Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-08-01

Scott & Taylor, but only as q subaltern,
not having held any important COM
mand.
At the breaking out of the war Grant
was 80 years old, the father of four chill
dren, the eldest of whom was IL. He
lived in small house in Galena, devot
ing his time to leather and his little
family. As has been said, thus
did the war and his destiny find him.
On the 18th of April, 1851, Fort Sumter
fell. On the 10Th President Lincoln
made his call for troops, and on the 10th
Grant was drilling company of volun-
teers in Galena. Four days later he took
it to Springfield. Five weeks later, Gov.
Yates commissioned him Colonel of the
2lst regiment of Illinois infontry. He
took command of his regiment early in
June, and marched to Missouri, report
ing to Gen. Pope. In August President
Lincoln commissioned him Brigade,
General of volunteers. A little later he
was transferred by Gen. Fremont to the
command of the district of 'Southwes,
Missouri, with headquarters at Cairo.
From this date his history is that of the
rebellion. His first achievement was the
capture of Paducah, KY. Then followed
the brilliant sortie on Belmont, the cap
ture of Fort Donelson, which important
event sent thrill of rap Z through the
country. Then followed Shiloh, and
Grant for two months was under cloud,
which was dissipated by his subsequent
~ taking command of the army IF the
Tennessee and his brilliant achievement
in the capture of Vicksburg and the open
Ing of the Mississippi River, which was
justly regarded as the turning point in
the war. The capture of Vicksburg was
the event really which broke the back
bone of the rebellion. It struggled on
nearly two years bat it never regained
prestige. Chattanooga and Lookou.
Mountain followed.
On the Goth of February, 1864, bill
passed Congress bestowing on Grant the
title of Lieutenant General of all the
military forces of the country. Only
Washington and Scott had before held
this high rank. Grant was ordered to
Washington and received his commission
direct from the hands of President Lin
coin whom he had never before seen.
Then followed the battles of the Evil
derness," Grant taking personal com:
mand of the army of the Potomac. 1t
was pending those sanguinary encoun-
tiers, which for months gave to neither
side any apparent advantage that Grant
penned the dispatch which has become
historic. II purpose to fight it out on
this line if it takes all Summer"
Then followed the investment of Gen.
Lee in Richmond, the evacuation of his |
armies, and his final surrender to Gen.
Grant at Appomattox, which scene will
ever remain one of the crowning events !
in American history.
In 1868 Gen. Grant was elected Presi- |
dent, and was reelected in 1872. In |
May 1877 the General and Mrs. Grant |
sailed for Europe on a foreign tour of |
two years, which has been described by |
John Russell Young in his famous book,
Around the World with Grant," This |
tour, in the course of which foreign dig
nitaries We'd with each other to do him
honor, was the close of the eventful pub
lie career of Ulysses s. Grant
A few weeks ago the Nation was
startled by the announcement that Gen.
Grant was slowly and painfully dying at
his home in New York City. From the
first his physicians held out no hope of
bis recovery.
And now the end has come. The SOL
emn curtain has fallen, with his family
around him, in the fullness of every |
earthly honor, the message came to the
dying chieftain which bows q grateful
country in mourning, at the going out
IF life of the greatest and most honoreo
IF Americans.