The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-08-05


was seldom seen by anybody. Ask
ing an officer at Culpepper one day
what had become of the General, he
renlied to me "Oh, The General Is
keeping as close as possible, study
ing out the plan of the coming cam
paign.n Gen. Grant did not visit
Meade's headquarters at Brady Sta
ton, which was only about a mile
from Culpepper, from the time he
arrived from Washington until the
grand forward movement commenc-
ed. He was engaged all the time in
deep, close study, and the result of
that study at Culpepper saved the
Union.
THE FIGHTING THAT FOLLOWED.
The famous forward movement of
the Army of the Potomac under
Grant across the Rapidan commenc-
ed at daylight on the Sd of May,
1863, and was, az all readers are
aware, followed by the battles in the
Wilderness, Spottsylvania, North
Anna, Cold Harbor, and eliminated
in the taking of Richmond and Lees
surrender at Appomattox.
1t is not my purpose IN this arti-
Gle to recount any ofthe terrible and
bloody scenes | witnessed during
that memorable campaign. They
are matters of history. 1 come at
once to the next time / saw General
Grant after leaving him in the cars
at Brady Station. On the afternoon
of the second days fighting in the
Wilderness 1 happened to be at
Meade's headquarters, on rising
piece of ground covered with pine
trees and which overlooked the bat
tle6eld. While standing there with
q fearful scene of carnage going on
in the woods all around, saw Gener-
al Grant, covered with dust, but en-
tirely unattended, advancing up the
hillside towards Meade's headquar-
tiers. He stopped and by himself
sat down on tree stump and pull
ed some paper out, which he quiet
Iy scanned over. l then noticed him
writing something. He then sat
still awhile and appeared to be trac-
ing something out on the paper or
map be held in his lap and soon af-
terwards went away by himself. |
noticed he spoke to no one and no.
body advanced towards him, but a
number of ewes were on him. He
seemed to be remarkably cool, calm
and collected, but was not then
smoking q cigar. I have always
thought since that when | saw Gen.
Grant at this critical time he was
studying the path for the advance of
the army towards Spottsylyania, and
which movement so astonished eve
ry body then, and that when he was
framing the memorable dispatch to
Washington containing the words.
"I propose TO fight it out on this
line if il takes all summer Atthe
time / saw him it was certainly the
most critical point of the three days
fighting in the Wilderness.
While the worst of the fighting at
Spottsylvania Court House was So
ing on | was riding up a rising piece
of ground when | came upon him,
surrounded by his staff, and all we're
mounted. The General stood lit
tie in advance of his staff and was
quietly and steadily watching the
fighting in the woods, a large open
field being between him and the
woods. As l rode past l noticed
that the staff were earnestly discus
sing some incident of the battle and
one of them remarked " Well, We
had a very graphic description of
that from Mr.. Washburne." Tine
Hon. E. B. Washburne, of Illinois,
VINO accompanied the army, and a
personal friend of Grants. Gen.
Grant heard the remark and, turn
ing his head around, said, with a
pleasant smile, "Oh, well, you know
Washburne was excited at that
time
On the memorable morning of the
18th of May Hancock made his eel
ebrated charge at Spottsylvania and
captured General Edward Johnson
and his division. The fighting was
terrific and the rain was falling in
torrents and | found myself stand
ing before large campfire and
close by me stood General Grant
who was drying himself, and with
him were Generals Meade, Hum
phreys and Hunt, chief of artillery.
Grant, while standing in front of the
fire, would gaze steadily and in ST.
lence at the embers, and then peer
through the storm in the direction
where the hardest musketry firing
was heard. He seemed quiet and
contemplatiye and after looking
steadily forward for awhile he turn
ed around to General Meade and
said: Well, let's go over to head
quarters and see how things are
there" General Meade, who seem.
ed nervous and anxious, turned TO
Grant and said Hold on q little
while. | want to see how Warren
develops himself over yonder" !"
They remained a short time longer
and then the entire party mounted
their horses and rode of.
HANcocK's CHARGE.
Soon after Hancock made his ia
NOUS charge ne sent the following
dispatch to General Grant:
GENERAL: l have captured from
thirty to forty guns. l have finished
up Johnson and am now going into
Early.
When General Grant read the dis
patch he made the simple remark,
Bully" and handed the paper to
the other Generals. About noon on
the 18th of May was seized with
desire to reach Washington that
very night and telegraphed to Phil
adelphia and the North the news of
Hancock's glorious and successful
charge. / knew there would be diff
ficulties in the way, but I sought
General Grant, who was dining at a
farm house near by, and told him
what / wished to do. The General