The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-05-07
EATING PIE UNDER ORDERS.
General Grants Way of Furnishing an Inn
= postor.

General Grants Way of Furnishing an Inn
When Grant, in August, 1861, was sent
| with brigade to Southern Missouri to t
repel threatened invasion of it by JET.
Thompson, an incident occurred which IS
thus described by one of his staff officers
"The distance from the starting point OF
| the expedition to the supposed rendez.
vous Of the Confederates was about llO
miles, and the greater portion OF the
route lay through bowling wilderness
The imaginary suffering that our soldiers
endured during the first two days OF
their march was enormous. 1t was
| impossible to steal or 'con6scate' uncul'
tiyated real estate, and not a hog or
chicken or an ear ofycorn was anywhere
! to be seen. On the third day, however,
affairs looked more hopeful, for few
small speeks of ground in state !oi
partial cultivation were here aud there
visible, On that day Lieutenant Wick
field, of an Indiana cavalry regiment,
commanded the advance guard, consisting
of eight mounted men. About noon ne
came UP to small farmhouse, from the
outward appearance of which he judged
there might be something to eat inside.
He halted his command, dismounted,
and, with two second lieutenants, entered
the dwelling. He knew that Grants
incipient fame had already gone OUT
through all that country, and itseemed TO
him by representing himself to be Cen
eral Grant he might obtain the best the
house afforded. So, assuming q very
imperative demeanor, he accosted the
inmates cf the house and told them that
he must have something for himself and
staff to eat. They desired to know who
he was, and he told them that he was
Brigadier General Grant. At the sound
of the name they all flew around with
alarming alacrity, and served up about
all they had in the house, taking great
pains all the while to make loud profess
ions of loyalty. The Lieutenants ate as
much as they could of the not oversum-
tuous meal, but which was, nevertheless,
good for that country, and demanded
what was to pay. Nothing And they
went on their way rejoicing. In the
meantime, General Grant, who had halt
ed his army few miles farther back for
a brief resting spell, came in sight OF,
and was rather impressed by the appear
ance of, this same house. Riding up to
the fence in front of the door, he desired
to know if they would cook him a meal.
NO. said female in gruf voice.
General Grant and his staff have just
been here, and eaten everything in the
house except -ue pumpkin pie 'Humph,,
muttered Grant; what is your nameT
sSelvidge,' replied the woman. Casting
a half dollar in at the door, he asked II
she would keep that pie until he sent an
officer for it, to which she replied that
she would. That evening, atter, the
camping ground had been secured, the
various regiments were notified that there
would be grand parade at $50 for
orders. Officers would see that all their
men turned out, etc. In five minutes the
camp was perfect uproar, and hlled
with all sorts o, .umors. Some thought
the enemy vert lpon them, it being 80
unusual to have parades when on the
march. At $50 the parade was formed,
ten columns deep, and nearly quarter
of mile in length. Both officers and
men were amazed at this unusual parade
after such long and weary march, and
wondered what it portended, when the
Assistant Adjutant General rode IN front
of the lines, and, in grave, loud and
clear voice, read the following order:
HEADQUARTERS,
"ARMY IN TIE FIELD.
Especial Order No..
''Lieutenant Wick6eld, of the Indiana
cavalry, having on this day eaten every
thing in Mrs. Selyidge's house, at the
crossing of the Trenton and Pocahontas
and Black River and Cape Girardeau
roads, except one pumpkin pie, 1ieuten.
ant Wickfeld is hereby ordered to return
with an escort of 100 cavalry and eat that
pie also.
"Brjgadier General Commanding"
"It is impossible to describe the effect
the reading of this order had on the
troops. Every one was expecting to hear
some momentous announcement, and
hence listened with eager attention, and
when it was finished looked at each other
in utter bewilderment, and asked what
did it mean7 The parade was over, and
the moment they dispersed each one
sought an explanation of the strange
affair. Itsoon leaked out, and by the time
the crestfallen Lieutenant was ready with
his escort to leave camp. was in aperfect
roar, and peas of laughter followed him
as be de6led along the road on his way
back to eat that pie. Grant made no ex-
planation of his conduct, followed it by
no reprimand. The order carried its
own lesson, administered its own rebuke,
and each one knew that it would not be
a safe business to pass himself off for
General-in Chief, much less forage in his
own name, for his own benefit. When
the Lieutenant returned to camp, late in
the evening, he was glad to escape to his
tent to avoid the numberless questions
and Jokes about the pumpkin pie."-
Boston Herald.