The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-12-26
YhE NEW COLONEL.
Kew Grant Proved Himself t. - z
Master Of Men.

Rsw Grant Proved Himself - - z
Master Of Men.
When Captain Grant, formerly Of tn
regular army, wa appointed colonial OF az
Illinois regiment In place Of COLONEL
Goode, John A Logan while escorttna
him to the camp said: Colonel, the re84-
ment is a little unfuly. De JON think yas
can manage the boysf"
IT think I can" replied Grant.
Logan and McClernand, two congress-
men, made patriotic speeches, and Logan,
sitter a two hours grafton, led forward .
quiet man In plain citizens clothes, say
ing:
commander, Colonel U. S. Grant"
"Most Of the soldiers observed him fo1
the first time" writes Hamlin Garland,
from whose "Life Of Grant" we have
quoted. "tThey were astonished and dis
eppointed." Grant looked like q grave
country doctor. But he showed that he
could manage the "unruly boys" There
were loud calls: "1rantl Grant, 4
speechl" Their late colonel used to
"~orate'' before them. The new colonel
stepped two PAGES toward them and said
In q clear, calm voice:
"Men, 60 to your quartersP
II an 8 inch shell had exploded In their
ranks, the boys would not have been
more surprised, but they went to their
quarters. There was that in the new colo
nel's voice which expressed command.
The tone was not loud, but 1t was given
with q clear cut infection which showed
him q master Of men.
That evening at dress parade, a. he STEP
ped to the center of the regiment, wearing
no uniform save q pair Of gray trousers
with a stripe running down the outside
seams and an old sword, the men TESTED in
low voices about their new commander.
Colonel Goode, the late colonel, not in
frequently used the daily parade as an CO.
casion to make a speech, and the men ex-
pected one from Grant. The line officers
advanced, and the adjutant saluted.
"a soldiers first duty is to learn to obey
his commander. I shall expect my orders
TO be obeyed as exactly and as instantly as
II we were on the field Of battle"
That was all he said. As the men
marched back to quarters a private asked:
'What do they mean by sending down q
little man like him to command this regi-
ment9 He can't, pound dry sand In a
straight hole"
"He can't make a speech. Look at this
clothes he wears. Who Is he anyhow"
"Boys," retorted a sergeant, "I'n tell
you who he is. He's the colonel Of this
regiment, as you'll find, and don't you
forget it."
The sergeant was q prophet. The regi-
ment had obtained all the liquor 1t wished
for. Grant stopped that. A man resisted
arrest.
"What's the matterp" asked Grant Of
the officer Of the day.
"The man persists In bringing liquor
into camp and refuses to give it up"
"Put him into the guardhouse."
"He refuses to CO."
Grant stepped up to him, seized him by
the collar and jerked him outside Of the
camp gate. "Get out Of my regiment, he
said. You are not worth disciplining. II
you come back, I'll have you shotr' A
big, dangerous man named Mexico wal
tied up with q score of others for leaving
camp without permission. For every
minute I stand here III have an ounce ot
your blood said he to the colonel
Gag himp' replied Grant.
One by one, as the hours passed, the
other offenders were released by the Off
GERS Of the guard. Grant released Mextca
himself. The bully saw that his colonel
was his master, and the regiment began
to find out that it had acolonel-Youth's
Comnanion.