Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-07-31
ULYSSES s. GRANT.
The Dead SOL dIer'a Life and Publ
Services Briefly Reviewed.


Services Briefly Reviewed.
Ulysses Simpson Grant was born April 27,
1922, at Point Pleasant, Clermont county,
Ohio. Hiram Ulysses was his bRptismal
name. His father, Jesse II. Grant, tanner,
was born in Westmoreland county, Penn,
while his mother, Hannah Simpson, was from
Montgomery county. Looking further back,
Grants Scotch ancestry is readily traced.
On his fathers side, he could count soldiers
OF the old French war and Of the Revolution.
The Grant stock is throughout Of that plain,
sturdy type which has done valiant and mem.
orable work, without pretence, and which il
found in an emergency "rich in saving COM
mon sense" The great commander was one
of those whom Lincoln loved TO call 1.-THE
plain people,"
At seventeen Grant was favored with an
appointment to West Point. July /, 1S43,
four years to day after his admission, he
was assigned az brevet second lieutenant to
the Fourth Infantry, and for the next eleven
years WAS an army man. The Mexican war
gave him an early opportunity to try his
hand In practical operations. He was in ev.
cry battle in that war, with the exception OF
Buena Vista. Two brevets for cool bravery
attested the judgment of his superors on his
bearing and his doing. At the close OF the
war Grants regiment returned to New York,
anu WAR hthtloheu hlOuB tue nOtlneTu DOfubfh
Of New York and Michigan. His marriage
to Julia Dent, daughter Of Frederick Dent, a
st. Louis merchant, occurred in lsis His
wife and four children survive him. In Au-
gust, 1853 Grants captRincy came, and
with II an assignment to fort in the in-
terror Of California. Tired Of garrison duty,
in July Of the next year he resigned his COM
mission. Then ensued several years OF un-
successful experience with various kinds of
business, till 1860 found him in Galena, ILL.,,
associated with his father In tanners hard
and uncongenial work. Thus, at the out
break of the war, Grant, a man Of 80, was
out of his chosen profession, and tied to a
calling which did not suit him.
1t was in the tannery that he heard Of the
Fort Sumter fight. His opportunity had
come, and he quickly raised company in
GalenR and was mustered into the service at
Springfield. Though almost unknown 10 the
officials, Grant showed such ability that he
was made colonel of the Twenty first H.
linois Infantry at the end of five weeks
Meanwhile his offer of services to the ad ju-
tant general of the United States had met
with no response. 1t was later that the idea
was taken in that training at West Point
other things being equal, made a better off
Ger than political experience. The politicians
had the lead, though they did not keep it,
Events moved rapidly, and early in August
his commission as brigadier general, solicited
for him without his knowledge by the con-
gressional delegation of his state, brought
him into greater prominence. For several
weeks he WAS watching the forces which
were trying to take Missouri out OF the Tn.
ion. September found him in headquar-
ters at Cairo, and forthwith his eye saw the
importance Of Paducah, commanding, as il
did, both the Ohio and Tennessee rivers
Not waiting for orders, he seized this straget-
ic point and the step was quickly followed by
the declaration of Kentucky for the Union.
Those old enough at the time to appreciate
the army operations will recall the import
ance properly ascribed to Grants demonstra.
ton towards Belmont, a place on the Mississ.
ippi not many miles below Cairo The
movement was intended to stop the sending
of seoessionist troops into Missouri This
independent command gave Grant a chance
to lead 5000 men. Two days after receiving
his orders he had broken up the secessionist
camp at Belmont, had successfully cut his
way through body of troops more than
twice a. large as his own, and had brought
away prisoners and guns.
Grant, it will be seen, was all the while
taking large views. lie soon saw the neces-
sity of moving up the Tennessee river against
Fort Henry, and he repeatedly asked General
Halleck's leave before being allowed to make
the advance. On February Fort Henry was
driven TO surrender by Commodore Foote's
gunboats before Grants forces could come
up. Without resting, the next movement
was to reduce Fort Donelson, a few miles
away on tho Cumberland river This fort
was the key to Nashville. Grants Ii 900
men had to meet 81 600 men in formidable
works. The operations here were in keep
ing with his persistent and indomitable
methods. Three days Of hard fighting, a
successful assault on the chief works, the
summons 10 unconditional surrender" and
the yielding Of the enemy, four days after
the siege began. The force surrendered
nearly equAled Grants force at the outset Of
the operations. This battle, the first large
success OF the war, brought Grant q major
generals commission, and lifted him upon a
plane OF conspiouousness from which he new
or descended The saving Of two states TO
the Union and the securing of the navigation
of three rivers for long distance, were is
sues which have made DOnelson rank with
the chief events of the war
Grant was now placed in charge of the dis
trct of West Tennessee. He had not long
10 wait before a further opportunity came to
a man who never shrank from such tests
He was ordered to move up the Tennessee
river towards Corinth, but was not to attack
the Oonfederates until directions were given
him. He had now an army OF $4,000 under
him, and Gen. Buell., with little larger
force, was TO Join him. This union. II was
held, would insure the overwhelming defeat
of The enemy. Before the junction was ef-
fected, on April 6, the rebel attack was made
with tremendous vigor. The Confederates,
largely superior in numbers, threw them
selves upon him as he was encamped near
Shiloh hoping to push him into the river.
After the first days fighting Grants line,
which had been driven back TO the river, was
reGnfocred by the head of Buelrs column.
On the 9TH the combined Union forces drove
the Confederates till their retreat extended to
Oorinth, 10 miles away Grant outranked
Buell. and to him chiefly belongs the credit
of the success. Grant, in later years. CON-
pared the intensity of the Shiloh fighting
with the awful scenes in the Wilderness bat
ties. Much discussion, early and late--Grant
himself contributing importantly to the de-
bAte-hRs centred in the question whether or
not he was surprised by the enemy at Shiloh.
1t is enough for practical purposes that the
Confederates left the battlefield far in the
rear when the fighting was done. Possession
was then enough to satisfy the country.
In As hours Gen. Halleok, "Old Brains,
assumed command. Halleok becoming in Ju-
ly general in chief, Grant was put in charge
OF the department OF tue lennebaee. a rev
weeks later came the battle of Iuka, where,
as alleged the conduct of Rosencrans led to
results less successful than Grant had
hoped for, Fortifying Oorinth and repelling
the Confedarate attack, when, including the
engagement at Hatohie, there were three
successive days of fighting, Grant was then
ready for a orowning campaign, which was
intended to open the Mississippi IL is
a part of the less fortunate record OF his
military life, that his plan, which involved
Sherman's attacking Vicksburg in front and
Grants menace Of the place from the rear,
had to be abandoned. Sherman's unsuccess
full assault of the YicksbuTg works empha-
sized the disappointment. In January, 1868,
the first month of the year which marked
the high tide OF the rebellion and the begin
ming of the ebb, Grant began once more the
work of reducing Vioksburg. Months weary
ami burdensome followed. Device after de-
vice failed, but still accomplishing and un-