Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-07-01


Here is one of the stories of his boy
hood:
There was Mr.. Ralston living with
in few miles of the village, who owned
a colt which very much wanted. Ny
father had offered 500 for it, but Raj
ston wanted $25. I was so anxious to
have the colt that after the owner left l
begged to be allowed to take him at
the price demanded. My father yielded
but said 500 was all the horse was
worth, and told me to offer that price;
if it was not accepted I was to offer him
$22.50, and if that would not get him,
to give the 1925. l at once mounted a
horse and went for the colt. When /
got to Mr.. Ralston's house I said to
him: ''Papa says may offer you 500
for the colt, but if you won't take that
/ am to offer $22.50, and if you won't
take that, to give you $685. 1t would
the price finally agreed upon. This
story is nearly true. I certainly showed
very plainly that had come for the
colt and meant to have him. l could
not have been over years old at this
time. I kept the horse until he was
4 years old, when he went blind, and
l sold him for 500.
Thus the General tells of the modest
beginning of his career as soldier:
My father received letter from the
Hon. Thomas Morris, then United States
Senator from Ohio. When he read it
he said to me: Ulysses, I believe you
are going to receive the appointment
"What appointments I inquired.
ITO West Point; 1 have applied for it. ~
"But won't co. said. He said he
thought l wou1d, and I thought so too,
if he did. l really had no objection to
going to West Point, except that I had
very exalted idea of the requirements
necessary to 90 through. did not be-
lieve l possessed them. and could not
bear the idea of failing. During my
first years encampment Gen. Scott
visited West Point and reviewed the ca
diets. With his commanding figure,
his quite colossal size, and snowy uni
form, l thought him the finest speci-
men of manhood my eyes had ever be-
held, and the most to be envied. I
could never resemble him in appear
ance, but believe did have a presen-
timent for moment that some day I
should occupy his place at review, al
though had no intention then of re-
naming in the army. But my expert
ence in a horse trade ten years before,
and the ridicule it cost me, were too
fresh in my mind for me to commune
cate this presentiment to even my most
intimate chum. The next summer Mar
tin Van Buren,, then President of the
United States, visited West Point and
reviewed the cadets. But he did not
impress me with the awe that Scott in
spired. In fact Regarded Gen. Scott
and Capt. c. F. Smith, the command
ant of cadets, as the two men most to
be envied by the nation. I was impa-
tent to get on my uniform and see how
it looked, besides probably wanting my
old schoolmates, particularly the girls
to see me in it. But the conceit was
knocked out of me by two little circum-
stances that happened soon after the
arrival of the clothes, and which gave
me distaste for military uniform that I
never recovered from.
OOOA dAGCA Viz dAAIVdA VI OuC quiz L
donned it and put off for Cincinnati on
horseback. While I was riding along a
street of that city, imagining that every
one was looking at me with feeling
akin to mine when first saw Gen.
Scott, little urchin, bareheaded, bare
foot, with dirty and ragged pants
held up by a single gallow-that's what
suspenders were called then and a
shirt that had not seen wash tub for
weeks, turned to me and cried out:
''Soldier, will you work? No stree.
I'll sell my shirt first" The horse
trade and its dire consequences were
recalled to mind.
Of the manner in which he became
connected with the war of the rebellion
he has much to say. These are some
of the extracts relating to that subject:
saw good deal of Gen. Taylor
during my service with the State. On
one occasion he said to me that ought
to 90 into the United States service. I
told him intended to do so if there
was a war; He spoke of his acquaint-
ance with the public men of the State,
and said he could get them to recon
mend for a position, and he would do all
he could for me. / declined to receive
endorsements for permission to fight
for my country.
That was many years before the war,
but serves to show the man and his in
stincts. In 1861, when he determined
that he owed the nation the benefit of
his training and experience, he wrote
the following letter to Adjt. Gen.
Thomas at Washington, from his home
in Galena. 1t is dated May "a, 1861:
SIR: Having served for fifteen years in
the regular army, including four years at
West Point, and feeling it the duty Of every
one who has been educated at the Govern
support Of that Government, have the
honor, very. respectfully TO tender my serv'
ices, until the close of the war in such ca
pacity as may be offered. would say, in
view of my present age and length OF serv'
ice, l feel myself competant to command
should see fit to intrust one to me.
Since the first call of the President have
been serving on the staff of the Governor o1
this State, rendering such aid as could IL
the organization of our State militia, ant
am still engaged in that capacity: A lettel
addressed to me at Springfield, Illinois, vii
reach me.
I am, very respectfully, your obedien1
servant y. =. GRANT
This letter seems not to have beer
considered of sufficient consequence tt
deserve an answer. Gen. Grant mex
tells of the intense excitement the bonn
| bardment of Sumter created in Galena
where he was living at the time. Bust
ness came to an end, and the citizen:
gathered in mass meeting. Although
Comparatively q stranger,he was called
upon to preside at the meeting, presum