The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-07-23
(Chicago Daily Newsl

1t has been said that the unwritten
history of the civil war would fill
many more volumes of closely printed
matter than contain the known facts
of that time and generation. From
time to time interesting stories of the
famous men of that day, which other
wise possibly never would see print,
are told by the veterans of that strug-
gle, shedding new light on the for
tunes of the times turbulent politics.
General John Mcdonald, himself a
commander in the federal army and a
participant in many of the most des-
perate engagements of the war, re-
Gently made public some stories of
Grant the general and Grant the pre-
sident which one looks for in vain in
the ordinary history. AS a personal
friend of the soldier-president, Gen.
Mcdonald, who has offices in Dear
born street, claims to know something
of the chieftain's private affairs. In
recent interview the old soldier
said:
Raised Regiments in War.
Before 1 entered the army l was
engaged in steamboating on the Mis-
sissippi and it's tributaries, running
all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. ]
owned and commanded my own boat
and, indeed built, owned and command
ed boats for forty-odd years. will be
so my next birthday.
when the war Eroke out I raised
a Missouri regiment at my own ex-
pense-and it cost me, all told, from
$4,000 to $2O,OOO-for the federal
army. Mine was the first troop ac-
cepted by Mr. Lincoln after his ini-
tial call for $4,000 men had been an
swered. I was quite sure that it
would be accepted, as Mr.. Lincoln
was my attorney in 1S49 and the
spring Of 1850 and we were close
friends up to the day of his assassina-
ton.
Reported to President.
He sent for me three times to re-
port to him at Washington on various
missions while was in the army, and
one of those occasions had to do with
the differences between Generals Hal
leck and Grant
after the battle of Fort Donelson
Grant called me to him and explained
that he wished to get to Nashville
ahead of Floyd, the confederate gen.
eral, who was headed for that town.
He asked how it could be done and
told him he could make it by the river
route and have Notifications thrown
up before the confederates arrived any
where near the place. We talked
the matter over in detail and in the
end Grant accepted my plan and went
to Nashville by water. He did reach
there ahead of Floyd and the latter
gave up and turned back. At that
time Grant was with the army of the
Missouri and a department command.
er under Halleck.
Now it seems that Halleck didn't
like Grants move and said SO at
Washington. visited the capital at
the request of Mr.. Lincoln and the
president asked me about the mat
ter told him frankly what I thought
and he told me that General Grant
was "a great comforter to him and
other excellent things which knew
would cheer Grant immensely Need
less to say, Grant was not reprimand-
ed. But that was not the last trou-
BILE he had at Washington.
When Grant Disappeared.
Skipping Shiloh. the march through
Tennessee and Missippi and the cap
ture of Vicksburg, I want to pass on
to the results of that capture, or at
least what took place immedlatelt
Grant took a portion of
his army and marched to Jackson, the
capital of Mississippi and then dis
appeared, He actually was lost to