Fred Grant wound at Big Black River

matesich

Cadet
Joined
Sep 24, 2016
Hello all. I just joined and this is my first post. I've been researching Ulysses Grant and wanted more information on the wounding of his son Fred at the Battle of Big Black River. Fred Grant himself later described the wound, which was to his leg, as minor (making fun of himself for thinking himself killed). I was wondering if anyone knows more details on the severity of the wound, specifically, was the ball lodged in his leg? Knicked it? And whether he was treated by a surgeon after?
 
Welcome to CivilWarTalk from Wet Texas!

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Hello! Welcome.

As I understand it, Fred was difficult to control and often went where his father specifically told him not to go - such as riding with Union cavalry over the enemy's works! Not the place for a kid. He was watching the Confederates retreat across the river when one of them turned and shot at him, giving him a slight but painful graze in the leg. An officer came up and Fred announced he was killed but the officer said to wiggle his toes. He could and so was sent back to the hospital. Everything seemed to be ok until a few days later when the wound became infected and the doctor began to be concerned it might require amputation. Fortunately, Fred's body fended off the infection and he retained his leg. (And, hopefully, he remembered to mind Pa a little better!)
 
Hello matesish. Welcome to CivilWarTalk.

I wasn't aware of Fred Grant's wound, but I'm not surprised.
He was with the first troops to enter the State Capitol building in Jackson. He even took away a souvenir.

Union forces quickly moved into the city. Members of the fifty-ninth Indiana placed a United States flag on the Old Capitol dome and stayed overnight to prevent it from being disturbed. One interesting story concerning the Union army’s entry into the city occurred when Fred Grant, the Union general’s son who traveled with the army, entered the Old Capitol and found a pipe still lighted, in the governor’s office.

He confiscated it for his “own individual use.”

https://www.mdah.ms.gov/oldcap/CWandOCM213.pdf
 
And when Julia finished with them both... also, welcome to the forum from Alabama.

Julia didn't know about it! Grant didn't tell her and when she visited a couple weeks later, Fred was with an uncle in Missouri. Curiously, Grant didn't pay much attention to Fred's injury but in later years Fred said the area of the leg where he was shot, which was the thigh, was 'paralyzed' and caused him problems off and on for the rest of his life.

Hello matesish. Welcome to CivilWarTalk.

I wasn't aware of Fred Grant's wound, but I'm not surprised.
He was with the first troops to enter the State Capitol building in Jackson. He even took away a souvenir.

Union forces quickly moved into the city. Members of the fifty-ninth Indiana placed a United States flag on the Old Capitol dome and stayed overnight to prevent it from being disturbed. One interesting story concerning the Union army’s entry into the city occurred when Fred Grant, the Union general’s son who traveled with the army, entered the Old Capitol and found a pipe still lighted, in the governor’s office.

He confiscated it for his “own individual use.”

https://www.mdah.ms.gov/oldcap/CWandOCM213.pdf

:laugh: A little looting, eh!

It's a little interesting, but Willie got a similar graze in the leg, too - lower calf. Somebody found Forrest in the field - I don't remember the battle - and he immediately rode to the rear to see about his son. He checked it out, checked the kid out and said you ain't hurt! Willie hopped on his horse and went back to fighting. He was 16, though, and there's a big difference between 12 and 16!
 
Here is a remarkable article written in 1912 right after Fred Grants death. It tells he his exploits with his father in the civil war as a child. He had a remarkable advantages for a kid.... link.... right link this time...

http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/Frederick_Dent_Grant_at_Vicksburg_Civil_War_Battle_pdf
Thanks for the link. I've read the account before and have always wondered if his reference to "squabs" meant chickens. I don't know, were they hunting pigeons or doves with shotguns? I've never come across any accounts of folks back then raising pigeons in central Mississippi.

I could be wrong. I've just assumed "chickens". What do you folks think?!!
 
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