The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1885-10-22
ARMY DRESS.
The Lesson Gen. Grant Learned from
Gen. TIA ylor.

Gen. TIA ylor.
Lincoln made many visits with Grant
to the lines about Richmond anG
Petersburg. On such occasions he
usually rode one of the generals fine
bay horses called Cincinnati He
was 4 good horseman, and made his
way through swamps and over cordu-
roy roads as well as the best trooper in
the command. The soldiers invaria bly,
recognized him, and greeted him
wherever he appeared among them,
with cheers that were no lip-service,
but came from the depth of theiI
hearts. He always had pleasant salute
Er q friendly word for the men in the
ranks. His son, Robert L. Lincoln, had
joined the generals staff some time be-
fore, with the rank of captain and aide
de-camp, and was doing good service
at headquarters, where he made an
excellent record.
One evening, upon return to camp
after ride among the soldiers, Mr..
Lincoln said:
General, you don't seem to have
your horse decked out in gay trappings
Us some of our generals. or to give
yourself any particular trouble about
the elegance of your uniform"
No" said the general: II once
learned a lesson on that subject when
was serving under Gen. Taylor in Mex
leo. He used to wear about the same
kind of clothes and shoes as those issued
to the privates, and generally rode a
horse that looked as if it had just come
of a farm. On the march he often
rested himself by sitting woman-fash-
ion on his saddle with both feet on the
same side, aud no one in the army gave
less thought to his style OF dress. One
day, while in camp near Corpus Christi,
he received very formal note from
the commodore in command of the
naval squadron in the gulf, saying he
would 60 ashore the next day for the
purpose of paying his respects in per-
son to the commander of the army.
Gen. Taylor had a conviction that
naval officers were great sticklers for
etiquette, and on occasions of ceremo-
ny always looked as though they had
just come out of handbook, and, not
willing to be outdone by his web-footed
visitor, the general set his servant at
work to overhaul his wardrobe and
burnish up his full-dress uniform,
which had probably not been out of his
chest since the war began.
The commodore, it appeared, was a
man who had as great a contempt for
line dressing as Taylor, but ne had an
idea that the commanding general of
the army would expect q commodore
OF the navy TO display no end of style
IN paying visit of ceremony, and he
was determined to exhibit a proper de-
gree OF respect in this regard, no mat
ter what 1t cost in the way of incon-
yenience; SO he ransacAed the bottom
Of his locker for his best toggery, and
the next day appeared on shore re-
splendent in white gloves, blue cloth
and gold lace. There was a broiling
southern sun pouring down, and by the
time the commodore had walked from
the landing to the generals quarters
lie was rocking with pcropiration and
looking rs red as a boiled lobster. He
found the general sitting in his tent,
buttoned up to the chin in we'll
Wrlnkled uniform coat, mopping his
head with a handkerchief, aud swing
ing big palm-leaf fan to help catch a
breath of air. After these distinguished
representatives of the sister services
had INDUCED III profound bows, shaken
hands, and exchanged compliments in
very formal and dignitied manner,
they sat down on opposite sides OF a
table, looked at each other for some
minutes, and then a smile began to
steal over their faces, which soon
widened into broad grin, and showed
that they were both beginning to take
in the absurdity of the situation.
"'Oh! this is all nonsensen said Tay-
lor, pulling of his coat and throwing it
to the other side of the tent.
"Infernal nonsensen cried the COM
modore, jerking off everything but his
shirt and trousers. Then they lighted
a couple OF pipes and had good. sens
IDLE talk over the military situation. p