The Hawaiian gazette., 1885-08-26
General Grant in Mexico.

The country was on the eve of war with
Mexico when he left the Academy, and the
Young lieutenant was to have speedier
'baptism Of FIRE" than most West Point grad
yates He saw a great deal Of service, being,
as IL has been said, 'in all the battles il
which any one could be-" He first saw blood
shed at Palo Alto on May S, 1916, and was
also in the battles Of Resaca de la Palma aud
Monterv and the seige of Vera Cruz. 1t was at
Monterey that be showed bold and skillMi
horsemanship. The ammunition Of his brig
ade was exhausted, and a messenger to carry
the word for more must run the gauntlet of
The onomy's bullets. He borrowed a trick
from the Indians, aud hanging by the horses
name upon his side flew past in safety. In
April, 1917, lie was made quartermaster Of
| his regiment, and wrote home TO his father
| and mother: 81 do not mean YOU shall ever
hear Of my Sinking my duty in battle. Ny
new post OF quarieTmaster is considered TO at
ford an officer an opportunity to be relieved
| from fighting, but / do not and cannot see it
in that light You have always taught me
that the post of danger is the post of duty"
So he went on fighting, and at MolinO del Rey
| (Sepiember 5, 1910 was appointed on the
field first lieutenant for his gallantry. Bat
he had no friends in Congress, and the honor
was not confirmed to him. Colonel Garland,
commanding the first brigade at Chepultepec,
referred in his report TO "Lieutenant Grant,
4th Infantry, who acquitted himself most no.
bly, upon several occasions under my own OBJ
servaiion'' He was breveted captain for his
galautry on that day (September Is, 1910
and soon after got his delayed commission as
first lieutenant It is little curious that even
in war, where he was afterward 10 make
himself renowned, Grant, though then about
twenty-five years of age, appears to have
made no deep impression upon those about
him. Many wears afterward, When he had be-
come famous. General Scott said of him that
he could only remember him ''in the Mexican
War as young lieutenant Of undaunted cour-
age but giving no promise Of anything beyond
ordinary abilities.
When tie Mexican War ended he returned
with his regiment 10 Detroit, and was after
ward stationed at Sackctt's Harbor. While
there, it is said he found an antagonist at
chess, 10 which he was devoted, who beat him
steadily. 4 characteristic story is told Of
Grant that he would siubbornly insist on
keeping up the game until lis opponent was
so tired that his mind would not work freely
and then the account would be balanced. In
| ISIS he married Julia T. Dent. Of ST. Louis,
sister Of Frederick T. Dent, one of his class
u
ter his marriage and the throngs of e,iigrautS
to California made the presence Of troops
necessary on the Pacific coast. Grants regi-
uent was ordered thither, and soon after he
was sent with battalion 70 Fort Dallas, Ore
/ gou, a lonely outpost in the wilderness of the
1 Northwest. His life there was dreIry, un-
eventful and dispiritiug; and the evidence
seems to.show that he did not resist the natural
temptations TO conyiyiality so well as he might
| have done The prospect for advancement in
| the army was gloomy. The promotions for
services during the Mexican War, many Of
| them obtained through political influence. had
! filled every vacancy existing or that was likely
TO occur 10 July, 1854, the year before he
became captain, he resigned his commission
his resignation according to one report, hay
Ing been unofieially requested-aud went 10
ST. Louis, his wifc's former home, near which
he settled down ON small farm. The next
six years Of his life were years of poverty, OBJ
security and failure. The returns from his
farm were small, and lie went into the business
Of selling wood, cutting it himself, hauling II
from Caroudelet, as the village was called,
into St. Louis, and selling it by the cord.
There were many who, after he became Presi-
dent, well remembered the short, square fig
ure, felt hat, coarse blouse and trousers
tucked into the boots Of the man who once
brought them their frewood One of his Gus
toners was Henry 7. Blow, who was elected to
the XXXIXth Congressman went to the White
House with his wife, wondering whether his
former wood-dealer would remember them, oil
would care to recall their former relations
General Grant said: Mrs. Blow, remember
you we'll. Do you Tecollect when l used to
supply your husband with wood and pile il
myself, and measure it, too, and 90 to his Of
ice for my pay? Those were happy days
for was doing the best l could to support
my family" But he was not successful at it
He added bill-collecting to his other occupa-
tons, but was too goOd-na.ured for dun, he.
lieved too easily and accepted excuses tnC
promptly. He was too poor to hire an office
and lawyer, W. S. Hillyer (afterward OF
Grants staff, gave him the use Of his. HI
applied for the position of County Engineer
aud failed to get it. He tried auetioneering
and made an experiment in real estate busl.
ness. The result was about the same, how.
ever, in all his ventures. Whether because
the years spent in the army had untitled hin
for business life, or not, the pot did not boi
cheerily. II is pleasant to be able to recorC
the fact, however, that be had thrown off ont
of the shsckles of army life. The story is OF
record OF his meeting some Of his old frieudi
in St.Louis who wanted him to take glass o.
two, but he absolutely refused, saying that h
drank nothing now.-N. 7. Tribune.