Weekly Trinity journal., 1868-04-18
The Early Life Of General Grant.
BY HIS FATHER.

| BY HIS FATHER.
The class which Grant entered at West Point
contained eighty-seven members. Of thirty
nine who graduated he stood the twenty-frst
All the others had enjoyed better opportunities
than he for preparatory studies; and several
were graduates of college before they entered
West Point. Most of Grants dement's OF
a trivial character, such as not having his coat
buttoned, or his shoes tied right, or something
of that kind.
Il SOME OF HIS CLASSMATES.
Experience shows how uncertain an indication
the rank at the Military Academy affords of the
future success and usefulness of the officer. The
present General Franklin graduated at the head
of Grants class and Grant himself predicted
to me- at the beginning of the rebellion, that
Franklin would distinguish himself in the war.
Five of his class, French, Roger, Ripley, Hol-
loway and Gardner, fought on the Confederate
side in the rebellion.
GRANTS EARLY MILITARY LIFE.
Grant graduated in l843, and entered the 4th
Regiment of the United States Infantry as Brevet
Second Lieutenant. In the Fall of that year he
Joined his regiment at Jefferson Barracks, Mis-
souri,. About four miles from the Barracks
lived Young Dent a classmate 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 con-
summation of this engagement was long post
poned by the breaking out of the Mexican war.
He served throughout that war, and fought IN
every battle under General Taylor, except Buena
Vista Before that occurred his regiment had
been taken away from Taylor by General Scott.
He was in all Scott's battles-fourteen in num-
ber-in Mexico, and was highly complimented
for his skill and gallantry, and twice breveted
for meritorious services. Grant participated IN
the crownng victory, the capture OF the city OF
Mexico, September 18th and l4th, ls47 and
Major Francis Lee, commanding the fourth IN
fantry in the BIZ tile, in his official report says =
GO At the first barrier the enemy was in strong
force, which rendered it necessary to advance
with caution. This DONE and when the
head of the battalion was within short musket
range of the barrier, Lieutenant Grant, 4th in
fantry, and Captain Brooks, I'd artillery, with a
few men of their respective regiments, by a
handsome movement to the left, turned the right
flank of the enemy, and the barrier was carried
And he mentions Lieutenant Grant as among
the most distinguished for their zeal and activ-
ity."
) wrote home to US often, until they reached Vera
Cruz Then we did not hear from him again
, until they returned there. During this time his
mothers hair turned white from her anxiety
about him.
LIEUTENANT GRANT BECOMES BENEDICT.
At the close of the war he returned home, and
was married in l94S to Miss Julia S. Dent, to
engaged before he went to Mexico Her brother
who was his classmate, is now General Dent ;
and her father, Mr.. Frederick Dent, formerly of
St. Louis, now eighty-one years of age, resides
with General Grant at Washington.
The regiment to which Grant belonged was
stationed on the lake shore, with headquarters
at Detroit He was Quartermaster. Subse-
quently they were removed to Sacketts Harbor,
where thev remained for sometime and then to
Governors Island-for only few days, how
ever.
CAPTAIN GRANT ON THE PACIFIC COAST
In 1852 they were ordered nominay to Cali
fornia, but really to Oregon. They made scarce
ly any stop in California, but proceeded on to
Astoria. Grant was obliged to leave his family
consisting of his wife and little child-behlnd.
They came to house, where, soon AFTER his
second child was born.
In 1853 be was promoted to full captaincy,
the rank which he had held by brevet before,
and assigned to the command of company
away in the interior of Oregon. In 1854, seeing
no prospect of having his family with him If he
remained in the army, he resigned and came
home.
CAPTAIN GRANT BECOMES A FARMER.
His wish to become q farmer was now realized
Mr. Dent his father-iu law, gave his wife a farm
| about nine miles from St. Louis, in Missouri
and stocked it. Grant farmed it for about four
years, at the end of which he was not so well
off pecuniarily when he began. To be sure
: he had made Improvements on the place :
? he had built new house-in part with his own
: hands-of hewn logs, for himself to live in
During all this time he worked like slave. No
: man ever worked harder. He used to market
wood. He kept to chop it in the woods, and
he hauled it to st. Louis. He had two teams !;
: he drove Que himself, and his little son drove
the other. Grant thorough farmer, and
an excellent plowman-though he never plowed
great deal.
z Although Grant made money on his farm,
yet think he derived great benefit from his ex-
perience in civil life when he came to re-enter
the army for the practical conduct of compli-
Gated military affairs consider that he was far
better qualified to take the command of our
great armies than he would have been if he had
remained continuously in the service.
, At the end of four years of unremitting labor,
finding that farming didn't pay, Grant conclud-
ed to quit it, and moved into st. Louis, and
went into the real estate business with a man
named Boggs. After trying this few months he
3 saw that the profits were not sufficient to sup
e port two families, and he told his palmer, You
may take the whole of this and I'll look up
something else to do'' He next obtained place
r in the custom-house which he held for about
/ two months, when the Collector who appointed
. him died, and he left.
GRANT BECOMES A TANNER.
l owned leather store at Galena, Illinois
which was conducted by my two other sons
ulysses went 10 Galena and joined tnem IN tnat
He took right hold of the business with his ac-
customed industry, and was a very good sales
man. He had faculty to entertain people in
conversation, although he talked but little him
. SELF But he never would take any pains to e4-
tend his acquaintance in Galena and after 4, ne
joined the army and begun to be rs ,r
citizens of the town would stop IN front u ~
: store within six feet of the windows, and iooA
q in to see which of the Grants it was tna'
r absent and had suddenly become famous
After the fall of Fort Sumter, 9ians ia or think.
me at Covington, asking me Il ruense alu of the
as he had been educated a. tine in,o the army?
Government, ,hat ne 1at thought be had better But
/, wrote back a;r.d Una. INV answer, and within six
before ne raoe1 ,Se fall of Fort Sumter he was drill
;s; ss This Offered @s ass a elect
: h!m oap p;I;,arv nostion, and thought this would
gre as stepping-stone to it, frankly confessed
s;. ssniratioas to Grant, who told him that he