The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1885-07-31
Grants Remarkable History.
THE CAREER OF THE GENREAL FROM
Ills EARLY DAYS As A CADET,

TIE CAREER OF THE GENERAL FROM
Ills EARLY DAYS As A CADET.
Ulysses Simpson Grant was born at
Point Pleasant, o., April 27, 1922, and
is OF Scotch descent. In 1928 his par
ents removed to Georgetown,O., where
his boyhood was passed. He entered
West Point in 1889, the appointee of
Congressman Thomas L. Harmer. His
name was originally Hiram Ulysses,
but through blunder the appointment
was made out for Ulysses s., and so it
had to remain. During his course at
the academy he showed much prof
cheney in mathematics. He graduated
in ls43, ranking twenty 6rst in class
of thrty-nine. He was made breyet
second lieutenant of infantry and at
tached as supernumerary lieutenant
to the Fourth Regiment, then station
ed on the Missouri frontier In 1S45
the regiment was ordered to Texas to
join the army of Gen. Taylor, and on
Sept. 80 Grant was commissioned as a
full lieutenant. lie had his first ex-
perience of war in the battle of Palo
Alto. May 8, 1S46, aud he also took
part in the battles of Resaca de la Pal
ma, Monterey ard the siege of Vera
Cruz In April, lS47, he was Quar-
termaster of the regiment, but still par
ticipated in all active operations, and
on Sept. 8, ls47, he was appointed on
the field first lieutenant for his gal.
lantry. Col. Garland, in his report of
the battle of Chapultepec, Sept. 13,
lS47, said: 81 must not omit TO call
attention to Lieut.. Grant, Fourth In
fantry, who acquitted himself most
nobly upon several occasions under my
own observation. For his conduct at
Chapultepec Grant was brevetted cap
tain. After the fall of the City of Mex
leo he came home with his regiment
and was station cd first at Detroit and
afterwards at Sackett's Harbor. He
married Miss Julia II. Dent, of St.
Louis, sister of one of his classmates
in lS4S. He accompanied his regl,
ment to California and Oregon in 1852,
and while at Fort Vancouver, Aug. 5,
lS53,was commissioned full captain. He
resigned his commission July 81, 1854,
and removed to st. Louis, where he en-
gagged in farming and in business as a
real estate agent. In 1859 he was in
the employ of his father in the leather
trade In Galena, III.
AT the fall of Fort Sumpter he at
once offered his services TO the Govern
ment. As a trained officer he was
gladly accepted and appointed to COM
mand a company of volunteers, until
he became Colonel of the Twenty first
Regiment, his commission dating from
June IL, 1861. Having organized and
trained his regiment, he led itinto Mis-
souri,, where it formed part of the
guard of the Hannibal and St. Joseph
Railroad. On July 81 he was appoint
ed to the command of the troops at
Mexico, Mo-, forming part of Gen.
Pope's force, and on August go was
promoted Brigadier. General of Volun-
teers. He assumed command of the
troops at Carlo, which were soon in
creased by the addition of McClernard's 8
brigade. He seized Paduca, a strate-
gic point Of Importance, and at the bat
tie of Frederickstown and Belmont
held the Confederate General jeff
Thompson In check. Gen. Halleck,
commanding the Department of Mis-
souri,, gave Grant the command of the
district of Cairo, including Southern
Illinois, Kentucky west of the Cum
berland River, and the southern coun-
ties of Missouri. In February, 1862,
he advanced on Forts Henry and Don
elson with l5,00O men, supported by
the gunboats of Commodore Foote.
The reduction of the first (Feb. G) was
chiefly the work of the gunboats, but
Fort Donelson was only taken after a
desperate and bloody assault hy the
troops ten days later. AS the first
great victory::of the Federal arms, this
capture reused the country to the high
est pitch of enthusiasm, and Grant was
made Major General, his commission
dating from the day of battle. Gen.
g. +. Smith had been directed TO make
an expedition up the Tennessee with
about 10000 men, but he died soon
after he started, and the command de-
volved on Gen. Grant On April 6,
1862, recognizing the Union army,
which had been almost routed by Gen.
Albert Sidney Johnston at Pittsburg
Landing, Grant drove the Confederates
back to Corinth. The loss was not far
from 10000 on each side. Gen. Grant
Was slphtly wounded
TIE FALL OF vICKsBURG.
On the recall of Halleck, Grant was
given command of the West Tennessee
Department, defeated Price, put Rose.
Grams in command at Cornith and NOV
ed on Vicksburg with the Thirteenth
Army Corps. After several unsuccess.
full attempts against "the Gibraltar OF
the Mississippi from the north, Grant
marched his amy down the west bank
of the river, crossed over below the
city April 80, 1868, and having defeat
ed the enemy in several actions he pre-
vented j. f, Johnston from joining
Pemberton at Vicksburg He laid
siege to the city on the 18th of May
After desperate fighting and fearful
carnage the place surrendered July A.
1868, with 27,000 prisoners. For a
season the tide of war began to turn in
the favor of the Confederate forces.
Grant was promoted to Major-General
in the regular army and placed in the
command of the Division IF the Missis
sippi with Sherman, Thomas, Burnside
and Hooker under his orders. After
the capture of Vicksburg, Grant sen,
heavy reinforcements to Sherman, who
was thereby enabled to drive the Con,
federate force under Johnston out Of
Jackson. Bragg having threatened
Chattanooga, Grant concentrated his
forces and drove Bragg from Mission
airy Ridge and Lookout Mountain
Congress bestowed gold medal OF
the victor, and revived for him tn,
grade of Lieutenant. General. Resolu
items of thanks were also passed by tn,
Legislatures of New York and Ohio
"My headquarters" said his first gen
eral order, twill be in the field" ii,
then took immediate command of tn,