The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1895-08-12
Grant S Removal
By GEN. JOHN II. THAYER


ka. as shown by the national census of 1860,
was a trine over $4,000. When President Lin
coin issued his proclamation calling ior
$4,000 men / addressed a letter to General
Simon Cameron, then secretary of war, ask
ing that one regiment be appointed to Ne
brgska. The request was complied with.
We then set to work to raise the one regi-
ment. We found i a very difficult task 10
secure 1000 men out Of a population of 2S'oo1'
but the task was accomplished, the necessa-
~ number secured, the officers were chosen
and the regiment was mustered into service
Of the United States as the First Nebraska
infantry. 1t was my good fortune 10 be
commissioned its colonel.
General Fremont was then in command OF
the western department, which embraced
Nebraska territory. with his headquarters
at St. Louis. Having procured arms fer
the regiment At Fort Leavenw0rth, / tfen
telegraphed General Fremont that The COM
mand was ready for the field and asked Tor
orders to come to the front. lie was Cniy
too glad to get the regiment and telegraph
ed me to come with it to st. Louis forth
with.
After / had been there several days IRE
mont sent for me and on my reporting to
him. he said he desired me 10 proceed to
Pilot Knob mat night with the regiment,
saying his scouts had just reported 40 him
that the confederate s neral. Eardce one au-
lEoI OF 'ItdTde IS IdttiCS, WFltn 4td4 btSi
in use in the United States army and which
we were then using, was marching north
ward with 7.o1O men with the view Of at
lacking Pilot Knob which was then occu-
pied by General Grant with three regiments,
and he desired to reinforce Grant as rapidly
as possible. Pilot Knob. perhaps more prop
erly designated lronton, for that included
the town. Pilot Knob the station, was
then the end of the Iron Mountain railroad.
rs-tsLs
gardcd as one OF the most important out
posts in defense Of St Louis. IC it should
fan into the hands OF the enemy together
with The possession Of the railroad. the
safety of ST. Louis would be seriously
threatened.
Meeting with Grant at Pilot I<uob.
4 train of lhirty-nine cars was made
ready ana the regiment was put aboard
We lea St. louis AZ midnight and agli'ei
mt Pilot Euoh .u the e2rlv gray o. thc M 'f.i-
ira Inquiriag for General Crar =
io..rtcsa was informed taat TIN. "sre on
the outskirts OF tie village, distant about
mile Under Il guide / made my Way TO the
small uuuauted farmhouse i'm front OF
which q sentinel was pacing his beat \
body OF troops was camped in field oppo-
site. Asking Tor Grant the sentinel pointed
to The door Of a room inside Ohe front door
being opcn), and said walk in Entering
! found man Of small stature with an or
binary felt hat upon his head sitting at a
small pine table writing and smoking clay
pipe. He received me very pleasantly and
asked me to he seated while he finished
writing his communication, which occupied
some fifteen minutes CT more. He then
turned To me and asked several questions
as TO my rcgimcut-its discipline, strength,
etc. and then he expressed great surprise
that the small territory Of Nebraska, small
i'm population, though large in geographical
extent, 500 miles up the Missouri river, on
the borders OF civilization. had been able 10
raise a regiment of a thousand men and
send it to the front for the defense OF the
country, ana De added. How strangely the
course OF the people of the south in plunE-
ing into fraucidal war contrasts Wl,h tie
course Of your people; and when read OF
officers of the army and navy, educated by
the government at West Point and Apuapo-
lis and under solemn vow TO be the defend
crs Of the flag AGAINST all foes Whatsoever.
domestic o. foreign. throwing up their ctm-
missions going south ana taking service uu-
der the banner Of treason. il fills me with
iudienation. I have been educated ty the
government to Doe its defender, and my life
is frcely offered. if the sacrifice IS needed
Tie was not only a soldier in the highest
degree from "a military standpoint, but
was imbucd with the loftiest and purest pa
trioism.
How Grant Appeared In Fairly Days.
Grant was dressed i'm a suit of army blue
flannel. very similar to che blue suits Worn
nowadays by the members Of the Grand
Army OF the Republic. without any straps
upon his shoulders or any sign OF rank about
him. The complete absence of anything like
show or ostentarion was readily noticeahle.
/ took chair nearly opposite to the "oncral
and almost Immediately found myself scru-
tnizing that impassive face. the tirm-set
jaw, his calm and self-composed demcanor.
Every thing about him indicated unusual
tirmncss and sclf-reliance. The more 1
studied him, the more interested ! became.
Having now come under his command. ard
knowing he possessed the advantage of mil
itary education. which ! did not, and had
had the experience of one war; while my
experience was confined to defending the
frontier Of Nebraska in an irregular war
fare AGAINST hostile Indians from 1850 TO
1850 il was but natural that ! should try
to form some kind of an impression as to
the manner of man lie was. Thus l scanned
him closely and my conclusion at once was
that here was man who would be heard
from.
As arose to leave him. he suggested
where to put my regiment into camp, and
said he would visit Us in the afternoon
About I o'clock he rode into camp on that
claybank horse which became a familiar
figure n several battlehelGs afterwards,
and the officers of the regiment were pre-
scented to him. His calm, composed man
ner united with a soldicvly bearing, but
entirely free from any pride or hGuteur
Of command, impressed all of them very
favorably. From that day l was brought
into daily association with him while he
remained at Pilot Knob. and the more |
saw of him the stronger did my attach
ment to him become, for from that time
on a Friendship grow between us which
became stronger with the years and was
never dimmed nor interrupted till the soul
of TIE great conqueror passed on. / may
remark here, though | do 1t with hesita-
ton fearing it NAV have the appearance
of bees ting of my intimate relations with
Grant that 1t was my privilege To be ia
vored with his confidence to an unusual de-
gree | was with him much during three
periods of keen, bitter disappointment and
great mental suffering resulting from the
treatment he received from superior Of
ficers, and during which periods he knew
he had my undivided friendship and devo-