The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-06-18
GRANTS LIFE.
Extracts from the Generals Per-
sonal Memoirs--The Inter
view with Lincoln.
His Peculiar Feelings Just Before the
First Battle Humorously
Described.
How Chattanooga Was Saved-The
Wilderness Campalgn-varI-
Gus Other Anecdotes.

personal memoirs, written by himsef-is now
practically complete, and in the hands of the
publishers. There will be two volumes. of 800
pages each. The first will contain the family
eenealogy and a history of the Generals boy
hood and youth. 1t will have for fronuspiece
an engraving OF Lieut.. u. S. Grant at the age OF
81. The second volume deals mainly with the
events of the war of the rebellion. The text
Will be freely Illustrated by plans and maps
showing the maneuvers of the armies on the
various fields OF battle. The volume treats OF
the battle OF Chattanooga, Hooker's night above
the clouds on Lookout Mountain. and all the
subsequent operations up TO the great battle OF
the Wilderness The capture OF Atlanta.
Sherman's march TO the sea, and his
operations In Georgia, North and South Caro-
lima. as well as Sheridans raid down the Shen-
andoah Valley and his victory at Five Forks.
are described. The Appomattox campaign, cul-
minating with the final scene of Lees sur
render at McLeans house. Is graphically told
The apple-tree legend and the story OF Lees
sword are automatically settled. The first vol
ume contains little of interest. The story OF
Grants early life as told by himself is conven-
tional and quite devoid OF exciting incident.
But in the second volume. where the memoirs
deal with the thrilling events OF the war. the
simple, lucid style In which the works. written
is pleasing, and the interest never flags.
From advance sheets OF the work the follow
Sng extra cts are taken:
Writing of 1861, Gen. Grant says: 'Going
home for day or two soon after conversation
with Gen. Pope, i wrote from Gaena the fol-
lowing letter to the Adjutant General OF the
army:
"GAIENA, Ill May "a, 1861.
col. l.. Thomas, Adjutant General U. 5. A.,
Washington, ID. c..
"SR-Having served for fifteen yearo in the
regular army, including four years ut West
Point, and feeling it the duty Of every one who
has been educated at the Government expense
TO offer his services for the support OF that
Government, have the honor very respectfully
to tender my services until the close OF the war
in such capacity may be offered. would
say, in view OF my present age and length of
service, feel myself competent to command a
regiment If the President In his judgment
should see mt TO mtrust one to me. Since the
first call of the President have been serving on
the staff OF the Governor OF this State, render
ing such aid as could in the organization OF
our State militia, and am still engaged in that
capacity. letter addressed to me at Spring
field, ILL.,, will reach me. l am, very respect
fully, your obedient servant, U. 5. GRANT.
Gen. Grant, describing his first battle in the
civil war, says:
"As soon as the enemy saw they decamp-
ed as fast as their horses would carry them.
kept my men in the ranks and forbade their
entering any of the deserted houses or taking
anything from them We halted at night on the
road and proceeded the next morning at an early
hour. Harris had been encamped in a creek
bottom for the sake of being near water. The
hills on either side of the creek extend to con-
siderable height, possibly more than 100 feet.
AS we approached the brow of the hill, from
which 1t expected we could see Harris
camp and possibly lind his men ready formed
80 meet us, my heart kept getting higher and
higher, until IL felt TO me as though it was in
my throat / would have given anything then
10 nave been Dack III Illinois, but i had not the
moral courage To halt and consider what 70 do
kept right on. When we reached point from
which the valley below was in full view halt
ed. The place where Harris had been encamped
few days before was still there, and the marks
of a recent enCampment were plainly visible
but the troops were gone My heart resumed
splace. 1t occurred 10 me at once that Harris
had been as much afraid or me as had been Of
him. This was n view OF the question had
never taken before, but IL was one i never for
got afterward. From that event to the close OF
the war never experienced trepidation on con-
fronting an enemy.
AT the battle Of Belmont, fearing that
the enemy we had seen crossing the river
below might be coming upon unawares
rode out in the field Ia our front-still entire
ly alOne-to observe whether the enemy was
passing. The field was grown MP with corn so
tall and thick as to cut of the view of even a
person on horseback, except directly along the
rows. Even in that direction, owing to the
overhangiug blades of corn. the view not
extensive. / had not gone more than few
hundred yards when / saw a body of troops
marching past not forty yards away.
looked at them for a moment, and then turned
my horse toward the river, and started back,
first in u walk, and when thought myself con-
cealed from the view OF the enemy as fast as my
horse could carry me. When at the river bank
still had TO ride a few hundred yards
to the point where the nearest transport
lay. The corn-teld in front OF our trans
ports terminated at the edge of dense
forest. Before got back the enemy had en-
tered this forest and had opened a brisk fire
upon the boats. Our men, with the exception
of details that had gone 20 the front after the
very near them. Those who were not on
board soon got there, and the boats pushed off
was the only man OF the national army be-
tween tee rebels and our tran ports. The Cap
tain of "A boat that had just pushed out, but had
not started. recognized me. and ordered the en-
gineer not to start the engine. He then had a
plank ran out for me. NV horse seemed to take
in the situation There was no path down the
bank and every one acquainted with the Mis-
81 sippi knows that its banks in a natural state
do not vary at any great angle from
the perpendicular. My horse put his fore
feet over the bank without hesitation or
urging. and with his hind feet well
under him slid down the bank and trotted
aboard the boat. twelve or fifteen feet away,
over a single gang plank. l dsmounted and
went at once 70 the upper deck.
THE description of the battle of Shiloh given
by Col. William Preston Johnston is very
graphic and we'll told. The reader will imagine
that he can see at each blow struck n democrat
lied and broken mob of Federal soldiers, each
blow sending the enemy more demoraized than
ever toward the Tennessee River, which was a
little more than two miles away at the begin
ming of the onset IL the reader does not stop
70 inquire why, with such Confederate success
for more than twelve hours OF hard fighting
the national troops were not all killed captured,
or driven into the river. he will regard the pen
picture as perfect But witnessed the tight
from the national side from 4 o'clock In the
morning until night closeu the contest, and
soc but little in the description that can rec
ognize The Confederate troops fought well,
and deserve commentator enough for their
bravery and endurance on the 9Th of April
without detraction from their antagonists or
CHARMING anything more IMAM their due. In an
article on the battle OF Shiloh which wrote for
the Century Magazine l stated that Gen. A
Med. McCook, who commanded division of
Buells army, expressed some unwillingness 10
pursue the enemy on Monday, April 7, because
of the condition of the troops. Gen. Badeau
also, I'm his history, makes the same statement
my authority In justice to Gen. McCook
and his command, i must say that they
left point twenty two miles east of Savannah
on the morning of the 9Th. From the heavy
rains OF few days previous, and the passage
OF trains and artillery, the roads were neces-
sary deep in mud, which made marching
slow. The division had not only marched
through this mud the day before. but IL bad
been I'm the rain all night without rest. Ii
was engaged in the battle OF the second day.
and did as good service its position
allowed In fact an opportunity occurred for
u 10 perform conspicuous act OF galantry,
which elected the highest commendai ion from
division commanders in the Army of the Ten
nessee. Gen. Sherman, I'm both his memoirs
and report, makes mention of this fact. Gen.
McCook himself belonged to a family which
furnished many volunteers TO the army. 4 re-
Ter TO these circumstances with minuteneJs be-
cause did Gen. McCook iniustice in my article
In the Century, though not to the extent one
would suppose from the public press. i am not
willing to do any one injustice and " con-
WINGED that have done one / am willing 70
make the fullest confession
THE campaign OF Vicksburg was su1-
rested and developed by circumstances.
The elections of 1862 had gone against
the prosecution Of the war; Volunteer en-
listments had nearly ceased and the draft