The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-17
Penns,Ivania Major and Grant,

West Chester PENN Record.
at the present time, probably more than
any previous time since the war, old soldiers
and army officers are reviving their expert
eDces with General Grant during the days of
the great strife, and it is seldom that they
have not got something to say about the
great General whose death is now moment
srily expected. 1t was thus that few West
Chester soldiers of the late war met day or
two since. Among them was Major James
+. McFarlan, ano IN the course of converse
tion about what he remembered of
Grant be related an Incident that
but verifies the many statements
that have already been published in
Verifoetion OF the great msn's simple habits
He wss a man, said Major McFarlan,
who probably took less pains to make an
exhibition of his stripes or insignia of Office
while he was at the head of the armies of the
Union than any officer in it. It oftened hap
pened to my certain knowledge that minor
officers failed 10 recognize him as the great
General Ewhen passing close by his side, on
account OF his simple dress, and had IL not
been for my previous meetings with him,
when / knew him to be General Grant
believe l would have been guilty of doing 3
thing that would long have regretted, so
far IS my conduct toward him was con.
cernsd. 1t happened on the eth day OF DC.
tober, 1861, when We were encsmped on the
James River near Jones Landing. We
were lying on the south side OF the
river and had q ponton bridge across it,
Early in the morning part of our forces
who were on the north side OF the river got
into an engagement with the rebels. in
which they had had taken from them-thAt
Is. our fellows bad taken from them-a
cannon, and orders were ssnt to me to take
my battalion of fonr companies across the
bridge and recapture il possible, the gun.
Well, We started, and when / reached the
opposite side OF the river with q portion of
my command / noticed that my column had
been cut by number CT officers whom saw
Just about 10 ride upon the bridge. As our
time was limited, AID We were under special
orders, / put spurs to nv horse, rode back
over the bridge as fast as ] could go, and not
little out of sorts thinking that the men
l saw who had cut my column
were a lot of staff officers who usu-
ally bad the impundence 70 do Just such a
thing when there was no cause whatever
for it. Well, rode right mp TO those officers
and wss prepared to let out on them the
worst kind, even II il amounted to running
them of the bridge into the river, when who
should | recognize at the head OF them but
General Grant, who called out to ME, Major.
I SIN sorry TO have been obliged to cut your
column, but | SIN very anxious TO get across
the river and won't delay you but few min
utes.' Well, TX l have to tell 1t myself, /
will say that | never got over a mad so
quickly in my life. / don't bsiieve that any
thing ever made me wilt so soon. The Can
eral and his staff were off and over the
bridge almost before could get my breath
back sgain, and then the rest of my column
followed and we got to the scene of action in
time TO recspture the gun We were sent
after"