The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-05-02

team at will, and derived much pleas
ure from them while he remained in
Galena. One of the animals eventually
died on our hands and the other was
sold by me to Mr.. Frank Hatch of La
| Crosse, Wis.
| The only other pastime knew Grant
| to indulge in at Galena was an occa-
sional swim in the Fever river. I used
to accompany him, and on one occasion
| we took our older boys with us. Col
| onel Fred Grant was then a lad of IL
or Il Years. AS soon as we boarded a
small raft made fast to the shore, Fred
remarked that he could swim, and Gag
erly began to disrobe. Grant eyed him
closely. and when he was free of his
garments, picked him up quickly, and
with all his strength threw him out
into deep water. Fred disappeared from
view, but came UP like a duck and
struck out for the raft, where Grant,
laughing heartily, stood ready to assist
him if necessary. This incident illus
trates Grants characteristic method of
teaching his boys self-reliance Three
years later Fred accompanied his
father through the Vicksburg campaign
with the courage of a veteran.
Grant attended the Beach street NJ
e. church at Galena and contributed to
its support, although not a member of
the church. He naturally became quite
we'll known to the members of the con-
gregation, but aside from these, his i'm
mediate neighbors and few prominent
business men with whom he came in
contact on account of his intimate con-
nection with a we'll known mercantile
establishment, he made few acquaint
ances during his short stay in Galena.
His acquaintance, however, were de-
sirable and were doubtless as numer-
Gus as any other man of culture and
natural reserve would have acquired in
the same length of time. Still, in the
sense of being we'll known to GalenianS
al large Grant was obscure. AT this
period Grant was a square shouldered,
spare-b built man. with a very percep-
tible StooD, caused, as he said, by the
Mexican campaign followed by hard
work on the st. Louis farm. He was
five feet eight inches in height when he
Strengthened up and weighed about 40
pounds There was nothing in his per-
sonal appearance as he quietly walked
to and from the store that would have
particularly attracted the notice of a
casual observer. His appearance be- /
came somewhat more conspicuous, !
however, during the last few winter
months of his residence, as he affec |
tionately chung to his old military over !
coat, which unquestionably marked |
him an army officer.
AtIOHS was !
John y. Rawlins, rising young law !
yer, afterwa-d chief of Grants staff |
and secretary of war, w. r. Rowley, /
then prominent county official, after i
ward a general and member of Grants |
staff; John E. Smith, a ieweler, after
ward colonel of the 45th Illinois and a
major general of volunteers, and A L.
Chetlain, then a crockery merchant,
afterward brevet major-general of
volunteers.
After Sumter was fired upon and the
Galena war meeting was held, Grant
severed his connection with
the store, having fully decided to assist
in the defense of the Union in some
military capacity. Up to the time of
his departure for Springfield as the
chaperone of the 10 Daviess guards bis
assistance was in constant demand and
the leather store became headquarters
for discussion and preparation prelim-
mary to the departure of our noble
guards for the front.
When Grant received his appointment
as colonel of the Twenty-first Illinois
regiment, a complete military outfit
was necessity. A list Of the individu-
ais who have claimed to assist him in
his first horse saddle and uniform on
account of his poverty would be inter-
esting. His first horse was "Rowdy,"
a trim bay animal, used at The leather
store Tor general purposes. IN
to his other qualifications, 'Rowdy''
was we'll gated to saddle. 'Rowdy's"
first war saddle and bride We're made
by c. r. Perkins. a Gaiena saddler.
Perkins was a. regular customer of the
leather store, and his work was credited
TO his account The $500 or $500 neces-
sary to complete his outfit, Grant bor-
rowed from one of the Galena hanks,
on the Endorsement of E. A. Collins, his
tba,,c former bI1SinpSS mariner who
was still a resident of Galela, and a
great friend of Ulysses. The money
would have been cheerfully furnished
by the leather store, but Grant was
and preferred to relieve
the store by getting the accommodation
in the manner mentioned. The writer
took up the note with money sent him
by Grant for that purpose. Even
Grants indorser, an intense admirer of
Grant who rejoiced in his success, was
'ond of relating in public manner
now he had assisted Grant 10 ilake a
start by furnishing him his first out
it. 1t should be said in justice to the
Did gentleman that he simply desired to
impress the public with his close rea-
ion to Grant, and had no thought
whatever of injuring him by making ,
such an unqualified statement.
From the time he received his ap-
continent as colonel to the time of his :
ieath. Grants life is an open book read
If all men.
| =.