The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-10
nut GRANT WAS CALM.
Odd Study of the Great Commander
Through a Fiery Ordeal.
Boston Transcript.

Boston Transcript.
ooh, it was an intensely interesting study
my study of Grant at close range in the
Wilderness
The speaker was Rev Theodore Gerrish
a Maine veteran of the civil war. l repeat
his story as l heard him tell it.
"Ah! | can never forget that terrible day
in "a, when was fought the first of the two
days bloody battles of the Wilderness,
ed under tree, close to Grants headquar-
ters in the field, and hour after hour
watched Grant.
While serving as private in my regi-
ment l was severely though not dangerous
ly wounded, and, like a great number of
others, was taken to the rear. ! was placed
under a small tree, and, as 1t happened,
within a few rods of the spot where the
leader of that mighty host of Union war
riors was conducting the battle In fact
was so near to Grant that / could see every
motion he made, and critically study him in
the momentous, fearfully responsible role
he was playing.
'And such a study:
why. it is not hyperbole to state that it
was worth all the pain and disability ] en-
dured then and thereafter from the effects
of my wounds.
There stood the silent man of destiny
in front of his little tent. a man plain and
unpretentious holding in his hands not only
the fate of his vast army, but the life of
our Nation as one and inseparable,' yet as
cool and self-possessed as if he were merely
reviewing a brigade of militia on training
day. All about him was wild excitement
and seeming chaos. In front of him and for
miles in extent the unceasing roar of ar
tilery mingling and alternating with the
rattle of musketry, the bugle calls the
shouts of the contendng troops: near
er and more terrible. now seeming farther
away; anon the crashing of a shell i'll dan
gerous nearness. causing a temporary scare
in the vicinity of its fall, while added to the
appalling din was the element of uncertain
ty and intangibility causing that almost
overpowering mental strain which comes of
dark anxiety and foreboding of disaster.
Everybody was agitated except him who
had most cause for travail.
staff officers would gallop up every few
minutes to each of whom he would give a
brief written order for transmission to some
brigade or division commander, perhaps in
volving the fate of thousands of brave men.
Orderlies Were dashing hither and yon.
General Meade, on his alert charger. was so
nervous that he could not long remain in
tie saddle, but would dismount and pace
the ground awhile, remount and sit a short
time. then off and walk as before, his hand
some face wearing all the time worn and
troubled look; and yet, through these long
and terrible hours Grant never once lost his
head. but kept constantly in his minds eye
all the details and intricacies of the stu
pendous plan which devolved on him alone
TO carry out-the solution of that mighty
problem the key to which lay in his right
hand. which held the fateful pencil!
Yes, Grant knew precisely what he was
about, and he knew, moreover, that a cool
head and well-balanced mind were allies
sential to the great work in hand.
THE lesson Of that days study of Grant
was, that he was one of the most wonderful
men this century has produeed!
The now familiar story of how Grant kept
during those eventful days in the Wilder
ness is fully corroborated by his son, Col.
Fred Grant, The Colonel says that about
4 or O'Clock in the afternoon of the first
day of the Wilderness fight his fathers
stock of cigars gave out. whereupon he be-
came uneasy, miserable restless and nerv-
Gus, and so continued until he got back to
headquarters and supplied himself with his
favorite brand of Havanas