The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-07-28
GRANTS LOST ORDER.

Famous Historic Document Turns Up in
the Pocket OF a Texan.
Burnlo Express.
The recent visit OF many of the Texas
Press Association TO Buffalo has brought
to ligmt valuable war document witch
has boon missing since the battle OF Mis-
sion Ridge. on November 20, 1868. Manager
a. h. Pen1ed was nocosted last Tuesday
by tall soldlcrly looking man. with an
accent which betrayed his Southern origin.
with hearty. "You are MIR. Penaed. are
yon notT
81 am" saId thc manager.
We'll my dear sir, ! am Captain Harry
Lacey Of torsicHna, Texas. and with my
reglmont fought the Federal troops at Mis-.
sion Ridge, wish 70 say your picture Is
very extremely fine, air. aud | am
glad to see the action 40 impartinlly repro.
duced, ! was with Rogers Texas Ran
gers, or rather. what was left of the Nnn-
were badly S cnt M al CerlSth. Miss We'll,
Mr.. penhpld, your Red Star Midway route
IS an right. and your shows are superb
shall, like all the rest Of my editorial
sense Of gratitude for your great kindness
% us az q body Now, am going to give
Mr. Pen1eld started back with fright, so
he Saw visions of drinking bout, and
realized that the average Sonbherpcr drnr :.
a. vel as he fought He, however, was
mucA relieved when he saw the tall Texan
unbutton his froci,coat aud draw forth from
on inner pocket, with care, worn leather
book, from an Inner pocket of which he
took q worn piece Of parchment such as
vas used during the ClYll war for general
orders o. dispatches.
Unfolding II. the former Confederate cap
tnin said Read that, SIR and tell me "
you realize what q treasure that paper
really is7 MIR. Pendeld looked at the I'M
fgIlcd Nhcet and read as follows.
Chattanooga, Tenn. Nov. 2i. 1863.
''M0ior General George II. Thomas, Chat-
General sherman carried Missionary
Rdge as far ms the tunnel with only slight
sSrmshng. His right now rests nj the
i!5nnel and on top Of rhe NIL Ms lsft Gt
eral Sherman 10 advance as soon as II rs
ligh, In thu morning and your attack
which will be simultaneous, VIII be In co.
operation. Your command will either carry
tho ride pits and ridge directly IN front
% then or move TO the left as the presence
OF the enemy may require. IL Hookers 20
eition On the mountain lean not be main.
tsirec) with a small force, and II is found
imFIecticable e carry the top FROM where
ne ~, i would be- 9 .i for mn, him to
can spare aud ascend by the lrst prShtic-
able road u s. Grant,
major General"
Mr. penheid gasped. Here was the orEi-
nal order the long lost order which Gen,
erai Grant In his own personal memoirs
speaks Of as lost Turning 20 Captain
Lacey he said; Whore did you get tbisf'
The did soldier said. 'Why, when Sher-
man forced his way 70 the crest of the
idge. / broke Though HIS line In the con.
fusion and passing rapidly down 10 the
irst line ~ our old position, hid To a ride
pit until nightfall, when ! Escaped and
loined IonRstreet In Virginia. IN the bot
tom Of fhe pit I found the order, with
some other pppers addressed IN the Fed
era General Granger ! think II dropped
from some officers cont, in the scramble
uphill ] have managed 10 keep II ever
since FOR II was that charge he orders In
this paper which carried the day for the
Union forces. so you see N has great
historic valpe"
Mr. Penfeld pleaded with the Southerner
20 sell H. bat the tall Texan refused With
a dignity which told Mr. Penheld IN deslst
The former Confederate teamed over the
platform and scanned closely the great
battle saving sOftlv ITS grand It's
real hnt al 80 terrible" Wiping a furtiYe
tear from his eyes But u took Western
blood 10 do H. aud, after all. they were
mostly Of Southern extraction"
In fact, the great man 10 whom Grant
addressed the order was Nirglnian.