Evening journal., 1910-06-27

This story Of when General Ulysses s.
Grant Whitfield at the real crises Of HIS
first great battle in Virginia was told 10
me by the late General George n. Sharpe,
who, in the last years OF the Civil War;
was a member Of General George H.
Meade's staff Later. l received unex-
pected confirmation Of the anecdote from
two sources, General Alexander S. Webb
and L. S. Grant. Jr.
I'VE all know now" prefaced General
Sharpe, "that Grants real purpose at the
Battle of the wilderness, about hich
my story relates, was TO let 1t be known
throughout the North that he intended to
hang on TO General Lees army until he
captured it. You surely must remember
how greatly the country was thrilled with
his despatch from the battlefield to Presi-
dent Lincoln: i propose to fight it out
on this line II it takes all summer
"Weil, one of the very critical periods
Of that battle-I might say its crisis-oc-
CURED on the second day. May s, 1854
when General Early was hurled in Wig
orous attack against the Union right
wing, then in command of General seds-
wick. who met his death three days later
while planting some guns in an advanced
position at spottsylvana. At the height
Of this attack I know that General
Meade was greatly disturbed lest Lee
should turn our right flank. That done, in
all probability we should have been driven
back over the Rapidan, and the country
would have said it was a case OF Bull
Run Charlottesville and Fredericksburg
over again.
I'VE were standing in a little group
around Meade. observing his anxiety.
when. casually turning my eyes towards
the place where / had seen General
Grant standing some time before. ! failed
to locate him. However. I did see a sol
dier sitting under tree and whiting a
stick I thought that was a curious att.
tude for a soldier TO take. and I looked
again. Then, for the first time I saw thai
the man in question was General Grant
You know, at that time, our eastern OF
hcers we're not as familiar with his pc
culiarities as we became later. This wa
the first battle we had been in with him
There sat the great general. sctuall'
- whiting on a piece Of pine. and appar
emily perfectly unconcerned as to the out
come of the attack on Sedgwick or tn
fortunes of battle anywhere else along on
front I think Meade also must have oh
served Grants apparent Indifference. 70
. at last he approached him, and the res
of US went with Meade. JAS we neared tn
tree. / noticed that Grant wore no uni
form which would distinguish his rank
He had on a private's blouse and thic
boots and. so far as ! could see, wore n
Z stars.
"He looked up as Meade came With
speaking distance and waited patientl
= for the latter to speak. I did not cate
- exactly what Meade said but ! know II
a lpurport. Meade intimated TO Grant tina
he was very apprehensive that Lee wa
~ turning our right and II seemed to hir
that reinforcements should be sent I
Sedgwick.
4, Grant stopped whiting. with the knit
blade buried half way down the wool
don't believe it, he said slowly quietl
and very decisively. Then he bega
whiting again.
General Meade. and the rest % II
drew off a few PAGES. but after minut
o. two Meade repeated his anxiety {
Grant. who once more stopped Shawn
i, down the piece Of pine just long enovg
a.. TO repeat in the same quiet, determine
- way: I don't believe it,