River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-07-30


TAYLOR on the Rio Grande in 1916, ana
was in the battles of Palo Alto, Resaca
&c Ia Palma and Monterey. Sub
sequently joining Scott before Very
Cruz, Grant took part in every engage
ment fought between that city and
Mexico. receiving brevets of first
lieutenant and captain for meritorious
conduct at Moline del Ray and
Chapultepec. He was made captain
on the 9TH of August, 1888, while
serving in Oregon, and resignd July
81 of the following year and settled
in st. Louis. In 1889 he removed to
Galeua, H., where he was engaged in
commercial pursuits when the civil
war began. He was one Of the first to
offer his services To his country and as
colonel of the Twentv-first Illinois
volunteers served actively in Missouri.
He was made brigadier general May
II, 1861, and in August was assigned
to the command at Cairo. He at once
occupied Paaucah. Ky, and at Belmont
broke up the enemy camp opposite his
stronghold at Columbus. In February
1862, he received command of the land
force destined to attack Fort Henry on
the Tennessee river. Too late to par
u moved upon Fort Donclson. For his
conduct at the siege and capture Of The
post he was promoted To be maior-gen-
craI on Feb. IT, He advanced 10 Pitts
burg Landing. where, while awaiting
the arrival Of Buell. with reinforce
ments. be was attacked on the morning
Of April 6 by Gems A. s. Johnston ana
Bcauregard. After an obSinately con
Il
towards the river. while by
MAssING HIS ARTILLERY
and, with the aid of the @mboats, he
made successful stand Reinforce
ments arrived during the night, the
battle was renewed next day, aud the
Confederatcs repulsed with great
slaughter. lie was afterwards second
in command to Gen. Halleck. In Sep
TENDER, 1862, he was appointed to the
command Of West Tennessee, and fixed
his hcadqnartcrS al Jackson. His
force there constituted the Thirteenth
armv corps He commanded at luka,
Sept 10 of the same year in
the Nich~bur@ campaign. from No
vcmbcr, -, to july, 'G5 He was
made major general Of the United
the date of the capture of NickSburg,
with its garrison Of 81 800. He com
manded the division Of the Mississippi.
from Oct. 16 to March ,. 1864. when he
was made lieutenant general for the
Chattanooga campaign On March II,
1864, he became @eneral-In-chief and
was in the Richmond campaign from
May Of that year to April 3, 1860. the
date IF Lee : surrender He wa. made
general of the United States army July
%. 1866, and was secretary of war ad
interim from August. 1867 to February.
1868. He was next elected president
of the United States and was inaugural
ed on the 4th of March, 1869. serving
two terms. Grant s most brilliant cam
paign was that in which. throwing
himself upon the rear of Eicksbur@. he
defeated in detail the armies Of John
stou and Pembcrton and. coping up
speedy surrender
HIS PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
II may be interesting to note some of
the qualities that lifted this remarkable
man from obscurity. and in few short
wears made him auation : hero, earned
for him a reputation limited only by
the boundaries of the world, and ranked
him rs a general with the greatest the
earth has ever seen. As a boy he was
dinidcnt. not at all studious, slow to ac-
quirc knowledge, although retentiye Of
what he did learn, naturally regarded
bv his parents as possessing ability, but
III the neiwhborS as dull and slow. in
personal appearance unpreposseSSing.
fond Of outdoor exercise. but excel
ling and showing gracefullness only in
riding. skating and swimming.
On being told that he was expected
to enter upon his father business. he
expressed his distaste in the strongest
terms. and replied that he would like TO
be farmer. a Mississippi river trader
or get an education Asked if he
would ike to 90 to West Point he re-
piled in the affirmative. and in due time
went there The knowledge of his
appointment was subject of
ridicule among those who knew him,
and il was doubted if any power could
transform the awkward boy into a
gentleman and officer, or any course
of study impart an education.
Hence II is not going beyond the linn
it, Of truth to say that his younger
wears did not develop traits indicating
possibility of greatness. if we except
lust a single one 4 certain quiet deter
mination. strange mingling OF
oBsTINACY AND PATIENCE.
Phlermatic to so remarkable a de
cree that some thought him insensible,
ne vet could feel deeply 1t was rarely
hi, GOODNESS was ever disturbed, enthu-
sia~m appearing to be an almost UNI
known quantity While not unap-
prcciatiye of Joke, he was
generally grave and thoughtful, pre-
farriuU to be Il listener 20 the CONVEX
>atlon of men wiser than he. instead of
Joining i'm light and meaningless badl-
nage His personal courage was OF
the highest order and was shown IN
several WAYS while ut West Point.
He was very slow to anger, and not
quick 10 perceive injury or insult di-
Tccted at himself In later life he said
that il took him full week to become
INDIGNANT over the groSscst insult, and
that then his anger was toward hlm-
self for not more quickly percelying
that he had been m!su~cd That he
was not backward in reSentingi i'll treat
rncnt when So palpable that it could
not be overlooked Is inStanced by an
incident al West Point. \ cadet. Older
and larger than himself. one day ell
bowed Grant out Of his place in the
squad. Thinking it an accident Grant
said nothing until after roll-call. wher
ne quietly spoke of the matter an,
requested that it be not repeated
at the first opportunity, TO show
his contempt. the cadet repeated
the indignitv With imperturbabl,
calmnes, Grant knocked him down
ana to the bully Consideration and the
delight Of his classmates gave him ;
sound ..drubbing. While Grant wa,
not the most popular member Of hi
class. all liked him in quiet way
uudemoustrative rs he was towarC
.hrm In his studies he ranked higl
only in mathematics. and in this die
not excel He studied a. duty. ii,
had come there for specific purpose
and that purpose must be accomplished
and
he STUDIED HARD
enough to carry himself through
Ambition to reach a prominent Plac
in his class does not appear to hay
actuated him during his stay at tn
academy. When the war began he