Mexico weekly ledger., 1902-02-27
ANOTHER STORY ON GRANT.
How he Eallifed an Order That he
Had Made.

who was ar engineer in the Union
army with Grant in front Of Peters
burg in lS64-5, as colonel Of engineers,
now engaged in some public work near
Richmond, told this story on q. S.
Grant TO a group OF Confederate yeter-
ans, ex-oficers, there recently.
In the winter OF 1854 a Captain
Hamilton Of the Confederate army
was captured within the Federal
lines, and there were found on him pa
pers which clearly indicated that he
had penetrated the lines for the pur-
pose Of gaining information for Gen.
Lee. He was courtmartialed and was
at once condemned to be hanged at
sunrise the next day. Col. Hamilton,
who was in command of a cavalry
regiment under Grant, was charged
with the duty OF furnishing the de-
tail which was to execute the sem
tsnce Of the court.
The night OF the day on which
the court pronounced the sentence on
Captain Hamilton Colonel Inman
went to Gen. Grants tent to see him
on a matter connected with the opera
tons against the Confederates. He
had been in the tent for sometime,
when the orderly announced 'Col.
Hamilton A soldierly appearing
officer entered and saluted. Before
Gen. Grant had time to. speak the
colonel said in hard tones: General
/ cannot obey the order to execute
that spy tomorrow morning
Gen. Grant started as II shot
"Why not?" he said In sharp tones.
The colonel stood silent. He stood
with barred head, dropped on his
bosom. Gen Grant again asked him
why be refused to obey mis- order, and
this time there was a sharpness in his
tone which was not there before. Col.
Hamilton raised his head and looked
the commander-in-chief full in the
face.
General, that is my only son."
Gen. Grant looked his officer in the
face for a moment. Then he turned
his back. The colonel remained
standing and silent, uncovered and
his head bowed. Then Gen. Grant
wheeled around and said In a harsh
voice:
"Col. Hamilton, you will obey your
orders"
The colonel saluted and left the
tent.
Col. Inman remembered that the
next morning the detail charged with
the duty Of hanging the spy went 70
the teat, and when the sentry entered
il was found that there was nobody In
side.
About ten years afterward Col. In.
man was in San Francisco on business
connected with his profession. While
there be CHANGED TO meet Mr.. Hamil-
ton, with whom he became well ac-
quainted. Hamilton one day mention
ed that he was in the Confederate
army, and the relation Of war expert
ences began. Itcame out that Hamil-
ton was the CAPTAIN Hamilton whom
Col. Hamilton had been ordered to
hang. There were questions from
Colonel Inman, OF course, and the
story Of the escape Of the young
soldier wal brought out.
On the night before the day on
which be was TO be executed, he said,
after midnisht, he was lying on a
blanketin his tent half asleep for the
circumstances did not warrant heavy
sleep. He was aroused by the entranet
of some one coming into the tent. A
candle was burning dimly, and he saw
before him a heavy built man with
short, stubby whiskers, wearing
blue uniform without any insignia Of
rank on his shoulders, a black hal
pulled down oven his eyes. He rec
ognized Gen. Grant.
The story does not go into details a
to the conversation which ensued. TIT
result was that the condemened spl
after there had been exacted a prom
Use that he would never again ASSUME
the part which had SO nearly cost hin
his life, was given the countersigl
which would enable him TO pass thl
sentries. Then the man in the slouci
hat went away.
The man who was to have hanged
him did the same thing, and beforI
the sun was set was within the Con
federate lines-New York Journal