The Portland daily press., 1868-03-12

|
In the last number of the New York Ledge
we ind two interesting letters from j. ]
Grant Esq, father of Gen. Grant. They col
stitute apart OF the series relating 10 the eal
ly lie OF Gen. Grant, and from them we max
the following extracts:
The class which Grant entered at Yves
Point contained elghty-seven members. q
thirty-nine who graduated he stood the TWEEN
ty-firSt. All the Others had enioyed bette
opportunities than he for preparatory studies
and several were graduates OF college befor
they entered West Point. Most Of Grant
| demerits were OF trivial character; such a
not having his coat buttLned, or his shoe
tied right, or something of that kind.
Experience shows how uncertain an indi
cation the rank at the Military Academy at
| lords OF the future success and usefulness o
the officer. The present General Franklin
| graduated at the head OF Chants class; anC
Grant himself predicted TO me, at the begin
Mug OF the rebellion that Franklin would dis
| tinguish himself in the war.
Five OF his class, French, Roger Ripley
Holloway and Gardner, fought on the Con
| federate side in the rebellion.
| Grant graduated in 1913, and entered the
| 4th Regiment of United States Infartrv a:
| Brevet Second Lieutenant. In the fall o
| that year he joined his regiment at Jefferson
| Barracks, Missouri. About tour miles from
the Barracks lived young Dent, a c,assmate to
whom Grant had been very kind at West
Point, and who in return invited him to his
home.
Dent had two unmarried sisters; and to
one OF them Grant became engaged. But
the contamination OF this engagement was
long postponed by the breaking out of the
Mexican war. lie served throughout that
war, and fought in every battle under Gen
erai Taylor, except Buena Vista. Before
that occurred his regiment had been taken
away from Taylor by General Scott.
He was in all SCOTS battles fourteen in
number-in Mexico, and was highly compli-
mented for skill and gallantry, and twice bre-
vetted for meritorious services.
Grant participated in the crownne victory.
the capture OF the city of Mexico, Septem.
Der 18TH and 14th, 1S47; and Major FIancis
Lee, commanding the fourth infantry in that
battle, in bis official report says:
'.At the first barrier the enemy was in
strong force, which rendered it necessary 10
advance with caution. This was done; and
when the bead OF the battalion was within
short musket range of the barrier, Lleuten-
ant Grant, 4th infantry, and Capt. Brooks,
I'd artillery, with few men of their respect
i've regiments, by handsome movement to
the let5, turned the right flank OF the enemy
and the barrier was carried" And he men,
tions Lieutenant Grant as "amonu the most
distinguished tor their zeal ard activity"
While he was gone to the Mexican war, he
wrote home to US often, until they reached
Vera Cruz Then we did not hear fro him
again until they returned there. During
this time his mothers hair turned white from
her anxiety about him.
AT the close of the war he returned home
and was married in 1S4S to Miss Julia 5.
Dent, to whom, as has already been remark
ed, he was engaged before he went to Mexi
co. Her brother, who was his classmate is
now General Dent, and her father, Mr.. Fred
erick Dent, formerly of s.. Louis, now eighty
one years OF. age, resides with General Grant
at Washington.
AT the end OF four years Of unremitting
labor, tinding that farming didn't pay, Grant
concluded 10 quit it, and moved inco ST. Louis
and went into the real estate business with a
man named Boggs. After trying this a few
months, he saw that his profits were not
sufficient to support two families, and he told
his partner, "Yos may take the whole or
this, and III look up something else to do"
He next obtained place in the custom
house, which he held for about two months,
when the collector who appointed him died,
and he lett.
l owned a leather store at Galena. ILL.,,
| which was conducted by my teo other sons
Grant went to Galena and Joined them in
| that.
lie took right hold OF the business with his
| accustomed industry, and was very good
salesman. He had a faculty to entertain peo
PIE in conversation, although he talked but
little hiraseH .Rnt he never would take any
pains to extend his acquaintance In Galena
and alter he ioined the army, and had be yun
| to be distinguished, cTITZeis vi sno ~ soS so,
| would step in front of our store, within six
| feet of the windows, aud look in to see which
of the Grants it was that was absent and hat
| suddenly become famous.
After the tall ot Fort Sumter, Grant wrote
to me at Coyington, asking me if did no
think, as he had been educated at the ex
pense OF the government, he had better go in
TO the army? | wrote back that though
he had better. But before he received IN,
answer, and within six days after the fall O
Fort Sumter, he was drilling a company.
This company offered to elect him captain
but a gentleman who desired higher militia
ry position, and thought this would serve a.
stepping stone to it, frankly confessed hi;
aspirations to Grant. who told him that h,
should not be candidate himself, and alsC
told the company he should decline; but ht
agreed to go with them to Springfield, tn
capital of the State.
On this mission he was accompanied by tn
Hon. Z. b. Washburne, the Representative il
Congress from the Galena district, who in
troduced him to Gov. Yates, the GoveIno
of the State. Mr.. Yates did not appear t
| take much notice of him at the time; but
day or two afterwards sent for him and aske
him:
"Do you understand how many men
takes to make company? And how man
to make regiment? And what officers eac
must have?
"Oh, yes,' replied Grant, Il understand a
about such matters: was educated at We.
Point and served eleven years in the regul;
army"
"Well them" said the Governor, II wal
J. you to take chair, here in my office, as A
jutant-General of the State.'
Grant remained in this capacity sever
weeks, when he made short visit TO US
7 Covington. While he was absent fro
Springfield, Mr.. Burk, a young man employt
in our house at Galena, called ON Gov. Yate
and in the course OF the interview, the Go
: ernor said to him:
''Wh 1t kind of a man is this Grant? Il
has been educated at West Point and says l
, wants to go into the army; several regimen
, have offered to elect him colonel, but he say
/. MOI and declines to be a candidate. VIII;
Y does he want?'
8 You see, Governor" says Burk, "Gra
!, has only served in the regular army, whe
they have no elections, but officers are pr
e NOTED according to their seniority. VIII;
ever place you want him Tor, just appoint bi
: without consulting him beforehand, and v
;, will find he will accept whatever he is a
pointed to"
/ Acting on this suggestion, the Govern
II telegraphed to me that he had appoint
4 Ulysses Colonel OF the 51st. Illipois lniantI
g But Grant had LETT for Springfield before &
u te egram was received, by way ct rerre Hau
G where REYNOLDS favorite clas Smate of b
II was living. On his arrival at Springfield
o was notified OF his appointment, and assum
command ofhis regiment, VIII ch entered
7 once into active service in Missouri, und
n BrigadIer-General Pope.
r. At the beginning OF the war, Grant,
4 rather Mrs. Grant, owned three very like
y slaves in Missouri; but he lold them befo
e any Proclamation of Emancipation was
J sued to go free and look out for theuselv
i The history of General Grants subseaue
- military career, Of his great Western a
y Eastern campaigns, and OF his respective D
u motions up To his present rank, is pa' I
Il the familiar history of the country; and
not propo>e TO enter upon that. When
u great outcry was made against him after
) battle ct Pittsburg Landing, one OF his a
y wrote several letters in his de ence, and 81
is them to me for publication. published o
r which seemed to have very salutary eff
- on public sentiment in this part of the cot
9 try but as soon as General Grant learned
III it, he telegraphed me not to publish any me
h General Grant wrote to me once from I
n West, during the year, that the Goyernmt
had asked a good deal of him, but they D
iS never asked any more than he felt INNS
Us equal to. He always wrote in good spirits
h On his way to Washington to take co
, mand OF the Army of the POTOMAC, ne ST.