The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-05-22
YbE NEW COLONEL
Hsw Grant Proved Himself to Ro
Hnster of Men,

Rsw Grant Proved Himself to Bs z
MaAter of Men.
When Captain Grant, formerly Of tx
regular army, appointed colonel of az
illinois regiment in place Of Colonel
Goode, John A Logan while escortinz
him to the camp said: Colonel, the regS-
ment is a little unrusy. Do you think yea
can manage the boysf"
II think T can" replied Grant.
Logan and McClernand, two congress
men, made patriotic speeches, and Logan,
after o two hours Grafton, led forward .
quiet man In plain citizens clothes, say.
Ing:
"Allow me to present to you your new
commander, Colonel U. s. Grant"
"Most Of the soldiers observed him foI
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 he
could manage the "unruly boys" There
were loud calls: "Grantl Grant, A
peechl" Their late colonel used to
"orate' before them. The new colonel
stepped two PAGES toward'them and said
In q clear, calm voice:
"Men, 20 to your quartersl"
II an s inch shell had exploded In thei,
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 clear cut infection which showed
him a master Of men.
That evening at dress parade, as he step
ped to the center of the regiment, wearing
no uniform save q pairiof gray trousers
with a stripe running down the outside
seams and IN 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 soldier first duty Is to learn to obey
bis commander. I shall expect my orderf
10 be obeyed as exactly and as instantly q.
II we were on the field Of battle"
That WAS all he said. As the men
marched buck to quarters q private asked:
"What do they mean by sending down 9
little man like him to command this reg1'
mentp He can't pound dry sand in 9
straight hole" =
HE can't make a speech. Look at thu
clothes he wears. Who is he anyhow"
"Boys," retorted a sergeant, "I'n tel
you who he is. He's the colonel Of THU
regiment, as you'll find, and don't you
forget it" -! :.
The sergeant was a prophet. The regi.
ment had obtained all the liquor 1t wished
for. Grant stopped that. A man resisted
arrest. 80 .....',, .
"What's the matter9". asked Grant Of
the officer Of the day. II
"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 and jerked him outside Of thu
camp gate. sect out of my regiment" hi
said. "You are not worth d~isciplining. L
you come. back, I'll have you shotl" "A
big, dangerous man named Mexico WA
tied up with a score Of others for leaving
camp without permission. For every
minute I stand here I'll have an unc o.
your blood said he to the colonel
Gag himl' replied Grant.
One by one, as the hours passed, thu
other offenders were released by the off
cers Of the guard. Grant released Mexic!
himself. The bully saw that his colona
was his master, and the regiment began
to find out that it had coloneL-Youth'l
COMPANION.