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[24] was fired upon, and a few days after was captured. Then the President issued a call for 75,000 men. “There was not a State in the North of a million inhabitants,” says Grant, “that would not have furnished the entire number faster than arms could have been supplied to them, if it had been necessary.” As soon as news of the call for volunteers reached Galena, where Grant lived, the citizens were summoned to meet at the Court House in the evening. The Court House was crammed. Grant, though a comparative stranger, was called upon to preside, because he had been in the army, and had seen service. “With much embarrassment and some prompting, I made out to announce the object of the meeting.” Speeches followed; then volunteers were called for to form the company which Galena had to furnish. The company was raised, and the officers and non-commissioned officers were elected, before the meeting adjourned. Grant declined the captaincy before the balloting but promised to help them all he could, and to be found in the service, in some position, if there should actually be war. “I never,” he adds, “went into our leather store after that meeting, to put up a package or do other business.” After seeing the company mustered at Spring.
Boston. De Wolfe, Fiske &c Co. 361 and 365 Washington Street. 1888.
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