The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1868-04-10

"Ycs," replied Ulysses. And you can
get hight out OF me again, John, on that
question"
Grants father tells Ms, that in his early
loyhood, Ulyssep manifested the same
ioudness for horses that is still charaeteris.
tic tfhim. He VAS always sure to go to the
circuses tliat came around, aud invariably
volunteered TO ride the vicious mule, come
umrs succeeding despite the animals tricks,
to the ne small amusement Of the spectators
and annoyance Of the showmen. He imi.
iatcd tlhe circus men, riding the horses 10
water, standing on their backs, and thus
bccOme a proficient horsemun long before
he entered West Point. Gfr
Young Grant was fond of driving horses,
and frequently hauled loads Of passengers
from Georgetown 10 the neighhoring vii.
lagos and back He would always rather
drive team than work in tho taunery Of
his father, aud from tile frat seemed
determined never to be tanner. ,ty
Grant was brave lad, aud early mani.
tested an indomitable will. His father re.
ates the following auecdote OF him >
"Ono day Ulysses was coming from An.
gusta, Ky, TO Georgetown, with Some young
ladies' in his wagon. II had been raining,
and the water in the Ohio had backed into
the tributary streams. Grants route Ilay
the depth Of the water, he drove in, when
the wagon went down and the horses coms
mcuced swimming The young ladies were
terribly frightened, and commenced scream.
ing, thluking they would surely all be
drowned but Grant. with great presence
! of mind, stcored his horses toward the op.
posito bank, saying coolly; Keep still,
| gnls will take you throug h aAie.' Ulysses
was only about thirteen years old when
this happened" .,..
| Que day Ulysses was sent into the wooda
| to haul some logs, when, finding tho chop.
| pcrs gone, he hitched horse to the logs.
aud dragging them up the siapting tree, aud
then backing the wagon under, pulled them
over into the bed. This was considerable
of faux NOV ement for lad of fourteen.
| Ulysses one day said to his father, when
! they we're working together in the tannery
" Father, this tanuery business ia not tho
kind OF work like. Will work at it, 10
lplease you until am twenty one, but
viii never follow il another day after that" !"
Mr.. &, ant, with good sense, said: No,
my son do not wish you to work at any
thing that is dsiasteful to you. / want
you to work Mt what You like. aud stick to
it, Now what do you think you would like
to do 2" al would like to be n farmer, =
down the river trader, OF get an education" :"
replied Ulysses.
"How would you like 10 60 10 wess
Point aud learn to be a soldier?" +" said his
father.
" First rate" answered Ulysses; that
would suit me exactly"
Mr.. Grant Immediately wrote 10 Mr..
Morris, then Senator in Congress from
Ohio, asking him il there was any vacancy
at West Point which he could control
Senator Morris replied at ouce that there
was vacancy from the Congressional dis,
trict in which MIR. Grant lived. the young
msu who had been appointed having failed
to pass his examination. Mr.. Grant wrote
20 Hon Thomas l.. Hamer. the Representa-
tive then in Congress- from the district
asking him to appoint his son Ulysses. Mr.
Ilamer received tho lettor the night before
his term expired, aud at once appointed
young Grant.
Grants right nRme was Hiram Ulysses
, but az Ills father, in bis letter. only called
him Ulysses, and Ms. IIamer knowing hil
mothers name was Simpson, wrote j
Ulysses Simpson Graut, and as such III,
( letter of appointment was issued to bin
, from the War Department, aud the author
itics woGld never atterward change it.
Grant entered West Point, in the spring
of 1899, at the age of II,