Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1900-11-28
BLUE AND THE GRAY
BRAVE MEN WHO MET ON THE
FIELD Of BATTLE
Thrilling sfzries of the Rebellion
Old Soldiers and Sailors Relate Remi.
niscerces of Life in Camp and ON
the Field Incidents of the War.

late looking place on the continent.
The entire BUSH ess center Of the city
| had been laid In ashes by Sherrnan's
torch, when he Stated ON his march to
| the sea, and the $50 dwellings left
standing In a circle around the burned
| district were more or less damaged by
| the six weeks bombardment during the
siege.
| 1t was slow work at first, when the
people began to clear away the debris,
| preparatory to therrebuilding Of their
| town. Nobody knew exactly the lines
| of the main streets. They were buried
under such piles Of ashes and fallen
brick walls that there was 10 trace left
! Finally the rubbish was carted off
| and some rough streets were laid of.
| Then buildings began to spring up rap
| idly, and two-story brick hotel was
erected in a central locality. 1t was a
very respectable looking hostelry, and
the Federal army officers, who were
| quite numerous while the city was UNI
/ der martial law, thronged the lobbes
| day and night
| Whenever a distinguished general or
Northern statesman came to Atlanta he
always stopped ut the National. In
| fact, there was no other first-class ho-
tel. The others were simply large
| boarding houses.
One dark, rainy night I was walking
| down Alabama street with my umbrel-
| la drawn well down in front to keep off
| the sheets of water driven before the
! gale. 1t was stormy. and few people
| were to be seen on the muddy and
| ragged streets. which had not been re-
| paved Vehicles had to move with care.
as there were holes along their route
deep enough to SWALLOW them.
Suddenly a gust of wind tilted back
my umbrella just as a buggy passed
me. For half minute saw the faces
| of its two occupants. One was a Fed
eral officer of high rank, and the other
was plain-looking man in the garb Of
civilian.
| Where had l seen that face before? l
| asked myself this question as | walked
| on, but was unable to answer it.
In vague way l recalled a scene in
| A1V2ANAlf Al Itit cilii1AtA W lCD-tt " lkNA
| saw General Grant in a carriage on his
| way from the depot to the Parker
| House. The people were wild with en-
| thuslasm, and l saw several respectable
citizens gently dubbed by the police to
| prevent them from taking the horses
and drawing the carrie ge themselves.
| The face of the man in the buggy was
marveiously like that Of the man saw
in the carriage in Boston. 1t was a
square face, covered with a short. dark
| brown be.rd-a face full of resolution
and courage and yet a pleasant face
one that inspired confidence.
How like General Grant? Then l
laughed at my fanciful thoughts. OF
| course. Grant was in Washington, He
had never visited Atlanta, and l could
think of nothing to call him Southwark
at time when the people were in an
angry mood, and the bayonets of the
visitors had not entirely restored order.
Grant, indeedw | said to myself
| why, his life would not be safe here
an hour. Some desperate fellow with a
| pint of whisky in him would be sure to
go cunning for him, and then we would
be worse off than ever
| / did not mention the matter to a sin
| gle person. for fear of starting some
/ sensational rumor without any founda-
ton. The next morning a newspaper
man met me with frowning face.
| What is the matter?' asked
Matter enough. General Grant has
been in town day and two nights He
left early this morning, and none of
the reporters knew that he was here.
l feel like kicking myself"
You are always around the Nation
al, l said; how did you miss him?"
That's the trouble" was the reply,
che didn't stop there. He went to the
Central Hotel, that big boarding house,
Won know. 1t is kept by Mr.. Sans. a
Baptist preacher. / suppose he regard
ed as 1t safer than the National. Prob
ably he had his reasons for not having
his presence known, MS II might have
created too much excitement At the
National he would certainly have been
recognized"
told my friend about the square
faced, brown-5earded man in the
buggy.
THAT was Grant, he shouted
Great Scott, II ycsi had told me !
would have made SCOOP
What was the object of his visit?" |
asked.
Don't know. He saw the command.
er of the post and few other officers.
and also three or four cltlzens-Union
men. They were conildentially noti.
fed. and called on him. Their confer
ences were behind closed doors. and
nothing has leaked out"
This mysterious visit was a nine DAYS
wonder, but everything was explained
a little later The General had beer
sent South by President Johnson TO OBJ
serve and report upon the condition OF
the country, the sentiment Of the PEG
pie, etc.
Shortly after returning 10 Washing
ton he made his report, and to the sur
prise and qualification Of the Southern
ers the magnanimous conqueror no
only spoke well of them. but he ex
pressed the opinion that there was les,
disioyaity and lawlessness among then
than had prevailed in other countries
under similar conditions. He recon
mended 4 liberal and conciliatory pol
Icy, in order TO speedily restore tht
I