The herald., 1894-02-25
We l could command a regiment

disgust. SJt ne could not DoAr lubCtlOu
when the country was in danger. he
wrote 20 tiSs sd;utani general at Wash
ingtor, Rating hiI training and service
in the army snd Altering 70 serve wher-
ever he could BE- useful No reply 10 his
letter vas aver receiyed. He went 10
Ohio and offered his aervires to the state
authorities, but again no WAS neglected.
and returned to. Illinois in disgust. At
length. in June. Governor Yates made
him colonel of the Twenty-first Illinois
infantry.
By firm yet kind discipline and steady
drill Grant soon brought this regiment
to high state of efficiency. When APP
pointed TO this command Grant had not
money enough TO buy horse he asked
loan from his father, but it was re-
fused one OF the partners in the leather
business at Gslena loaned q sum With
which Grant bought the animal that
afterward became well known to the
army in the west. 1t was come time
attsrwsrd before be was able to buy
uniform, and for several weeks he car
risd an old cavalry sword that he had
got from the areenal at s.. Louis.
In the meantime several regiments
had been formed, sn6 it became neces-
esrY to organize at least one brigade.
But to dn this required trained soldier;
mere politician could not do that kind
OF work. Grant was commissioned g
brigadier general of volunteers. his COM
mission being dated back to May, 1861.
This made him the senior commanding
officer in that part OF the west
When the brigade had been fairly Or
ganized, Grant moved down the Missis-
sippi and fought the battle of Belmont.
The conduct Of the troops in that action
showed what soldiers the men of the
west would become, and how rapidly
they had improved under the instruc-
ton OF Grant.
After the action at Belmont Grant
studied the condition OF affairs i'll Ken
tuoky. and proposed the capture OF Fort
Henry. This movement was approved,
and the world knows the result.
The advance 1pon and capture of Fort
Donelson followed, and all over the
north was loud rejoicing and praise of
Grant and hie soldiers.
In the meantime the MOTT bitter ieal
ousy existed among the officers of the
regular army because of the raoid ad.
vancement OF Grant. General Hslleck
had gone west and joined the army. and
in every way in his power ne inflicted
petty prosecutions and sights upon
Grant.
Before the capture of Donelson, Gen.
@. +. Smith had reported to Grant for
duty, and been assigned to a command.
Smith was a noble man and an excel
lent officer; he was older than Grant,
and had been an instructor at West
Point when Grant was student there.
Grant felt some embarrassment in Civ
ing orders to his former teacher but the
latter was so good soldier and so true
a man that he did all in mis- power to
carry out every duty assigned by his
chief
Haleck claimed for Smith all the
credit for the capture of Fort Donelson,
and telegraphed the secretary OF war
asking that Smith be appointed major
general for this victory. But Halleck
The narrow a:c minded, nedd issoms aod
mischievous old martinez did how ever.
succeed in making Grant misers BILE
through many weary months, and came
very near driving him out OF the army.
The movements of the army after the
| capture of Donelson we're described, in
Guiding the battle of Shiloh. After this
battle Haleck assumedocommand of the
army, Grant being second. Hslleck
now had good opportunity to perse-
cute Grant and he made full use OF il
All orders from the commanding general
to subordinate generals should have
been transmitted through the second in
command. But this military rule Hal
leck took pains to ignore, and gave all
his orders direct to the other generals.
and did all in his power to discredit
Grant in the army.
Soon after the capture of Corinth-
which Halleck delayed by his stupidity
Grant proposed to him to move the
army to Vicksburg and capture that
place. With his usual stupid self-con-
ceit. Halleck treated the suggestion
with contempt; the rebels were given
time to make Vicksburg one of the
strongest fortresses in the world; the
war was protracted at least a whole
year and enormous waste of blood and
treasure resulted.
The persecution persisted in bv Hal.
leck and the distress he made Grant
suffer at that time are well known.
At length Grant was permitted to
move the army to Yicksburg. The
enormous difficulty encountered there;
the skill and patience of the general
the untiinching courage and wonderful
ability oil the men to overcome every
difficulty and enoure every privation,
are matters of history. But while GRAM
and his men were struggling through
all those trials, privations and dangers,
Halleck and small politicians were
busy at Washington trying to ruin the
general whose ruin would have ruined
his army and possibly the government.
The clear judgment OF the master
mind at Washington had early realized
the qualities of Grant; but politicians
bounded Lincoln with CON-
plants and urged that he should re-
move Grant from command.
Z. B. Waehburn knew Grant better
than any man in congress-, and he stead
lily urged the president not to remove
the general.
At length Lincoln could resist no lon
ger; the order for his removal was issued. |
and Assistant Secretary of War Dana
started for Vieksburg with the order in
his possession, and with instructions to
see the command transferred to another
officer.
Dana arrived at Vicksburg on july
lst; Grant explained to him the condi.
lion OF the siege; Dana saw that the
place was on the eve OF being captured,
and said nothing about The order in his
possession for the removal o. the gen
oral. On the Fourth of July Vicksburp
on the same day Halleck
urrendered also. and with him all the