The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-02
Familiar History of Gen. Grant.

.
few years previous to the war when he
had his residence in that place. The &C.
count is very interesting and its truth is
vouched for: , t.,.3
| about fifteen years ago Gen. Grants
father established a leather house here,
under the firm of Collins & Co. The
leather was tanned at Covingtof, Ken
lucky, and sent hither. The firm did
well, and it is understood made for
tune. The firm was dissolved, and son
came on to conduct the business, but in
/ about two years he died of consumption.
He was we'll liked and was an excellent
| business man.
Meanwhile, Ulysses Grant, having
graduated at West Point, went into the
| Mexican war, where he distinguished
| himself in every battle except one, when
he was not present, that was fought
| thence he went to Oregon, and acted as
Captain in the Quartern1aster's Depart
ment. Eleven years since he resigned
| his commission and went to ST Louis,
| where he had some interest in piece of
| land, and / was told he engaged in haul
wood to market, himself driving his
own oxen. a
On the death of his brother his father
1
charge of the store. Now / come to
mention things never before related.
have to tell hard story. Statements
previously made about Gen. Grant will
be blown away. Many young man on
reading what follows will be encouraged.
I gather my account from the most trust
worthy sources.
Capt. Grant, as he was called, found
the affairs of the concern in. great disor-
der, but he went to work, and in three
weeks had everything straight. There
was one clerk besides himself, and gen
orally more or less hired men. As this
was the only establishment of the kind
in the place, the trade of which is large,
there was much business to do. Capt.
Grant wasnot remarkable as salesman,
but he was good to oversee and to man
age. Generally he bought the hides as
: they We're brought to the store i'm coun-
try wagons. He took them in himself
: That he might not dirty his clothes, he
= had short leather apron, which he al
| ways wore Those not acquainted mis-
/ took him for the porter. In this way,
!, here in the city of Galena, he toiled on
for two long years. He was employed
at $40 month. The intention on the
part of his father was, after while, to
establish him in the business, but he was
expected to live on $3.50 a year. To do
this, and to live in society, is impossible.
Everything must be cheap and plain.
Sometimes his wife had hired girl, but
usually she did her own work.
. During these two years, Capt. Grant
. made very few acquaintance. There
| were plenty of business men on the street
: | who did not know him. and who never
heard his name spoken. l presume il
! | would be easy to number his associates
/ on ones fingers. / have heard business
} men say that they never heard of him
! till he was put in command at Cairo.
, Those two years were years of trial
, and encouragement. In fact, the Cap
tain came hither from st. Louis in a
great degree disheartened still he would
not give up. He is described as a bro
ken-down man. At this time Captain
Grant was drawing beyond his expenses,
though this was not ascertained till the
end of the year. He could not live on
$40 a.month. He seldom went abroad.
A few near neighbors were all he visit
ed; here he would sit and smoke his
| pipe. His conversation was varied, but
he liked to talk on the Mexican War.
Mostly he was man Of silence. Mr..
Washburne tells me that he seemed to
him to be thinking on some abstract sub
ject, and that he took him to be thought
full, reflective and large-minded man.
Such being bis condition, one is remind
ed of the case of Frederick the Great
during the years he was banished by his
father But in whatever makes a man,
Grant, the American Hero, far excels.
I will say here that he always was tenn,
perate, and every way correct in his be-
havior.
A month or so before the Fort Sumter
outrage, and afterward, Captain Grant
was uneasy. He walked through the
streets, to and fro in the store, saying
nothing, and apparently was in trou-
the Douglas Guard organized in the city
to counterfeit the Lincoln Wide-Awakes,
and Captain Grant, as military man,
was appointed orderly sergeant. His
reply was, that captain in the United
States Infantry was not the one to take
such a position. He did not go near
them, He meddled so little with poll
ties. that it is to this day unknown |
whether he voted for Lincoln or Douglas. |
At last the war came; war meeting |
was held, and Capt. Grant was appoint
ed Chairman. Then he went to Mr..
| Washburne and said he had been educa-
ted at West Point at the expense of the
Government, he had resigned expecting
l never 10 serve puc hc" nv OhhOiCA
his services for what they were worth.
| a company was raised in the town, and
under his direction it was equipped and
sent to Cairo.
Galena is in the Northwest part of the
state. Sometimes the wants of this cor
ner are disregarded. At Springfield
there is always ring of politicians who
| are anxious to provide for their set. 1t
| is difficult to do anything with them.
| Mr.. Washburne urged Captain Grant to
go down and offer his services. Hewould
help him all he could. The Captain
went down, and after some delay he was
set to work drawing up and copying pa
pers. After while he told them thew
could get somebody TO do such work as
well as he for dollar day. 1t was not
in his line to be kept in a corner at a
desk, seeing nobody and doing so little.
He was met coldly, nobody knew him,
nobody cared for him. Other persons
| then took an interest in him, among
| them Mr.. Houghton and Mr.. Mcclellan,
President of the bank here. The latter
in particular pressed the Captains.
claims. f..
| Then he was appointed anaid of COY.
Yates, and directed to hunt up the STATE
arms. He found about 1900 rusty mus
kets. He also mustered in men. oun,
SO many were his discourageme ~, anu