New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-06-09

order Orders were prepared with great care anu ~
IDENTIFY with the view that they should Dc hsVoiy VA
saw good deal of General Taylor during my ss sat
ought to go into the United States service oiu III,
acUnnntanco with the pnbc men Of the state and said
he could get them to recommend me TOT Po5i.o, n
that he would do all he could for me. deci fr NV
receive Endorsements for permission 10 hgn' ioi ny
country
WHY GRANT WENT INTO SERVICE.
The circumstances under which General Grant
went into service in the War of the Rebellion arc
most interesting He says:
At Galena 1861, posters were stuck up Gaining ior
meeting of the ctzcus the Court House in the evening
Rpsiness sod entirely all was excitement for time
there was no party distinctions; all were Urioh men,
determined avenge the insult to the National nag "
the evening the Court House was packed AItnousun
comparative stranger. was called upon 70 Prrls'u1 10"
sole reason possibly. that had been IN the ARMY
and had seen service. With much emDaIrlss nen au
some prompting, made out to announce tne h
meeting Stretches in order but is doubtful whether
it would have been safe just hen 10 max he house
patriotic There was probably no one III 'e ty
however, who felt like making any oInef ino pot
master and breckenridge Democrat at the November
election the fall before, and John A. kawhs an euSu
on the Douglas ticket L. b. Washburne win wnoIn ,
was not acquainted at that time came in AFTER t1e meet
ing had been organized and expressed understoou
nish presiding officer for such an occasion without
taking stranger lie came forward ana was itrooVeu
meeting. ,.o,,nt.or.
Going home for a day or after conversation
with General Pope wrote from Galena the following
letter to the Adjutant-G General of tho Army
GALENA ILL.,, May "a. 1861.
Colonel l.. THOMAS, AdjutantGe" U. s. A. VASE
SIN Tia wing served for fifteen years in the regular
Army ludng four years ut West Point and feeling u
the duty of every one who educated at the Gov
eminent expense offer their services for the support
to lender my services until the close of the war; IN such
capacity may be offered would say IN ylgS OIL my
tent to command regiment the Tr1 nc I'D HIS
Since the first call the President have been serving
the staff of the Governor of this State rendering such
and an still engaged in that capacity; letter nd;
dressed to at Springfield, Illinois, Will reach me-
am very respectfully your 00eu'"' e. 5. GRANT
This letter failed to elicit answer from the Aduant
him. aud certainly could not have been submitted to
higher authority Subsequent 20 INC war ,h en Wr
Department for a copy OF 1t. The letter could not be
found and rccollccted ever having seen H.
took no copy when IL was written.
HIS FIRST ENGAGEMENT.
OF his first engagement in the Rebellion he
writes
As soon they they decamped as fast as their
horses would carry them. kept my men In the ranks
and forbade their entering any ofthe deserted houses
taking anything from Them We halted at night on
the road proceeded the next morning at an early
hour. Harris had been encamped in creek bottom for
the sake of being near water The NUS on either te OF
than 100 feet As we approached the brow OF the
hill from which IL was expected could Harrss
us my heart kept getting higher higher, until felt
TO me as though 1t was in my throat. | would have
given anything then to have been back in Illinois but
had the moral TO halt and consider what to
do; kept right on When we reached point from rom
place where Harris had been encamped few days be
fore still there and the marks OF recent encamp
ment plainly visible. but the troops were gone
Ny heart resumed its place. IL occurred to me at once
that Harris had been much afraid of me had been
OF him. This view Of the question had never
taken beforee but Dit was one never forgot after
ward From that TO the close OF the war never
experienced trepidation upon confronting an enemy
INCIDENTS OF THE REBELLION.
Following are other interesting incidents that
occurred during the Rebellion
At the battle of Belmont, feeling that the enemy
had seen crossing tho river below might be coming upon
unawares, rode out in the field to rontstill
trcy aoncto observe whether the enemy was passing
The field was grown up VITA cora tall ana thick to
off the view OF even per on horseback, except
directly along the Even IN that direction, owing
the overnangns ba DIES OF corn the view not
tensve had not gone more than few hundred yards
when body OF troops marching past me- not nty
yards away looked at them for ~ moment and then
turned my horse toward the river and started back first
In "A walk and when thought myself concealed from the
view Of the enemy, as fast as my horse could carry ne
When at the river bank sl had 10 ride few hundred
yards the POINT where the nearest transport lay.
the edge Of dense forest Before goi back The enemy
entered this forest aud had opened brisk fire upon
the boats. Our with the exception Of details that
had gone TO the front after the wounded, were now
either aboard the transports very them. Those
who on 'aTd soon got there, aud the boats
pushed Off ] the only man Of the National Army
between the rebels and transports The captain OF
a boat that had just pushed out but had not started
recognized aud ordered the engineer not 10 start the
engine. He then had plank run ou for me. Ny horse
seemed to take in the situation. There was no path
down the hank and every one acquainted with the Ms
si,sippi River knows that its banks, 10 natural state
do vary at any great angle from the Perpendicular
put his lore feet over the bank without hcsta
ton or urging and with his hind feet well under him.
sid the bank ami trotted aboard the boat twelve
| mounted AMI went at once to tho upper deck
Tue Mississippi was low on the 7th OF September
he hank lead Of
standing the upper decks OF the steamer The
rebels distance back from the river 80 that
their fire high aud did us but little harm Our
smokestick was ridded vim bullets, but there were
| only three men wounded the boats aud but OF
these a soldier. When first went deck entered
the captn's ROOM adjoining the pioihouse and threw
ment, but to out the deck to observe what
entered the room struck the head OF the SOFA passed
| through it and lodged in the foot.
At the siege of Fort Doneson, when the men found
themselves without ammunition they could not stand
up against troops who seemed to have plenty Of it, Tho
division broke and portion Ned. put most OF the men
they not pursued only fell back out Of range OF
fire Of the enemy IL must have been about tins time
that Thayer pushed his brigade In between the enemy
and those OF onr troops that were without ammunition
Inents and there when arrived on the field.
saw the men standing IN knots. taking III the most
excited manner. No officer seemed TO be giving any d.
recons. Rue soldiers had their muskcs. but 10 anmu
niton while there Of It close at hand heard
his kuapsacks and haversacks filled with They
seemed to think this indicated determination on his
part stay and fight just long the provisions
held out; turned to Colonel j. d. Webster, OF my stan
who with me, and said " Some Of our men
pretty badly dcmOraizcd but the enemy must be
he has attempted to force his ont, but has
fallen back the who attacks first now will be VIC
torlous and the enemy Will have he In a hurry If he
gets ahead OF me-" determined TO make the assault at
| left. II clear 10 my mind that the
enemy had started 10 march ont with his entire force
except few pickes and II our attack could De made
| the lcfl before the enemy could redlstrbutc
| his forces along the line. would find but
little opposition except from the Intervening abas
directed Colonel Webster to ride with and call out to
| the men as passed: "Fill your cartridge boxes
quick and get into ne the enemy IL trying 10 escape
| and he mi Il bc
a charm. The men only wanted some one 10 give them
a command. We rode rapidly to Smiths quarters when