The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-03-06
CAMPFIRE STORIES.
GRANT HaFoRE yIokssuRa.
How ns Succeeded IN lettlag Much Need
cd H0lniurgemenisi

How ITO Succeeded IN lettlng Much Need
Cd Relnfureemenls
The following story OF Lincoln, Stan
tom Grant and yieksbuFg, - related BY
a prominent army officer ID here made
public for tho first timer
In the last part Of 1889, when General
Grant was preparing 10 make o move
ment by land 10 reach tho roar OF Vl0ka
burg, In aeeordagQe with the plans ha
had made for tho capture Of that strong
hold, no saw that he did not have a sum
Client number Of men 70 command hno
cess, and that II was imperative he
should have 5000 or 10000 more, His
plans had been sent 10 Washington and
approved, but 10 his request for men the
answer came that he must 90 ahead
with tho force he had, In response
Grant informed tho President that no
could not do H. the attempt would end
In failure, and that the expedition had
better be abandoned than attempted
without reinioroementa, Determined
that tho War Department should fully
understand tho situation, he ordered
former member Of his ataf, General NJ
d, Leggett, Of Ohio, then commanding
ono Of his brgadesr 10 proceed 10 Wash
lngton and lay tho whole matter before
the President and Secretary Of War,
General Leggett had personal ao-
quaintanoe with Mr., Stanton, and knew
there was little hope Of changing HIS
mind whom once made up, and accord
lngly decided W gain access 70 tho Pres
Ident before tho Secretary should fore
stall him by tho presentation OF tho
War Department side Of tho case, lilo
therefore called upon tho Secretary AZ
eight o'clock In the morning OF the day
after his arrival aud said 70 him. "Mr,
Stanton, wish you would take mo 10
Mr. Lincoln and introduce mo and lot
mo do tho talking, don't want you 10
destroy my case with objections"
"All right, was tho response, and the
call was made, General Leggott was
permitted 20 present General Grants
idea AZ fully and clearly aa possible,
while Mr. Lincoln listened with tho
oloaeat attention
When no had concluded the President
took him In hand and gave him tho most
severe and critical oroah'eXaminatlon no
had ever undergone as 10 the situation
In tho West, Granta purpoaea, eto Mr.
Stanton added several queationa OF his
own, and whom no had eINled the Pres
ldent thought fora moment and thon
said deoldodly "Woll, ho must have
the troopa,'
"But whore will you get thom2" asked
the Secretary,
Turning 70 Gonoral Loggett tho Pres
idont Sald "lIow many must no
have2'
"slxtoon thousand" General Loggott
responded, eotting high figure for tho
purpose OF future compromise II need
DO,
Turning 10 tho Secretary tho Prool-
dent asked q aorloa Of questions ~ TO
tho disposition OF certain forces not thon
in tho Aeldi "llow many arc at Glove
land2 How many at Dctrolt2 How
many hero, and how many thoro, until
he had gone over the available force In
the West, and had demonstrated that
$4,000 or 10, 900 could DO sont 10 Grant
Thon Mr.. Lincoln turned 10 General
Leggett and asked him when no intend
cd 10 leave Washington.
"At dvo p. M"
"WOll, / want you until then."
A carriage was ordered, and tho two
entorod IL and were driven 10 the
Soldlors' Homo, whore tho President
was thon living. OF all tho quiz2ingH
and close examinations Gonoral LoggotI
over experienced those Of that day were
tho most severe, II muat bo borno In
mind that tho Grant who was thon plan
ming 80 great and important move a'
tho reduction OF Viokburg was not the
Grant OF Appomattox, but only OF Don
olson and Horny, and known then
noithor 10 Mr., Lincoln nor famo, ~ In
tho later days; but tho President was
determined 10 learn all no could from
tho wtnoss thon present, and as GonoraI
Loggott was loyal In heart as In speech
10 his chief, and bad already had
dawning realization OF the great figure
Grant waa destined 10 cut In tho civil
war, his responses w0ro clear and 10 thC
point, and yisibly impressed Mr. Lin
coin as boing as sruo az they woro com
pllmontary
General Leggott returned 10 tho Wost
and when tho Union troops marched In
TO Vicltsburg no had the honor, although
suffering from severe wounds, 10 ride In
TO tho city at tho hoad OF tho FRS
Brigade, which was granted tho PRIV
iloge Of boing tho flrst TO ontor, receive
tho surrender, and ralso tho Union flag
Washington Cor. N, Y. Timea,