The Columbus journal., 1885-11-04
GRANT AS A

How He Compelled . Spectator to Make
Soldiers.
In the spring of 1868. the army of the
Tennessee was camped from Lake Provi-
dence to Milikin's Bend. Louisiana.
waiting to make the attack on Vicks-
burg. Our battery (Bclton's) was
camped at Barry's Landing. Late one
evening. at roll-call. the CAPITA n stepped
to the front of the company and said
that q friend of his. . Mr.. Alfred Sphinx.
of Chicago, represented a wealthy
firm. Price. Maher & Sphinx. cotton
buyers-that he (Spink) would give
drafts to any of the men desiring to-
send their money home. on +. Granger
Adams. q Chicago banker; that the
parties were reliable. aud that liz cast
the drafts were captured b. the enemy
they would be renewed. As many OF
the boats going up the ,ivcr were
captured bv the Confcderatcs at Eagle
Bend. or Island SO, and the ooys were
paid off that day. we all concluded to
send OH money BY drafts. a. the Capt
8lu UOlu Us, ouu VIC uloi.CA lu0Iu W
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 Sc 'ge of VickSburg
about the 18th of May. 1865. A few
days afterward we got a big mail. which
had accumulated for two months. and
when the bows 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 famil es
were suffering.
The Captain told us that everything
would be all right after a 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.. G. 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, ~
We called our Captain. had great o.
fidence in old Cad. as the boys called
the correspondent. and he lad the
whole matter before him. Old Cad set
sail on his one-eared mule for Grants
headquarters, and in about IN hour re-
turned with a message that the General
wanted to see the Captain.
l never will forget that evening. wher
Captain Bill returned with the cores
pendent and the one-eared mule. He
told the boys that the money would he
forthcoming. that everything was fixed
for the men to return their drafts 'tC
Chicago, to Godfather Cyrus p. Brad
lev. Chief of Police (the battery vas re-
cruited at Captain Bradley's Office. and
the boys always called him Godfather
Bradley. Soon afterward word came
that every draft Wa paid.
As it may be interesting to the reader
to know what kind of an order Genera.
Grant made that had such a Statutory et-
feet upon the parties. l will give is as
of all the drafts and the amounts, anc
then by preamble recited the facts. and
then ordered the commander of the
United States forces at Chicago to dc
mand payment from Messrs. Price.
Maher & Spink. and in case they &c
clined or refused to do so. to place then
in irons. and to send them under guarC
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 V%icksburg ! was
iSinp with thn (onfoin IN orr hsttarv
headquarters out he Cherry street road,
when General Grant came trOtting
along. Coming abreast. he said: by
the way. CAPITA n. what became of that
order about the drafts?" The Captain
replied that everything had been settled
satisfactorily. to which the old hero re-
piled: 'Although l gave free transpor
tation | did not think they liked me wei!
enough to make me a visit."-COr. Chi
cage Inter Ocean,.