The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1904-12-15
THE FIELD OF BATTLE
INCIDENTS AND ANECDOTES OF
THE WAR;
The Veterans Of the Rebellion Tell Of
whist1ing Bullets, Bright Bayonetsr
Bursting Bombs, Bloody Battlss
Camp Fire. Festive Bugs, Etc, Etc.


Camp Fire. Festive Bugs, ETC., Etc.
Judge McGraw, as they call the pas
tor Of the Christian Church at Fftz-
gerald, the new town started by
Grand Army colony down in Georgia,
tells a good story about General Grant
which shows that the great COM
mander had q tender heart
The Judge Is a Southerner. and he
sided with the Confederates, but when
the war ended he quit fighting and ac-
copied the new order Of things In good
faith.
In point OF fact, he joined the Re-
publican party, and became a man OF
considerable influence in local political
circles.
| One Of his neighbors was preach
er, who boosted that he was an unre-
constructed rebel. He was on very
friendly terms with McGraw, but was
always lecturing him for abandoning
the cause Of the South, and he seemed
to regard it as his special mission to
make 1t hot for the new convert
The Judge stood a good deal, for old
acquaintance sake, and because no
really liked his friend, who was at
heart a clever man with many admir-
able qualities.
Andrew johnson went out, and
General Grant was elected President,
receiving during the campaign the &C
tive support Of McGraw.
Shortly after the election the seces-
sion preacher visited his neighbor and
had an earnest talk with him.
81 am not willing" he said, ito live
in this country under government
with General Grant at its head"
"What do you propose to do" asked
his friend.
Il shall take my family" was the
reply, land settle in Brazil. 1t is a
fine country and slavery is still in
existence there. I shall buy a coffee
plantation and become a citizen of
that country. An emperor like Dom
Pelro Is better than General Grant"
McGraw argued with him long and
earnestly, but he could not persuade
the Confederate sympathizer to change
his mind
The bitter Southerner carried out
his resolution. He sold his property
and with his wife and children went
to Brazil, after strongly advising his
associates to follow his example.
This voluntary exile seemed to think
that he was doing a very patriotic
and commendable thing. and he went
off In proud and even happy mood.
Judge McGraw at that time had
not entered the ministry. He remained
at home engaged In business and poll
! tics, and I'm the course Of time became
we'll acquainted with President Grant
and strong friendship grew up be.
tween the two.
At the end of three or four years
bad news came from Brazil. The
preacher had been the victim Of vari
Gus misfortunes. He and his family
were made to feel that they were
strangers in strange land, and the
Brazilians did not treat them well.
The new settlers were swindled and
oppressed, and in their ignorance OF
the language, laws and customs of the
country they had no redress. Slavery
was abolished soon after their arrival
and they had to utilize free Negro
labor.
The exile worked manfully, but he
lost money on every hand, contracted
debts, and finally he was Mortified tc
find he was utterly helpless.
His creditors had no pity. They
prosecuted the unfortunate man; sold
his property, and under the law solo
him and his wife and children into
penal servitude for a term Of years
or until their indebtedness was set
tied.
This was the sad story which ceme
to McGraw In a letter stained with
tears.
with the help Of God and General
Grant, I will save those peoplev' ex
claimed the Judge when he read the
letter, and he kept his word.
He went to Washington and called
at the White House.
without concealing a single fact, he
gave a clear account of the whole
case.
The President was frankly todd thai
the preacher had opposed reconstruc
ton, and had left the country because
be was too violent Confederate "a
be willing to live under the admins
tration Of Union commander who
had received the surrender Of Lee a,
Appomattox, thus completing the con
quest Of the South. He was also told
the facts about the mans character
birth and family connections, and q
strong plea was made for his wife
and daughters, who had been forced
to share his hard fate.
Tears came into Grants eyes,
said the Judge i9 giving an account
Of the interview, land he brought his
fist down on his desk and exclaimed
It's shame, McGraw, and l am de-
termined to get those people out o.
their trouble"
Judge McGraw went on to say that
the President went to work and cor.
responded with the proper authorities
in Brazil, and out Of his own private
funds furnished the money necessary
to secure the release of the prisoners
and pay their way back to their old
home in the South, which they
reached at last. broken In health, but