The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-06-19
THE Words OF Il FIGHTER.

IS The forthcoming Book of Gen. Grant
Some Extracts of an Interesting Char
acter.
The New York Commercial Advertiser pub
fishes near q page Of extracts from Gen
, Grants personal Memoirs which will be
published within a few months The first
volume is completed and the second nearly so.
Extracts given show the work to be written in
sturdy and terse anglo saxon, with here and
| there touch of quiet humor The dedica-
!, ton is in fac smile of the generals manu-
script as follows; These volumes are dedi-
Gated to the American soldier and sailor; U.
S. Grant, New York, May %, 1856" He be-
Igins by saying that he is of American stock
on both sides for many generations. Matthew
Grant, from whom he is descendant in the
eighth generation, reached Dorchester, Mass.
in 1880, from Dorchester, England. His great
grandfather, Noah, had q commission in the
British army and his grandfather also named
Noah served in the war of the rebellion
He gives exodus of his boyhood, Of his
appointment to West Point through the infu-
ence OF Hon. Thomas Morris, congressman
| from Ohio, tells the circumstances under
which he first saw Gen. Scott and President
! Van Buren,; contrasts the personal character
istics of Generals Scott and TAYLOR gives a
copy of his letter to Adjutant-General Thomas,
dated Galena, Illinois, May "a, 1861, offering
his services to the United States, and suggest
ing that he considered himself competent
enough to take command of regiment. This
letter was never replied to, and was for long
time lost among the papers of the war office.
Speaking of his first battle in the civil war
he says las we approached the brow of the |
hill from which it was expected we would see |
Harris camp, and POSSIBLY find his men ready |
formed to meet us, my heart kept getting |
h rl.Arn fal4
it was in my throat. would have given any
thing then to have been back in the rear, but
had not the moral courage to halt and con-
slider what to do. kept right on. When we
cached point from which the valley below
Was in full view, halted. The place where
Harris had been encamped few DAYS before
was still there, and marks of recent encamp-
ment were plainly visible, but the troops were
gone. 1t seemed to me at once that Harris
had been as much afraid of me as had been
OF him. This was a view of the question |
bad never taken before, but it was one | never
fore o; afterward. From that event to the
close OF the war L never experienced trepida-
ton uIon confronting an enemyn
Fe speaks of the battle of Fort Donaldson at
some length. Of the battle of Shiloh he saws
considered the situation as one in which
the federal forces were on the offensive, but
ass rts that no precautions for defense were
NJ elected. On this subject he continues ~ 1
ollows: .
General Beauregard was next in rank to
Johns n, and succeeded to the command I
' he retained until the close Of the battle
nu during the subsequent retreat on Corinth q
IS well as in the siege of that place. His tao :
les have been ST verelv criticised by the con- 1
ederate writers, but l do not believe his fallen
hief could have done any better under the q
=
Some of these critics claim that Shiloh was
'on when johnson fell; that if he had not 81
.llen the army under me would have been o
hipped. ''Ifs'' defeated the confederates at II
hiloh. There is little doubt that we should "
ave been cisgracefully beaten if the shells ',
ler the enemy, and if all of theirs had taken II
feet. Commanding generals are liable to be al
lied during engagements, and the fact that -
hen he was shot johnson was leading bri- a.
de to induce 1t to make a charge which had OF
en- repeatedly ordered, is evidence that pl
ere was neither the universal de- &,
oralization on our side or the unbounded ~
nfidence on theirs which has been claimed. III
ere was, in fact, no hour during the day pl
len | doubted the eventual defeat of the in
envy, although was disappointed that re- on
orcements so near at hand did not arrive ~
an early hour" In this connection he re-
5 to the article in the Century and bis re- sa
rks in it in regard to General McCook Tel
ich caused so much public comment. He co
Is of the long march of the day before over %
ddy roads by General McCook's division, De
its conspicuous acts of galantry'' on the Sc,
7 of battle and concludes In these words: ha
refer 10 IneSc circumstances with minute 80.
IS because l did General McCook an inius- va
|, in my article in the Century, though not do
the extent one would suppose from the
,lic pr IS. am not willing to do any one or,
injustice, and if convinced that I have -
lie one | am always willing to make the lug
est admission" Then follow accounts of wo
seige and capture of Vicksburg, of his ap- the
ntment as lieutenant-generaa and he adds CO.;
my first interview with Mr.. Lincoln alone "i
stated to me that he had never protested to nae
military man, or to know how campaigns alt
uld be conducted, and never wanted to in cor
ere with them, but the procrastination on a.
part of commanders, and the pressure of VIZ
people at the north and congress, which, saw
the poor, he had always with him. had NIT
ed him into issuing his well known series q
exclusive orders.''' He did not know g.
they we're all wrong. He wanted some irle
to take the responsibility and act. OF.
-ant estimates Lees strength at $4,000 In i
Wilderness, all familiar with the country, II y
h to the federal forces was wholly I'M y.
xn. He explodes the theory of Lees sur OH
er taking place under an apple tree, and tin
RIDES at length the scene and his feelings to o
lat time. He SAYS he felt like ANYTHING e
er than rejoicing at the downfall of a foe
had fought so long and CALAMITY mea
fO n