St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-08-14

ceiyed last December, being still on clutches
and unable to dress or undress myself | know
you can get some one, even with the short notice
he will have, who will deliver much better
Grafton than could with any length Of time for
preparation.
Hoping Cor full attendance and pleasant time,
/ am general, very truly yours,
L. S. GRANT.
Gen. A. Hickenlooper, Cor Sec South Army
Tennessee
Receiving this on Saturday, July 26, at my
hotel, St. Louis, across the lake, | telegraphed
to Gen. John Sanborn and the local committee
at st. Paul to meet me at the Metropolitan hotel,
of that city, at p. Monday. the 2Sth and
we all met there. After considering the case in
all its bearings it was deemed best that we
should invite cur fellow soldier and comrade,
Hon. c. K. Davis, of Minnesota, to fill
the vacancy thus enacted The time was
short; the call sudden and the Office one
calculated to test the nerve Of any man: but with
the spirit and manliness which ever characterized
the army of the Tennessee to accept battle at
any and all tmes, under adverse as we'll as fav-
orable circums tances Gov. Davis undertook to
do his best; and even in advance Of his Grafton
ask this society to recognize his most honorable
and graceful act. At the same conference it was
further agreed that should write Mr.. Grant, ex-
pressing our heartfelt sympathy, and asking him
to mail me any manuscript he might have pre-
pared for this meeting. He answered promptly
in these terms:
LONG BRANCH, \. j., July 81, 18s4.-Dear
General: Your letter of the 2Sth inst. is just
received. You may soy 10 the veterans of the
society of the Army of the Tennessee that l re-
greet as much as they possibly can my inability
to be with them at their approaching reunion,
and more the cause OF my constrained absence. /
have not prepared nor did intend TO prepare
anything to say on that occasion. except that
have collected a list of the battles in which The
a RIM n no I
tonished at the number when the list was com
pleted. 1t is true many of these engagements
were not very hard fought battles but that wa.
the fault of the enemy. They would, like NAV,
others, have been heavy engagements if
enemy had staid long enough.
left the list referred to in the hands Of /
city, and can not get it without going there M
self, otherwise would send it. With this IL
my hand, expected TO extemporize whatever
might say. On this point | am now somewhat
prepared. | have been engaged now more than
four weeks on two articles for the Century mag
azine-the battle of Shiloh and the campaign
against NicksoGrg-which is a history of the
services of the army of the Tennessee from early
in November, 1862, until the 4th of July follow
ing. II is record any army might be proud of
even if it had no other. But the army of the
Tennessee had record after this unparalleled
for its long marches through an enemy country,
without base of supplies or lines of commun-
over the enemy wherever met.
With the best wishes for the members of the
society, collectively and individually, am gem
eral, very truly yours, L. S. GRANT.
Every word of this letter is in his own familiar
handwriting, direct to the purpose, with an occa-
slonal CLEAN of humor peculiar 10 him, which
satisfies me that he is with in spirit and faith
though absent in person; that many years of
useful and happy life are yet in reserve for him,
and that am sure repeat the feelings of every
surviving member of the first army he ever com
manded, when l assure him that we, his com
rades hope and pray that his bodily aflliction
will soon pass away, and that ssthe clouds which
now hover DER his house may in the deep bosom
of the ocean be buried
The society will now proceed to business, and
call upon the secretary to read the record of the
proceedings of our last meeting
Reading of the minutes was dispensed with,
and the following committees were appointed !:
Committee on Nominations-Mai Putnam,
Col. A. d. Ware, Gen. ". W. Belknap, Capt c..
Richesam, Capt. Macarthur.
Selection of Orator-Gov. Chef Lair, E. T.
Miller, Gems. Lavender and Strong and Mai.
Plunkett.
Place and Time of Next Mcetng-Gen. W. T.
Clark, Maj. Barlow, Capt. McAulty, Maj. A. A.
Perkins and Capt. Andrews.
The report of the treasurer was read, show
ing the financial transactions of the society for
the past year, and its present financial condition
was reported good
The secretary's report was not presented in
full, but the secretary asked permission to en-
ploy what help he should need, and that his
vouchers be accepted as drafts on the treasurer
Adopted.
Gen. Beknap offered the following resolu.
ton:
Resol0ed, That Col. A. F. Rockwell commits
sioner of public buildings and grounds, Washing.
ton, d. c., be requested to have cut upon the
granite statue of Gen. Mcpherson the following
inscriptions: Upon the west side -
Major General james B. Mcpherson,
Atlanta,
July %, 1864.
And upon the east side the words: