The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1868-03-19
Grant.

~AN
gentleman, P. M. at Covington N. Y.
and father Of the distinguished Gen.
is writing for the N. Y. Ledger, a
very readable sketch Of his sons
history not already familiar to the
public, from which we make the fol-
lowing interesting extract:
The class " hieh Grant entered at
West Point contained eighty-seven
members. OF thirty-nine..who grad.
uated he stood the twenty-first. All
the others had enjoyed better oppor-
tunities than he for preparatory stud
les; and several were graduates of
college before they enteted West
Point. Most of Grants dement's
were of trivial character; such as not
having his coat buttoned, or his
shoes tied right, or something of that
kind.
Experience shows how uncertain
an indication the rank at the Military
Academy affords of the future sue
cess and usefulness of the efficer.-
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.
-Four of his class, French, Roger.
Ripley, Holloway and Gardner, fought
on the Confederate side in the rebel
lion.
Grant graduated in 1843, and en-.
tered the 4th Regiment of United
States Infantay as Brevet Second
Lieutenant. In the fall of that year
he joined his regiment at jefferson
Barracks, Missouri. About four
miles from the Barracks lived young
Dent, q classmate to whom Grant
had beenyvery 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 en-
gagged. But the contamination of
this engagement was long postponed
by the breaking ont Of the Mexican
war. He served throughout that
war, and fought in every battle un-
der General Taylor, except Buena
Vista. Before that occurred his reg
iment had been taken away from
Taylor by General Scott.
He was in all SCOTS battles four
teen in number-in Mexico, and was
highly complimented for skill and
gallantry, and twice breveted for
meritotious services.
Grant participated IN the browning
victory, the capture of the city Of
Mexico, September 18th and 18th,
1847; and Major Francis Lee, COM
handing the fonrth infantry in that
battle, in his official report says:
cat the first barrier the enemy was
in strong force, which rendered it nee
essary to advance with caution. This
was done; and when the head oft
battalion was within short musket
range of the barrier, Lieutenant
Grant, 18th infantry, and Captain
Crooks, I'd artillery, with few men
of their respective regiments, by Q
handsome movement to the left, turn.
ed the right flank of the enemy, and
the barrier was carried" And he
mentions Lieut.. Grant as "among the
most distinguished for their zeal and
activity"
While he was gone to the Mexican
war, he wrote home to us often, un-
til they reached Vera Cruz. Then
we did not hear from him again un.
til they returned home. During this
time his mothers hair turned white
from anxiety about him. y
At the close of the war he return
ed home and was married in l848 to
Miss Jnlia =. Dent, to whom, a. has
already been remarked, he was On.
gagged before he went to Mexico
Her brother, who was his classmste,
is now General Dent; and her father,
Mr.. Frederick Dent, formerly Of st.
Louis, now eighty-one weary of age,
resides with General Grant at Wash.
ington.