Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-06-02

CONFEDERATE LEADER, WHO On MAY ~,
1861, TOOK COMMAND OF FORCES IN AND
ABOUT HARPERS FERRY.
long and interestingly. Moreover,
when he did give way to loquacity he
had information and ideas to impart.
AS an instance. he once presided over
war meeting in Galena. Instead Of
indulging in the bombast and froth Of
the average speaker of the day, mis-
called eloquence, Grant got down to
brass tacks, talked about the actual
hardships the soldiers would have to
undergo, but still convinced them that
it was worth while. Superficial people
could not measure such a man, but
history has measured him at least in
part
Years agoI met an old man who
said that while on an Ohio river steam
boat early in the war he had observed
an army officer of striking appearance
The thing that distinguished him was
the manner in which he closed his
mouth. This friend, who was a rath-
er keen observer of men, said he had
never seen man shut his mouth SO
hard. He was so struck that he in
Quired the officers name and was told
it was Grant, though it was not till
years later that he identified him with
the famous general.
Personally l cannot get over pecul-
lar feeling in regard to Grant, a feel
ing that hold for no other Americans
except Lincoln and Thomas Paine.
cannot explain it wholly, and yet
cannot argue it away. 1t Is that
Grant was a greater man than any of
us have yet understood. l never saw
him, was not impressed by his politi-
cal associations and heard most of the
derogatory things said about him
quarter of century ago. Yet the feel
ing for him grew. 1t was at first
vague, but with the passage Of time
has become more definite. 1t was that
Grant truly belonged to the family of
great souls; that he had supreme
work to do and did it. Grants fame
is Of the stuff that will stand the acid
test Of centuries.
War is a stern winnower that sep
arates human chaff from wheat. On
May "a, 1861, Grant in the eyes Of
men was nobody. Hundreds Of
thousands Of his interiors made more
show and more noise. The war wind
blew, and the fame Of these went with
1t, but that of Grant remained. Grant
never could make money, but neither
could Lincoln, neither could most Of
the supremely great men in history.
Fremont Made Major General.
While Grant was trying for even a
small chance to give his military ex-
perience to the country John G. Ere
mont, who had been the Republican
candidate for president five years ear
lier, was appointed major general.
Great hopes were entertained for his
future He had been a notable en-
gineer and explorer, the respected
standard bearer of a new cause that
later had succeeded, and he was the
son -in-law of Thomas II. Benton. Yet
Fremonts military service added lit
tie to his prestige. Truly war is a
sitter Of men.
| This week saw little actual fighting,
except q skirmish at Arlington be-
| tween some New York troops and a
few Confederates and handful Of
prisoners taken at Alexandria. Yet 1t
ended notably On May p occurred a
cluster of events Of first class impor-
tance- That was the day on which
| Fremonts advancement was annOunc-
ed, likewise that on which definite
news came that the western end of
Virginia was determined to break
| away and on which the New York
Herald named it New Virginia" On
that day Buffers men took Newport
| News and Mcdowell was made head
of the Army Of the Potomac. On that
| day the newspapers announced that
the end Of May would see the discon-
dnuance of southern mails. On that
day the border states convention met.
Most fateful of all, on that day came
news that the Confederate troops
were concentrating at Manassas