The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1896-07-04

Written for The Times.
Al the available troops in the state
Of Missouri, including our regiment
under the command of Major General
Heron, were ordered to report 10
Gen. Grant before Nicksburg. Our
fleet of thirteen steamers arrived Mt
Ioun2's Point, opposite the city, and
at the entrance Of the famous canal,
known in the army as Grants Cut Off"
constructed with the intention of divert
ing the Father of Waters" out of its
natural channel through this canal. and
by that means leave Nicksburg some
three miles inland, but for some unac-
ter years it came near accomplishing
. its purpose. The next morning. though
mud from shoe top TO kneedeep, We
marched across this point to a crossing
of the river near the town Of Warren
ton, some ten miles or more below
/ Nicksburg. The weather was exceed
ingly hot, and the terrible condition Of
the road, if it might be called a road.
}
and many cut their knapsacks from
| their shoulders. containing all their
personal effects, and left them 10 be
! trampled under foot by the thousands
/ following. After crossing the river we
we're allowed few hours rest to pre-
| pare supper. 1t was here l saw Gen.
| Grant for the first time, and | must say
! my boyish ideal Of the general was very
erroneous. | expected to see him in
| full uniform, riding a prancing steed,
accompanied by a full staff Of officers
and in commanding tone giving his
| orders. Instead | saw him attired in
| the simplest military uniform, the trap
/ pings of his horse that of an ordinary
/ trooper and a single orderly composed
| his staff. There was a gathering of
! officers at Gen. Hcrron's tent in con-
! ference over the plans of advancing,
| when Gen. Grant appeared, and being
Introduced to those present he became
! engaged in examining the staff engi-
! neer's plans, and it was said he only re-
| marked: " General, you are aware that
the heaviest guns are in your front,
and on being assured that il was so nm
| derstood mounted his horse and in a
| meditative mood, knocking the ashes
! from his cioar said. General Won viii
move ont rau+ionsIv ;; and tban roda
away At dusL we we're nnt unon tho
! march toward tho CITY. urdar strict
orders as to noise and even talking
above a whisper was prohibited. A de-
| tail provided with spades made way for
I a battery of twenty and ten Founders
of five guns. We reached our position
unobseryed, threw out our pickets and
proceeded to eXcayate into the bill in
our front, for protection to our guns
BY the first dawn of light we were
ready for g business" Soon after Gen.
| Grant appeared, as of the previous
evening, dismounting and walking up
the hill accompanied by our colonel,
taking position alongside OF the guns,
gave orders as to our position in sup
port of the battery, then directed the
ball to open" Bang" went the
first shot, then followed in quick sue
cession the others, and continuing until
the guns became too hotto safely handle,
the general directing the firing by the
motion Of his hand. We could see the
auamy WORKING o+ +bair LARGO sio,o
gums between Shot7 OF the battery ana
pickets, to get them lett-taced to bear
upon us. For a while we had every
,,,,,a,,a.l ..,...
ii"t ,oH0" " o"e VI our gums bE Dccoh-
ing hot, causing an explosion, killing
two men and woundine several others