Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-03-28
STORY TOLD BY
CAPT. M'ELROY
Was on the Sea During the War
Time Is Now Woodbridge
Greek Bridge Tender. (

Captain Thomas McElroy. OF
Woodbridge. a Neavf Jersey Civil War
veteran, whose experiences in the
great struggle between the North
and South still furnish material for
thrilling stories, Is one of the old
naval men living who remembers
General L. S. Grant. He can tell
anecdotes. about the doughty leader
by the hour '
While Grant was still in the west,
Just after he had been made brigad-
Ter general, and before he had been
: given command of the forces of the
east. he was sent to the vicinity OF
Cairo. H.. to investigate IA report
that hogs we're roofing up the bodies
of dead Union soldiers buried there.
Among others sent with him to serve
on his staff was McElroy, who was
then an acting master in the navy.
Again Captain McElroy vas one of
a small and select company of ofic-
ers and ladies at IA New Years ban
quet on board IA "a vessel in the
Mississippi river, at which General
Grant was present.
Soon after being made an acting
master, Mclllroy was ordered to build
"a magazine for the storage of am
munition Al Cairo. and had to go to
General Grant for wagons and
horses. McElroy says that the title,
silent Man" given the celebrated
leader, was APPLY bestowed. He WAS.
indeed, silent, declares McElroy, so
silent thai only the closest scrutiny
of his fac upon making a request
for transportation would reveal
whether permission was given or de
MED. He would not even take the
trouble to say Yes or No but
would content himself with inclining
his head slightly if he was willing to
grant the request, or giving his head
a gentle shake in the negative if he
meant no.
The acting master had some anus
ing experiences in constructing this
magazine. He bad a number of raw
sailors, unused to work on land and
bitterly opposed to it, to do the
work. Several volunteer infantry
officers were detailed to oversee il.
but they could achieve no results
with the men,
Some huge pieces of timber were
to be put in position and a mass OF
tackle. a derrick or two. ropes and
pulleys were brought on the scene.
When McElroy saw the %parapher-
MALTA he was greatly amused, for he
knew what the inexperienced and
awkward sailors would be able 10 do
nothing with the derrick and tackle.
Undecided what 10 do. he stood in
active a moment, then an idea came
10 him. Sending for several gallons
of whiskey, he dealt out a liberal
drink to each of the men and then
commanded them TO take hold of the
planks and hoist them in place.
There were about two hundred
men in all, and McElroy says that
they jumped to the task with a will,
those who were too short to reach
the required distance with their
arms Selling poles, hooks. etc. to aid
them. In no time at all the beams
were in place.
AS he expected, the next day Nc
Elroy was summoned before his
superior officer charged with break
ing the rules Of the army by giving
out liquor to the men. He expected
courtmartial, but escaped with Il
rcprlmand. The following day he
played sick ana stayed away from
the work to let the commanding
officer see now poorly the volunteer
infantry officers would get along
with the sailors. but the things ven
so badly al the magazine that a mes
senger was sent for him early in the
day, urging him TO brace up and
oversee thai job" The message was
"a tacit admission that whatever Nc
Elroy's methods were, they achieved
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