waiting for an opportunity to show that this was a fighting force
with no nonsense about it. The opportunity came sooner than he
expected, for about two weeks after he had assumed command, his
regiment was ordered to northern Missouri, and a railroad official
called at his camp to inquire how many cars he would need for
the transportation of his men. "I don't want any," was the bluff
response; and, to the astonishment of the local authorities who,
at that period of the war, never dreamed of moving troops except
by rail or river, the energetic Colonel assembled his regiment
in marching order and started it at a brisk pace straight across
country.

But, though he had moved with such commendable promptness, Grant
was not nearly so confident as his actions seemed to imply. In
fact, before he reached his destination, he heartily wished himself
back again, and by the time he arrived at the point where the enemy
was expected his nerves were completely unstrung. It was not the
fright of cowardice that unmanned him, but rather the terror of
responsibility. Again and again he had braved death in battle but
now, for the first time, the safety of an entire regiment depended
solely upon him as he approached the summit of the hill from which
he expected to catch sight of his opponents he dreaded to fight
them, lest he prove unequal to the emergency. But, while he was
tormenting himself with this over-anxiety, he suddenly remembered
that his opponent was just as new at his duties as he was and
probably quite as nervous, and from that moment his confidence
gradually returned. As a matter of fact, Colonel Harris, who
commanded the Confederate force, displayed far more prudence than
valor, for, on hearing of the advance of the Union troops, he
speedily retreated and the 21st Illinois encountered no opposition