The vagaries of life and war can be fascinating. As I noted in an earlier blog, "what if..."
Many generals and other commanders died on the field of battle. Albert Sidney Johnston, for whom my junior high school in Houston was named, died at Shiloh. Sherman was shot twice, in a hand and shoulder, with a third bullet passing through his hat. He also had several horses shot from under him. But Sherman, of course, lived to be a decisive factor in the war.
Grant was scouting an area unaware of any troops when confederate musketry opened up and several bullets whizzed past his ear. One also struck the metal scabbard of his sword nearly severing it. But Grant was untouched.
Grant was susceptible to "consumption" (tuberculosis) which ran in his family. As a teen he had not desired to go to West Point and did not relish army life. (In fact, in 1839 there was a congressional bill to abolish West Point. Grant read of it with interest and favor, figuring this was his honorable way to get a discharge!) After his graduation, his goal was to teach at West Point. But with the Mexican War brewing and the circumstances of his regiment he knew he would never get the appointment. Rather he was assigned to Texas and spent a lot of time outdoors - until the cough he had acquired at West Point disappeared. "I have often thought that my life was saved, and my health restored, by exercise and exposure, enforced by an administrative act, and a war, both of which I disapproved."
April 14, 1865. Lincoln invited Grant and his wife to accompany him to Ford's theater for the play. Grant replied that he would be pleased to, but that if he got his work finished early enough, he was anxious to get away and see his children. Grant did finish and was switching trains in Philadelphia when he got word of the shooting of the President.
# posted by Randy @ 10:12 AM
