Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-08-14
TALES OF WAR HEROES.

LincOln's Northumberland Grants Cool.
ness and observation-disclosures Story of Sher-
idan.
Few men who have occupied as oromi-
nent a place as that which Ex-Governor
James A. Ashley, of Montana, filed dur
ing the sOul-stirring times of the civil
war, have retired from public life carry,
ing with them SO completely the respect
and good feeling of those with whom they
were allied or whom they were opposed
as ne. 1t is seldom that Mr.. Ashley can
be induced to refer to the old days when
| he played such d prominent part in the
national Legislature. and was chosen to
be the mover Of one OF the most radical
propositions ever made before this coun-
try, aud one which at the time demanded
no small amount of personal courage.
| Fearlessly he performed the duty of NOV
ing the amendment to the constitution
abolishing slavery in this country, at the
J close of the war.
! A reporter met the ex-governor ;s few
evenings ago in Delmonico's. After hay
ing business chat Mr.. Ashley entertain
ed the reporter for over an hour with an
ecdotes of the war times, about many of
the prominent men who were his contem-
poraries in public life. Starting out in
political life when only 20 years of age,
he was intimately acquainted with nearly
all the men whose names have become
| historical In connection with those turbu-
lent times before and during the war.
Concerning all these men Mr. Ashley
has an inexhaustible fund of anecdotes.
and although now in his 18th year, his
memory is as clear and his eye as bright
as it was thirty years ago He told the
! reporter some interesting stories of Presi-
| dent Lincoln's kind heartedness Il con-
slider President Lincoln, he said, lone OF
the most remarkable men who ever lived,
and his kindness Of heart was shown to
all men at all times | remember once
when Carl Schurz, who was with the army,
had sent a letter to the president without
| consulting his commanding officer. Of
course, this was breach of discipline
not to be countenanced, and he suisse
| quently wrote a letter Of apology to Mr.
Lincoln. The president replied by letter
| Never mind; come and see me- Of
course. when Schurz went he began to
apologize profusely, but the president,
seeing how Ill at ease he was, smiled and
said in a kindly tone, Never mind
Schurz, | guess before we get through
talking you won t think am as bad IL man
! as some people say am That kindness
broke Schurz all up.
Another time saw him give pardon
| for a soldier sentenced to be shot, on the
supplicati0n of the poor fellows wife and
daughters. OF course, there was a most
pathetic scene, and many of the bystand-
ers cried. After signing the pardon the
president said: Well, | have made one
family happy, but | don't know about the
discipline of the army
Mr.. Ashley also told some good stories
about General Grant of whom be was a
loyal and ardent admirer. Among some
he related was one of a circumstance on
the evening of the first days battle of
Shiloh, which had been defeat
AT that time" he said, when any
man might have felt disturbed, the quar-
| termaster came to General Grant and told
him that if he was again defeated on the
next day he could not transport the troops
! (about $1,000 in number) if it was neces-
sary to cross the river.
Grant asked him: How many can you
handler
Ten thousand, replied the quarter
master.
"'Well, said General, quietly, if we
are defeated you will be able to carry all
that are left.
$50 you see, said Mr.. Ashley, what
determination Grant had. He simply de-
| termined to win or be annihilated"
Another story about Grants GOODNESS
was as follows: Sheridan, when he came
east, was assigned by Grant to General
Meades command. General Meade ordered
him to go out with his cavalry and re-
counoitre, but to be careful about Stuart,
who was troubling Meade's brigade
Sherio an, whose blood was up, used some
rather strong language, and said that he
would knock hell out of Stuart if he could
get at him. General Meade, who was a
quiet man. when he again met Grant said
We'll, General, that man Sheridan you
sent me is rather insubordinate.
How is that? What has he been do
ing?' asked Grant
General Meade repeated Sheridan S re-
marks, and Grant replied: Did Sheridan
say that?'
Yes, sir; he did, replied Meade en-
phatically.
We'll, said Grant quietly, why didn't
you tell him to go and do it.
General Meade went back, took the
hint, gave the order to Sheridan and
Stuart never troubled the command again
Il could tell you stories all night" saiC
Mr.. Ashley, but the war days are over
and while | am as staunch republican as
| ever was in my life, devote my time tt
my railroad interests and seldom think Of
resuming active political life. New
York Tribune