The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-08-25
Friday Morning, August 25, 1866.
GENERAL GRANT AT HOME.

N@-S-@A@
4 Galena (In.) correspondent of the New
York tribune gives the following account o.
the early home and history of Gen. Grant:
Il have wonderful and true story 10 tell
Galena has about 5000 inhabitants. 1t is six
teen miles from Dunleith, on the Mississippi
the terminus Of the main line of the Illinoi
Central, and is on this road. In very early
day lead first was discovered here by the In,
dians, who wanted il for bullets. They had q
ruoe way Of smelling it. As the country set
tied, miners came in, and the town began tc
grow. The river, Which is navigable, is Dor.
dered with many nils, here the lead is found
everywhere one sees dirt thrown up. either re
centiy or long ago. In other letters I viii
speak at large OF these mines iol Is 81 d
The town is on both sides of the river
Maill-streetis about a mile long, but it is SC
crooked one can see ahead but a short distance.
Back of this street, and 2U0 feet above it, are
very many handsome residences, and across
the river are other streets, broken by hills and
gulleys. Sometimes there is a pretty street.
shaded with trees, only few rods long. On
such one is the residence of the Hon. E. b.
WaShbuTn. Some Of these residences are
beautifully located on hills and ON the edge "a
craggy precipices, where one has fine views
Gaena is a port of entry. There is a fine
Custom-House, which cost $4,000. 1t is most
About fifteen years ago Gen. Grants father
established leather house here, under the
firm oi Collins & Co. The leather was tan
ned at Coyington, Kentucky, and sent hithe1
The firm did well, and it is understood made
a fortune. The firm was dissolved, and son
cane ON TO conduct the business, but in aboul
two years he died of consumption. He wa
well liked, and was an excellent business man.
Meanwhile Ulysses Grant having GRADUATED
at rest Point, went into the Mexican war
where he distinguished himself in every bat
tie except one, when he was not present, thai
was FOUGHT, thence he went TO Oregon, and
acted as Captain in the Quartermaster's De.
partment. 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 hauling wood to market,
himself driving his own oxen. sdl -
On the death of his brother, his father en-
gagged him to come hither, and take charge o.
the store. Now come to mention things ney-
er before related. have to tell a hard story.
Statements previously made about Gen. Gran
viii be blown away. Many young man OIL
reading what follows will be encouraged -
gather my account from the most Trustworthy
sources. aft sa~7fi.f
Capt. Grant, as he was called, found the al
fairs of the concern in great disorder, but he
went to work, and, in three weeks, had every
ssn, ana generally more or less hired men. AS
this was the only establishment of the kind il
the place, the trade of which is large, there
was much business to do. Capt. Grant wa
not remarkable as salesman, but he was gooG
to oversee and tomanage. Generally, he boughi
the hides as they were brought to the store III
country wagons He took them in himself
That he might not dirty his clothes, he had
short leather apron, which he always wore
Those. not acquainted mistook him for the pol
ter In this way, here in the city Of Galena,
he toiled on for two long years. lie was enlr
ployed at $40 a month. rhe intention on the
oart of his father was, after while, to estab-
lish him in the business, but he was expected
to live on $3.50 year. To do this, and olive
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.
presume it would be easy to number his asso-
ciates on ones fingers. 1 have heard business
men say that they never heard of him till he
was put in command at Cairo. On his arriyal
here to-day, the vast majority of the citizens
of Galena are able to recognize him only by
his portraits, and yet this is the only home he
has.
A few know him intimately. Among these
was III. II. houghton, editor of The GdLen0
Gazette for over thirty years. Mr.. Houghton
learned most of the Captain from his father,
and he came to admire and respect him
in fact, he had'studied him. Hon. E. b. Wash
burn partly knew him, and became one of the
best friends he had on earth.
EAThose two years were years of trial and dis
colragement In fact, the captain came hith=.
er from st. Louis in great degree dishearten-
ell. still he would not give up. He is describ-
ed as a broken-doWn man. This anecdote is
related: During the great depreciation in cur
rency. Capt. Grant bought pork of the farmers
to send on East to get New York exchange
One day some farmers sold him their pork;
they inquired where they could get gold: they.
must have it to pay taxes. The clerk in the
house would sel it for a certain figure; Capt
Grant said he believed this was too much; he
did not know exactly whatit ought to be, but
he advised them to go to the bank and inquire.
The result was that the farmers saved S12.-
That was the style of the man.
At this time Capt Grant was drawing be-
yond his expenses, though this was not ascer-
tanned till the end of the year, He could not
live on $40. month. He eseldom went abroad.
A few friends he visited; here he would sit and
smoke his pipe His conversation was varied;
but he hke6 totalk on the Mexican War. Most
lyhe was man ofsilence. Mr.. WashbuIn tells
me that he seemed 10 him to be thinking on
some abstract subject, and that he took him
TO be thcughtful, reflective and large-minded
man. Such being his condition, one is remind
eu OF the case OF Frederick the Great during
the years ne was banished by his father. But
in whatever makes a man, Grant. the Ameri-
can Hero, lar excels. win say here, that he
always was temperate, and every way correct
in his behavior.
Amonth or so before the Fort Sumter o,A-
race. and afterWard, Capt. Grant was uneasv
He walked in the streets, and to and fro in
tbs store. saving nothing, and apparently in q
trouble,l stata OF mind About those da vs. the
Douclas Guard organized in the city to coun
teract the Lineoln-W -Wide-Awakes, and Capt.
Grant. as a military man was appointed order
Y sergeant. His reply was that captain in
lhe United States Infantry was not the one
to take such position. He dld not go near
them. He meddled SO little with politics that
it is to this day unknown whether he voted
for Lincoln or Douglas. 8
AT last war came, a war meeting was held,
and Capt. Grant was appointed Chairman D.
Then he went to Mr.. WashbuTn and said he
had been educated at West Point at the ex-
pense OF the Government; he had resigned,
expecting never to serve again, but now he Of
fered 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 corner are djsre
gaTded. 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. Washburn urged Capt. Grant to
go down and offer his services. He wouId helm
him all he could. The Captain went down.
and after some delay he was set to work draw
ing up and copying papers. After while he