Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1895-03-14
GRANT GOT ONE CHANGE.
WHAT usE HE MADE or IT HISTORY
TELLS tLOQUENTLY.
lie Had Violated Pledge Given to His
superior 49, lie Was Captain Grant
Then - Incident In n Great
Warriors Life.

WartiOr's LIE.
| The majority Of people who know much
| about the life OF Grant are aware that he
| West Point. and remained IN the army for
| some years. when he left the service, to
| enter i again when his services were need
| the rebellion. General Grant was a cap
tain IN the Fourth infantry at the tiine of
NJ resignation. and his regiment was sta
toned In oregon says a writer IN the Gin
'innati Enquirer Major II. c. Buchanan.
fine typo of the old time soldier was in
gommand Of the battalion to which Cap
tain Grants company was attached.
"old Buck as Major Buchanan was gem
bonding in his manner. and the sternest Of
lisciplInari1rs. He took II into his head
that captain Grant was drinking too much.
and said SO to him. At that time there was
s2S' S the e". prnr ri lrkSs OF s o9f 9 RneE made
Grant sign a pledge. which, with his resig-
hands Grant meant to keep his word, but
one cold morning Grant called upon a
brother officer who had lust brongh, his
rcfreshments' ana among them egRnog.
and Grant was invited by the bride to join
her in glass of this delicious drink, little
thinking Of the consequences as she did
not, know of the captains pledge, and he
What possessed me / never could tell"
Grant s1iG 4 IL br3henly to brother M s, officer; as
knew / had broken my pledge"
\ few days after this, Captain Gran, was
sent for By Major Buchanan. Poor Grant
the parade ground to the office of the com
manding officer, and when he entered the
Buchanan nodded to his .adiutant. who also
left the office, leaving the poor captain to
pers In his hand. Major Buchanan said, in
his stcrnest manner:
,Captain Grant, here are two papers you
Pledse the other Your rss!snation fs it
true that you have broken the former?"
lirnnt met his commanding officers eye
what do you deem my duty In the mat
ter Of your resignation?' was the majors
T9Se .S5s Was m2mens T5 trs m se6SG oS soasr Thsn
Major Buchanan. You do not need in
struction from me. But, since You have
fsfsd e me thG qest29 Hil b aaSwsr IT,
Of any officer who breaks his pledge, and
know OF no reason why an exception to
fore you" He stood a moment longer. He
had spoken.
as he rose and bowed Grant out. Two
months later an ,oficial communcnti4n
$. Grant that his resignation had been ac
cepted. to take effect July 81. 1854 This
was the end Of 1t and CAPTAIN Grant ceased
packed up his goods and early one morning
This is how Grant left the army the first
time. How he got back Is told below: In
the spring of 1861 captain of the regular
Iy AND Maf bern the do dniep of M m,istering Of
ficer. He found on his arrival at the cap
itol that the adjutant general of the state
was young man who knew very little of
army matters and papers, and who was
really of no assistance to him in making
out the intricate muster rolls. He was told
by the adjutant general that he was .au-
thorzed to hire a clerk. That same day,
while he working over a pile of mus
ter rolls, the door of his office opened and
a pluiplN clad and wearing heavy
beard, entered. Walking up to the desk he
said:
why, don't you know me, Tom?"
ITS Sam Grant, isn't t?" replied the
captain, he rose and warmly shook
hands, with his comrade of West Point
eyes over Grant. and 1t was clear that he
was not prosperous.
I'VE come here to get something to do,
but I've no influence and I'm getting dis
couraged. Can't YOU give me something to
do?" Grant asked.
willing, to take the place at 500 month
will he glad to have you
Grant accepted at once, and hanging his
not very new slouch hat on a'peg, he was
soon hard at work. He gradually told his
old c5omrade his story. He blamed no one
chance to redeem the past-just one
III can get the chance for You I will.
Sam" answered the captain. TN try to
get YOU a commission.
~ rev Gays later the ChanCe arrived.
News reached Springfield that General Polk
was on his way TO Cairo with 10000 men.
The war department directed that every
available man be sent to the front at once.
There We're 5000 in camp. The cap
tain reported to the governor that he was
ready to muster In three regiments. Uni
forms and arms had been issued that
morning. Nothing but the mastering in
and the making out OF the commissions
Governor, whom are you going TO ap-
point colonies and lieutenant colonels or
these new regiments?'' inquired the cap
tain. 81 ask because If the news be true.
these regiments will be led into battle by
those officers in forty-eght hours"
these positions, and they listened uneasily
to the reply.
stroyed because the officers are un-
trained" answered the governor. Have
you any suggestions to make?"
II have in my office" said the mastering
officer, IAN old soldier; He was at West
the Mexican war. Ke knows his business.
| recommend him for commission as
colonel or lieutenant colonel of oAe of
these regiments"
81 will give your friend the commission
Of colonel of the Twenty-thrd regiment
upon your recommendation. Make out his
commission" said the governor, turning to
his adjutant general.
What Is his name, captain?'
ulysses $. Grant" said the captain
Half an hour later the captain laid on
the desk in front of his clerk Sam Grant
his commission as colonel of the Twenty
third regiment OF Illinois volunteers, say
Ing:
Here's your chance. Sam"
And IL was The resi- is hiStory