, 1902-05-26
GRANTS BIG HEART.
NEW STORY TOLD OF The GRcAT

order for the Execution Of "a sp,
Naiiiesd by tho Commander an Cher
Himself-Dstails of the Incident u.y.
Only Recently been Made rubl.c.
Col. George lnman, a civll eu,Iueer.
VINO was an engineer in the onion
army with Grant in front of Petersburg
In lso4-ls65. as colonel of engineers.
no" engaged on some public work
near Richmond. told this story OF L.. 5.
3rant to a group of Confederate vet
Grams. ex-officers. there recently.
In the winter OF 1864 a Capt. Hamil-
ton OF the Confederate army was cap
tured within the Federal lines. and
there were found on his person papers
which clearly indicated that he had
penetrated the lines for the PURPOSE of
gaining Information for Gen. Lee. He
was court-martialed and was at once
condethhed to be hanged at sunrise
the next day. Col. Hamilton. who WAS
In of a cavalry regiment un-
der Gen. Grant. was charged with the
duty OF furnishing the detail which
was to execute the sentence OF the
court.
Inc night OF the day on which the
court pronounced the sentence on Capt
Hamilton Col. Inman went To Gen
Grants tent to see him on a matter
connected with the operations against
the tonfederates. He had been In the
tent for some time when the or,.erly
announced. Col. Hamilton" \ sol
dleriy appearing officer entered and
saluted. Before Gen. Grant had tim.
to speak the colonel said in hm.
tones: General, | cannot obev tn
order to execute that spy tomorrow
morning"
Gen. Grant started as II shot.
why not?' he said in sharp tones
Ire colonel was silent. He stood
with barred head dropped on his bosom
Gen. Grant again asked him why h
refused to obey his order. and tn,
line there was a sharpness In his ton
which was not there before. Col. Ham
ilton raised his head INT looked tho
commander-in-chief full in the face.
General, that man is my only SON
Gen. Grant looked his officer in tn
face for Il moment. Then he turned ii!
back. The colonel remained stand!r
and silent. uncovered and his hea
bowed. Then Gen. Grant whecl,-.
around and said in a harsh voice:
Col. Hamilton, you will OBJ. yn,.
orders"
The colonel saluted and left the tcat
Col. Imam remembered that tn
next morning the detail charged wi.
the duty of hanging the p Went ,
the tent. and when the sentry entert,,
1t was found tina there was nouud!
inside.
About ten years afterward Col. In.
man was In San Francisco on cuisines
connected with his profession. Whl.,
there he CHANGED to meet a Mr.. Hami!
ton, with whom he became well aG-
quainted. Hamilton n day lei
toned hat he was in the Confederate
army II the relation of war expert
ences began. 1t came out that the Mr..
Hamilton was the Capt. Hamilton
whom Col. Hamilton had been ordered
to hang. There were questions fro
Col. Inman. Of course. and the story OF
the escape of the young soldier was
brought out.
On the night before the day on
which he was to be executed, he said,
after midnight. he was lying on the
blanket in his tent half asleeD for the
circumstances did not warrant heavy
sleep. He was aroused by the entrance
of some one into the tent. A candle
was burning dimly and he saw before
him a heavily built man with short
stubby whiskers. wearing a blue uni
form without any insignia OF rank on
his shoulders a black SLOUGH hat
pulled down over his eyes. He recog-
nized Gen. Grant.
The story does not go into details as
result was that the condemned spy
after there has been exacted a promise
that he would never again assume the
part which had so nearly cost him his
life, was given the countersign which
would enable him to pass the sentries
Then the man In the SLOUGH hat went
away.
And the man who was to have
hanged him at sunrise did the same
thing. and before the sun was set was
within the Confederate lines.--New
York Journal.