The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-17

were lying about in confusion upon
the ground At a critical part Of the
nght the Generals horse got his foot through
loop of the wire, and in his efforts to free him
sell the coll became twisted still tighter. The
enemy was delivering heavy fire and advanc-
ing rapidly and everybody's face, except the
6eherals, began to wear an anxious look. He
SAT cooiy IN his saddle giving directions to the
orderly who had dismounted and was struggling
nervousiy to uncoil the wire, and kept caution
ing MIN III the most deliberate and unruffied
manner not to hurt the horses leg. In few
minutes the horse was released without injury,
nut none too quickly, the enemy was soon
after IN possession of that part of the field
one OF the greatest disappointments ever ex-
perenced by General Grant in his military on
eratlons was the failure of the famous mine in
front OF Petersburg The mine was not COM
menccd by his orders. 1t was rather the yolun-
tary work Of the Forty eighth PENNSYLVANIA
Regiment, composed of men from the mining
districts of that State. The enemy's fortified
line opposite was hill and with miners
instinct for burrowing into the earth, the men
began running gallery into the hill. in the be-
lief that it could be made useful in blowing up
the earth works that confronted them 1t had
progressed for some time before it was reported
To the General. He let the work continue, and
finally decided to make its explosion the occa-
sion for movement to penetrate the enemys
The mine was to have been exploded lust be-
fore the dawn on the Both Of July, 1864 At the
appointed hour the General and his staff were
up. and listening eagerly to catch the first sound
of the explosion. The watched for hour passed
daylight began to break, but no sound from the
mine. The gray of the morning had disappeared,
and the light of the sun was breaking upon the
scene. when message came that the fuse had
failed, 1t was supposed from Dperfection in
the connection at the point where II had been
spliced. Every moment now became hour of
anxious suspense. Lieutenant Doughty and
Sergeant Rees, of the miners regiment. with a
fearlessness which challenged the admiration of
= ot rIA1a al
reached the splice IN the fuse perfected the con-
nection, and the fatal train now did its work.
But over an hour had elapsed, and that was the
hour which lay between success and failure.
For an DISTANT there was low, rumbng noise.
then sudden flash, followed by sound
that shook the earth like an earthquake.
Then the earth rose in the shape of an in
verified cone, carrying up with it infantry and
artliery guns, carriages and ammunition. Our
troops were now pushed forward to pass
through the breach that had been made in the
works, but there had been failure to obey the
order to clear away the abatis and other OBJ
structlons IN our own front. The movement
was $40" anu irregular and the enemy lost no
time in throwing up second line of defense and
rushing his troops back to the threatened posi-
ton.
The General gave way to no outbursts of feel
ing and no useless expressions of regret, but
those who were responsible for the failure were
made to feel the full weight of his dispeasure
The day the outer line around Petersburg
was carried and the troops were moving upon
the inner line, the General took up his position
near house which stood upon a knoll over
looking the field of operations The spot
under fire, and as soon as the group of officers
who composed the staff were seen one of the
enemy's batteries began paying its respects to
the party in manner which left no one under
the apprehension that he was going to be
sighted. The General had dismounted and
seated himself at the foot of tree. and was
soon busted in reading dispatches brought to
him. and Nrltlnp OrIprS tn the Ofirnra cnO1uCt-
ing the advance
The fire had become pretty hot, and several
officers, apprehensive for his safety suggested to
him the propriety Of moving to another position
less conspicuous. He kept on writing without
the slightest interruption from the shots falling
around him, and apparently not noticing what
target the place was becoming, or paying any
heed to the suggestions offered When he had
finished the dispatches he got up took view Of
the situation, slowly mounted his horse and as
he started toward another part Of the field, said,
with quizzical look at the group around him:
well, they do seem to have tine range on u.s."
The unbounded generosity at all times dis
played by General Grant toward friends and
foes will be remembered as long as the world
continues to honor manly qualities. His unset
fshness in relation to his suborGinates was one
of the chief secrets of their attachments to him.
and the immediate and unstinted praise he gave
them for their work was one of the great incent-
tlves which aroused them to the efforts they put
forth.
there was a rumor that Congress was to create
lieutenant generally for him, and give him the
same grade as that of Grant. By this he would
have become eligible to the command of the
army He wrote at once to his commander say
ing he had no part in the movement and should
certainly decline such q commission if offered
him.
General Grant wrote him in reply: 'No one
would be more pleased at your advancement
than l; and if you should be placed in my po-
siton. and / put subordinate, it would not
change our relations in the least. l would make
the same exertions to support you that you have
done to support me- and would do all in my
power to make our cause win"
General Grant never tired of extolling the vir
tues of Sheridan and other commanders who had
shown great qualities In the field He said
Sheridan's courageous words and brilliant deeds
encouraged his commanders as mnch as they in
spired his subordinates. He often compared
Sheridans traits to similar ones in the character
of Hannibal. of Frederick the Great and Of
Napoleon himself he was always taking up
the cudgels in defense of his generals He spoke
one day with great warmth in reply to a person
who alluded to Sheridan as merely hard hitter
in battle. He said: ''While Sheridan has mag
netic influence possessed by few men in an en-
gagement, and is seen to best advantage in bat
tie, he does much beforehand to contribute to
victory as any living commander. HIS plans are
always we'll matured, and In every movement he
strikes with definite purpose in view. No is
better fitted to command all the armies in the
field"
At Appomattox Grant treated Lee with every
possible respect His sword was not demanded,
the firing of salutes and other demonstrations of
rejoicing suppressed, and the vanqushed
were paroled and allowed to take their horses
with them to their homes. The conquerer never
for moment forget that the conquered were
his own countrymen.
The touching messages of sympathy which
poured in from the people of the South in the
closing hours of the Generals life-messages
which made anguish smile and smoothed the
bed Of death"-testifed how well the people OF
that section remembered the justice and gener-
osity of the great heart whose throbbings were
then so soon to cease
General Grant had keen sense of humor.
surroundings. His heart not especially
attuned to mirth; its chords were often SET to