Smyrna times., 1885-07-29

EARLY on Thursday morning last
the telegraph wires that belt the globe
vibrated with the intelligence that Gen
eral Grant was dead. This news was
not unexpected, for the Nation had
sat for several days around his bedside.
watching with bated breath the fast
ebbing tide, and expecting at any mo-
ment the heart-beats to cease. To-day
the Nation sits in sackclOth and ashes
and mourns for the greatest man Of the
age. History will hand down to the
generations to come the name of u. S.
Grant as one of the greatest men the
world has known. Rarely indeed
does "A career develop so big in its ac-
cOmplishment, so full in its influence.
Standing erect and in the full stature of
his manhood, he was great in accorded
opportunities; great by virtue of them
and great in spite of his disadvantages.
a man not highly educated nor spec
tally gifted, but he happened to com
bine in his individuality what gifts
could not furnish nor study acquire.
He was not above his lowly life when
he led it. He was not unequal to the
highest duties when he reached them.
Never restless about his place, he was
out of placenOwhcre. Humble citizen,
brigader, mighty leader in battle, civil
chief in sterner hour, he felt no
tetters and was CALLED by no shackles.
From DonelsOn to Washington. from
demands without conditions to the
let us have peace" invocation. there
is symmetry that imitation did not
mould. Great, however as is the man
IN his liie-a hero before millions a
power that none questioned, IA force that
made it way y-it was not till the inner
workings Ofa life that wore a harsh
men, became gradually "a matter of
knowledge that the rounded fulness of
possibilities of career Of the erewbile
humble tanner were fully realized.
Grand as his achievements mark him.
General Grant is in nothing grander
than the signal proof his triumpbs
crown, that herOism is kindly. that
greatness is fOrbearing, that modestv is |
mighty
General Ulysses 5. Grant was born
in humble home at Point Pleasant. |
ClermOnt county, Ohio, April 9th. !
1872. His early surroundings were |
lOwly, his father being hard. working |
pioneer in trade, dealing in leather for |
"a livelihood. At the age of II Young
Grant entered the West Point MIIitarV
Academy, and ut the age Of 2I he was
graduated, No. 2l in u class of AZ
pupils. His baptismal name was 1
Hiram Ulysses, hut through some er-
ror he was entered at West Point as
lysses >" and the name thus re-
corded remained.
The Mexican war coming on a few
years later Lieutenant Grant, as he
was made in the Seventh United States
Infantry, September 10Th, l845, saw
plenty Of active service, lie served
with honor and was promoted to a FIRST
lleutenancy September 10Th 1847.
AICer peace was declared he was sta
toned at various posts Oh the Canada
frontier and in Oregon and California.
He was promoted 10 "a eaptaincy.
August 9th, 1853.
Previous to this, in 1913, Lieutenant
Gra9t married Julia Il. Dent, daugh-
ter of St. Louis merchant In 1854
he resigned EQm the army and settled
down as a farmer oq o small scale, near
st. Louis. AS farmer Grant was un-
successful and cOrrespondngly impe-
1t is of some interest. 10 read
that he was q slave holder in a small
way at that time and that when he
gave up his Missouri farm and crossed
the river to join his father and brother
at Galena, Ills, in the tanning busi-
ness, he made a gift to a friend of his
four remaining slaves.
kasse4 2 company at Galena, ILL.,,
April 10, 1851 Colonel Twenty-first
Illinois Infantry, June ", 1861; Briga-
der General Of the Volunteers. August
%, 1861, with commission dating from
May IL. Placed in command at Cairo,
ILL.,, he seized Paducah, September 6,
and Smithheld, September 25. Com
manded at Battle of Belmont, Novem-