Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-08-28
GRANT AT VICKsBURG.
The "Old Man" with the Picket Guards
and the Sent inels.

diauapolis NClrS has these "reminiscences
of Grant mt Nicksburu. After the lines
h,d l,,,,, ,ithdro,vn and tho etru,,,,lo b,d
h''u "ecn "'''i'i" II ''''' '''' o'i"SS'o i'''''
settIcu 10 one Oh ehu'railce' 1t was not an
uncommon sight to see zen. Grant riding
from point to point, sometimes accom-
n,ni.l bv a sirgln nr,lnrlv and again foIlo,v.
al i,. ,,,,,,,,,,,, ,,,o,l,nrs ~ III, ,,o,,,,,,,,l
I" -! t'''o"7 VI ''' p'''''''"
stan, ana perhaps by the generals com
handing the positions he was inspecting.
In every instance he was dressed
more commonly than any of his
followers, but he always rode a
good horse, which seemed conscious
of the burden he bore. AS the siege
wore on at NiCksburg, additional prccau-
tions were necessary in the trenches to
avoid sharpshoOters, and in the rifle pits
the exposure of person was almost certain
to bring disablement If not deaf h. The
pits" were provided with port-holes, if so
they might be termed 1t so happened
one morning that the writer ana private
Alexander of company |, llth Indiana,
stationed in one OF these pits, the APP
proach to which, owing to a slight rise,
was under cross-flre Tor several yards, and
it was customary TO give warming OF the
danger to soldiers unfamiliar with this
particular exposure. One or the other
was generally on the watch Tor chance
visitors, "and "stoop down winch was
often delivered with IL DIT OF profanity at
tached, was II common salutaton. The
morning in question Alexander was the
first to discover two persons saunterlng
over the dangerous ground, while little
flickers of dirt here ana there showed that
the watchful sharpshooters were on the
alert and without stopping for second
lOOk ana III ms anxiety IorEetIul tnat
they were officers, even had he rec
cognlzed 1t, he shouted Stoop down, ,
aud IN ms zeal ne exposed himself and
I AAI ,F.tTl
MS cheek as II passed beyond nm.
Neither OF the otllcers needed his warning,
but 1t directed attention TO Alexander and
Ine writer, ana lhey Waikeu INTO the plt.
Then came the recognition that the dis,
tlngulshed visitors were the old man
ana zen. AVN T. ioNey, the latier wear
ing the full insignia OF Il general rank,
from the red sash to top-Do0ts, while
Grant was clothed IN Il blouse, DootS ana
slOuched nat single strap upon one
shoulder, ana SASH, sword ana Delt. Inc
only apparent articles OF regulation Wear.
about nm were the pantaloohs, with the
llght hlue cora on the outside seam, buI
even these were rusty and bore marks of
service. discovering from the daZe, there
was an attempt TO present arms ana
accord sucl honorS as tne occasion per
mtted, out the ora man put Alexander
and his comrade al ease, ana Tor moment
or two talked III Il conversational and
that the general addressed MN as com,
rade, and asked about our friends
ipOlntlng toward Ine enemy, ana saltl
both to Alexander and himself: 1--WE
have them sate 10 when Alexander
answered: We knew that from the
first, general. Nealways have EN- when
you re along,
Grant smiled, evidently pleased with
ire compliment, anu, accompanied ny
ten. Hovey, saultereu toward farrott-
gun battery little distance to the right.
ms battery commanded an advantageous
position. and, mounting upon the earth
works, Grant TOOK long ana steady look
at the enemy INES, sweeping theh ifom
END TO enu WIN ms glass. zen; lioNey
clambered up alongside OF MN, thelr re-
spectlVe hgures so conspicuous that IL al
once attracted the enemys hre. Ihey
stood there Tor several moments, untll
Grant, percelVlhg danger, suggested to
Gen. lloyey To step down out Oh harin
way. lioNey, however, persistently
begged the ,'old man to protect i'mself,
ana when Hrait replied WI ny hoEey.
you are as III much danger AS myself,
the latter answered: Il IN only general
OF DIVISION, ana II Is easy TO MI my place
but with you, sir, it is different The
"old man yielded tOthls, ana Doth stepped
out of range, to the eminent satisfaction
OF hundreds OF soldiers VINO witnessed the
terrible exposure Ii the "oid man ran
tiiH ION " imp 80 upon ~ 'i''ANi t'i'''
ne shared their DANGER with theln, IL mao
It's effect; for 1t was the talk along the
line Tor days.
LATER ON III tne siege, Wheh the oppoS
ing lines were IN close ana deadly range
plcKetS were doubled al hlght TO preNeh
surprises. ms was dangerous business
and wearlsome, Tor the guard must be
Watchiul ana Wakeful throughout The
night, ana there was no relief until dawn
me uan ger maze eacll Slue courteous ahl
respectful, and occasionally talkative, /
me officers were not TOO near, Tor TIT
'feD ana me ahk' sat facing eacl
other, only lew 1eet apart. Twice while
the writer was ON inns particular duty al
order was whispered down the line, Don
challenge, ana II was known that TIT
'old man himself was making persona
Inspection on the ground. one night II
: particular he sauhlered along WITHIN wv
feet 81 the writer, the inevitable cigar II
, his mouth ana after he had gone Il littl
, distance an idea struck the john,
Reb, and he questioned
say, 1ahK, What are you DONG VIII
. two officers OF the day -