The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1885-11-07
GRANT AS A COLLECTOR.

~ - ~sss
How He Compelled . Spectator to Make
Good Some Drafts He Had Given the
Soldiers.
In the spring of 1868, the army of the
Tennessee was camped from Lake Provi-
dcnce to Milikin's Bend. Louisiana.
waiting to make the attack on Vicks-
burg. Our battery Bolton's) was
camped at Barry's Landing. Late one
evening. at roll-call, the Captain stepped
to the front of the company and said
that a friend of his, Mr.. Alfred Sphinx,
of Chicago, represented a wealthy
firm. Price, Maher & Sphinx, cotton
buycrs-that he (Spink) would give
drafts to any of the men desiring to
send their money home, on I. Granger
Adams, Chicago banker; that the
parties were reliable, and that in case
the drafts were captured by the enemy
they would be renewed. As many OF
the boats going up the river were
captured by the Confederates at Eagle
Bend, or Island 80, and the boys were
paid off that day, we all concluded to
send orr money by drafts, as the Capt
ain told us, and we mailed them by
the first boat going north to our fami-
lies. Soon afterward we moved to
Grand Gulf, crossed the river at Hard
Times Landing. participated in the
battles of Raymond and Champion HILL
and engaged in the seige of Vicksburg
about the 10Th of May, 1868. A few
days afterward we got big mail. which
had accumulated for two months, and
when the BOYS came to open the letters
every blessed draft was returned with
word that there were no funds in the
bank to pay the same. We all felt dis.
heartened as we had not before been
paid for six months, and our families
were suffering.
The Captain told us that everything
would be all right after little. We
were busy with the siege from daylight
until dark for forty-seven or forty-eight
days. and did not think much about it.
A Mr.. c. C. Cadwallader, correspond
ent of the Chicago Times. made his
headquarters for months with Captain
Bolton, and about the third dav of the
siege he turned up. Captain Billy, as
we called our Captain, had great con
fidence in old Cad, as the boys called
the correspondent, and he laid the
whole matter before him. Old Cad sci
sail on his one-eared mule for Grants
headquarters, and in about an hour re,
turned with message that the General
wanted to see the Captain.
Inever will forget that evening, when
Captain Bill returned with the cores
pendent and the one-eared mule. He
told the boys that the money would BE-
forthcoming, that everything was fixed
for the men to return their drafts to
Chicago, to Godfather Cyrus p. Brad
ley. Chief of Police (the battery was re.
cruited at Captain Bradley's Office. and
the boys always called him Godfather
Bradley. Soon afterward word came
that every draft was paid.
As it may be interesting to the reader
Grant made that had such Statutory eff
feet upon the parties, l will give it q!
near as can. The General had lis
of all the drafts and the amounts, anl
then by preamble recited the facts. ant
then ordered the commander of tn,
United States forces at Chicago to de
mand payment from Messrs. Price
Maher & Sphinx. and in case they de
clined or refused to do SO, to place then
in irons, and to send them under guart
to him in the field. Lieutenant S. p
Tracy was detached to carry out tn,
order, and the Quartermaster's depart
ment was ordered to furnish the neces
sary transportation.
After the capture of Vicksburg wa.
riding with the Captain to our battery
headquarters out the Cherry street road
when General Grant came trottine
along. Coming abreast he said: "B,
the way, Captain. what became of tina
order about the drafts?" The Captain
replied that everything had been settlet
satisfactorily. to which the old hero re
piled: although gave free transpor
tation l did not think they liked me vel
enough to make me visit. Cor. Chi
cago Inter Ocean.