Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1905-11-25
UNDER GEN. GRANT
IN TIVE WARS.

ttle IlSiI Oh ile uISl me OF \ company.
There's a soldier for you. Good blood in
his veins; soldier blood Takes after his
father and grandfather. both of whom
made records as fighters under the old
flag"
One Of the volunteer regiments enlisted
for the Philippines was drilling at Van
couyer barracks. BY my side stood an
old man whose enthusiasm increased as
the drill of the sturdy recruits exhibited
unexpected skill in their new calling.
When Co. \ swung past, every man
with eyes to the front, an. stepping like
veterans, the old mans dim eyes bright
ened, his withered hands came together
in applause, his thin lips parted, and in
voice that trembled he spoke as above
When the venerable onlooker turned
to leave | touched my hat, which he an
sweYed with precise military salute, and
said, Il noticed mat you were deeply in
terested in the drill"
YES. sir; | always enjoy seeing sol
diers," he replied.
Were you ever soldier :" | asked.
He stopped faced to the right, shifted
his cane to the left hand, Strengthened
up and brought the right hand to a salute
-saluted as we useu to salute in the
days of old.
Thank God. sir. was a soldier; sol
der in two wars"
"On duty, here, sir?' asked the veteran.
Temporarily; my station is Portland F."
Two weeks later the old man called at
my office
when there is nobody to introduce a
man, it is very proper for the man to in
| troduce himself Allow me to introduce
myself" said my visitor, as he laid be-
fore me three pieces of parchment brown
with age. honorable discharges from the
United States army.
Please examine this one. 1t is my
first discharge"
1t was dated City of Mexico, April.
lS47, more than half a century ago. |
| noticed Il hint Of disappointment as | re
turned the parchment to the old gentle
man without comment. As I unfolded
the next one he handed back No. / with
the remark, Il wonder if you saw who
my company commander was when | was
discharged from the Fourth infantry, in
Mexico"
| hadn't There was the name. written
! as I had seen it many times-seen it
over various titles, includIng major gen
| eral, lieutenant general general and Pres
ident. How modest it appeared on that
old discharge, placed there long, long ago,
in a foreign country, when my old friend
was young corporal and Grant was
wearing his first well-earned spurs.
must have been looking at the signature
| and title-@U. S. Grant, second lieuten-
ant, Fourth infantry, commanding com
pany"-a minute or more.
Il thought you didn't see the name of
my young company commander in the
| Mexican war. I'm very proud of that
discharge. 1t is never out of my reach
long at time. Most of the time, the
past twenty years, while l was awake.
it has been in a pocket as close to my
heart as a pocket could be placed
what would induce you to part with
this bit of parchment? ?" 1 asked.
Nothing, sir-nothing! l shall die
with it here, sir, placing his hand over
lis heart, ''and here, sir, it will accom-
pany me to my final resting place"
Il loved Grant in Mexico and have been
loving him more and more ever since"
And l loved the old man because he
loved Grant.
Lock at these other discharges" The
second was also from the Fourth in
tantry, and No. 3 was as a sergeant of a
Pennsylvania regiment
Here are two other papers which may
interest you ami help 10 Introduce me.
The story / shall tell you about them
will be in line with what you want"
They were two commissions. one as
first lieutenant and the other as a cap
tain of volunteers, issued in 1864. by the
governor of Pennsylvania.
Il suppose our second lieutenant. who
was in command Of the company most of
the time in Mexico, in most respects. was
not unlike hundreds Of Others of his are
and rank. He had some very marked
characteristics, even as long ago as the
Mexican war. He was the quietest
gentlcst, midest hammered young officer
[ ever saw"
Did you, too, happen to meet Gen
Grant after the Mexican war?''
YES. sir"
Continuing, he said: II was in Iowa.
working on a farm when the Civil war
began While | determined to enter the
army | thought that my two terms in
the regular service entitled me to a com
mission. so l wrote the governor telling
him Of my experience and asked for an
appointment as a lieutenant. | was
stranger and had no influence. political
or otherwise. That may account for my
waiting three months. daily expecting a
reply, but getting none. At about that
time 1 saw the name of my old second
lieutenant in a Chicago paper. It spoke
Of him as Col. Grant The following
week | left for Illinois, expecting to find
his camp and enlist in his regiment.
when l reached Chicago / heard the
n wsboys crying: Col. Grant appointed
a brigadier general 1t viii seem strange
20 you. but that was sorrowful news to
ne. Why? Because that would take
him away from his regiment. and
wanted to be in a regiment commanded
BY my former company commander. After
amenting my ill-luck in Iowa and Hi
1ois / went to Pennsylvania. my native
tate, and enlisted in the Fiftv-sixtb
regiment
i greatly enjoyed seeing my old Mex
lean commander advance in grade. popu-