Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1907-04-27

armies, and worked out his problem of
attack and defense. He sometimes
would be absorbed for hours in one
of these studies, and never would quit
until the mimic battle with his grains
of corn was decided one way or the
other. In this way he fought over
battles of the past and imaginary bat
ties of the future"
Who can tell how much hep General
Grant received in the great work which.
began year later and ended NJ Appo-
mattox, in those mimic battles on the
head of a barrel or on dry goods box
in the Wisconsin village, while waiting
for the country merchant TO weigh and
load the hides of steers, sheep and
calves? Who would have thought. in
1860, when ex-senator Miner sat and
watched the quiet man with stubhy
whiskers and short mustache, as h.
formed his lines of battle, fianked the
enemy, charged lines of works and cap
tured batteries with corn soldiers that
within five years the silent BUYER and
hauler of calf skins and sheep pelts
would become the most famous of mod
crn generals? Probably II never enter
cd the old Senator's mind. Probably
the quiet man sitting at the dry goods
box and commanding vast army of
kernels Of corn never dreamed what
was in store for him. He was sol
der he had won distinction In war
two or three brcvets aud other promo
tions-and his heart had been in his
profession ever since, though he was
temporarily off duty. wonder II
Grant at Shiloh thought OF his battles
at Hazel Green, and drew from his ex-
perience in those contests TO assist him
in that great battle In real war. won.
der II the experience in Grant County
helped him In his wonderful maneuveI
upon Nicksburg in 1863, one OF the most
striking military movements made Dur
| Ing that war of striking movements.
wonder, when. IN 1864, he was baked
| after crossing the Rapldan and meet.
| ing Lee and his dauntlcss legions he
recalled the manner In which he had
| fiankpd one line of corn kernels with
another line Of corn soldiers. and de.
cided 70 try the experiment on General
Lee. Certainly he did try the thanking
process, and with success. | wonder II
he had not had that experience at liza.
Eel Green in 1860 ii would not have
been easy for him to take the advice
Of his corps commanders and recross
the Rapidan, after the second days
fight In the wilderness, When his army
was defeated. 1t may be that the cour.
age and confidence ne gained at Hazel
Green enabled him 10 say 10 those
corps commanders I'VE will stay here
ana fight; We will not recross the
Rapidan." Who knowsl
That story, told me by friend, re.
minds me Of one an officer of the Thr
tenth Indiana told concerning General
Rosecrans in the West Virginia cam
paign, just before the battle Of Rich
Mountain General ROsecrans was in
command OF a brigade. He accepted
an invitation from the colonel Of the
Thirteenth Indiana to dine with him.
Their coffee bareback and fried pork
were displayed on bareback box lust
TO the left of General R7Aecrans Law
another bareback box. The general
stopped eating and talking. gathered ur
the crackers on the table, ranged them
on the box to his left, in lines Of battle,
moved them back and forth, brought
them together, made them flank each
other, had one side charge the other
and the other defend Itself. and then
brushed them off on the ground. by
which time the colored cook had gotten
around with another supply for the IN,
bic. The general, without saying a
word or glancIng at the balance Of the
party. took his two hands, gathered NJ
the new supply Of crackers placed