Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1889-08-08
CHAPTER XIV.

CHAPTER XIV.
KILL ME, MAssA, AND DE SECRET Oh YoUF
BIRF DIES"
After the battle of Fort Donelson Gen
| eral Grant, the hero Of that fight, was
| temporarily removed from command. The
| only cause for removing him that has ever
been given is that orders sent General
Grant were never received, and of course
| he could not obey them, but took matters in
his own hand and acted independently
| The impartial student of history will very
| readily come to the conclusion that it was
| well for the cause of the Union that Gen
eral Grant never received those orders. for
| if he had, instead of pushing on and Selling
Nashville and even Donelson, he would have
had to lay at Fort Henry. West Point has
made some good military men among the
thousands turned out from that institution
but General Grants common sense was of
more value to his country than all his early
military training.
On the 18th of March, 1862, Grant was re-
stored to command, and found the Union
army in his district divided, one part being
on the east side of the Tennessee at Savan-
nah, while one part was at Crump's Land
ing on the west bank four miles further up
the river, while third division was ut
Pittsburg Landing, which was still five miles
further up the river.
The loss of Forts Henry, Donelson and
Nashville had greatly demoraiized the Con-
federates, and to once more bring the army
into something like marching orders. Gen
eral Sidney Johnston, one of the most eff
cient commanders in the Southern army,
began concentrating all the available forces
at Corinth. The wisdom Of this action must
be acknowledged by all military men. John
ston had learned the kind of a man Grant
was. Corinth was the junction of two Of
the most important railroads in the Missis-
sippi valley-one connecting Memphis, and
the other the Mississippi river with the
East, and the other leading to all the cotton
States of the South. Still another railroad
connected Corinth with jackson, in West
Tennessee.
Grant at once saw that if he obtained pos
session of Corinth the enemy would have
no railroad for the transportation of armies
or supplies, until that running east from
Vicksburg was reached. In fact, it was the
great strategic position at the West be-
tween the Tennessee and the Mississippi
rivers, and between Nashville and Vicks-
burg.
General Grant at once put all the troops
at Savannah in motion for Pittsburg Land
ing. 1t was his intention to march from
this position on Corinth as soon as Buell.
with his army from the Ohio should arrive,
and the west bank of the river was to be the
starting point.
Colonel Mason was thrown well to the
front in the brigade of the brave old Gen.
eral B. NJ. Prentiss. Luke's regiment was
filled with recruits which were almost
hourly pouring into camp. Many Of the
new soldiers were young men fresh from
the farms, counting-houses, shops and
stores, who had never yet smelt powder,
but who were destined ere long TO learn
something of the terrible realities of war.
Arkansaw Tom. Corporal Max, Ned Cot
ton and Bill Snow who were still with the
regiment, had become a sort Of self-im-
posed body-guard for the new Colonel.
Though not on his staff, they were always
near at hand in hours of danger.
The Colonel came to love these four vet
Grams like brothers, and even though Max
did grumble he knew he could be relied on
when hard fighting was required.
"Wall. Kernel, don't yer think we're
gwine ter hev fight purity soou!" asked
Arkansaw Tom one morning, strolling into
his Coloners tent
81 don't know. Tom; sit down on that
cracker box. Wen, about the ight-l
shouldn't wonder. General Johnston il
massing his forces at Corinth, and be-
ieve General Grant intends to move on
that place. There will be powder burned
when those two meet"
Shouldn't be s'prised, Kernel Eve been
tellin' Nv tn boys ter git ready fur the gol
earnest knock down they ever heerd on"
I'VE will have heavy fighting soon. but
whenit will take place, and where, don't
know"
"But, sag, Kernel, come in = tell ye
somethin'."
"What, Tom!'
"Don't yer remember that air dod blast
ed Niger wot yer cali Black Jack mr. sutn- |
in o. the kind, who went on tner boat
Belmont, an we thort war killed n N
swamp clps c Doneasonr'
Yes, you mean Blackhawk"