The log cabin Democrat., 1912-01-29
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
How Grant Came to Make His
First Speech.
Persuaded by Rawllns, He Addressed
q Meeting Near Galena to Re-
cruIt Company After the
Attack on Sumter.
BY &. j. EDWARDS.


dent on March 4, 1869, he made John
A. Rawlins secretary of war. Shortly
after he had become major OF
a volunteer Illinois regiment in the
first year of the civil war, Rawlins re-
signed that post in order to assume
the duties of assistant adjutant gen.
eral on General Grants staff. From
then on until the close of the war
Rawlins served on Grants staff. He
was the youngest of all the men who
served with the great commander, but,
nevertheless, he was one of Grants
closest advisers in military matters.
He also was his chiefs intimate
friend; and it was most natural Tor
Grant, when he knew for a certainty
that he would be called upon to make
up a cabinet, to turn to General Raw
Inns as the one man to fill the office
of secretary of war. But that post
General Rawlins occupied for a few
months only. He had contracted con-
sumption as the result of exposure
during the war, and In September.
1869, he died
One afternoon in 1901 l met the late
General A. C. Chetlain, then Of Chi
cago, who, as resident OF Galena,
ILL.,. in 1861. had enlisted in the first
company of volunteers that left Grants
home town in defense of the Union. l
asked General Chetlain If he had
known well General Rawlins, who was
of Cal of
the war.
Indeed l did, was the reply. land
| remember we'll the intimacy that
existed between him and Grant prior
to the outbreak of the war. | have
only to shut my eyes now and see
them in memory as they sit together
in Grants fathers leather store earn
estly discussing political questions.
and, most earnestly of all. the one
great question of the day-would there
be war between north and south?
But though they often differed on
other questions, on the question OF the
possibility of war they were fully
agreed; and of all the men who gath
cred in the leather store from time to
time to talk the matter over they were
the only two who felt that war was
surely coming and that it would be
a prolonged struggle. Rawlins thought
that 1t would take as much as five
years to overcome the south, while
Grant would declare that no one could
tell how long it would take to do that
And then they would have time of it
trying to convince their fellow citi-
zens that they were wrong in the be-
lief that, if war did come, the north
would be able to subdue the south in
80 days-an opinion commonly held
throughout the north at that time.
And well | remember, too" contin-
ued General Chetlain, that it was
Rawlins who persuaded Grant to make
the first speech he ever delivered.
"As soon as we had received the
news that Fort Sumter had been fired
on, Immediately began to recruit our
first Galena company, of which ]
was elected captain, and with which
Grant went from Galena to Springfield.
the state capital, where the company
was mustered in. 1t was thought
worth while to have somebody go to a
little suburb Of Galena, some three or
four miles beyond the city limits, and
make a speech that would urge the
young farmers round about to enlist In
our company Rawlins was well known
and liked in that community. and |
asked him if he would undertake this
task. He replied that he would be
glad to do so. adding, as an after.
thought. that he'd take Captain Grant
with him.
We'll, at the appointed time Raw.
Inns and Captain Grant drove out to
the suburb. and Rawlins told me after.
wards that he made a brief speech
and then introduced Captain Grant
saying that the captain had already
served in the United States army in
Mexico and was therefore more CONNIE
tent than any civilian to address a
meeting called to secure recruits. You
know how backward the captain is ex
cept before his friends said Rawlins
Well. without the slightest hesitation
he stood upon the rostrum and made a
very plain and simple but earnest
speech, about 10 minutes in length.
After he had finished four or five of
the farmer boys came forward and
said that they would, on the following
dag. come to our recruiting office in
Galena and enlist.
so 1t was John Rawlins who in
duced Grant to make his first speech;
and il was Grants success as a speak.
er in that little village which led to
our making him chairman of the great
mass meeting which day or two later
was held in our Galena public hall"
Copyright 1911, by E, J. Edwards. An
Rights Reseryed)