The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-05-12
GRANT 30 MILES AWAY
But Malachi Griffin, With His Skill.
full Driving Took Him In Time
to the Scene Of
Battle.

recent death of Gen. Fred D. Grant is
. reminder that right here in Keokuk
there lives an aged and respected citi-
zen who knew him we'll as boy and
| who can recall many of his youthful
pranks during the great contest be-
tween the brothers OF the north and
south. This old citizen is Malachi
Griffin, 424 A street, who was close to
the father, Gen. U. S. Grant, especial
II at the siege of vicksburg, that con-
test of desperation and carnage when
Greek met Greek.
Malachi Grimm who was for many
years flagman in the union railroad
Yards in Keokuk. in the employ Of the
Rock Island railroad. is familiar to
many Keokuk people He had worked
for the road his allotted time and only
few months ago was retired by the
Rock Island on pension given by the
road.
He has war history, though not an
enlisted man, which If time and space
we're at hand would be of much inter-
est il given In detail. His memory OF
those old days Is remarkably good and
he relates many incidents, the details
Of which are highly interesting to
those fond Of listening to war stories.
GrIffin's Drive.
Most everybody has read "Sheridans
Ride when Sheridan was Thirty
Miles Away Malachi Griffin was at
vicksburg during the siege, and it is
well known that General Grant was
there in command of the federal
troops. Griffin was one of number
of drivers about General Grants head
quarters, but he was specially familiar
with the general and his family, being
the citizen driver of the ambulance
used by the Grants often the same
manner as family carriage Is used.
The battle of Grand Gulf was irnmi-
nent It was fifty miles away. The
confederates were endeavoring to
break the siege To lose the contest
for supremacy would have been moth
Ing less than fatal to General Grants
plans for the final and early surrender
of the soutls Gibralter at yicksburg.
Governor Yates of Illinois, was at
vicksburg at the time. General Grant
hastily summoned Griffin and his am:
bulance and jumping into the vehicle.
Governor Yates by his side, the whip
sounded and away Griffin hurried the
horses A great battle was being
fought and Grant fifty miles away.
Griffin was ordered to get there at
a given time. 1t appeared as lost
hope But on went the war horses,
urged on by the faithful and expert
: enced driver. To the ambulance were
harnessed four of the best and speed
lest horses at the headquarters of the
commanding general, and behind them
was one of the ablest drivers. Griffin
had driven stages, and show wagons
until the handling OF team had be-
come second nature to him.
why said Mr. Griffin, inspired by
the memory of the old days, II could
guide a string Of horses as long as to
yonder street." which was 400 Or 500
feet away II could guide them with
a line on each finger
The rolling ambulance with It's
spirited horses, with no chance for a
change, sped on and on, and at the
end Of about ten hours, the brave,
snorting horses, with sweating TANKS
and distended nostrils bearing their
emminent passengers, shifted the bat.
tie smoke near by, General Grant
was in command New inspiration
came over the battling hosts of the
union army and the threatened break
in the we'll laid plans of Grant by the
confederates was failure. He won
the battle. And Driver Griffin urged
the team that bore General Grant TIC
this triumph.
Many such incidents of driving Gen
eral Grant from point to point to i'm
pending battle points during that fear
full contest are told by Griffin, up Il
the very day July 4, 1852, when tn,
city finally capitulated.
Fred D. Grant.
Fred D. Grant according to Nj