Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-12-08
New Publications.
psssonAL MEnoIas or q. s. GRAsT. In
Two VoLUnEs.-VoL. I. NEW YORK,
CHARLEs L. WEBsTHR 4 Co.

Two VoLunrs.-voL. 1. NEW YoRK.
CnARLEs L. WEBsrER & Co.
The expected first volume Of General
Grant's "Personal Memoirs" 10 now Issued
from the press, handsomely printed, and IN
binding to suit all classes. In one OF the
opening pages appear the following words in
fac smile of the suthor's penmanship {:
"These volumes are dedicated to the Ameri-
can soldier and sailor. U. s. Grant, New York
City, May 23d, 1885, The opening chapter
gives IN account of Grants Ancestry. Birth
and Babyhood. Then follow "reminiscences
OF his West Point experience, ofthe Mexican
War 10 which he took part, of his private
life up to thsoutbresk of the Rebellion, and
of what he knew and saw Of the gigantic
struggle in which the nation was engaged,
down to the surrender of Vicksburg. The
style is simplicity itself, the narration modest
ss the author appeared Under his great honors,
and profoundly interesting u all readers. We
copy few brief extracts from the volume
before us:
GRANT 8 BIRTH AND IOUIH.
General Grant was born at Point Pleasant,
Clermont County, Ohio, April 81, 1922, but
lived at Georgetown, in the adjoining county
until he went to West Point, at the age Of
seventeen. As to his school days he says:
1.-THE schools, at the time of which write.
were very Indifferent. There we're no free
schools, and none in which the scholars were
classified They were all supported by sub
= l. -hn nft m
man or a woman incapable of teaching
much, even if they impaired all they knew
would have thirty or forty scholars, male and
female, from the infant learning the A C's
up to the young lady of eighteen and the boy
of twenty, studying the highest studies taught
the three RS, Reading, 'Riting, 'Rithmetic
l never saw an algebra or other mathematical
work higher than the arithmetic in George
town, until after l was appointed to West
Point. then bought a work on algebra in
Cincinnati; but, having no teacher it was
Greek to me.
ON THE WAY TO WEST POINT.
Gen. Grant did not want to go to West
Point When his father told him that it was
his plan to send him, Ulysses said: ~ won't
CO." He adds "He said he thought would
and thought so, too, if he did. really
had no objection to going to West Point, ex-
cept that had a very exalted idea of the &C.
quirements necessary to get through.
did not believe possessed them, and could
not bear the idea of falling" He even goes
so far as to confess: 81 would have been
glad to have had steamboat o. railroad col
lision or any other accident happen by which
| might have received a temporary injury
sufficient to make me ineligible, for a time,
to enter the academy. Nothing of the kind
occurred and had to face the music"
FALLING IN LOVE.
Living near St. Louis was the family of
one of Grants classmates, and when he was
sent to the Jefferson Barracks in that city, he
says: "As found the family congenial, my
visits became frequent. There were at home,
besides the young men, two daughters, one
school miss of fifteen, the other a girl of
eight or nine. There was still an older daugh-
ter of seventeen, who had been spending
several years at boarding school in
St. Louis, but who, though through school.
had not yet returned home. She was spend
ing the winter in the city with connections,
the family of Colonel John O'Fallon, well
known in St. Louis. In February she re-
turned to her country home. After that do
not know but my visits became more fire.
quent; they certainly did become more en-
joyable. We would often take walks, or go
on horseback to visit the neighbors, unit.
became quite well acquainted in that vicinity.
He adds that if the 4th Infantry had stayed
at jefferson Barracks he might have gone on
for some years without suspecting anything
was the matter with him, bat the Texas
troubles broke out, and Grant was ordered to
Louisiana He wanted first to see Miss Dent,
and thus he describes the way in which love
makes sport of difficulties Il Immediately
procured horse and started for the country,
taking no baggage with me, Of course. There
is an insignificant creek-the Gravoir-be-
tween Jefferson Barracks and the place to
which l was going, and at that day there was
not bridge over it from its source to its
mouth There is not water enough in the
creek ut ordinary stages to run coffee mill,
and at low water there is none running what
ever. On this occasion il had been raining
heavily, and, when the creek was reached.
found the banks full to overlooking and the
current rapid. [ looked at it moment to
consider what to do. One of my superstitions
had always been when I started to 60 any
where, or to do anything, not to turn back. or
stop until the thing intended was accom-
plished. l have frequently started to go to
places where l have never been, and to which
did not know the way depending upon max
ing inquiries on the road, and if got past the
place without knowing it, instead of turning
back, would 60 on until a road was found
turning in the right direction. take that, and
come in by the other side. So l struck into
the stream, and in an instant the horse was
swimming and being carried down the cur
rent. l headed the horse towards the other
bank and soon reached it, wet through and
without other clothes on that side of the
stream. went on, however, to my destina-
ton and borrowed drv suit from my BROTH
er-in-law. We were not of the same size, but
the clothes answered every purpose until
got more of my own"
He was successful in his suit, as he de-
served to be. For four years and quarter
they met only once, as he was detailed to the
Western borders of Louisiana, but cores
pondence fed the fame.
THE OUTBREAK OF THE WAR.
While Grant served with his regiment in
California, leading frontier life, his wife
and family were in the East. He expected,
until he WAS made Lieutenant General in
1864, to become a citizen of the West. In
1854 he rejoined his wife and, at the age of
thirty-two, began, as he expressed it, "a new
struggle for our support" First he tried
farming, but that failed partly owing to his
i'll health. Then he established his real es-
tate business in ST. Louis and became a can
didate for county engineer but was defeated.
Then he moved to Galena and entered his
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