Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1910-04-05
THE NEW COLONEL.
How Grant Proved Himself to Be n
Master cf Men.

: HaSACl ~ "Nt'
When Captain Grant, formerly Of
the regular army, was appointed
! colonel of an Illinois regiment in
place of Colonel Goode, John a. Lo-
gan while escorting him to the
camp said: Colonel, tie regiment
is a little unruly. Do YOU think
YOU can manage the boys ?"
81 think | can," replied Grant.
Logan and McClernand, two con-
gressmen, made patriotic speeches,
and Logan, after a two hours ora
ton, led forward quiet man in
plain citizens clothes, saying:
"Allow me to present to you your
new commander, Colonel U. S.
Grant"
'Most of the soldiers observed
him for the first time" writes Ham
lin Garland, from whose "Life of
Grant" we have quoted. "They
were astonished and disappointed"
Grant looked like a grave country
doctor. But he showed that he
could manage the "unruly boys"
There were loud calls "Grant!
Grant! A speech" Their late
colonel used to "orate" before
them. The new colonel stepped
two PAGES toward them and said in q
clear, calm voice:
"Men, go to your quarters"
If an eight inch shell had explod-
ed in their ranks the "boys" would |
not have been more surprised, but |
they went to their quarters. There |
was that in the new colonel's voice |
which expressed command. The |
tone was not loud, but it was given
with a clear cut infection which |
showed him a master of men.
That evening at dress parade as
he stepped to the center of the regi-
ment, wearing no uniform save a
pair of gray trousers with a stripe
running down the outside seams and
an old sword, the men jested in low
voices about their new commander.
Colonel Goode, the late colonel,
not infrequently used the daily pa
rade as an occasion to make
speech, and the men expected one
from Grant. The line officers ad-
vanced, and the adjutant saluted.
ga soldiers first duty Is to learn
to obey his commander. shall ex-
pect my orders to be obeyed as ex-
lctly and as instantly as if we were
On the field of battle" Z"
That was all he said. AS the
men marched back to quarters a
private asked: "What do they mean
~ sending down a little man like
lim to command this regiment?
lie can't pound dry sand in
straight hole"
''He can't make a speech. Look
It the clothes he wears. Who is he
lnyhow?7
Boys" retorted sergeant, 'I'll
e4l you who he is. He's the colonel /
# this regiment, as you'll find, and
lon't you forget il"
The sergeant was a prophet. The
egiment had obtained all the liquor
t wished for. Grant stopped that.
\ man resisted arrest.
whats the NATTER" asked
1rant Of the officer of the day.
"The man persists in bringing
liquor into camp and refuses to give
t up"
"Put him in the guardhouse."
'He refuses to CO."
Grant stepped up to him, seized
lim by the collar and jerked him
outside of the camp gate. "Get
,ut of my regiment" he said. 'FYou
Ire not worth disciplining. If you
come back Tll have you shotp A
Dig, dangerous man named Mexico
was tied up with a score of others
ic>. leaving camp without permis-
sion. For every minute | stand
here I'll have an ounce Of your
blood - said he to the colonel
Gag him. said Grant.
One by one as the hours passed |
the other offenders were released
by the officers of the guard. Grant
released Mexico himself The bullv |