1908 article "When Grant was a Colonel"

[Glorybound]

http://www.oldmagazinearticles.com/pdf/CW colonel.pdf

 

[ole]

Thanks for that. I found it interesting that two of the "quotes" attributed to him are mentioned in this article: the one about "had I known ..." and the other about learning that the foe was as afraid of his as much as he was afraid of them.

The first stops at a Democrat Party talking-points manual and the second is usually attributed to him having said it after the Battle of Belmont.

 

[prroh]

Wonder if this was the genesis of the so-called quote about Grant would have fought for the south if he knew that freeing the slaves was a goal. This article says that others reported that COL Grant was trying to calm the fears of Southern sympathizers and told them (unnamed people, but not the author of the article), that if the war was MERELY about freeing the slaves, he would have gone south.

Since the author is reporting hearsay, whether Grant actually used those words is questionable.

Grant may only have said such words to calm the frightened southerners.

The use of the word MERELY suggests that Grant was telling them that there were other issues that were larger than slavery involved.
Quite a different context from the so-called quote that has appeared on so many neo-Confederate web sites.

 

[OpnCoronet]

'Sam' Grant was, usually, hard to find in a crowd. Early, in his career he was better known for what he did, rather than what he said.

 

[ole]

The subject quote appeared well before 1907, so it can't be assumed that the article is the precursor. The author was assembling an article.

 

[prroh]

The subject quote appeared well before 1907, so it can't be assumed that the article is the precursor. The author was assembling an article.

When was that? I have seen it so many times I can't recall when it was alleged to have been quoted. A source would also help. Thanks

 

[ole]

My only sources are what has been posted. Somewhere in the archives is a specific about a Democrat talking points memo, when Grant was in contention for the presidencey. The quote had been traced to there and there is nothing before that.

That is where it is at. It migt well predate the manual, but it really doesn't sound like Grant, does it? Grant might have picked up his sword in the cause of the south? Doesn't work.

 

[ole]

A source would also help.

C'mon. You've been aboard long enough to know that I work off what I remember. And what I remember, is what I've read somewhere at some point in time. I have no idea where I read it, I just did. I'm really careful about saying it's true just because. I do remember what I read; I just disrecall where I read it and when. And in what.

 

[prroh]

C'mon. You've been aboard long enough to know that I work off what I remember. And what I remember, is what I've read somewhere at some point in time. I have no idea where I read it, I just did. I'm really careful about saying it's true just because. I do remember what I read; I just disrecall where I read it and when. And in what.

In other words, you don't know if a similar "quote " predates this, but it was a nice sound bite. I read the "quote" dozens of times myself but haven't put a date on the original.

 

[prroh]

In other words, you don't know if a similar "quote " predates this, but it was a nice sound bite. I read the "quote" dozens of times myself but haven't put a date on the original.

Sounded a little more strident then I meant. Just trying to put a date on this "quote". Memory just doesn't work in this case. Seems I recall some person's third hand account, of equal dubious provenance.

 

[ole]

Dig in the archives and that is where it stops. No one I know of has predated it to someone who actually heard him say it.

I can be wrong and often am. But, to date, that is the first recorded mention, and ir is unverified. If there is another site out there, I would be glad to hear it.

 

[prroh]

Dig in the archives and that is where it stops. No one I know of has predated it to someone who actually heard him say it.

I think the ball is in your court for digging as you made the claim. The thread, as I recall, was by some minister, who was giving an account that he claims someone told him of a conversation, many years after the fact. That account was not credible.

But did it predate 1907?

 

[ole]

All I'm informed of, Prroh, is that the "If I had known .........." quote has been traced bak to an opposition parties talking points document not in favor of Grant's presidency. The trail ends there. possibly by someone who said Grant said. You know that isn't rock hard evidence that he did.

It is quite specious in what you know what Grant said and felt, and tha he'd never fight for the Confederacy. For Grant, whatever his feelings about theConfederacy or slavery, he was in the fight to win. What his mitivation wask we can''t know. But it seems obvious.

 

[larry_cockerham]

Ulysses Grant didn't want to enter the war any more than anyone else. He was dragged kicking and screaming back into the service. Once there, he decided to fight like a soldier and go for a win. He did.

 

[prroh]

All I'm informed of, Prroh, is that the "If I had known .........." quote has been traced bak to an opposition parties talking points document not in favor of Grant's presidency. The trail ends there. possibly by someone who said Grant said. You know that isn't rock hard evidence that he did.

A bell is starting to go off about this first coming from his presidential campaign. The original quote in this thread about Grant not fighting for the Union if the war was MERELY about slavery, puts an entirely different light on the "quote".

 

[prroh]

Ulysses Grant didn't want to enter the war any more than anyone else. He was dragged kicking and screaming back into the service. Once there, he decided to fight like a soldier and go for a win. He did.

Grant was so anxious to get into the war that he initially served without pay to drill recruits. He was far from reluctant.

 

[ole]

Being a colonel beats the hell out of being a clerk in one's brothers store.

 

[larry_cockerham]

Grant was so anxious to get into the war that he initially served without pay to drill recruits. He was far from reluctant.

Is my old brain confusing him with Sherman? If so, another sr. moment for which I apologize in the good general's behalf.

 

[larry_cockerham]

Being a colonel beats the hell out of being a clerk in one's brothers store.

We had a local fella (if you count Memphis as local, which is pushing it) who became a colonel, but he had to buy everyone a horse and gun. Guess he didn't like farming.

 

[ole]

Another attempt to infuse a thread with Nathon Forrest. Stop it!