Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1911-05-17
Grant as Teacher of Music

cemetery, which is about four miles
from the capitol.
General Grant determined to drive
the Confederates out of the Shenan-
doah Valley and to destroy Early's
army. Therefore, without visiting
Washington, he went to Maryland, ar
irving in Baltimore on September Is,
1854 Then he went to the front to
visit General Hunter, in command Of
the army there, and to consult with
General Sheridan. 1t was this really
secret visit which furnished the &C.
casion of the incident here told, and
in which Mr.. Henry G. Woodruff, now
one Of the more prominent wholesale
merchants of New York City, played
leading part
General Grant made his headquar
tiers at the Woodruff farm. The senior
Woodruff was in sympathy with the
Confederate cause, but the Union
commander had not been in his house
an hour before friendly relation had
been established between the two
men. Grant did not reproach his host
nor in any manner argue with him
with intent to show that he erred in
sympathizing with the south.
81 was a little boy at that time" said
Mr. Woodruff, "and 1 shared in my
youthful way the martial spirit of the
time. l had drum which l beat in a
boyish way l marched up and down
the piazza, beating upon it and sing
ing The Bonny Blue Flag, which was
one of the leading Confederate songs.
l passed back and forth in front of
General Grant, and I recall that he
seemed to be amused by my youthful
music and enthusiasm.
cat last he summoned me to him
and took me upon his knee. He began
to talk very kindly to me. He spoke
of my drum and my singing of The
Bonny Blue Flag He added that he
would be glad to hear me drum while
1 sang some other songs, and then he
said that he would repeat to me the
words of a song which many of the
soldiers of his army were fond of sing
ing and which the bands played con-
stantly He ended by asking if / would
like to hear the words of the song.
"All aglow with interest, I told him
that l would. Then he began to recite
to me the words of the now familiar
song,
+" John Browns body lies a-mouldering
in the grave
His SouI is marching on
General Grant repeated the words
to me two or three times, and hummed
over the tune. Then he asked me if l
would play it upon my drum, and |
was delighted to make the attempt.
The general seemed to be greatly
pleased with my manner of executing
the song upon the drum, and we be-
came very good friends. A few days
lister he went away, and we were all
sorry that he was gone"
Years later Mr.. Woodruff, as mem
Der Of the Maryland militia, found
himself encamped near Long Branch,
N. ]. He learned that General Grant
was summering there and he went to
the generals residence and asked to
see him. Told by the butler that
Grant was not receiving any one, the
young man insisted that his card be
taken in nevertheless. This was done,
word came out for Mr..
Woodruff to come in, and as he
stepped into Grants presence that |
great man came forward with out
stretched hands. why, Harry, my
boyi" he exclaimed, delightedly. And |
soon the hero of the Appomattox was
laughingly recalling the time when he |
had taught little Confederate lad
how to play upon a drum and to sing |
a famous Union army song.
Copyright, 1870 by E. J. Edwards AID |
Rights Reserved.)