The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1901-05-02
kubdasd the Msl.s.

I 80 tbt @st WIN thtAt1 Nihbt
second lieulensnt. bn, Tor ihe mosi OF Il
time be commanded one company 10 d
Fou,th infantry. Hs ws anie'. gent
aud mild msnnered. He said bot lit
to snyone, but When be did speak the
VAS excuse Tor IL, 10 camp be vss
wsys busy doius something. II ms
vas sich, or simply silins . bit, il VI
moi the sorseon Who 6Bt knew IL bS
Lieutenant Grant II stions were shol
and poor and the army was where 10
tstio1s aud good ones conld be bad, 0rst
would Dot rest until his men we're pr
peily Supplied.
History bss told hos brsvely Grsn
fought 10 the hardest battles Of tho Mel
can war. bot no history hes told ii jasi .
bis company saw him In those battle,
There was no bluster, no fuss and fes,l
ere, no Wild swing Of arms, no swearing
on The part Of the popular Lieutenant IL
those battles, He vas ~ cool and collsc
cd as be vas on drill, yet be seemed Il
dy from one end Of the company TO th,
other, giving orders 10 thst quiet tut b
feciive way which characterized him II
later years.
Many will recall that funny mule stery
In which Grant played . part the Mex
can war story. Well the writer OF thsl
story didut tell the funniest part.
The brigade qusriermsster hsd receiv
ed . nambet OF wild. unbroken mules
after the army reached Mexico. The quar-
termsster spd his force OF civilisns spent
. day in trying. without success. to bresk
two spans oi those mules to harness.
Tue minute hIrness was thrown on to
. mule t1at minute q mules heels began
to fy in the cir. snd they contin ued TO
dy until the harness was strewn over the
ground.
That night the quartermsster sent for
q detail OF lieutenant and 20 men TO 70
port to the corral early the next morning
10 aid in training mules to service 10 trans
porting army ratio1s and stores.
Lieuiensnt Grant marched the men from
sach company to the corral early the
next morning ct the appointed time and
VAS told whst was wanted. The young
,tiicer took survey ofths mules, harness
md army wssoas be bsd been called up
~ to iesl with. His first order was:
Bring couple OF ropes % feet in
engtb.
The next order wss: You men, address
ns the qusrtermsstsis civilians. surround
hat mule, halter him and hold him, no
natter what be does do you hear, hold
lin, Corporal, take ten men. five on
Iup, snu rs soon % tns unimst 10 ns,ssr |
q manage to iasten one end OF these
opes to his hind legs.
When this was done, and II was not
ccomplished without great deal Of trou
lie. he directed that q set OF men should |
axe charge OF each rope and hang on to
!, no matter how much the mule kick
d. Almost before the last buckle OF
be hsrness was fastened the mule bent in
preparation to kick.
Hang to those ropes called the lieu
Bnsnt.
They hung to the ropes and that Grst
tempt to cog The cit with mule heels
'ss 9 dismal failure. The victory made
he men overconHdent As quick 90 u
ssh, when the rope holders we're not
both mule hind feet flew in the
IL and ten soldiers we're ysnked fiat to
10 ground 10 the mud, and before they
ould foreeather swsy went the heels
gain and sgsin,
Let no msp lose bis holdl commanded
rant.
Well, that mule kicked until II was
orn out. II was fnslIy conquered, bat
what cost to uniforms. pride, 6esb and
ones.
The wagon master ssked II thsre was
OF . better way,
There can't be worse way, ssid the
Finally be gave orders TO tske the next
ctim to large rock Hslfs dozen men
ere told TO bold the bruls by the hesd,
ire and neck and 90 no account TO let II
ivsnce { Fl the rock, Then . man was
clap on the harness quickly.
As soon ss the buckles began to fasten
e mule became restless. Pretty soon II
sde sndden lungs and succeeded 10
sting fonr feet away from the rock. Its
sells cracked s4va2sly sssinst the rock.
vas new experience snd q psinfnl
ie. for he battered bind feet we're lifted
~ gently and only one ss time, while
8 head shook and ears hopped.
That mule was cured. and the problem
10 solved. The detail returned to camp ,
10 that esenilff bsving accomplished i,s
ission -tsken the kick ont OF drove
as nmsnsRsbls mules ~ ever bsuied
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