Madison times., 1885-06-27
when GRAFT WAS 1 BOY.
What the Old Hero Has Written
About Himself.
His DIstaste for Military Uniforms
Suddenly Discovered-HisN Narrow
Escape From Death In 1861.

tI6neral OTdHI pSiSOh"i
he published this year, will be eagerly
read throughout this and other countries.
He writes of his ancestors as follows:
NV family is American, and has been
for generations, in all its branches direct
and collateral.
Mathew Grant, the founder of the
branch in America Of which l am de-
scendant. reached Dorchester, Mass, IN
Nav. 1880. In 1885 he moved to what is
now Windsor, Con-, ami was the sur
yeyor of that colony for more than forty
wears. He was also fer many years OF
the time town clerk. He was married
man when he arrived at Dorchester, but
his children were all born in this coun'
try. His eldest son, Samuel, took lands
ON the east side of Connecticut River,
opposite Windsor, which have been
held and occupied by descendants OF hls
to this day.
lam of the eighth generation from
Mathew Grant, and seventh from Sam
uel.
NV grandfather, named Noah, at the
breaking out OF the war of the Reyolu-
tiou. after the battles OF Concord and
Lexington, went with a Connecticut COM
pany to Join the Continental army, and
was present at the battle of Bunker Hill.
He served until the fall of Yorktown, or
through the entire Revolutionary war.
He must, however, have been on
furlough part of the time-as | believe
most of the soldiers of that period were
for he married in Connecticut during
the war, had two children and was a
widower at tie close.
There was Mr.. Ralston living within
a few miles of the village, who owned
colt which very much wanted. My
father had offered $40 for it, but Ralston
wanted S25. was so anxious to have
the colt that after the owner left begged
10 be allowed to take him at the price
demanded. My father yielded, but said
$40 was all the horse was worth, and
told me to offer that price; if it was not
accepted was to offer S225O, and if that
would not get him, to give the S25. 1 at
once mounted horse and went for the
colt. When got to Mr.. Ralston's house
said to him, Father says ] may offer
you $40 for the colt, but ifyou wont take
that am to offer $3.50, and if you
won't take that, to give you s25." 1t
would not require Connecticut man to
guess the price finally agreed upon.
This story is entirely true. l certainly
showed very plainly that had come for
the colt and meant to have him. could
have not been over eight years old at
this time. | kept the horse until he was
four years old, when he went blind and
sold him for 500. When l went to
Maysvile to school in 1886, at the age Of
fourteen, recognized my colt as one of
the blind horses working on the tread
wheel of the ferryboat.
He had presentimeut that he would
ope day occupy General Scott's place on
review. Ofthis he writes:
During my first years encampment
General Scott visited West Point and re-
viewed the cadets. With his command
ing figure his quite colossal size and
snowy uniform, thought him the
finest specimen of manhood my eyes
had ever beheld, and the most to be
envied. / could never resemble him
in appearance, but believe ! did have
a presentiment for moment that some
day ! should occupy his "l.ce on review
although had no ilCentioL then of re-
naming in the Army. But my expert
ence in horsetrade ten years before,
and the ridicule it caused me, were too
fresh in my mind for me to communi-
cate this presentiment to even my most
intimate chun. The next Summer
Martin Van Buren, then President of the
United States, visited West Point and
reviewed the cadets. But he did not
impress me with the awe that Scott in
apired. In fact, | regarded General
Scott and Ca plain c. F. Smith, the com
mandant of cadets, as the two men most
to be envied by the nation. l was i'm
patient to get on my uniform and see
how it looked, besides probably wanting
my old schoolmates, particularly tht
girls, TO see me in il. But the conceit
was Knocked out of me by two little cir.
cumstances that happened soon after
the arrival of the clothes and which
gave Inc distaste for military uniforms
that never recovered from.
Soon after the arrival of the suit
donned it and put off for Cincinnati; or
horseback. While was riding along {
street of that city, imagining that every
one was looking at me with a feeling
akin to mine when first saw Genera
Scott, little urchin, bareheaded, bare
footed, with dirty and ragged pants helC
ND by single gallows-that's what sus
penders were called then-and a shir
that had not seen washtub for weeks
turned to me and cried out "Soldiel
will you work? No, stree; I'll sell my
shirt first" The horsetrade and its dire
consequences were recalled to mind.
hA