The record-union., 1894-05-04
GENERAL CHETLAIN'S RECEPTION.
Sumner Post Gives Him an Enthusi-
astic One.
Interesting "reminiscences of General
Grant and Much Unwritten
History

Sumner Post, G. A. R., held its regular
meeting last night and was visited by
General A. L. Chetlain. All comrades,
their families and members of Women's
Relief Corps, were invited to be present
and assist in reception to their distin-
guished guest after the close of the post
meeting.
Commander W. II. n. Wiley intro
duced the General to the assembly and
he addressed them. It could hardly be
denominated a speech, as there was an
entire absence OF all rhetorical effort, and
1t was simply reminiscent story of the
early history of Grants connection with
the civil war.
General Chetlain was Grants intimate
friend, and he told in simple, unassum-
ing phrase the story of his discourage
ments. He said that he had been asked
to repeat his remarks Of Tuesday night.
1t was subject Of interest to the whole
country, and concerning a character loved
and revered not only by Americans but
in foreign countries. Grant was the pro-
duct of a peculiar age and peculiar
people. He rose from an humble posi-
ton to the highest one in the Nation.
The general impression was that the
humble citizen of Galena was fioated by
some mysterious process to Vlcksburg
and fame. 1t was great mistake. Even
Grant himself had made some mlstak es
in reciting events before the war with
which he was connected.
The speaker said he came from Europe
in 1860 and found Captain Grant farmer,
who shortly after went into the store OF
his father to clerk on a moderate salary.
Grant told him when at Vancouver he
had to associate with rough, unedueated
set of officers, who had mostly risen from
the ranks by personal bravery and SER
vices. Having no congenlal company,
he got blue and discouraged and took to
drinking. The result was court-martial,
and as he did not wish to stand trial, he
resigned and came to st. Louis. His
father gave him eighty acres Of land,
which he decided to his wife, and went to
clearing, selling the wood for 81 cord at
st. Louis, nine miles distant. The
speaker met him there the season of the
Lincoln campaign.
When Sumter was fired on meeting
was called for volunteers. Grant was the
first man to step out. saying he was edu-
Gated by the Government, and it was his
duty to stand by it. AT a second meeting
Grant was placed in the Chair. Congress
man WashDurne spoke, and was the
first man in Illinois to enlist John b.
Rollins and the speaker were also pres
ent, and twenty-eight men enlisted.
Eighty men were soon enlisted, and the
command offered to Grant, but he de-
clined, feeling that he should have some
thing better, having been an officer in the
regular army. He helped get the cloth,
and in three days they had dark gray
uniforms. Grant and others drilled the
men, and when they went away 10000
people gathered to see them off, and all
felt that they would never see them
again. When they took the train a man
in old clothes, slouch hat, with pipe
in his mouth and a shabby satchel, went
too. He took with him letter to Gov
ernor Washburne.
His reception was cool one and the
only work found for him to do was to
rule blanks and copy orders, and because
his dress did not comport with the nice
furniture in the Adiutant- Generals Office,
a rickety old table and chair were placed
for him in little ante-room. He was
discouraged and wanted to go home, but
the speaker dissuaded him.
week afterward the regiment wanted
to elect him General Chetlain) Colonel,
but he told them that they wanted man
of experience and Grant was the man.
He thought he had fixed the matter all
right, but man named Macarthur was
elected.
He detailed Grants discouragements
and final success in getting ColonePs
commission and his subsequent steps.
giving his hearers an insight into much,
the history of which has never been
written. And at the conclusion drew two
pictures, contrasting the solitary man in
the old clothes, with the General who,
with Lincoln, looked on at the great re-
view at Washington at the close of the
war. He was listened to with the deep
est attention, and at the close of his re-
marks a vote of thanks was rendered to