The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-08-15
Lieut.. Gen Grant, q. s. A.
WRITTEN ron TUE METROPOLITAN RECORD.
BIZ TIE MODERN rLCTARcH.

biographies of our hero which have recent
ly issued from the press, am able to say
little Of the early part of his life. Those
who maintain that genius displays itself
even in the childhood GIFTS possessors will
be glad to learn tina. the first part of his
life had at lea. one property of sublimity
for such, say writers on tas'e, is obscure
ty. Let the above sentence he thought to
imply that he was once child, though this
many persons have the malice and audacity
to sert. But these must be regarded as
traitors, as we'll as those who say that he
is flesh and blood, like common mortals.
/ will refute the first assertion by calling
attention to the difference between red
faced baby or snub-nosed boy and Lieu
tenant General, U. S. A., resplendent with
glory, gold lace and brass buttons. The
other is as easily disproved, for who does
not know that flesh and blood could not
have endured the amount of hand shaking,
not to mention other labor of the same
kind, which our hero had to undergo on his
celebrated tour of exhibition?
His first exploit of note was the battle
of Belmont, If any Of my readers doubt
that he here gained a victory, let them
reed his official report. We next hear Of
him at Fort Donelson. The modesty for
which he is SO famed displays itself con.
spicuously in his report Of the capture OF
this place; fer although his troops vastly
outpumbered the enemy, yet he not only
retrained from Boosting of this fact, but
even generously stated the rebel force to
have been larger than it really waa. He
encountered the enemy again at Shiloh,
and would probably have gained com
plete victory if they had not driven him
nearly Into the Tennessee River. He has
shown himself to be superior to such a
petty feeling as gratitude, by attacking the
character of General Buel whose timely
arrival IN this battlefield saved his army
from destruction. He next besieged
Coriuth. Here he showed in an eminent
degree his noted trait, modesty, by not en-
terlng the rebel works until several days
after they were evacuated.
He seems to have appreciated the fact
that success is not complete until it's fruits
IRE secured, for he spent the ensuing sum-
mer in converting the rebeIlious inhabi-
tants Especially the horses, mules. econ
traband !" and cotton) of the overrun coun-
try to Unionism. The next winter he ex-
pressed his determination to force his way
to jackson. Though not entirely success
'ul, he caused that place to be reached by
portion of his command, which took pos
session of and held the rebel prisons.
When Van Dorm made his raid on Holly
Springs, the rebels showed their want Of
respect for private property by burning
hundred thousand dollars worth Of cotton
which General Gran, had kindly h rored
the neighboring planters by accepting, con.
siderately anticipating their wishes, and
saving them from the troubl of offering it
by taking it without waiting for them to do
50. Knowing that he could not replace it
in locality where his army had spent the
summer, he moved with lis force to the
Mississippi River.
Soon afterwards he commenced the siege
of Vicksburg. In this he gained imperish-
able lame BY Smelling the city without
warning, thus inf1icting terrible punishment
on the rebels for having dared to war
against "the best government the world
ever saw" The women and children in the
place qnaied in terror before his puissance,
as his whistling missiles fell fast into the
streets. This evidence Of merit could not
escape the appreciative observation of the
universal Yankee nation" He became
the hero-the idol Of the people. The
President, in every respect the representa-
tive Of the nation, wrot. him letter com.
plimenting him, made him Lieutenant
General, and with intended, but mis-
taken kindness placed him in command
of the Army Of the Potomac. / say
mistaken Kindness, because it was cast
ing pearls before swine to send him to
deal with rebels who, unable to appre-
ciate the brilliancy Of his plans continu-
ally thwarted them. However, he was
enabled to display his patriotism by
prodigally shedding his bleed Tor rath-
er that Of his soldiers, but I'm not dis
posed to make hairbreadth distinctions)
on every battlefield. How we'll he
justified the opinion Of the President
and the people is shown BY the cele-
brated order which Sheridan issued by
his authority for spppressing the re-
bellion in tho Valley. His soldiers
should certainly be thankful to him for
providing homes In the invaded terri
tory for SO many Of them !; and we can
not but admire bis skill in melting them
to deeds Of daring, by giving these
homes TO none but the dead.
On the close Of the war his love for
his country and its citizens caused him
to traverse the land for the purposes Of
gratuitously exhibiting himself to all
who wished to see him. He was not
even deferred from this laudable under
taking by the traitorous and dastardly
attempt Of an escaped confederate Of
Booths 10 wiring off his hand. He has
since deeked his brow with unfading
laurels by supprsssing several disloyal
newspapers.
Although the confession will detract
very much from the popularity Of this
sketch, ! am obliged TO say that l am
unable to inform my readers what sa-
loon he patronizes, who is his barber,
and what be thinks ofthe latest fash
ions. Being unacQuainted with these
important matters, ] will not attempt
to sum up his character. But cannot
forbear saying that even as bis early
days possessed one property Of sublim-
ity, 30 the rest Of bis life abounds in
indications Of a quality which Burke
says is removed from the sublime by
only one step. Unjust also add that he
deserves to be ever regarded with feel
ipgs OF admiration and gratitude-by
the makers of cotBns and artificial
limbs.
WHAT is LIFE 1.-The mere lapse OF years
i not Lille. 10 eat.and drink. and sleep
to be exposed 10 dOIkp IS and the light
to pace ro I'D in the mill ofhsbits, a d turn
bought into m implement Of t,ade-t il