Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-10-25
SOLDIERS AT HOME.
THEY TELL SOME INTERESTING
ANECDOTES OF THE WAR.
How the Boys of Both Armies whiIed
Away Life in COMPROMISING Ex-
periences, Tiresome Marches-ThriI-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.

pcricnces, Tiresome Marches-ThriI-
ling Scenes on the Battlefield.
Ii is interesting to call TO mind some
OF the forces which made Grant the
general-in-chief of the armies of the
United States, and some of the Incl
dents that attended the consummation
of that historic work. 1t was hy lao
means grateful task for the congress
men of that time 10 lend hand in
creating the grade Of Lieutenant Gen
eral in the army. although there was
no question as to the man on whom
that distinction should be conferred. /
question very much if the bin to revive
Che grade OF Lieutenant General would
have gone through Congress then if it
had not been for the very general dis
satisfaction with General Halleck, who
was acting as general III chief, with
headquarters at Washington. This dis
satisfaction was constantly increas-
ing. and although the country ut
large did not seem to be very kcenly
alive TO Halleck's inadeQuacy to the sit
uariOn, Washington, and especially the
chambers of Congress. resoundcd With
complaints of his sluggishness, his IN
willingness TO take responsibilities.
and his supposed incapaciy To grasp
the whole military situation. doubt
If the most outspoken ana malignant
copperhead in Congress was SO dis
liked. so rallied against. ana so reViled
by the more radical members as this
unfortunate general-in-chief.
The belief that some new man, no
matter who he might be. could vigor-
ouSly prosecute the war and bring
speedy peace if he Were in Hal!eck'S
place. made possible the passage of the
bin reviving the rank of Lieutenant
General of the army. Oddly enough,
men who complained that the prcsi-
dent chung tenaciously 10 General Hal
leck as his military adviser. never
doubted for a moment that Mr.. Lincoln
was more than willing that the rank
should he revived, with the distinct TN
Outstanding that Grant should he the
wcarer of the title. and by virtue there
Of become at once the generaliSsiuu of
all the military forces Of the United
States.
That the President did cling 10 Hal
leck, in spite of the very general pop
ular disfavor with which the general
was regarded, is well known. When /
ventured one day to say to the Presi-
dent that Halleck was disliked because
many people supposed that he was TOO
timid and hesitating in bis military
conduct, Mr.. Lincoln's face at once
Wore a sober, almost severe expression
rs he said that he was l1alleck's friend
because nobody else was Other men
had received from the President a
somewhat similar impression; and
whatever may have been thought of
the very remote possibility that ANY
other man than General Grant would
he called To the head of the armies
congressman who We're clamOrOuS for
a more vigorous prosecution of the war
were eagerly turning TO the "Licutcn-
ant General bin" as it was called. rs
he readiest way to he rid of General
llaileck's alleged slowness.
If there was any doubt as TO the pop
uiarity of Grant in Washington (and
he was disposed to regard that city as
4 place of snaresD the arrival OF the
newly created Lieutenant General eff
fectually dissipated ii. He had been
called TO the capital. and had arrived
here late In the afternoon of March
=. 1864.
That evening as it CHANGED. was the
occasion of the usual weekly reception
ut the White House, and thither Gen
eral Grant went hy special invitation.
Thither, too. went thr0ngs OF people
when ii was known that he would be
on view with the President so great
vas the crowd, and SO wild the rush to
get near the General, that he was
obliged at last to mount The sofa. where
ne could be seen, and where he was Sc
cure, at least for a time from the mad
ness Of the multitude Women were
caught up aYd whirled il The torrent
which swept through the great east
room. Ladies suffered dire diSasto" in
fut crush anu fJIl W. ItIt IIP4F IacgS
we're torn and crinoliLes mashed: and
people got upon sofas. chairs. and
tables to be ont Of harms way or to
get better view Of The spectacle.
1t was the only real mob ! ever saw
10 the White House. It was au .ndc-
,cribablc scene 81 curiosity, 10Y. and
pleasure. For once a. least the Prrsi-
dent of the United S1ates was not the
chief figure in the picture Tie Little.
scared-lOOkiug man who stood on Il
crimsOn-cover"d sofa was the idol Of
The hour H." remained on view for n
short time; then be was quietly snug
-led out by friendly hands. and next
day he departed from The city. which
ne then appeared TO dread 50 much. 10
begin the last and H5ghtiret chapter in
bis military career Noah Brooks, IN
lie Century.
Army Taunts and by Words.
"a book might be written" SAID the
Captain, "about army calls and cries.
Thern xt-oo ono tF.t lo = r.gl.,tf... ..;,...t To-,