Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-06-19
GEN. GRANTS BOOK.
a Few Extracts from AHIs Forthe OnlInE
AmeohIORrRuhV.

engaged during many months ana 10 Wnlcn
lac has given such strength ~ disease has
from time TO time spared 10 him during the
weary weeks OF his illnoss, is approaching
completion and the first volume will soon be
issued. The book takes the form of an autobi-
ography and is written In q spirit Of entire
oandor and unreserve, which makes il pre-
eminenty the most satisfactory life Of the
great captain that could have been written.
The dedication Ia printed in fac simile of
Gen. Grants manuscript;
"These volumes are dedicated 10 the Amer
ican soldier and sailor. U. s. GRANT.
New York, May 23, 1886"
The book begins with his account Of his
ancestry, followed by his own birth and boy
hood, and 80 onward TO the grand review OF
the troops in Washington at the close Of the
war, at which point the story ends. As TO
his family, he says it sis American aud has
been for generations, 10 all it's branches di-
rect and collateral"
The Colt story.
Here 10 one of the stories Of his boyhood
There was Mr.. Ralston living within a
few miles OF the village, who owned a colt
which l very much wanted. My father had
offered $50 for IT, but Ralston wanted S25.
was so anxious TO have the colt that after the
owner left begged TO be allowed to take him
at the price demanded. My father yielded
but said that $40 WAS all the horse was worth,
and told me to offer that price IL it WAS not
accepted was to offer 500 30, and IL that
would not get him to give the $25. at
once mounted a horse and went for the colt.
When got TO MIR. RalstOn's house I said to
him Papa says | may offer you $40 for
the colt, but II you won't take that | am to
offer $225O aud il you won't take that to
give S25.' Il would not require OOnnecti-
cut man to guess the price finally agreed up
ou"
AZ West PoInt.
During my FIRST years encampment Gen.
Scott visited West Point and reviewed the ca.
diets. With his commanding figure aud quite
colossal size, and showy uniform, l Thought
him the finest specimen OF manhood my ewes
had ever beheld, and the most TO be envied.
| could never resemble him in appearance.
but believe did have q presentiment that
some day should occupy his place on
view, although l had no intention Of then
remaining in the army. But my experience
in horse trade ten years before, and the
ridcue il caused me were too fresh in my
mind for me TO communicate this PRESENT.
ment 10 my most intimate chum. | was i'm
patient TO get on my uniform and see how II
looked, besides wanting my old schoolmates,
particularly the girls, to see me In 1t. But
the cOnceit was knocked out Of me by two
little circumstances that happened soon after
the arrival OF the Clothes and which gave
me distAste for military uniform that new
er recovered from. Soon after the arrival of
the suit donned it and put OF for Cincin.
natl on horseback. While was riding along
street of that city, imagining that every
Que was looking at me with a feeling akin to
mine when first saw Gen. Scott, little ur-
chin, bareheaded barefooted, with dirty and
ragged pants held by single gallows-thAt's
what suspendsrs were called then-And q
shirt that had not seen wash tub for weeks,
turned to me and cried out Soldier, will
you work. No, sir ee. I'll sell my shirt
first. The horse trade and it's dire conse-
quences were recalled to mind"
AZ the Outbreak OF the RebeIIIOs.
Gen. Grant tells OF the intense excitement
the bonIbardment Of Sumter created in Ga
lena, where he was living At the time. Bust
ness came TO an end, and the citizens gather
ed in mass meeting. Although comparative
ly a stranger, he was called upon TO preside
at the meeting, presumably because he had
been a soldier. 1t was one OF those meet
ings that were held in every city aud town in
the Northern states, aud which were follow
ed by the formation of troops. The General
relates that when Hon. Elihu b. Washburn
came in to address the meeting that gentle
man thought il strange that it had been found
necessary to call in a stranger to preside at
the meetng-An incident which shows in
what quiet aud unobtrusive way Grant had
lived at GalenA.
HIS FITst Battle iH she Civil War.
Speaking OF his first battle in the civil war,
Gen. Grant says "As soon as the enemy
saw us, they decamped AZ fast their horses
would carry them. l kept my men in the
ranks, and forbade their entering any OF the
deserted houses, or taking anything from
them. We halted st night on the road, and
proceeded the next morning at an early hour.
Harris had been encAmped in q creek bot
tom for the sake OF being near water. The
hills on either side OF the creek extend to a
considerable height possibly more than 100
feet. As we approached the brow Of the hill
from which it was expected we could see Har-
ris's camp, and possibly hud his men ready
formed TO meet us, my heart kept getting
higher and higher, until it felt to me as
though it was in my throat. | would have
given anything then to have been back in
Illinois, but had not the moral courage TO
halt and consider what TO do; / kept right
on. When We reached 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 the
marks OF q recent encampment we're plainly
visible, but the troops we're gone. My heart
resumed its place. 1t occurred TO me at
once that Harris had been As much afraid OF
me as had been of him. This was q view
of the question had never taken before, but
il was one / never forgot afterward. From
that event to the close Of the war never eX-
pe1ienced trepidation upon confronting an
enemy.