The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-05-31
JUST GRANTS LUCK.
uow He Happened to Re-E;nter tho Army
In 1901.

In 1901.
| WASHINGTON, May ia Sunday
paper publishes the story of how Grant
re.en:ered the Army in 1861, az told by
IN old classmate who was then muster.
ing officer in Illinois. Grant" he saya.
turned up one day. He had not seen
him since the Mexican war. Grant said
he was married and had very bad luck.
Somehow he couldn't get along. He did
not know why. He said just then he
lived in Galena and was working in a
tnnnery iD which he had small interest,
Why don't you 60 into the army?' said
|. We'll, l have been thinking of that.
he answered, but / have no influence,
aud it seems you can't get anything
nowadays without influence. That is
very true, said. Did you notice they
have made Hallock (who was instructor
in mathematics when Grant was cadet)
a major general said Grant 'and / see
that red headed Cump Sherman has been
made colonel of the new 18th infantry,
he went on To say, aud, after moments
meditation, softly mutteFed, though
Grant was never n violently profane
man: 'Hslleck a major general and
Sherman colonel The Lord look
Aouit SOuItuueu SfEuUt, aIter
thinking minute, can't you give me
something to do here?' Yes, I can. I
said; you can help me make out these
muster rolls right So it was agreed that
| Grant should come into nv Office, help
me i'll my duties as mastering office and
| receive $l20 per month for lis services.
So it went ON until had mustered in l8
regiments. One afternoon Gov. Ya,es
sent for me. l found him in state of
cxcitement-poOr fellow, he was that
way very often. He had Just had dis.
patch from Gen. Prentiss at Cairo, that
| there was an immense force of rebels on
the Kentucky side, within IL few hours Of
| Cairo, and he had undoubted informa.
| alton that they were to be crossed
over at once, perhaps that very night.
He begged the Governor to send him
every available man at once. This
alarming news was followed by another
telegram from President Lincoln, a..
Washington, telling Yates that on no &C.
count must the rebels get any foothold
in Illinois, TO prevent any crossing if
possible, and to cooperate with Gen
Prentiss. The Governor had sent for me
to say that he wanted the troops then in
camp mustered into the United States
service and sent of to Cairo that night.
While the Governor WAS talking, a
thought flashed into my mind. Why
can't put Grant into one of these new
regi imentsf Governor said /, these
regiments will probably get into fight
within "a hours. 1t is rather important
that they should be properly command
ed. Who are to be made colonels 2?
Most of the candidates for field officers
were in hearing, and The fact that they
would have to go into battle within "a
hours seemed to repress their military
ardor somewhat. Now, Governor said
l, i have in my Office an old classmate
and comrade. He was all through the
Mexican war, and was good soldier.
What he has been doing since, do not
Exactly know, but he has not been very
successful in business and would like to
| go out in one of these new regiments es
pecially as they will probably have to 90
into fight so soon. l strongly recon :
mend the appointment of Captain Grant
to command one of these new regiments.' ,
The Governor didn't know what to do.
he had promised nearly all the positions
except the last regiment, which would be
the Zist Illinois, and man named AL
exander wanted to be the colonel and
was very strongly backed for the posi-
tion. But Alexander had seen no SER
vice, and was willing to take the second
place in view OF the probable fight.
Ystes insisted, however, that Grant must
be recommended for tie place by aome
one in the State. Cant you get some
one to recommend you 2 said l to Grant.
He finally said he knew n man named
Washburne little, who was then @
member Of Congress from the Galena
district, but that ds he (GFant) was a
DeG!accs. end Wsshhurne Republican
it vast doubtful If Washburne would do
it. However, I will try him. said
Grant, and he telegraphed to Washburne
about as follows: Recommend me for
position al field officer in new regiments
starting for Cairo In four hours Wash
burne replied about like this: think
Capt. Grant might be useful as field
officer in one Of the new regiments leav-
ing Springfield tonight, if you can con
sistently appoint him. Well, this fixed
it. Grant was made colonel of the 21st
Illinois Infantry. loaned him money
enough 10 send his wife some and have
enough left to purchase horse and such
articles of equipment as were necessary
This is the way Grant went into the war
The rest is history"
Grant never forgot the friend who had
stood by him go staunchly when the
clouds looked the darkest. He made
him colonel in the army in 1866
and appointed one son in the army and
the other to West Point, where he grad
uated we'll. When his leg got vel
enough to allow him to do any service
Grant made him superintendent of tht
United States Military Academy at Yves
Point, and, after his tour of duty there
he was appointed superintendent Of tn,
Soldiers Home near Washington. II,