Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-01-10
GEN. GRANTS MILITARY CAREER
Bsdsau's New Volume.


From the New York EvsnlngFost.
The public have, for some time, been
aware Of the fact that full and complete
memoir Of the military career OF General
Grant. since the beginning Of the late war,
has been in preparation by member OF
his personal staff. TIE fact that Il was to
be written under the immediate eye Of It's
subject, naturally enhanced the interest
felt In the anticipated work. With the
advance sheets of the first volume before
US, We are able TO inform our readers as TO
the quality OF the book, and 10 form q
pretty fair estimate as 10 the historical
value that will be attached to II when com.
: pleted.
The 6rst paragraph Of the author s
preface sets forth very clearly and forcibly
che grounds on which his book IL entitled
: TO the attention and confidence Of the
public. lie says:
"The fact that became a member OF
General Grants personal staff before he
assumed command Of the armies Of the
United States, and that have since re
maincd with him, Is the voucher that
offer Tor the correctness OF this history. /
have not meant 10 state one fact unless IL
came under my own personal observation,
or has been told me by the General OF the
army, or one Of his important officers, or un-
less know Il from official papers. When
l deviate from this rule, make the deyia-
ton known"
II IL a matter OF course that whatever
documentary information could be availa.
Bile TO anybody has been open 10 Col.
Bsdeau's inspection; that he has had the
- H.. IA. -. al
that, In the preparation OF his maps, he
had the best assistance TO be procured In
the Engineer department Of the service,
and, Ia word. that he has had all the aid
and facilities that any one could have for
bis work. Under such circumstances he
would be stupid, indeed, were he not able
20 prepare . book OF great historical value.
That he has been trusted 80 thoroughly BY
90 excellent judge Of men a. Gen. Grant,
Is the best prima Jacie evidence that ho
had an spiness for bis task.
GRANTS LIFE BEFORE ruE WAR.
Born on the 9Th Of April. 1922. at
Point Pleasant, In Ohio, Hiram Ulysses
Grant entered the Military Academy, at
West Point, In bis seventeenth year,
where he received, through the error of
the Congressman who nominated him, the
name of Ulysses s. Grant. The young
cadet IN vain tried 10 get his baptismal
initials restored, but the ominous ~. s.
!. could not be shaken of, as IL there was an
lfucsuFsiblc destiny about sven 20 small
matter a. this lie military career before
the war Is briefly disposed Of by Colonel
Badcau 10 single page, In 1860 he was
In The leather business. with his brother
aud father, 10 Galens, Illinois. Colonel
Badeau says
Thus whom the civil war broke out,
Grant was private citizen earning his
bread 10 al Insignificant Inland town. Ilo
was OF simple habits aud tastes, without
influence, and unambi,lous. Having nev.
or been brought In contact with men OF
emineDce. be had no personal knowledge
OF great affairs. lie had never comman.
ded more than . company OF soldiers, aud
although he had served under both Scott
aud Taylor, 10 was a. q subaltern, aud
without any opportunity Of intercourse
with those oommsn nders. lilo bad never
voted tor President but once; he knew
no politicians, for bis acquaintance was
limited 10 army officers aud western
trsdefs; even Ia the town where he lived,
he had not met the member of Congress,
who represented the district for niue
successive years, aud who afterwards be-
came one OF his most Intimate personal
friends. Of his four children, the eldest
was eleven years old. lie lived In little
house At the top Of one OF the picturesque
hills on which Galena Is built, aud went
daily 10 the warehouse Of his father aud
brother, where leather was sold by tho
Wholesale and retail lie was thirty. nine
years OF age before his oountrymen became
acquainted with his name"
ms FIRsr COMMISSION.
When the war broke out he offered his
services as an educated soldier, TO the
Government, but no notice was taken Of
the ofier. A singular fact. which we DO
not remember to have heard before, Is that
when Mcclellan, as Major General OF Ohio
volunteers, was organizing troops in that
State, Grant went 10 Cincinnati in the
hope that Mcclellan, as an old army ae-
qnaintanoe, might oiier him a place on his
stah. The modest ex-captain went twice
to see the Major General, but the latter
was mot In, and the former returned 10
Illinois, where q Colonel's commission was
given him by Governor Yates, who had
been aware OF Grants qualities, while
assisting him Ia the organization Of volun.
teer troops. First assigned TO General
Pope, commanding the District Of North
Missouri. be received his commission as
Brigadier General Of Volunteers on the |
7th Of August 1861. For this promotion
he was mainly indebted to Mr.. Il. B.
Washburne, q townsman who had never
exchanged word with him until the fall
of Fort Sumter. From that time, as after
wards with that Of sherman, the names Of
Grant aud Washburne became associated,
until the last aud highest rank in the army
was bestowed on the former at the urgent
request Of the latter. We mention this
merely as showing how firmly the two msn
who knew Grant best-one q civilian, the
other soldier, and both men OF ability
and judgment-adhered to him through
every phase Of q career which had some
pretty dark experiences.
MS FIRST COMMAND.
Grants first command Of any impor-
tsnce was the military district Of South
esstern Missouri, which included what
little foothold no might get in Western
Kentucky aud Tennessee, as we'll rs his
l.. - - - A.