The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-07-25
THE NEW COLONEL.
Hsw Grant Proved Himself to Bs e
Master of Men.

haAteE or men.
When Captain Grant, formerly Of tx,
regular army, was appointed colonel OF a.
Illinois regiment in place Of Colonel
Goode, John A Logan while esoortint
/ him to the camp said: "Colonel, the reg$
ment is little unfu2y. De you think ~
can manage the boysf'
"I think can" replied Grant.
Logan and McClernand, two congress
men, made patriotic speeches, and Logan,
after two hours oration, led forward q
quiet man in plain citizens clothes, say
ing:
"Allow me to present to you your ne"
commander, Colonel U. S. Grant"
"Most Of the soldiers observed him fol
the first time" writes Hamlin Garland.
from whose "Life Of Grant" we have
quoted. "They were astonished and dis
appointed" Grant looked like a grave
country doctor. But he showed that hs
could manage the "unruly boys" Their
were loud calls: "Grantl Grant! a
speech" Their late colonel used te
"orate" before them. The new colonel
stepped two PAGES toward them and said
In clear, calm voice:
Meu, 90 w youI Qoe3SSke'
If an inch shell had exploded In theil
ranks, the "boys" would not have been
more surprised, but they went to theiI
| quarters. There was that in the new solo
nel's voice which expressed command.
The tone was not loud, but It was given
with clear cut infection which showed
him a master Of men.
That evening at dress parade, a. he step
ped to the center Of the regiment, wearing
no uniform save a pair OF gray trousers
with stripe running down the outside
seams and an old sword, the men TESTED II
low voices about their new commander.
Colonel Goode, the late colonel, not In
frequently used the daily parade as an 90
casion to make a speech, and the men ek
pected one from Grant. The line officer
advanced, and the adjutant saluted
"a soldier first duty is to learn to obeJ
his commander shall expect my order'
10 be obeyed as exactly and as instantly q
II we were on the field Of battle"
That was all he said. AS the msr
marched back to quarters private asked
"What do they mean by sending down q
little man like him to command this regi
mentp He can't pound dry sand In g
straight hole"
HE can't make speech. Look at tbs
clothes he wears Who is he anyhow"
"Boys," retorted sergeant, "Tu tel
you who he is. He's the colonel OF thii
regiment, as you'll find, and don't you
forget it"
The sergeant was prophet. The regi'
ment had obtained all the liquor 1t wished
for. Grant stopped that. A man resisted
arrest.
whats the matterS" asked Grant od
the officer Of the day.
"The man persists In bringing Liquor
into camp and refuses to give 1T up"
"Put him into the guardhouse.
HE refuses to CO."
Grant stepped up to him, seized him by
the collar ard jerked him outside Of the
camp gate. "Get out of my regiment, hs
said. "You are not worth disciplining. Il
you come back, III have you shot" A
big, dangerous man named Mexico Wal
tied up with q score of others for leaving
camp without permission. For every
minute stand here I'll have an ounce oi
your blood" said he to the colonel
"Gag himr' replied Grant.
One by one, as the hours passed, the
other offenders were released by the ofn
GERS Of the guard. Grant released Mexics
himself. The bully saw that his colonel
was his master, and the regiment began
to find out that it had q colonel.-Youth' 4
| COMPANION.