Democratic Sentinel, Volume 9, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1885 — ANECDOTAL. [ARTICLE]

ANECDOTAL.

Didn’t Mean to Be Beaten. After the battle of Pittsburgh Landing, Gen. Buell began criticising in h friendly way the im-, policy of his having fought a battle with the Tennessee River behind his men. “Where, if beaten, could you have retreated, General?” asked Buell. “I didn’t mean to be beaten," was Grant’s sententious reply. “But suppose you had been der seated, desuite all your exertions?’’ “Well, there were .all the transports to carry the remains of the command across the river.” “But, General,” urged Buell, “your whole transports could not contain even ten thousand men, and it would be impossible for them to make more than one trip in the face of the enemy.” “Well, if I had been beaten,” said Gen. Grant, pausing to light another cigar as he spoke, "transportation for ten thousand men would have been abundant for all that would have been left of us.” They Have a General Now. There is a story that upon the next morning after the first day’s struggle in those tangled and all but impassable woods of the Wilderness. Lee and his officers came out, as aforetime, to see the Union forces going back again over the river, and that when he saw, instead, signs of their resuming the attack, he remarked to his companions: “They have a General now. It is all up with us!” The story may not be true: but its facts were. It was after six days of battle that Grant sent to Washington th > dispatch which ended with the grim remark: ."I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer." Spottsylvania followed, and Cold Harbor; the investment of Petersburg, and that long series of assaults, forays, intrenchments, and battles which ended with the surrender of Lee and the explosion of the rebellion. Grant’s Coolness. An incident occurred one mornin gat Spottsylvania that illustrates Grant’s coolness and selfpossessidn. While the heaviest artillery tiring was in progress, Gen. Grant was standing, in company with Gen. Meade, near a fire, talking and endeavoring to keep themselves dry, when a 'rebel shell struck within a few feet of the twain. A disposition to move was manifested on the part of a number of officers standing atound, when Gen. Grant, looking slowly around and fixing his eye on the spot where the shell struck, asked at once tor a pocket compass, which being furnished, he examined the course of the shell, found out the location of the battery, and it was not long before shells were thick among the men working said battery. Tanning Leather. A party of Illinois politicians visited the headquarters of Gen. Grant when they were located near Vicksburg, and endeavored to obtain his views on the political questions of the day. One of their number was especially earnest in his efforts, and while in the midst of what he considered a very persuasive speech, was interrupted by Gen. Grant, who quietly remarked: “There is no use of talking politics to me. I know nothing about that subject, and, furthermore, I don’t know of any person among my •acquaintances who does. But,” continued he, "there is one subject with which I am perfectly • acquainted; talk of that, and I am your man." “What is that, General?* asked the politician, in surprise. “Tanning leather,” replied Gen. Grant. An Obstinate Man. In the early days of the campaign, Mrs. Grant gave an opinion about Richmond, which was as well founded as that of the General’s father about Vicksburg. Somebody was so good as to express to her a hope that her husband would take Richmond Mrs. Grant observed, with a dry simplicity of phrase that sounded as if she had gone to school to her husband as well as married him: ’* Well, I don't know. I think he may. Mr. Grant always was a very obstinate man!”