Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 August 1894 — A Story Lincoln Told Grant. [ARTICLE]

A Story Lincoln Told Grant.

McClure s Magazine. Chronologically the talk had cbme to G rant’s journey East to assume general command,and his first meeting with Lincoln. “Did he give you his impression of Lincoln when he returned from that interview?” I asked. “Not exactly, ' answered Colonel Gran t. “You see, 1 was with him at the time.” "In Washington?” “Yes; in Washington and in the White House—with him and Lincoln.” "Is it true that Lincoln quoted a story about Captain Bob Shorty and the Mackerel Brigade from the Orpheus C. Kerr papers to your father at the meeting?” I asked. “Very likely; though I don’t remember. The story that I do remember hearing him tell my father that day was about Jocko. JockJ was the commander of the army ol monkeys in a monkey war and he was always sure that if his tail was a little longer he could end the monkey war. So he kept asking the authorities of the monkey republii for more of a tail. They got other monkey tails and spliced them oq, his. His spliced tail got too long tc drag after him, and they wound it around his body. Still he wanted more, and they wound his spliced tail around his shoulders. Finally it got so heavy that it broke his back. Mr. Lincoln applied the story to the case of generals who were always calling for more men and never die anything with them. They talkec about the campaign, but in a desul tory way. I remember Mr. Lincolr saying. ’I don't give many military orders. Some of those I do give 1 know are wrong. Sometimes I think that all of them are wrong."