The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-06-02


American has been the establishment of
older civilizations many time. and never
was this peculiar national characteristic
better exempliied than in the late war.
Men without any technical military train
ing at all studied SCOTS and Hardee's tao
tics by the camp fire al night and practiced
what they learned on regiments raw as
their officers during the day. when I
was made Northumberland of the Thirty
eighth Indiana" said the late Secretary
Gresham. Il was absolutely ignorant Of
the simplest military movement. and Col.
Scribner was not much better of than I
was. But we tackled the tactical thing
and ! well remember how We drew dia-
grams and tried TO illustrate the tactical
movements on paper.
Il never had the trouble with battalion
drill that some men did. Ii was explained
BY, or rather. I got my insight into it from
a young West Point Lieutenant OF artil-
lery. He sat down by me al New Albany
one day, and with a Bit Of stick made "A
diagram on the ground, accompanying it
with explanations so lucid and simple as
he changed the form of the diagram that
caught the idea at once. From that time
out l never had the least trouble In learn
ing the drill Of the battalion"
This is an unusual case, for the battal-
ion drill is the bette noir OF every newly
made officer. The late Justice Lamar. who
was lieutenant colonel Of the Nineteenth
Mississippi, never could learn II. though
he commanded his regiment in some Of the
seVefest nights Of THE battle year 1862.
An ex-governor of Alabama. who took out
one of the famous regiments that state
sent to Lees army, had TO relinquish the
chief command because of his absolute in
ability to learn or even comprehend the
dglll Of the battalion.
The West Point officer who taught Ores
ham how TO comprehend the drill was VIII
liam n. TeErill. who had the famous cadet
nght with sheridan at West Point that
nearly killed both and caused the latter
10 be suspended for year and well nigh
made him fail on his final examination.
1852
1t became highly important that new
regiments should have superior officers
with some military experience So in 1852.
after Gen. Halleck issued from Washing
ton his well-remembered circular letter 70
all the union governors of states, suggest
ing this, Gresham was recalled from
Grants army near HOllcy Springs. Miss,
and made colonel of the Fifty-third Iudi-
ana Volunteer Infantry. He always held
It as a piece of luck that his cOlOnel's com
mission was dated 22d Of February, 1862.
Washington's birthday. The new colonel
and MS regiment missed Fort Henry, Fort
Donelson, and Shiloh, or Pittsburg Land
ing, as the northern soldiers term It. but
was at Corinth, where il received its "bap
tism of fire. as a fun command At Nicks-
burg the tall Indiana colonel-just a little
over thirty years Old-behaVed so well that
Gen. Blair, commanding the Seventeenth
Army Corps, strongly recommended his
promotion, and Gen. Grant approved what
his corps commander had said, in a hand
some Endorsement.
Gresham, who did not know word of
all this, was somewhat surprised when.
one morning in August, 1853, he met
Lieut. Col. afterwards generaD James
H. Wilson, then Grants chief engineer,
who later became commander of a cav
airy corps: The general wants to see you,
Gen. Gresham" said the natty, handsome
youngster-only two years out of the
United States Military Academy. Better
90 over 10 headquarters at once" called
out Wilson, as he trotted away.
Now, what can Gen. Grant want of
me, and didn't Wilson call me general?''
unused Gresham, a little bewildered as a
sudden and most surprising light flashed
upon him. When he arrived at the head
quarters Of the major general command
ing there was quite a crowd of officers
present. The dispatch boat of that morn
ing had brought Gen. Grant big mail
from Washington and a lot of commits
sions for officers just promoted. Nobody
but Rawlins ever knew whose promotion
Gen. Grant had recommended, and of
course, he did not tell. He was about as
taciturn as the chief You wished to see
me, general?' the Indiana colonel asked,
as he saluted his chief, Gen. Blair, and
then Logan, who that morning had donned
a spick -and-span new uniform of major
general. Yes, / did" said Gen. Grant.
I've a communication for you from
Washington. Prime" TO his aide-de-camp
OF that name, an old West Pointer, what
did you do with that paper for Gresham ?"
II think 1t was the very longest two
minutes | ever endured said Gen. Gresh-
am, as he related the story. Il didn't
Know just what Grant wanted, and no one
present knew of my promotion but Blair
and Logan, and military etiquette and
usage, both required that the informal ton
come TO me from the general commanding.
Finally, in about an hour. as l thought,
Col. Prime handed an official en-
/ believe, general Grant passed it over TO
me without saying a word 1t was directed
Brig: Gen. Gresham l opened it and
found notification from the war depart
ment that had been nominated to briga-
der general of volunteers, with a note
from Senator Henry 5. Lane of Indiana.
SAYING, Aou will be confirmed at once.
Write your acceptance, so your pay may
begin with your new rank. l wrote it
that day, Aug. % 1863" t was a sore sub
ject to Gresham that he did not gain the
grade of full major general, and Indiana
has always felt aggrieVed a her treatment
by Halleck and the war office at Washing
tom during the period from 1861 to 1866.
She never had but three fun major gener-
ais, Wallace. Neilroy and Reynolds, from
the vast number of volunteer officers. 1t
is true that Gresham received the brevet
of major general as some others did. with
out number, as did Illinois, but Indiana
was for some reason passed over, and
without cause.
After his terrible wound at Atlanta
where a grape shot-abOut the size of
hens egg-tore away the muscles and
flesh of his thigh to the bone, Gresham
was slow in recovering. When finally, IN
November, Gen. Grant went to see him.
he said: Gresham, l want you to 20
down and take command of the depart
ment of Mississippi included all
Of that state and Louisiana north of Red
river. You are unfit for hard field serv-
ice. but you can do a lot of good by TAX
ing this command There has always
been trouble in that Mississippi river
country about blockade running, especial
~ of cotton, all the way from Memphis
to Natchez. I've tried two or three off,
GERS, but they can't seem TO stop it, and
now I'm going to let you take the jon,
When can you go2"
III go at once" answered the other,
and within a fortnight he was on the
ground. Grant had given Gresham au-
thority to dc. Just as. he liked in an "un-
limited order" signed "U. S. Grant"
Things went smoothly enough about
NatcheZ. One day a promising young
western politician, since then Of nationai
reputation in congress and the reptbli-
can ranks. called on Gen. Gresham, who
received him most suavely. After some
talk-Gresham wondering what he want
ed; he saw he wanted something-the
young statesman began: General" he
said I've got a little cotton. inst III