Daily Yellowstone journal., 1885-07-24
Incidents of His Life.

hhtluthts VI MS BlNts
At the age of IL Grant entered the
Military Academy at West Point
Those who believe that name has
much to do with the destiny of its
owner will find con irmation of their
theory in the accident which gave
him the name he has made famous.
He had been christened Hiram
Ulysses, but the congressman who
procured his appointment, by mistake
wrote him down as Ulysses S. Grant.
The authorities at West Point and
the secretary Of war were petitioned
by The young cadet to correct the
blunder, but no notice was taken of
the request. Ulysses S. Grant lie had
been recorded, and Ulysses $. Grant
he remained, the name now so world
wide IN its fame having been bestowed
through a coDgressman's defect of
memory. The initials U. 5. suggested
"Uncle Sam" to his comrades, a nick
name be never lost, and one peculiarly
prophetic in view of his extraordinary
career. During the war he WIS not
infrequently nickhamed United
States Grant, and unconditional
Surrender Grant" the U. S. seeming
to have special significance in those
days which tried mems souls" He
graduated in 1913, twenty-first in a
class of forty-three, his commission OF
brevet second lieutenant and his
diploma both styling him Ulysses 5.
Grant. The Fourth infantry was his
regiment. He remained in the army
eleven years, aud, according to Gen.
Adam Badeau, was in every battle of
the Mexican war except Buena Vista.
He received two brevets for gallantry,
and was later stationed at several
posts on the Canada frontier, and fin
ally In California and Oregon. In
lS4S he married Julia +. Dent, daugh-
ter of a merchant of st. Louis. In
1894, being then captain, he resigned
his commission in the army and
removed TO Gravois. near st. Louis,
where he operated farm. The
breaking out OF the civil war found
Grant, the future leader of our armies,
au obscure citizen, working industri-
ously to support himself and family in
small inland town. He was wholly
unknown, without influence, and APP
parently without ambition. On the
18th Of April, 1861, Fort Sumter fell.
On the 18th President Lincoln made
his call for troops, and on the 10th
Grant was drilling a company of vol
unteers in Galena.. Four days later
he took it to Springfield. From there
he wrote the adjutant general OF the
army, offering his services to the gov.
eminent in any capacity ia which II
cared TO make use OF him. This let
ter, which would now be a valuable
historic document, called forth no re
ply, and was not considered impor
tant enough to preserve. This neg
lect, In the words OF an Armandal,
peasant much quoted by Carlyle
could nae hinder him OF God'l
Providence" At Springfield IA,
helped to organize the voluntee
troops OF Illinois and became Colonel
AT Mexico, NO., while in command O
his regiment, the Twenty-6rst hi
nois, he was commissioned Brigade
general. His first military achieve
ment was the seizure of Paducah
Shortly afterward came the capture o
Fort Donaldson, which Immediately
preceded his advancement 10 th,
major generalshlp. The battle o
Shiloh and It's heavy losses gave Gen
Halleck an opportunity TO almos
ignore Grant for time but Vlcksbur,
and Missionary Ridge added nev
laurels TO his record and on the End 0
March, 1864, he was made lleutenan
general with command of all the mil
itary forces Of the country.
Gen. Grant was very unpretentiou
In his personal appearance. He wa
not given 20 decoration or spleDdor
but he was always neat aud ready 10
business. He had been appointe'
. commender-In-chIcf Of all the armie