River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-04-16
GENERAL u. S. GRANT.
Concise Biographical Sketch of the Life
of the Great Military Chiettan.


Ulysses s. Grant eighteenth president of
the United States, was born at Point Pleasant
Ohio, April q, 1922 His ancestors were
Scotch In 1923 his parents removed to George
town, o., where his boyhood was passed. He
entered West Point military academy in 1899
His name originally was Hiram Ulysses, hut
the appointment was blunderingly made Ulys-
SEES S., and so it had to remain. The study in
which he showed most proficiency during his
course at the academy was mathematics. He
graduated IN 1913 at the age of q years, rank
ing 21st in class of 80, and was made brevet
second lieutenant of infantry and attached as
supernumerary lieutenant of the fourth regi-
ment which was stationed on the Missouri
frontier
In 1S45 the regiment was orderd to Texas,
and Grant was commissioned as full heuten-
ant He first saw blood shed at Palo Alto,
May Sth, 1916 He took part in every battle
of the Mexican war. After the battle of Moli-
no del Ray he was appointed first lieutenant
for his gallantry and was breveted captain for
his conduct at Chapultepec After the cap
ture of the city of Mexico, he with his regi-
ment was stationed at Detroit
In lS4S he married Julia T. Dent, daughter
of a merchant of St Louis and sister of one of
his classmates. In 1882 he accompanied his
regiment to California and Oregon, and in 1858
was commissioned full captain In 1854 he re-
signed and moved to farm near st Louis
There his daughter Nellie and one of his sons
(Fred) were born He subsequently removed
to st. Louis where he fought the wolf from
the door, being unable to obtain employment
In 1860 he moved to Galena, H., where his
father was engaged in the leather trade
When the civil war broke out, Capt Grant
who was then 80 years old and the father of
children, the eldest of whom was IL, was
chosen to command a company of volunteers
with which he marched to Springfield There
he acted as mastering officer and on June IL,
1861, he was commissioned colonel, joined
his regiment at Nation and marched to Mis-
souri, Reporting to Gen. Pope he was placed
in command of the troops at Mexico.
On August % the president commissioned
him brigadier general Of volunteers, pro
motion he first heard of through the papers,
and assumed command at Carlo. He seized
Paducah, at the mouth of the Tennessee,
on Sept q which was his first military
achievement and ACQUIRED three days after he
assumed his new command. On Nov. with
two brgades he fought the battle Of Belmont
where he commanded in person and had a
horse shot under him. John A. Logan was
with him as colonel Grant then was given
command of the district of Cairo, one of the
largest military divisions of the country. After
reconnaissance he started on Feb. 3 from Padu-
cab with force of 5000 men for the
capture of Forts Henry and Donaldson. The
capture of the latter being the first
the federal arms Grant sprang at once into
national celebrity. He was Immediately COM
missioned major general of volunteers and
took command of 40, 600 to make an expedition
up the Tennessee. In the celebrated battle of
Shiloh, April and Z, where both sides lost
about 1900, he was slightly wounded. Gen.
Halleck was called to Washington and Grant
became commander of the department of West
Tennessee. He won complete victory Sept
10 at Iuka and was attacked at his position al
Corinth. On October l6 his department OK
tended to Vicksburg and was designated the
department of the Tennessee After his seige
and capture of Nicksburg, July 4, 1862,
ne was promoted to the rank of major
general of the regular army, and was
placed in command of the Mississippi
comprising the departments commanded
by Sherman, Thomas, Burnside and Hooker,
After his victories at Missionary Ridge, and
Lookout Mountain, congress voted him mod
al and passed bill reviving the grade of lieu
tenant general and Grant was Immediately NOM
mated He received his commission from
President Lincoln and on March II, 1864, as
sumed command of the armies of the United
States, with headquarters at Potomac With
zoo, 600 men under him he planned two cam
paigns one under Gen. Meade to operate
against Lee at Richmond the other under Sher-
man against Atlanta. On May 3 Grant moved
on Richmond crossing the Rappadan with the
army of the Potomac, with $40, 600 men push
ing through the Wilderness, where the bloody
battle of the Wilderness was fought which
foiled Grants attempt to interpose his army
between Lee and Richmond Being repeatedly
repused by Lee with bloody results, he sent
the famous message which closed with, 81
propose to fight 1t out on this line if it takes
all summer" And he did His losses were
81, SOL, and Lees 81, 600
After the evacuation of Richmond and the
surrender of Lee at Appomatox Court House
April 9. Grant fixed his headquarters at Wash
ington and on July 25 1866 was commissioned
general of the United States army. He was
made secretary of war during the suspension
of Stanton from August II, 1867, to January
Is, 1868
He was unanimously nominated on the first
ballot for president at the republican conven-
ton held at Chicago May q, 1868 with Schuy-
Ter Colfax vice president. The ticket carried
20 states. He was inaugurated March 4, 1863
In 1871 President Grant urged the annexa-
ton of Santo Domingo, but the senate withheld
its approval A commission of five British and
five American members, on May s, signed
treaty on the subject of navigation and the
alabama Claims" The latter was submitted
to a court of arbitration at Geneva, Switzer-
land, on Sept ID, 1872, and the sum of SIS, 5OO-
600 was awarded to be paid by the British gov
eminent to the United States for damages to
American commerce by Confederate cruisers
fitted out in British ports The Ku-Klux bill
was enforced by presidential proclamation.
he appointed commission TO inquire INTO
civil service and remedy it.
He was renominated and elected to another
term in 1872. In 1874 he vetoed bill to increase
the volume ofcurrency
At the close of his term, accompanied by his
family, he made trip around the world, and
everywhere received with the highest honors
ever accorded a citizen of the United States His
return home was perfect ovation from San
Francisco, where he landed to his home at
Galena, whence he had started on his brilliant
career.
He afterwards removed toNew York and en-
gagged in business, which resulted dlsastrously.
His last days were burdened by regret that his
honorable name should go down to posterity
with the blot he fancies the exploits of his
partner Ferdinand Ward have cast upon it by
his business transactions
In the summer of 1884 Gen. Grant visited St
Paul as the guest of Henry Willard on the cele-
bration of the opening of the Northern Pacific
railroad. OF all the notables of that auspicous
day Gen. Grant was the cynosure of every eye
in the vast multitude that thronged the line of
march
On the Sd of February last congress accepted
the war relics aud mementoes of the famous
hero, upon which he had placed mortgage
to William Vanderbilt to secure loan of $780,
600 and which Vanderbilt presented Mrs.
Grant, she accepting, on condition that they be
presented to the United States. The memen-
toes will be placed in the government building.
On the 4th of March Gen. Grant was placed
on the retired list of the army, with rank and
pay of general and the first official act of Pres
ident Cleveland was to sign Gen. Grants COM
mission.