The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-07-24
TaI oIpc0AlMANpER

EulzEzzMlzzz
THE OLD COMMANDER
sketch of tho Life of tho First Soldier Of
the Republic. a
In pain, but still q hero-the sword oi
gthe conqueror exchanged for the pen Of
the historian, the most distinguished SOL
ssdier Of the century-bnt lately the chosen
ahead of the greatest nation on the globe
Sstruggling against disease to complete the
last service to his country, fighting for
Ebreath as calamity as he met the enemy
theneath the hot sun Of Mexico or under
sthe hotter hre OF Donelson-hot pressed
sby death vet contesting every step-falls,
sliterally in harness, Ulysses s. Grant. J,
Romance itself scarcely recouhts q more
picturesque career. Forty years OF age
before his coVntrymen knew more OF him
than Of the thousands OF brave men who
had served her well in the field and then
sTetired to the calm pursuits OF civil life, the
S"Silent Man. was to achieve q career
without parallel, write his name high on.
i the roll OF fame and cover with imperish,
Fable renown the prowess Of the American
larms. Without any OF the adyentltious
Eaids which bringto mediocrity fame and
station, sprung in true American fashion
sfrom the ranks OF tho common people, an
Sobscure citizen appeared like a new planet
Sin the galaxy Of soldier. er.statesInen, and Tor
Snearly quarter OF q century shone re.
ysplendent amid the stars Of the first mag
snitude.
BORN IS OHIO.
! Born April 81, 1922, at Point Pleasant,
5Clermont county, in the State which con.
atributcd to the war so, many brilliant
gsoldiers and 10 the Republic its second
President, born OF that sturdy,
Scotch stock which has
sgiyen to the world authors, philo.
fsophers, soldiers and statesmen Of endur.
hing renown, frat opening his eyes in a
trude cabin on the frontier, no early life
fcould have given less promise. OF highest
Frank and immortal fame.
There were six children In the Grant
Eiamily, OF whom Hiram Ulysses was the
sss!dest. Receiving such education as the
Ssschools OF the neighborhood afforded, in
shis seventeenth year he was appointed d
5!cadet in the Military Academy at West
kpoint. BY some m;schancc, which has
tssin6a gesmed OF good omen, the Congress
,;tnan who secured hi1 appointment gave
qhis name as Ulysses S. Grant, and tue
sollicials OF the Academy refused to restor9
shls name to him. His comrades nick
Anamed him "uncle SAM" aud when his
s1military fame was beginning to I'LL tho
SWorId hisconntrymen were proud 70 call
;;hin ,Unconditonal Surrender" in honor
ssoi the brilliant affair Of Fort Donelson.
Eat tho Academy Grant displayed no re'
smarkable characteristics, graduating TWEEN
rty.frst In class OF iorty.three.
TUE MEXICAN wAR.
Young Grant was assigned to the Fourth
infantry. He saw sprvice in every battle
sof the Mexican war except on the field Of
sBuena Vista, being twice breveted for gal.
alantry but achieving no conspicuous dis
ttinCtion. In 1873 no married Julia I.
fDent, who survives him. The llnmdrHm
aliie Of garrison duty on tue frontier, IN
lC9lifOrnia and Oregon had little
suharm for him and promised little
Foutcome. In 1851 hc resigned his cap
ftain's. commission, having served eleyen
Ryears in the army. He settled with his
Afamiy on u farm near st. Louis, but to!-
Stun0 did not smile on him. lie tried bis
suCk In the real eztaLe business 10 ~
iIl.on 8, with no better success. liscour.
s.ayed, with growing family and without
&lueans for tlieir support, he was glad "
fe6 to QaIena and lOin hlO father and
tbrotler 10 the tqnning business,
= t,HThe clouds Of war wer0 already lower.
ling. A portentous gloom hung over the
9lapd-and Grant was tanning hides. The
OF Sumter stirred tho loyalty oi thu
Z fI2epubIIc. In five days President Lincoln
s.bad called for Volunteers. In four day.
finoro Grant had raised company In
'kGAlena lie had taken UP y burden
which he was 10 bear for fifteen years. HI
khRd stepped upon the tirst rugg ot tht
Bladder 6y which he was TO climb TO endur'
'finp fame. In four days more he was a,
'ftMe capital Of his stats, ready for Sny ser,
sYiCo, For lre weeks he assisted ~ inc or
ean;satlUn Of the illinois volunteers
SCommissicned a Colonel by the Governor
&of bis State ho took command Of the
ssTwenty.iirst regiment OF illinois Infantry,
Wand IN June marched TO Mexico, Missou'
!, n, being assigned TO pope's brigade. Ere
smOnt, the department commander. soon
HDlsGeI him at tho head Of tho district
Ioi Southeast Missouri, headquarters al
ECairo.
FIRST HOLD ENrRRPRisR.
Grants fist bold enterprise was tue
Fcapturo OF Paducah, important in com
Smanding tho Tennessee aud Ohio rivers,
accomplishing bis mission with two reSi'
,smsn,s, a battery and two ganhoats, a Con
.ffederate force OF $500 tixteen miles away
RKontucky, which had been warning on
.lthe border land, responded 70 this move
Smcnt by declaring her loyalty to the
'AUnion. His impatient desire 70 move on
|fColumbus, twenty miles below Cairo, was
communicated to his commander, but ne
f8was not permitted 10 start until November
8G, ue had fye regiments OF Infantry, q
lseCtion OF artillery and q squadron ol cav.
FAIRY. Logan as'with him at the head, ol
Iahli reglmeat. By0 o'clock next morning
slho was pressing forward from Hnnter'l
lpoint 10 Belmont, holly engaged by the
eHemy. Grants horse was shot ut'
dor him. For four hours the light
wcnt on. The enemy was driven
10 the river, his artillery taken aud
seyefalhunlrel prisoners 0aptnred. In
.stoSlOated with viGtory tho raw. Vnipf
ELfoDnSRat about lo0Hng tho Confederate