The Portland daily press., 1895-07-06

sponded:
"That's what I'm here for. Come with
me-
escorted him to the governors room,
and while on the way inquired his name.
Mr.. Grant, was his reply.
We found the chief executive of Illinois
writing at his desk, and as I opened the
door he looked up, when introduced Mr..
Grant.
''What can do for you, Mr.. Grant?"
asked the governor
2" do not like to trouble you, replied
the stranger; "but would like posi-
ton in one of the departments for a short
time, to fit myself for active service.
We both readily perceived that his idea
of fitting himself referred in one sense to
obtaining better clothing, for his appear
ance was certainly quite shabby. The
governor, turning to me, said:
"Our departments are already very
crowded, but if you can find a place for
Mr.. Grant, you will please do So
In pursuance of the governors request
took the applicant to the adjutant gen
RAILS office and in brief after much op-
position on the part of that officer-for
really there was no vacancy-I set him
at work copying about a cord or two of
letters and applications of no earthly use.
Mr.. Grant, as he persisted in calling
himself, unquestionably apprehended the
friendliness of my object, and for the first
time l fancied I saw the semblance of a
smile run over his face and then disap-
pear. He thanked me, and 1 left him in
the midst of his wilderness of waste
paper.
Several days passed, and with my mind
completely occupied by the complexity of
affairs, I had quite forgotten the new
supernumerary clerk. One morning the
governor said to me:
'sMajor, | see no other way but for you
to go to Cincinnati and persuade Captain
Pope or Captain Mcclellan to come here
into regiments. They are becoming very
troublesome and the citizens are already
complaining.
= asked him when should start He
replied AT once.
| just then some one touched me on the
arm 1 turned, and there stood Mr..
Grant.
pardon me, governor" said he, II
could not help overhearing your CONVEX
sation. Perhaps 1 can aid you in this
emergency
''You, Mr.. Grant!' exclaimed the gov
ernor rising from his chair 'sWhat do
you know about the organization of
troops?'
''Allow me, then, to rre-introduce my
self, rejoined the other ST am kCaptain
Grant, late of the Fourth Infantry, United
States Army / was at West Point in
1S43, and knew HPope and Mcclellan. 1
reckon / can organize your troops. I
served in the Mexican War.
Governor Yates grasped his hand and
shook it right heartily and, addressing
me, said 'sMajor, you need not go to
Cincinnati, but instead call an orderly,
order horses, and we will go out to the
barracks
We soon arrived at our destination, dis
mounted, and entered the home of the
uncontrolled raw levies. Captain Grant
was presented to the officer in command
and TIE latter was directed to send for
his staff. When they were all assembled,
the governor introduced Captain Grant
to them as their new commanding officer.
1t was as good as show to see the amused
expression upon their faces as the little
man, still in his old clothes, took his
stand in the center of the line in front,
ran his critical eye along the line, saluted,
and, in clear, commanding voice, said:
Attention, officers, front face; rest y
No sooner were the words uttered than
every officer became as rigid as he then
knew how to be- They knew they had
found master as well as a commander.
One Of them said to me that night:
81 never was so surprised in my life.
We boys concluded we couldn't monkey
with that little man. Sure as you live,
he knows his business
Those "boys' were taught that morn
| ing the first rudiments of discipline, and
the budding colonel in command at the
time said to me years afterward, after he
had been decorated with three stars, and
one more lowering in the distance: II
have not forgotten, and never shall forget
that morning at the Springfield Bar
racks y
CATER peace had been restored, there
was bad and distressful state of affairs
in the misguided Southern States.
General Grant, Senator Yates, and
others of my public friends recommended
that be appointed to go South, with
headquarters at Savannah, Ca, to look
after the varied interests of the govern
ment, but before my departure 1 met
General Grant by appointment in the
Presidents room at the White House,
whence he accompanied me to Secretary
McCulloch's room in the Treasury De-
partment, and was given further in
structions.
At length bidding the Secretary good
bye, General Grant offered me cigar
and invited me for walk We had
walked as far as the great entrance of the
Treasury Department and stepped out
upon the portico. The general there re-
sumed the conversation, in which there
had been momentary pause, as several
persons passed by, and turning to me