The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-03

endeavored to deprive me OF the pleasure of wei
coming General Ulysses s. Grant to my city,
vhey were off their base considerably. Well,
they waited on me, stated their grievance and
insisted that | should absent myself from the
banquet. l told them, as plainly as / could. to
go to -, and they left me in high dudgeon.
The evening came, and SO did the banquet, and
likewise Mckinley cooked and primed for his
welcoming address. / had been informed by
air. Ortiz that il was not the Generals habit to
reply to such speeches-that he merely re-
sponded, without rising from his chair, by
n wave Of the hand. So, when / had finished
and he rose and in a brief but splendid speech
acknowledged nv welcome, | was all but par
alyzed. and so was Mr.. Ortiz, who sat on his lett,
and Oliver P. Morton, who occupied the chair
On his right 1t transpired that on his way from
Mr. Orth's residence to the banquet he had been
informed of my spirited interview With the
indignant Democrats, and he said 70 Mr.. Ortn
Or resuming his seat: Il didn't mean to let the
mayor of Lafayette Guido me in courtesy. l
like a man of his plain, blunt speech
The relation of this incident brought out
mother. in which Col. w. G. l.. Taylor was a
principal actor. The Colonel was present and
after much importuning was induced to relate
the circumstances.
ut was during the seven days struggle in
the Wilderness" the Colonel went on. Just
after the battle of Spottsylvania: My regiment
the Twentieth Indiana-had made a long
march that day, and we had come TO a halt in
the evening on the edge of the woods, by
the roadway. 1t was~not at all certain that
we would remain there longer than a very
few moments. I told the men to make their
coffee and get whatever rest and refreshments
they could snatch in that brief time. The guard
had been instructed to let no one on horseback
through the lines, as it was the habit of stray
artillerymen, cavalrymen and mounted orderlies
to come Gashing through the camps whenever
they could save time by so doing. I had but just
seated myself near the roadway when a rider in
m old blouse and slouched hat, with a cigar in
ais mouth, road up. AS he passed the guard,
the latter turned and saluted him. l shouted to
The guard:
What were your orders"
Not to let anyone on horseback pass the line"
''Then what in the devil did you let this fell
low pass through for"
"He is an officer, Colonel
Officer, - He's a nice sort of all officer,
ain he"
Then. turning to the intruder I said: You
are an officer are you? Well, don't you know
better than to ride through q camp of tired and
weary soldiers like these are, splashing them
with mud and forcing them to get out of your
way? I've a good mind to buck and gag you,
and tie you to that tree. Get out of here you
scoundrel" The horsman made no reply; only
looked at me and smiled. Twas incensed at his
independence and fired another volley at him,
when he passed on. The colonel of the Thir-
teenth Maine regiment was sitting on a log near
Sy laughing fit to kill. / asked him what he was
laughing at. Don't you know who that VASE he
asked. No, and | don't care a continental 1T
was General Grant | thought he was playing
me-, and wouldn't believe him. Grant rode on to
General Burney's headquarters. Burney
was our division commander. 'Burnev,'
he asked, what regiment is that Just
down the road there. indicating with his finer
THE old Twentieth Indiana who is that boy
IN command? That's no boy, that is Colonel
Taylor We'll. he was going to buck and gag
me just now then after a pause, he knows how
to take care of mis- men, and rode on. Burney
told me of the conversation shortly afterwards.
The next time met Grant at close quarters was
NJ Lafayette at Orth's house, after the war. AS
I entered to pay my respects, Governor Morton
introduced me. General Grant, this is one of my
soldiers, Colonel Taylor. of the Twentieth Indi-
ana A smile passed over the Generals face as
he extended his hand and said, 4 have met Col.
Taylor before, / believe Once before, General
/ replied and passed on. This is all there was to
it, but the boys never tired of INVITING me about
a~ITesting General Grant