Evening star., 1897-02-13

Suddenly one of them stopped, I could
see flame shoot up from her SIDE. She
had been set on fire by red-hot shot from
the Warrenton battery, and she burned
until she was entirely destroyed"
Where were you at this timer
II was on the hurricane deck of enc OF
the gunboats. ! stood by my fathers side.
remember he was smoking at the time
and that l noticed an intense light in his
eyes. We could see the people OF Vicks-
burg or the shores. They covered the sides
of the hills and at every shot from the
batteries they would cheer"
A Story of Admiral Porter.
Were you under fire again during the
siege. colonel?' I asked.
YES" replied Colonel Grant. '"There was
little time during the siege that I was not
In more or less danger. I had several very
narrow escapes. l remember being a
gunboat little later on when we were near
the batteries of Grand Gulf. I saw many
men killed there. / remember seeing one
man jump on the parapet of the enemy's
works just as our guns were discharged at
them. shell exploded on the spot where
he was standing and it must have blown
him to atoms. During this battle l was on
a tugboat, with my father, and We were
stearaing in and out among the gunboats
during the firing. After a time we went On
board the Benton to see Admiral Porter.
The sight slckCned me. The deck was COW
cred with blood and pieces of flesh. Dead
men, torn and lacerated, lay about every
where. and some of the gunners, with still
bleeding wounds, were standing by their
cannons. Admiral Porter had been struck
by piece of shell on the back of his head.
As came up / could see that he was in
great agony. He was pale and he leaned
upon his sword, Using it as a cane while
my father talked to him. Father suggested
that the gunboats should engage the tne-
my's batteries that night, in order that the
franSDOrfS might DaSt them the
midst of the bombardment. To this Ad-
miral Porter agreed, and we started to
leave. when the admiral turned to me ard
asked me If 1 did not want to remain with
Elm during the next engagement. He said
one Of his best gunners had just been
killed. and that 1 could have his place
looked upon the wounded and dead about
and replied trembling lest my father
might contradict my statement, that dld
not believe my papa would leave me there,
even if l wanted to stay.
Fred. Grants First Land Battle.
IT should think you would have been
much frightened" said I.
Il was" replied Colonel Grant. II was
always frightened when l got under
fire. but the excitement and interest
was such that 1 could not keep out.
1 remember 1 slept that night on the
gunboat Price, and when l woke the next
morning l found my father had gone. l
knew there was battle on the shore, for
l could hear the firing, and l asked General
LcreaZo Thomas, who commanded the
Price, to let me go to see the tight. He
told me that NY father had given orders
that 1 was not to leave the boat. Shortly
after this while we were landing some
troops a rabbit Jumped up and the soldiers
tried to catch it. l asked General Thomas
If could not help them. He said yes but
when 1 reached the soldiers the rabbit
had disappeared. l concluded not to 90
back to the boat, but to run off to the bat
Iiptiali | in the direction of the firing
l got lift upon one of the ammunition
wagons. and soon came to ground where
ounded men were lying about, and where
there were dead men scattered here and
there. l saw a battery cf artillery dashing
eff at a fork in the road. and l left the
mule team and followed them. 1 soon got
to a place where 1 could see the fight.
While l was looking l saw father coming.
l was afraid he would send me back to the
boat so l got behind a tree and hid there
until he had passed. AS l watched / heard
a great shout. Our lines moved forward.
could see the enemy running, and lit
tie later l Was told that the battle was
over, and that we had gained the day
Sleeping on the Battlefield.
What did you do Them l asked.
The first thing did," replied Col. Grant,
was to try and find my father. 1t was
already beginning to grow dark. and 1 was
tired and hungry. l walked about trying
TO find some who could tell me where
L
saw dead and wounded men. The ground
was everywhere bloody and the air was
hlled with the means of the wounded and
the dying. There were surgeons here and
there amputatins limbs while the poor fell
lows upon whom they were operating were
shriekins with pain. 1t was all terrible
that L began to feel faint. / remember l
lay down beside a tree and rested feeling
very sick AS was lying there one of my
fathers orderlies came up. He recognized
me. and l told him all about my runaway
trip from the boat. He took his blanket
from his horse and spread it out on the
ground, and gave me his saddle for a pill
low l went to sleep almost as soon as my
head touched the saddle, and slept for sew
eral hours Then the orderly walked me
and told me that my father had come l
raised myself up, and about fifty yards
away. about a fire, l saw a group of Off
GERS, among whom was General Grant He
was sitting upon campstool drinking
from tin cup filed with coffee which the
soldiers had just brought him. AS l came
up he seemed greatly surprised and said
" n.y. Fred. l thought 1 left you safe
on the boat"
Yes, sir, you did, I answered.
here?' ~ e''
Il told my story. ard as finished my
father smiled and said:
VERY well, you cannot get back now 7
suppose, and he thereupon went on with
MS conversation with the officers about
Rim. A little later we went to an abandoned
~ use dDoCl d Hdll d mile away and there
General Grant stayed for the night l re-
member lay down the floor among the
men and slept soundly until morning.
Fred. Grant Tells How 1t Feel. to BE
Shot.
Il suppose your father sent you back to
the boat the next day?'
NO, he did not replied Colonel Grant
From that time on until the end of.the
siege l remained with the soldiers Much
OF the time l was with father and much of
the time with General Logan Often I was
alcne. was In number of skirmishes and
Ldtties and saw war as 1t really is"
1t is a wonder to me you were not
founded, colonel, during so much fighting"
Il nave been shot twice." replied Colonel
Grant My first wound received during
thls Vicksburg campaign In skirmish neal
the Black river The confederates had re-
treated to the river and I, with a number
or others. was running after them, I was
on horseback, and when l got to the bank
or the river l saw many of the rebels
swimming for the opposite shore l stoD-
ped my horse and was watching these fel-
lows when some one On the opposite bank
hred at me- hitting me on the thigh. NV
leg Is now paralyzed at that point"
how did It feel when the ball struck
your / asked
The first sensation that o< .