The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-03-24
GRANTS START IN THE WAR.
How He Came to Be in Command or the
 Twenty-third Illinois.

| How He Came to Be in Command or the
 Twenty-third Illinois
 "How old do you think l am?" asked H. Evans of Plattsville, Wis., in the
 purse of a conversation reminiscent in | character.
 "s9iXty-five'
 l "Seventy-one!" T knew Gen. Grant before, during
 and after the war" continued Mr'
 Evans. II am thirteen years older than
 my brother, H. Clay Evans, the Pension
 Commissioner, about whom so much
 has been written and said.
 As I was saying I knew Gen. Grant
 before the war He used to drive from 1 Galena to Platteville as a salesman for
 Grant & Perkins, trying to sell leather | He was not a successful business man. | He succeeded a brother, Simpson Grant who died in St. Paul, Minn When | Simpson died Jesse Grant, the father, who resided in St. Louis and was the senior member of the firm of Grant x Perkins, wrote his partner telling him they would have to give Ulysses Grant d chance. T know he isn't worth much wrote the generals parent; he has prov ed failure in everything he has under taken. However put him on, pay him what you find he is worth, and II 1t IS not enough to support him and his fam fly I will pay the difference
 MT Perkins put the future com mander of the largest army in the world at work travelling about the neighborhood selling leather, and after a time concluded he was worth $45 month, paid him 800, and charged Jesse Grant half of the amount. This was told me by Mr. Perkins himself
 Gen. Grant was in Galena only short time when the war broke out. mass meeting was held, at which John A. Rawlins, an eloquent young lawyer and a companion of the leather sales man, presided At the conclusion of the speaking Grant declared that, hav- ing been educated by the government at West Point, he should fight for the government He and Rawlns started in to raise a company.
 Before the ranks were filled, how ever. Gov. Yates met E. B. Washburne in Chicago and said:
 Senator we are in a tangle out in Springfield over the mastering in of our soldiers. Can you tell me where l can get good man to attend to the husiness?'
 Senator Washburne was silent for a moment and then exclaimed:
 "4The very man for the place! l have him! Capt Grant of Galena.'
 For heavens sake send for him as quickly as you can
 Capt. Grant reported for duty at Springfield, was placed in the adjutant | generals office, and began bringing or der out of chaos.
 "A regiment-the Twenty -third-was | raised in Chicago and Quincy. Some | trouble broke out in Hannibal, Mo. and | the Twenty-third was ordered there to [ quell the disturbance The Quincy men refused to go, claiming that they did not enlist to fight their neighbors Quincy just across the river from HannibaD. The colonel of the regiment was a weakling, thoroughly incom- petent. Gov. Yates sent for Capt Grant.
 Can you take the Twenty third regiment to Hannibal Captain?' in luired the governor.
 1T can, replied the captain.
 "'You are in command. sir. Do it.
 Capt, now Col. Grant, had neither horse to ride nor uniform or accoutre- ments to wear He finally obtained an ordinary animal off William Culder- wood, a liveryman, on credit, for $15G, and his fathers partner, MT. Perkins, oaned him the money to buy his uni form and sword.
 Then Col. Grant, in the gathering shade of night, issued his first order in he War of the Rebellion. It was for he Twenty-thir Illinois Infantry to ap- pear the following day for inspection )arde. This made it necessary for the nen to have their knapsacks, packed eady for the march. Ordinarily such m order would mean little, but when he inspection parade terminated the 'wenty-third regiment was twelve niles from Springfield on the road to Hannibal with wagons and camp im- sediments following in their wake.
 The men did not realize what was ID and went into camp without mur- nur, The march was continued until luncy was reached. Hannibal was in- aded and the disturbance ended Down he river the regiment journeyed, and in the battle of Belmont, pposite Columbus Ky, and Grants areer IS soldier started, en route for ,ppomattox From the Milwaukee entfnel.