The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1885-06-27
BOYS GIRLS
GEN. Grant at ReImont-A Good Story.

Gen. Grant at Belmont-A Good story.
We were steaming down the Mississippi
river Opposite us was low, yellow, muddy
bank. Back upon the fiat field was a log
cabin or two, the dreariest muddiest, most
mosquito haunted spot in Christendom, it
looked to us.
"There," said the captain, chats Bel
mont. That's where Gen. Grant came so
near being captured at the beginning of the
war"
How was III I've forgotten" said ono
and all.
"Well," said the captain, cit was early in
the war, Nov. T. 1861. Grant was only a
brigadier general Of volunteers then. He
bad few thousand troops with him. They
were very green. They had only played sol
der so far. Knew no more about a real fight
than the boys who fire off shooting crackers
i'll barrel on the Fourth of July.
''The Confederate forces had their camp at
Belmont. 1t was on the river bank then,
the town was, but the Mississippi river has
gone away and left it now and cut into the
opposite bank and made bed for itself
there. The old river does that kind OF thing
frcquently-Seems to take Il dislike to q
certain spot and leaves it.
"A battle took place soon after Grant and
his boys reached Belmont 1t was their first
brush of war, and they fought furiously and
captured the Confederate camp, The enemy
were routed. Grant always did every thing
he undertook, you notice.
but his new soldiers thought the work
was all DONE and, after the fight was over,
officers and men began to behave like a lot
of foolish boys all together. The soldiers
began plunderiug the deserted camp, and
the officers made patriotic stump speeches to
them.
Gen. Grant was disguised with his new
soldiers and ordered the enemy's camp to bs
set on fire to stop the plundering.
But in the midst of this fun some re-en-
forcements came up and jotnsi the routed
Confederates. They turned about. formed
in order again and attacked the soldiers who
had just whipped them. An officer rode up
hurriedly to the general and told him the
Confederates were after them. Then the
general said very good thing, which
hope you will remember. He answered.:
"'Well, if that is so we must cut our way
out as we cut our way in
They set about in hurry, for there was
no time to lose just then. He gathered his
forces and charged the enemy, routing them
III ltft bul ut hIS" uis Iilei HiuSJ
get aboard the steamboats, in the river with
all haste. He ordered them to the landing
as fast rs they could go. Some had been
wounded, for it was hot fight He sent
one band of soldiers out to gather these up
and bring them in while the rest were going
aboard the transports. He had set guard
in the rear to look out in case of renewed
attack. These soldiers were so green then
that they did not even know enough to wait
for orders to withdraw. When they saw
that the main boly OF troo, s had nearly all
embarked they just started to the river them-
selves like free and Independent citizens
who knew it would be a good plan to get out
of those quarters
Seen. Grant had everything to attend to
himself. He was the only one of them all
who hal ever seen a real battle. He rode
over the ground as fast rs he could, giving
orders here, there and everywhere. Ii was
just like him, doing everything for himself,
without calling on other people. He tries
to do that now, even when he is i'll and al
most dying. The rear guard that he had
set to watch things retreated to the boats.
They actually went on board the steamers
and left their general outside of his own
troops on the battle field. 1t was a pretty
trick for soldiers to serve their commanding
officer, but they did not know any better.
'The Confederates had rallied and were
advancing rapidly. Gen. Grant saw he
must be getting out of that in a hurry. II
the enemy knew he was the general they
would capture him in spite of all he could
do But they did not recognize him as an
officer because he wore a private soldiers
overcoat. He wore just that same kind Of
overcoat all through the wa. After Rich
mond was taken, and at the surrender of
Lee, his common soldiers overcoat had be-
como very shabby and dingy, but he wore 1t
still Here at Belmont Grant rode slowly
over the fields down toward the steamboats,.
He did not wish to appear to be in such
mortal hurry, you know. 1t wasn't digni-
fed. But presently the enemy pressed Elm
50 holly that he had to throw his dignity to
the winds and ride to the steamers rs tight
as his horse could gallop. The Confederates
came very near capturing hip as 1t was.
i -