The National tribune., 1885-12-17
GRANT VS.. HARRIS.
Two Accounts OF the Same Campaign from Opposite
Points Of View.

From the Personal Memoirs of y. s. Grantl
I took my regiment to Palmyra and remained
there for few days, until relieved by the 10Th
Ill. From Palmyra proceeded to Salt River,
the railroad bridge over which had been de-
stroyed by the enemy. Col. John Nj. Palmer at
that time commanded the 18th ILL.,, which was
acting as guard to wOrkmen who were engaged
in rebuilding this bridge. Palmer was my senior
and commanded the two regiments as long as
we remained together The bridge was finished
in about two weeks, and / received orders to
move against Col. Thomas Harris, who was said
to be encamped at the little town of Florida
some 25 miles south of where We then were
As we approached the brow Of the hill from
which it was expected we could see Harris's
camp. and possibly find 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 l had not the usual
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 a
few days before was still there, and the marks
of a recent engagement were plainly visible,
but the troops were gone. My heart resumed
its place. 1t occurred to Inc at once that Harris
had been as much afraid of me as had been of
him. This was view Of the question 1 had
never taken before; but it was one / never for
got afterward. From that event to the close of
the war l never experienced trepidation upon
confronting an enemy, though l always felt
more or less anxiety.
Inquiries at the village of Florida divulged
the fact that Col. Harris, learning of my in
tended movement while my transportation
was being collected, took time by the forelock
and left Florida before l had started from Salt
River. He had increased the distance between
us by 40 miles. The next day l started back
to my old camp at Salt River.
From War Paper by Mark Ticain in The December
Centr1y.I
The rest of my war experience was of a piece
with what have already told of it. We kept
monotonously falling back upon one camp or
another, and eating up the country. =
The last camp which we fell back upon was in
hollow near the village of Florida, where
was born-in Monroe County. Here we were
warned one day that a Union Colonel was
sweeping down on us with whole regiment at
his heels This looked decidedly serious Our
boys went apart and.consulted; then we went
back and told the other companies present that
the war was disappointment to US and we
were going to disband. They were getting
ready themselves total back on some place or
other and were Onpy waiting for Gen. Tom
Harris, who was expected to arrive at any mo-
| ment SO they tried to persuade us to wait a
little while, but thelmajorty of us said no. we
were accustomed to1faliiig back, and didn't
| need any of Tom Harris's help; we could get
| along perfectly wcll without him, and save
time, too. So about thalf OF our Is, including
myself mounted and left9On the instant. An
hour later we met fGen. Harris on the road
u II Harris ordered US back; but we told
| him there was Union Colonel coming with a
whole regiment in his wake, and it looked as
| if there was going to be disturbance, so we
had concluded to go home, + In time
came to know that Union Colonel whose COM
| ing frightened us ont of the war and crippled
the Southern cause to that extent-Gen. Grant
came within a few hours of seeing him when
| he was as unknown as j was myself.