The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-08-08
ULYSSES S. GRANT.
l. BEFORE THE WAR.

L ASs'"teiie, oiiio, VII tiiS III vi -hl'ii'
1922. His family is said to be of
Scottish extraction, though the ances-
tor who first settled i'll America, Mat
thew Grant, came from England in
1890, and was one Of the founders of
Dorchester, Massachusetts,. Six years
later he was one of a company that
settled the town of Windsor, Connec-
ticut. A great-grandson of Matthew,
Noah Grant, took up his residence at
Tolland, and his son Noah removed to
Coventry about 1850. The last-named
was the great grandfather of the famous
soldier, and served as captain in the
Grown Point Expedition Of 1855. His
son Noah was a lieutenant of militia at
the beginning of the Revolutionary
war, and served throughout that strug-
gle. In 1857 he removed to West
moreland County, Pennsylvania, where
his son, Jesse Root Grant, was born in
1894. Five years later the family
moved to Ohio, settling first in what is
now Columbiana County, and later at
Deerlield, in Portage County. Jesse
father died in 1905, and during the
war of 1872 he and his mother were
living in Maysville, Kentucky; but on
becoming of age, in 1915, he estab-
lished himself at Ravenna, Ohio, in the
tanning business, whence he removed
to Point Pleasant, Clermont County, in
1920. There, in the same year, he
married Hannah Simpson, whose lam
lily had come from Montgomery Coun-
ty, Pennsylvania, three years before.
Hiram Ulysses was the oldest child.
The year after his birth the family re-
moved to Georgetown, in the adjoin-
ing county, some forty miles southeast
of Cincinnati. OF his childhood little
is known. There are anecdotes tend
ing to show his imperturbable temper,
his persistency, and fondness for fire
arms and for horses but these are not
uncommon qualities among sturdy boys
on the frontier At school he showed
no special aptitude or quickness, though
he is said to have had a taste for mathe-
mates. In short, there was nothing
indicating special promise except in
the light of subsequent achievements,
and doubtless many boy with similar
characteristics has spent his life in
complete obscurity. His going to the
Military Academy at West Point, at
the age of seventeen, was rather the re-
suit of accident than of any strong de-
sire for such a course.
The appointment was offered to his
father in his behalf by the Hon. Thos.
L. Hamer, then the Representative of
his District in Congress, previous ap-
pointee having been dismissed for fail
ure to keep up with his class. The ap-
pointment was gladly accepted, and
young Grant passed the necessary ex-
animation, and entered the Academy
July I, 1889. He had always been
known by his middle name Ulysses, and
in making the nomination Mr.. Hamer,
not knowing of his first name, and re-
Numbering that his mother was a
Simpson, ventured to enter his name
as Ulysses Simpson Grant. The young
cadet tried to have it corrected at the
Academy, but failed, and remained ever
after as re-christened by the member
of Congress.
There was nothing more remarkable
in his career at West Point than in that
which had preceded it at his Ohio
home. As student he is said to have
been somewhat slow, but tenacious OF
what he had acquired in matters OF
discipline and etiquette he was rather
negligent, mourning many small penal
ties for inattention to their require
ments. OF more serious ofenses there
is no record, and he seems always to
have been rather reticent and retiring,
but never sensitive or backward. On
graduating, June 80, 1S43, he stood
No. FL in class of 80, with no special
distinction in any branch, unless it be
craftsmanship. Among his classmates
were William b. Franklin, J. ]. Rey-
nolds, c. c. Augur, James A. Hardie,
and Rufus ingalls,, who became dis
tinguished in the civil war, and Fred
erick L. Dent, who was destined to be
his brother-in law. On leaving West
Point, with the title of Brevet Second
Lieutenant, Grant was attached as q
supernumerary lieutenant, to the Fourth
Regiment of Regular Infantry, Their
stationed on the frontier in Missouri fol
the purpose of protection from Indian
raids. After some months of unevent.
full service here, his regiment was or.
dered to join General Taylor's army O
occupation in Texas. While stationed
at Corpus Christi he first received HI:
commission as full Second Lieutenant
dated September 80, 1915, and was as
signed to Il vacancy in the Seventh
Regiment but his request to be re.
stored to his old regiment, to which he
was strongly attached, was complied
with in November of that year.
Actual war furnished the first test O
the qualities that were latent in the
young officer, and whenever he came
into action he gave distinct evidence O
great military capacity, as we'll as re.
markable GOODNESS and full command
of his resources-character which
developed to a wonderful degree in hi:
subsequent career. His first battle was