Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-15

Congressman Logan.
Colonel" said the congressman, "the
regiment is little unruly, Do you
think YOU can manage themr'
Il think can" was Grants quiet re-
ply.
The soldiers were assembled like a
political audience in the amphitheater
of the fair ground. The country of roll
ing prairie and low wooded hills round
about was green with lush vegetation
of June. The air was warm, the men
were in good humor. and a holiday
spirit pervaded the camp. as the
famous speakers appeared
Mr.. McClernand was the first to speak.
He had a fervid, fiorid style. His
speech abounded in historical and CLASH
cal illusions. On closing, amid cheers.
he introduced his friend and colleague.
Hon. John A. Logan. who was also
cheered.
Mr.. Logan spoke eloquently. When he
said it was the duty of every man to
rally to the support of the flag the APP
pIause of the soldiers rolled out in deep
waves Of sound over the green country.
| When at last the gifted orator had
finished-the speeches lasted nearly two
hours-he said: ALLOW me to present
to you your new commander, Col. u S.
Grant,
Then forward from the back of the
platform, where he had been unnoticed
during the flow of eloquence, came the
new colonel. He wore a civilians coat
he had no money with which to buy
unhform-the only mark of military
man ABOUT him being an old sword he
had found at the state arsenal, and
pair of gray trousers with a stripe
down the outside of each leg.
AS he came forward many of the men
of his regiment looked upon him for the
first time. The contrast presented by
the somewhat bent and seedy colonel
in his makeshift clothes and the tall
and handsome Logan, with coal-black
hair and flashing eyes. was very
marked.
For a moment the soldiers said moth
ing. Then one of them raised a cry of:
Grant, Speech! Speechi"
In his graphic life of u. S. Grant.
Hamlin Garland thus describes the
scene that followed:
"He walked step or two toward
them and the men became silent. They
were accustomed to bombastic appeals
and were eager to test his quality.
"At last he spoke, not loud. but clear
and calm and with a peculiar quality
and infection which surprised and i'm
pressed every officer and gave the whole
regiment a new sensation:
q MEN, GO TO YOUR QUARTERSH ~
| ENFORCING DISCIPLINE
A thunder clap from a clear sky could
not have startled men and officers alike
more thoroughly than this sudden rap
ping out of Grants first order in the
civil war.
He was commander. the men knew
from that moment Yet they did not
yield, as a whole, with promptness.
That night, as the new colonel step
ped before the center of his regiment,
he made them speech. 1t was not
the kind of speech they had been ac-
customed to hear, full of appeals to the
dear old flag, the VOW to lead them
to the lannon's mouth. the fearful ref
erence to the loved. ones at home. 1t
had to do rather with the matter In
hand, that of being soldier, and it was
just so words long. thus:
"A soldiers first duty is to learn TO
obey his commander. / shall expect
my orders to be obeyed as exactly and
instantly as if we were on the field Of
battle"
AS the men started back to their
quarters, one Of them, bent on showing
that no such colonel could hope to
pass muster there, stepped up behind
Grant and flicked his hat from his
head.
Grant turned.
Young man. he said. that is not
very polite"
He then walked away.
Within a week that soldier and the
most incorrigible of his companions be-
gan to get glimmering of the true
meaning of discipline.
Chicken stealing, the bringing OF liq-
uor into camp and kindred breaches OF
discipline stopped.
When one of the worst offenders used
abusive speech, Grant quietly said.
Gag him" When the mans punish
ment was complete, it was Grant who
went alone and took the gag from mis-
mouth.
When another offender resisted ar
rest, after bringing in liquor, Grant
seized him by the collar, gave him h
spin. right-about. and hustling him to
l the gate before he could collect his
thoughts, threw him into the street,
with.
Get out of my regiment. You are
not worth disciplining. If you come
back here I'll have you shot"
These things were done without
shouting or buster The very caImness
of the man had its effect, and in a
remarkably short time the colonel had
as firm a grip on his regiment as he
ever had in the days of his greatest
military power on the legions of the
army Of the Potomac.
Tomorrows The bloody sktrmish at
Vienna, Va.
Copyright. 1911, By Associated Lit