The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-03
GEN. GRANT REMAINED CALM.


ooh II was an intensely interesting
sfudy-my study of Grant at close range
IN the Wilderness
The speaker. says the Br.dgton. ME-
correspondent of tho Boston Transcript.
was Rev Theodore Gerr,sh, a Maine ve,-
eran of the civil war. l repeat ms story
as I heard him tell IL.
"Ah, can never forget that terrible
day IN 81, when was fought the first or
the two days bloody battles OF he VIII
derness" said Mr.. Gerrish. Il at the time
Law wounded under a tree, close 10 Grant
headquarters in the field. and hour after
hour watched Grant.
While serving as a private in my regi-
men I was severely although not danger
ously wounded, and, like a great number
Of Others was taken 10 the rear. / was
placed under small tree. and. as II hap
pened. within few rods OF the spot where
the leader of that mighty host OF Union
warriors was conducting the battle. In
fact, I was so near Grant l could see ey-
cry motion he made and critically study
him in the momentous, fearfuiiy respon-
sib,e role he was playing.
And such a study.
.sWhy. it is not hyperbole to state that
it was worth all the pain and disability I
endured then and thereafter from the eff
fects Of my wounds.
There stood the silent man Of destiny
in front of his little tent; 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 inSeparaoie, yet
as cool and self-possessed as if he were
merely reviewing a brigade OF militia on
training day. All about him was wild ex-
element and seeming chaos In front OF
him and for miles in extent the uLceasing
roar Of artillery, mingling and alternating
with the rattle of musketry. the bugle
calls. the shouts of the contend;ng troops;
now nearer and more terrible. now SEEM
ing further away; anon the crashing OF a
shell in dangerous nearneSS, causing
Temporary scare in the vicinity OF It's fall;
while added to the appalling din was the
element OF uncertainty and intangibility.
causing that almost overPowering mental
strain which comes OF dark anxiety ana
forebodings of disaster.
Every body was excited except ne 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. per-
haps involving the fate of thousands of
brave men. Orderlies were dashing hither
and yon. Gen. Meade. on his alert charg
er. was so nervous that he could not long
remain in the saddle, but would dismount
and pace the ground awhile, remount and
SIT a short time. then off and walk as be-
fore. his handsome face wearing all the
time a 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 stupendous 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 faithful pencil.
Yes, Grant knew precisely wha. he was
about. and he knew, moreover that a cool
head and a well-balanced mind were all
essential TO the great work In hand.
The lesson of that days study % Grant
was. that he was one OF the most wonder
full men this century has produced.''
The now familiar story of how Grant
kept his nerves steady by constant cigar
smoking during those eventful days In the
Wilderness 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 his faith
er's stock of cigars gave out whereupon
ne became uneasy, miserable. restless and
nervous, and so continued unt,l he got
bach to headquarters and supplied him.
self with his favorite brand of Havanas.