Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1905-11-22
UNDER GEN. GRANT
In TWO WARS

Look at mat young fellow, the one on
the right of the first file of A 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
couver 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. A 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
q voice that trembled he spoke as above.
When the venerable onlooker turned
to leave l touched my hat which he an
swered with a precise military salute, and
said. L noticed mat you were deeply in
terested in the drill
Eyes, 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 Il salute
-saluted as we useu to salute in the
days Of old
''Thank God, sir, [ was soldier; a sol
der in two wars
lon duty, here, sir?' asked the veteran.
Temporarily; my station is Portland"
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 hint of disappointment as [ re-
turned the parchment to the old gentle
man without a comment As [ unfolded
the next one he handed back No. i with
the remark, Il wonder if you saw who
my company commander was when [ was
discharged from the Fourth infantry. in
Mexico
l hadn't. There was the name. written
as [ had seen it many times-seen it
over various titles, includmg 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. I
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 a time. Most of the time. the
past twenty years, while [ was awake.
it has been in a pocket as close to nv
heart as a pocket could be placed"
"What would induce you to part with
this bit of parchment?'' [ asked.
Nothing, sir-nothing! [ shall die
with it here, sir" placing his hand over
his 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 I loved the old man because he
loved Grant
second was also from the Fourth in
fantry, and No. was as a sergeant Of a
Pennsylvania regiment.
Here are two other papers which NAV
interest you and help TO 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
a of
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 AGE
and rank. He had some very marked
characteristics, even as long ago as the
Mexican war. lie was the quietest,
gentlest, mildest hammered Young officer
[ ever saw
Did you, too, happen to meet Gen
Grant after the Mexican war? 2"
Eyes, 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 COM
mission, so [ wrote the governor telling
HIM OF my experience and asked for an
appointment as lieutenant. I was a
stranger and had no influence, political
or otherwise. That may account for my
waiting three months, daily expecting
reply, but getting none. At about that
III, Ciille L saw the name of my old second
lieutenant in Chicago paper. It spoke
OF HIM as Col. Grant The following
week | left for Illinois, expecting to find
has camp and enlist in his regiment.
When | reached Chicago 7 heard the
newsboys crying: Col. Grant appointed
q brigadier general 1t will seem STRANGE
20 you, but that was sorrowful news to
me. Why? Because that would take
him away from his regiment and I
wanted to be in a regiment commanded
by my former company commander. After
!amentlng my ill-luck in Iowa and Iii
nois | went to Pennsylvania, my native
state, and enlisted in the Fiftv-sixtb
regiment
Il greatly enjoyed seeing my old Mex
lean commander advance in grade, popu-
Ia rIfV and uSpfI11uoS-