful life \ companionship be-
gun thus early in the war was only Sc
vercI by the death of the lamented, the
noble soldier, the Secretary of War,
John \. Rawlins As the trusted
Adiutant, the favored Chief Of Staff, and
as years rolled by and honors were thrust
upon them, as his Secretary of War. the
lamented Gen. John A. Rawlins testified
his fealty and devoted his life's service To
a noble and 4 worthy commander. Some
body present asked TIE General how
RaWlins and he managed the Dist Illinois
where others had failed, and he said he
commenced with good understanding at
first. He established Il guard line that
was like Il lawful fence, and when the
straGglers ca me into camp tosce their new
commander, he Just held them there till
they got right well acquainted. Our
stav." said the General in Springfield
was short. hut while there. from reveille
to tattoo | kept my men busy. Squad
drill. company drill, regimental drill, po
Ice and guard duty kept them busting
around, and when they lad Il chance to
sleep they stopped in camp instead OF
running the guard line, and being
caught at it, Our first engagement was
in Missouri, under Gen. Pope, and | can
tell You now that | never was more ner-
vous in my life than upon that occa sion.
never felt my responsibility TO the State
and the government" said Gen. Grant,
more keenly than in that little skirmish
in the beginning OF our civil war.