National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-04-13
Anecdotes OF Grant.

Ihave thought that q few anecdotes Of
Gen. Grant which have from time to time
boen related to me during long res
idence in Galona might not DO uninter-
esting to your readers A friend Of mine
once told mo that he walked home with
Gen. Grant at the close of tho first war
meeting which was held in Galena, and
at which tho general presided, and that
he said to him ~ am going into this
thing. j am going to begin at the foot Of
the ladder. / am acquainted with the
governor of Ohio, and am going to write
to him tonight and ask him to give me
n commission" My friend asked him
why he did not apply to Gov. Yates. He
replied that no knew Ohio's governor,
and should write TO him. Before his ap-
| plication was answered l.. Is, Washburno
was down at Springfield, and Gov. Yates
said to him: I'VE have got men enough
and money enough, but we have no ono
hore to organize; we need q military man
here" Mr.. Washburne said "Wo have
got just the very man up at Galena
you want" "Who is her" Capt. Grant"
"Who is Capt. Grant" Mr.. Washburne
explained that he was graduate of West
Point and had seen service in the Next
can war. Send Capt. Grant down here"
was the reply. While Grant was at work
at the duty assigned him the colonel of q
regiment came in one day and said that
he could do nothing with his men, and
offered to resign in Grants favor If he
would take command of 1t. Grant went
out to sec the regiment, and being salts.
fed that the men were full of fight and
would make good soldiers, accepted the
command. Instead Of taking his soldiers
from Springfield to Quincy by rail, he
marched them on foot, and by the time
they reached their destination they knew
they had no militia colonel to deal with.
Then followed Belmont. Donelson, Shiloh,
and those other victories which have
placed Grants name with the highest of
tho worlds heroes.
Gen. Grant became acquainted with Mr..
Washburne in this wise; Some gentlemen
were one evening discussing in one of the
stores of Galena u subject relating to the
Mexican war, and, Mr.. Washburne coming
in, they appealed to him for decision.
He replied that no was in doubt with re-
gard to it, and would like to have some
information about 1t. A gentleman re-
marked: MIR. Washburne, there is man
! back here who will be able to answer tina,
: question for you," and took him back and
introduced him to Capt. Grant. After
having gained the information he sought
upon rCIlrluR ne HSKcu tn6 ITleuu WnC
, introduced him: "Who IL this Capt. G rant2'
, Upon being told that he was brother OF
orville Grant, he said: "Ho is very smart
man, sir"
Before the war, in conversing with a
,, friend. he one day expressed himself
!. very strongly with regard to the AFRO
| gance of some of the southern officers OF
the army whom he had met in the Mexi-
can war, and said: There is one of them
whom l would like to get even with, and
r that is Bishop Polk" After the war had
D closed he remarked to his friend that
S when those fellows were running away
T from him he used to think how he talked
D about them when he was in Galena
: When standing near his headquarters
= while at the south, one day, one of the
: natives came up and asked him to point
out Gen. Grant to him. He pointed tC
DIR. Kitto, of Galens, who was long
time upon his staff. His visitor surveyed
the doctor and remarked Hos id
ornery-looking old cuss, amt hep Upon
visiting Galena he good humoredly joke,
the doctor about the comment that wa;
then made upon him. Upon his last visit
to Galena friend asked him how his
boys were getting along. He replied 81
think the boys are doing well. | think
they are making money. If they fail il
will bankrupt me, for they have all that
1 own We know the result.-COr. Sdlen
MdSS.) Gazette.