The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1868-04-17
SeleEted S4listellann.
lWri,tcnfot the Cincinnati Gazette
GRANT PAPERS.
DY GENERAL JAMks s. nnI.nIN.

| Grant as n Cadet nj West Poiut-Ui,
Progress III the CiaSseS--IIe Graduates
No. 81 III n Class OF ThiIty-nlne-WhC
Graduated i'll Grants Glass ana What
Became OF rhcm-Wbat Grant Looked
Like, Wien he Lett West Pnint-Amec.
dote Of the HerO--He Fails IN Love
with Miss Julia Drnt-Is Ordered of
10 Participates in the Battles
Is Appointed QuartCImnster-D Dis
tinguishes Himself at Chapultepec-
What The Official Reports say Of Him
Ills ola Comrades in Mexico, nnd
What Bccame OF Them-R from
the Mexican War and MarrieS.
7
The life Of "plebe" at West Point, is,
to say the least Of it, not pleasant. The
brutal practices indulged in by the older
students, have long been matter of ter.
ror TO Young men joining the Aeadamy, and
he who expects to avoid tue mischevions
jokes of the seniors, reckOns without his
host. The predecessor of Grant having
failed to pass the requisite examination,
our young hero reached the Point full of
fears and misgivings as to his ability to 60
through the ordeal of the Board. He knew
his opportunities bad been poor, that lie
possessed little knowledge, and the more
he thought over il the more probable
seemed his rejection.
Whilr he was rackcd with horrible feel
ings of suspense, his tormentors began
The first night Grant was at the Point. a
cadet dressed as am officer, entered his
room, and, after some conversation, gave
him a lesson of twenty pages of printed
matter to commit TO memory by morning
Ulysses dove into it, but soon gave up in
despair, and retired TO bed, while other
boys sat up all night endeavoring to mas
ter their htrd tasks. After secpless
night, the boys were surprised the next
morning. to iigd that the lesson was not
called for, anl as the day wore on, they be.
gan to suspect they had been made the
victims Of a joke. The sight of these
youths, book il hand, waiting nervou,Iy
for hours uutil the Professors should sun
nous them 10 rec tat lion, mnst indeed have
beenamusing to oller Students.
Graut passed an eXamiEatiuu, but not so
good as the boys from the large towns and
c ties, who had enjoyed better school AL
vanlages The General is now the head Of
the army and as such. the " Father of the
Point, and Let Us here ask hun to remem
her. some times. tue days when he was
young Ulysses, and when p 'or country
youth fails to pass his first examination,
glvt him another chance, just for the sake
OF 4 auId lYg eyne."
Grant entered the fourth class OF 1889,
and during tle year studied English gram
mar, rhetoric. mathematics. geography
composition, declaration, French, aud tao
tics. He made good progress, but was not
brilliant.
As is we'll known. the cadets have To
camp ont during part Of the year, through
all The mock nsages Of camp life in time of
war. Ulysses seems TO have liked this a.
the best part of his cadet experiences; and.
it is said, he preferred the tents on the
helll 10 quarters in the barracks
During 1840, our young soldier entered
the third class, where he studied cavalry
tact cs, and continued the other studies OF
the fourth ehsR. The ouly thing that can
be said of him durmg this year is that he
showed considerable pluck and pertnlc,ty
OF purpose. He had entered the class low
down, and, after holding on steadily for a
while, advanced lle and soon another,
always holding on to what he got. There
were several yonng men in the class, who
were more brilliant than Grant, but hardly
one except him. who did not Auctuate,
advancing and then falling back
agan. AT the close of this year he was
commissioned corporal.
IN 1871 lie entered The second class, and
studied experimental philosophy, chemis