The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1868-05-30
GEN. u. =. GRANT.

and in the terrible years that followed gave
him place i'll the popular heart never ac.
corded TO any one except Washington
Now the country is not only not surprised
1t, but actually demands the nomination Of
"A man then living ut Galena, whose name
the people had never heard when Lincoln
was called from his quiet life at Springfield.
Both W estern men, and both residents OF
Illinois, though born the one in Kentucky
and the other in Ohio, they were nominated
for the first Office III the peoples gift by Ma
their adopted State. Lincoln had Il mission
to perform, and the Convention of 1860
called him forth to perform it; Grant has
that work to complete, and the Convention
Of 1868 asks him to complete it. His record
in the past shows the sing eness OF purpose
with which he will pursue the task allotted
to him in TIE future.
Ulysses s. Grant was born April 21, 1922,
at Point Pleasant Clermont county, Ohio.
Like Lincoln, his early intellectual advant'
ages were of the most ordinary kind, but he
was enabled to educate himself sufficiently
to enter the Military Academy at West
Point, to which he was fortunate in procur.
ing cadetship, though at the expense of
his name, Hiram Ulysses, which was given
him in infancy for the one by which he has
become known all over the world. If the
clerical bupler which inscribed him Ulysses
). could not be erased from the records of
the Academy, neither can that name be
blotted from the scroll of honorable history.
He graduated in 1913 and was breveted I'd
Lieutenant in the 9th Infantry. He served
through the Mexican war receiving brevets
Of First Lieutenant and Captain for merito-
rlous conduct at the battles of Molina del
ltey and Chepultepec. After the war with
Mexico he continued in the army for few
years, and while serving i'll Oregon i'll 1852,
was promoted to q caftaincy. The next
year he resigned, going into business at st.
Louis, and in 1853 he removed to Galena,
Ill.,, where he was conducting an extensive
tannery when the late war broke out. Capt.
Grant was among the first to offer his services
to the Government, and was given command
Of II regiment by the Governor Of Illinois,
with which he went into active service i'll
Missouri. IL was not long until he was APP
pointed Brigadier.G General of Volunteers
Aug, 1861, y and assigned to the command
of the District of Cairo.
The unfortunate battle of Bull Run aud
the varying fortunes in the South West had
q depressing effect upon the country, and
the people were willing to take u leader on
trust if be would only come hcraldcd with u
victory, however insignificant. Rich Noun
tain gave Mcclellan command Of the Ar
mics OF the United States the unfortunate
expedition TO Belmont doomed Grant to
comparative obscur'v III Cairo, until near
the close OF the first year Of the war. Then
the brilliant victories Of Fort DouelSeu and
Pittsburgh Landing, the first Of any signit
canoe gained by a Union army, could do
ltie for him, and while The former made
HIM Major General, the latter deprived
him OF d eommaud All eyes were turned
toward the Grand Army of the Potomac, in
anticipation Of the great things it would ac
complish " hen It's leader chose 10 move upon
Lee at MANASSAS aud decisive actions upon
the Cumberland and the Tennessee were not
considered, while people were amused with
promises never to he realized, and kept in
constant expectation by assurances that all
was quiet along lines lutte nearer home.
II were useless To attempt ~ description of
theee actions now, but when Grant com.
pleted a victory that had begun as a defeat,
10y leading iii person a charge Of six regi.
mcnts, he showed that a General might prom
isc little and vet accomplish much. Soon
after he had worsted the ablest Rebel leader
in the South, who was killed in that fierce
engagement at shiloh Church. Hallcck as
sumed command lii the South West, and the
victor was rewarded for his two successes by
subsequent neglect until September, l%G2.
He was then appointed 10 the command of
the Army Of West Tennessee, his forces CON
shutting the 18th Army Corps, and fixed his
headquarters at jackson in that State. In
the meantime Mcclellan had been driven
from before Richmond, Pope had been de
teated at the second battle Of Bull Run, and
an uncertain victory at Antietam had closed
the career of Il General who was called to
the head of the army in the iervor of popu
lar enthusiasm, and had been rest ored to
command in ii moment of popular despair
Daring The dark and terrible Winter that
followed, the Army of the Potomac under
its successive commanders lay on the banks
of the Rappahannock, and fought the i'll
tatcd battles OF Fredericksburg and Chan
cellorsvllc, while Grant and Sherman were
quietly working ont their plans on the Mis-
>issipp and the Iazoo. When Lee moved
norlhward in the Spring and Summer Of
1863, and Meade was enabled 10 gain his
great victory at Gettysburg, the capitulation
of Pemberton added Vicksburg to Gettys
burg in the associations connected with the
ever-glorious Fourth OF July. In detailing
the appointments of Major Generals which
had been made in the regular army. Grant
once modeslly said: After the capitulation
of Nicksburg was added" as if himself
unconscious OF the Importance of an event
that had given the army leader who con.
quercd peace for the country, and makes
him to day the candidate of the great Re.
pnblican party for President, an Office which
he would not desire were not the people
intent on giving him this last mark of their
confidence and esteem.
One who was within the Rebel lines dur
ing the invasion Of Pennsylvania in 1863,
was told byan arrogant Southcrncr, whose de.
serted homo was near the spot where GRANTS
army lay, that the dark and fttid waters
Of the lazoo would destroy his men even
il there were no intrcnchcd enemy III front
to pick them off in detail But The same
flash of the lightning that brought the news
OF Meade's victory at Gettysburg, brought
word ofPemberion defeat at Vicksburc. As
n ieward for this victory, Grant i'll his own
modest words, was added to the Major Gen
erals already appointed Tor the reguararmy,
but unlike the time when he was commits
stoned q Major General Of Volunteers, no
fortune now could doom him to inactivity. -
Before he was ordered 10 assume command
at Chattanooga, after the unfortunate battle
OF Chickanauga, President Lincoln wrote
him q Characteristic letter, 1t was dated
July ID, 1868, and was rs follows: " My
Dear General ! do not remember hat you
and | ever met personally. write this now
| a. a grateful acknowledgment for the al
most inestimahe service you have done The
country. | wish to say II word further -
| When You first reached the vicinity ofVicks
burg, ! thought YOU should do what you lin
| uIIv did march the troope nCruss the neck