Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-30

every day they will seldom have worms,
and always have brighter coats. Fully
one-third of the cal is wasted, as the
animals cannot use this excessive mass of
food except as excrets.- T. d. Curtis, in
Country gentleman.
SHERIDAN'S FIRST MEETING WITH GRANT.
His Arrest in Missouri and How He Came to
Enter the Cavalry.
asked the general once how he hap
pened to be court -martialed at the begin
ming of the war. He said It was q mis-
take. He was never contaminated, al
though he was placed under arrest. He
was sent into Missouri as q quaFtermas5er.
The soldiers were in the habit of steal
ing horses from the farmers. He didn't
think that was right and orders were given
that it should be stopped. He had the
authority ard the money to buy horses,
but the soldiers continued TO steal them,
and bring them to him 10 buy. He would
seize those which he thought were stolen
and put the CUES" brand on them. There
was great row raised and ne was reiIev-
ed from command, placed under arrest,
and ordered TO report to Gen. Halieck at
st. Louis. The general sustained him,
and he was never court. martialed, but he
didn't think he was cut out for quarter
master and was glad to get an active
command.
"a fter the battle of Shiloh, while 7 was
at Halleck's headquarters doing quarter
masters duty, | used to visit around on
my Old friends. Among Others was Gen.
Mcpherson, who was d classmate OF mine
at West Point, and one day 7 went over
to call upon him. He was citing under
the awning of his tent smoking a pipe
when [ called, and behind bim,in the ten4,
was man in his shirt sleeves writing at
table. Mcpherson introduced me to
him, and that was the first time [ ever met
Grant. 1t was rather funny, wasn't it?"
Glow long did yoa stay there?"
'Only few days. One morning an or
derby came in with q big envelope ad-
dressed TO me, which contained my ap-
pointment as colonel of the I'd Michigan
cavalry, and orders relieving me as acting
quartermas5er-g general. I was a good
| deal surprised, for L hadn't applied for
q command or a promotion. Everything
I ever got came to me unsolicited"
Glow did it happen?"
"Well, You see, Gov. Austin Blair of
Michigan was down there looking after
the welfare of the Michigan volunteer
down with the regiment, had been pro
NOTED to brigade commander, which
made a vacancy. The I'd Michigan was
one of the best regiments in the service,
and Gov. Blair wanted an officer from the
regular army to command it. HalIeck
knew that l didn't like the duties of
quartermaster and was anxious to get
place in the line, and he and Gen. Gordon
Granger recommended me to Blair. l
was not from Michigan, but from Ohio,
bu5 happened to be the only one there
was around for the place, and was ap
pointed. It was just what wanted, and
L wrote Gov. Blair a letter of thanks,
every word of which came from the bot
tom of my heart.
THE BOoNvILLE RAID.
"That afternoon j joined the regiment,
and before night was IN the saddle on my
first campaign as a cavalry man. It was
what is known IN military records as the
BoonviIle raid. We went down the
Mobile 81 Ohio railroad around Coripth,
and got in batween the two forces Of the
confederate army, capturing lot of
prisOners-so many that we had to parole
them-and securing some valuable in
formation in regard to the plans and
movements of the rebels. We captured
the headquarters of Gen. Leonidas Polk
the fgt1ng bishop, you remember
and took the liberty of bringing away
his best Uniform with me. It was only a
few days after whenI got in my first fight
and cleaned out Gen. Chalmers-the man
who was afterward member of congress
from Mississippi, you remember. That
made me brigedier general, and l was al
ways glad that Chalmers let me lick him,
although he bad about three times as
many men as l."
''When did you meet Grant uext?"
cit was good while between the time
when I was introduced to Gen. Grant In
McPherson's tent, and my next meeting
with him, for although we were in the
same army, he was at headquarters, while
was at one of the outposts near the town
of Rienz, Miss, with brigade of cavalry,
covering the front of the army and scour
ing around the country good deal.
After Nelson vas killed Haileck ordered
me to report So Gen. Buell. at Louisville,
and when 1 vas on my way to the cars I
stopped at headquarters to say good bye
TO the boys, and there i saw Gen. Grant
for the second THE in my life. / was
only barely acquainted with hin, gou
know, and being an Insignificant subor
dinate did not have much to say, but he
spoke very kindly TO me, complimented
me for the work l had been doing down
in Mississippi, and said be was very sorry
I had been ordered away"
'.And when did you meet next"
81 didn't see the general again until the
siege of Chattanooga. There had been
q good deal of fighting going on in the
meantime, and | had been in the middle
of it. I'd gcs to be major general and
had command Of division in the en-
gagement at Chattanooga on the 25th of
November. Grant stood on Orch ard
Knob and saw my men climb Mission
Ridge, and when we broke the rebel lines
he saw US charge them. My horse was
shot under me in that engagement and l
spent most OF the day On foot, but after
the pursuit was over apd had set up q
tent on Chickamauga creek. got word
from Gen. Grant and soon after received
a visit from him. But then [ didn't see
him but few moments.
'After that campaign Grant went east
to take command of the army, and was
sent up to Knoxville to reinforce Burn
side. I lay around there for while and
one morning got telegram to report at
Washington at once. I went right on,
bit had no idea what was wanted of me
until I sol to Washington and called on
Gen. Grant who gave me command of all