The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-04-15
,s attbe age of sixteen he was

from his native county in Pennsyl,
vania. Ulysses, the first child, was
born April q, 1922. His father
was poor, and as soon as Ulysses
was able to help him, he was put to
work. At the early age Of eight, it
is said, he was taught to drive a
team, and at ten was accustomed to
drive one from Georgetown, Ohio
to which place his father had re-
moved-to Cincinnati, distance Of
forty miles, and bring back load.
He was Injured in his bOyhood years
to hard toll, and his education was
necessarily neglected. His moral
training, however, received careful
attention from his mother, a strict
Methodist, who trained the child to
respect the truths of religion and
practice its virtues. He grew up
truthful, upright and industrious.
Between driving a team and helping
his father in the lanyard, the boy
grew up to be broad-shouldered
youth.
The father, desirous of securing
for him the advantages of an educa-
tion, and being unable to give it
himself, resolved to get him entered
at West Point, especially as young
Ulysses had a taste for military life.
He applied to the member of Con-
gress from his district, Mr.. Morris,
for the appointment, but he had al
ready given the appointment he
controlled to another person. Mr..
Hamer, Representative form anoth-
er district, however, had a vacancy
at his disposal, and, to the great joy
of Ulysses, conferred the appoint
ment upon him. Mr.. Hamer got
the idea that Ulysses middle name
was Simpson, and when he sent on
young Grants name. sent ii as Ulys-
ses S. Grant. 1t was so entered on
the register at West Point, and has
SO remained. In this way General
Grant acquired his middle name.
He entered the academy at West
Point in 1899, when he was seven
teen years OF age. He did not, 1t is
said, have sufficient preparation and
was far behind most of his class in
all'their studies. He entered upon
the work before him, however, with
great perseverance and indomitable
courage. He perfected himself in
horsemanship, so it was almost i'm
possible to unseat him. In the sec
ond year he was made sergeant of
battalion. In the last year he was
promoted to the position of officer of
the cadets. AT the close of the year
he graduated hoEorably, standing
No. q in class of SO. There was
nothing in his life as cadet that
gave promise of brilliant future.
His manner, it is said, gave one the
impression that he was indolent.
He was rather favorite, from his
easy, good.natured disposition, and
suffered very little annoyance. 1t
is said, however, that with all his APP
parent Incidence or indifference, he
was compelled to be hard student,
in order to maintain his standing
among his!classmates, most of whom
entered the academy with greater
advantages.
On his graduation in 1843 cadet
Grant was assigned a position as bre-
vet second lieutenant of the fourth
regiment, U. S. Infantry, and Joined
his regiment in the autumn of that
year at Jefferson Barracks, near st.
Louis He had classmate, Fred
erick T. Dent, who was from st.
Louis, and who had been assigned
like himself to the fourth infantry.
The two were warm friends and
Lieutenant Dent took his classmate
to his own heme whenever they
could obtain leave. Here he formed
the acquaintance of the estimable
lady. then Miss Julia Dent, whom
five years subsequently he married.
When the war with Mexico COM
menced the fourth infantry formed
a part of Gen. Zachary TaylOr's
army of occupation, and Lieutenant
Grant took as active part as his
rank and position permitted in the
battles of Palo Alto, May s, '46, Re-
SAGA de la Palma, May 8, Monterey,
21-23, where his gallant
conduct received honorable mention
from his commander, and in the
siege of Vera Cruz, March 9-29, al.
On the 1st of April he was appoint
ed quartermaster of the fourth in
fantry, preparatory to the long and
difficult march upon the city of
Mexico, and he held his position
from that time to July %, 1S4S, af-
ter the close of the Mexican war.
But though his early experiences
qualified him to fill this position
with great ability, he did not, as by
the army regulations he might, con-
slider himself excused from service
in the field.
He was in nearly every battle of
the campaign; at Cerro Gordo, april
17-1S, 1S47. at San Antonio, August
20, at Shurubusco, the same day, at
Molinodel Rey, September s, where
his gallant and meritorious conduct
procured him a brevet of first lieu
tenant, and the praise of his COM
mander; at the storming of Chapul-
tepee, September 13, where he won
a brevet of captain; and the ecomi-
ums of that stern old soldier Gener-
al Worth, and at the assault and
capture of the city of Mexico, Sept.
1918, 1S47, where he obtained the
more substantial honor of a promo
ton two days later, to the first lieu
tenancy in his regiment. After the
war he was assigned to garrison duty
at Sackett's Harbor, New York, for
a year, then again made quartermas-
ter of his regiment, which position
he held for four years, to September
80. 1853. In August, 1853, he at
tanned to a captaincy, and after an
other years service on the Pacific
slope, he resigned his commission
July 81, 1854. He was now thirty
two years old, and if he was to be
anything more than poor army
captain it was time that he should
naka a haninninn Cnnh a-o Az