The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-14
GRANT AT SHILOH.
Graphic Description of the Old HerOs De-
meanor OH that Great Occasion.

Hr2ph1c Description OF the Ola HerO's De-
meanor OH that Great Occasion.
Gaesburg Qll.) Special
The address delivered by Col Clark f. Carr.
at the Grant memorial service on Saturday last,
was fine effort, and worthy the speaker. 1t
prepared with care and full of eulogistc
commentators and interesting incidents IN the
life of General Grant. The following is one of
those incidents which will ever remain IN the
memory of his hearers, and expresses charac-
teriStic of the lamented hero, which was one of
the greatest elements of his unbounded popu-
larity and unprecedented success:
1t was the privilege of the speaker to become
acquainted with General Grant under peculiar
circumstances. We had gone up to Pittsburg
Landing to bring home Illinois wounded soldiers.
Our mission brought us directly to his headquar-
tiers. He received us kindly, but saw a once
that q great cloud was hanging over him. Within
a few steps of his tent were the headquarters of
General Halleck, the commander Of the whole
military department. Ga account of the clamor
against General Grant for his action on the first
day of the battle of Shiloh, General Halleck had
come himself to oversee and direct the move.
ments of the army. Grant was practically sus-
pended. There great dissatisfaction on the
part of his friends that the nero Of Fort Henry,
of Donelson. and Shiloh, should be so treated.
While nominally in command of the army he
was really only in command of his
personal staff. Governor Yates invited
him to come on board Of our steam
er and dine with us. He readily
accepted tn6 HFlldliOu, SLallnS Cn2C ne nau
nothing to do" He with most of the
afternoon, and until after nightfall. | never
was astonshed than by the tone OF his
conversation. He talked of the battle of Shiloh
explained how the enemy massed his forces
upon one point, declared it was not surprise,
explained the means adopted to recover lost
ground, spoke Of General Halleck's moving his
headquarters to the field, gave US something Of
that officers military history, expressed the
greatest admiration for him, and seemed rather
oil cd 18th hat L. Id II
told ". of how he was advising General Haleck.
ard -exnresse... the greatest anxiety to have him
succeed. He spoke of his own position, and said
that he had not nor shoulc Re complain; that he
was in For the war, and should stay - long as
any other man stayed, and do his best while /,
lasted, and declared that if it was
thought he could do more and be
more effective in that position he
would carry musket. We expressed our
Indignation at the treatment he had received
but he answered not word. We tn. ght ana
atterward talked Of the complaints Of SO many
officers, high and low, and contrasted them with
him. thought of the relative positions of the
two Generals at Pittsburg Landing, when, at
the close of the war. while General of all the
arrlies of the United States, General Grant
received me at Washington, with general Hal
leck seated near him. who was chief Of etaf. 1t
has seemed to me that General Grants aot 'ons
during those days while in the valley of hun,l-
iation was sublime. | have seen him in The
MIDST OF his great generals; [ have seen him
when surrounded by his Cabinet; | have seen
him in the home circle at Galena and Washington;
| twice saw him in the midst of a vast concourse
of people, inaugurated as President of the United
States; l saw him when hundreds Of thousands
of people greeted him at Chicago upon his
return to his native land. But when l try to
recall his face and features, he always comes
back to me as he sat there on that summer
evening at Pittsburg Landing serene and self
poised, the conqueror of himself.