The morning times., 1897-02-09
GRANTS BARRACK LIFE
NEAR TO ST. LOUIS

early Western history. New buildings have
been added, and the trees have grown, but
the old buildings set around the square OF
swardare quite untouched of change. They
look as they did in 1913, when Ulysses
Grant joined the Army there and entered
upon his duties as brevet second lieutenant
of the Fourth Infantry. They are of white
washed stone, with galleries and gener-
Gus roofs, in the Southern manner. AT the
eastern end OF the campus is set the flag
staff, and under it the brass cannon which
serves as evening gun.
Itwas large post in the early '40's, for
st. Louis was then far-W Western town,
and a most important military center. NJ
lessthan ski cen companies Of infantry were
stationed at Jefferson Barracks when Grant
was assigned to duty there, just after his
graduation from West 7 Point. Col. Stephen
Kearncy Commanded the post and com
manded it reasonably, and the young lieu
tenant found armylife greeable. The rou-
tine was not severe and though his room
was bare and the duty mOnotonOus, yet
there was compensating charm. For i-
version men and officers alike looked 10
st Louis. Between roll-call and drill the
officers were permittedto enjoy themselves
without inquisitorial search into til cir plans
and motives With his mind still set on
securing a situation as teacher, Grant set
to work to do some reading and studying
Possibly this resolution kept him out Of the
degenerating tendency of the routine life,
which makes toward indifferentism and
mechanical action AT any rate, no one has
yet uttered word of criticism of his life
there Gen. Longstreet says him at this
time.
'.He was "a general favorite, and his
name was never connected with anything
which called for rcbuke Or rcproach. The
routine was strict enough to account for
every man and to fill his time pretty thor
oughly. 1t was about like that at West
Point, with thorough daily drill, for the
Mexican war was threatening.
/ From the barracks an irregular road led
TO the northwest, towards Geor town, in
terSeCtiug the famous Grayois DAD frOrn
St Louis at a point about nine miles out
side the city. This byway came to be a
familiar one to Ulysses Grant, for Col. Dent,
the father of Grant classmate nj
roommate, F. T Dent, lived on the GravoiS
road, a mile or two beyond its intersection
with the barracks road. Frederick Dent
had been fond enough OF Ulysses Grant 70
visit him at his home in Bethel, and also
to invite him to vsit in return at white
Haven" as the elder Grant called his coun-
try seat. Before Grant was able To pay
the visit, however, Frederick Dent Was
forced to report for duty in regime Mt sta
! toned further West.
The Dent household contained three young
girls-Juia, Emma, and Ellen. Julia, "A
girIof seventeen, was at school in st. Louis,
and Lieut. Grant upon making his first
visit to White Haven, did not meet her.
though he found the house filled with
young people He was moved to repeat his
visit even before Miss Julia returned from
| st Louis and afterwards he very frequently
rode out there betw ween drills, clattering
| furiously up the road III his impetuous
| boyish fashion, for between drills and roll
| call was short space to make lover s
visit in, especially when the young lady s
home was several miles away.
White Haven, for all its title, was but a
| plain farmhouse, with two snallish roofnS
| and a hall in the main part below. 1t had
| an addition on the west and negro cabin
| and kitchen at the rear. 1t was imposing
! by reason OF its galleries, its position and
| the beautiful surroundings it overlooked Il
| was not so Overa wing to the young OhiOan
| as Col Dent himself, who was al this time
| a middIe-aged man oflarge frame and iras
| chile temper, quite the ideal N manner OF
| a gentleman OF the plantation. According
| to local testimony he took small interest IN
| Ulysses Grant, who was a plain, Inc pres
| sive youth, quite commonplace III all dis
| ceruible ways The colonel, it is said. won
| lered at his son taste in taking to himself
| such an intimate! His dislike OF Grant
| crew when he saw his daughter Julia evi
IDENTIFY pleased with the Young soldier, Mrs
| Dent, on the contrary. liked young Grant a.
once. Her keen sense apprehended in hin
honesty, loyalty and certain unmeasuret
power. Her greetings continued to be cor
dial even after it appeared that her daugh
ter Julia was wholly committed to the
young lieutenant future veal or Woe.
| Georgetown was back country at thi
time st. Louis was ten miles away, owe
"a bad road, and its pleasures We're quit
out of reach in winter Therefore, tn
Dent family depended for society largei
on their neighhors At the home of tn,
Longs, tie sappingtons or the Dents, tn
young people gathered of evenings To dane
and sing. and i'll these meTryinGkingS Gran
and some of his fellow-officeTs from tn
barracks were frequently participants. VI
the other hand. Miss Julia Dent was frt
uuent dancer at the barrack hops An
| in time these frequent meetings stirred II
| Lieut. Grant a desire beyond every Othe
| felt by him-to win the small hand of thi
| Missouri girl.
The courts hip proceeded n the tru
American fashion-that is to say, withou
asking by-your-leave of the parents; sine
they are not the principals in the matte
| ANYHOW their oh jections are OF snail ma
| ter Beautiful days followed-days to /
| remembered till death. Over the lovel
| hills and through secluded, wooded lane
tie Young people rode or drove withot
provision OF trouble. Then one day A
| order came to tile Fourth Infantry I
break camp and join the Second Dragon
at Fort Jessup, in Louisiana.
Grant had just obtained twenty-Cay'
leave OF absence to visit Ohio. II was, |
fact. on the road, and there was no wa
of recalling him save by letter; So n
journe we'd on without Worry. His worr
began when a letter reached MIN telhr
him his regiment was about to move. II
had not arrived at a definite understandtn
with Miss Dent, being content merely
meet her day by day: hut now war W.
threatening, and it seemed of paramou
necessity that he should knew her preci
| feeling toward him. He returned in q
press haste to jefferson Barracks, saddle
his horse. and rode to White Haven.
He arrived at White Haven on the day
wedding to which the Dents were goin
and all things conspred 10 make him We
determined and more than unusually S
rious. He found Miss Julia in Il carriag
t lust starting to the wedding in compai
: with nor brother He perSlladetl her hrOth hi