El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-12-10
Aa<Ams.s.

and married a Miss Julia Dent, OF 81.
Louis. After a short service IN tne
army, in different sections Oh
county, during which time ne nau
reached a captaincy, feeling that tne
eight years service, required py tne
government, had now been renoereo'
and that he had paid for his eouca-
ton by his services, he decided 10
leave the army and seek activities In
another field.
Takes to Farming.
He took a small farm near ST.
Louis, and spent a good deal or ms
time hauling wood to the CITY ne
tried in vain to add TO his income oy
becoming a collector of debts for oth-
ers He was anxious and ambitious 10
succeed. but a long series OF failures
were recorded against him, SO ms
father took him to Galena, and the
business was changed to Grant &
Son, leather dealers" and Capt. Grant
commenced again the old business OF
handling hides This seemed 10 MIN
to be his lifework, but suddenly there
was a call to arms. Grant was ready
al once to respond to the call or DUTY
He organized a company OF volunteers,
which he took to Springfield, ILL.,, ana
offered his services TO his country Dut
the adjutant general completely ig-
1dored Grant He was willing to serve
his country in any capacity. Eminent
civilians were offering themselves as
commanders, and there seemed no
chance for the obscure tanner Tne
story is told in Georgetown, o., that at
This period Grant came to that town
ard called on some old acqualntanceS
to raise enough money to buy an out
fit to bake hard tack, as he had
contract A friend discouraged him and
n OIL His WAS now
presented to governor Yates. His mill
tarv education in the Mexican war was
emphasized and so the governor COM
missioned him an adjutant and set him
TO work to assist him in arranging the
quota for the state. \ little later the
governor received a request from the
president to send on two names for
the position of brigadier general. ana
proposed to Grant to send his Grant
declined the offer. preferring, he said,
to earn his promotion
Is Made Colonel.
Having completed the WORK required
to meet the first call of the state for
troops Grant was commissioned col
oReI of the 21st regiment, and got this
Job only because its own colonel could
not manage the men. Below medium
height and OF shabby appearance, the
new colonel made poor impression on
the regiment, Out now he was III the
army of the union and the force of his
character began to show itself He
had offered his services to the gen
eral government, but no attention was
paid to the offer. He had tried to get
on the staff of Mcclellan, but failed.
Having heard Of the latter's appoint
ment as major general of Ohio volun-
teer's he modestly thought an old
army friend, he might offer him a ~po-
sition on his staff. so he went to Gin
cinrati to see Mcclellan. He called on
him twice but finding him out both
times, and seeing a crowd of eppli-
cants around his headquarters. he be-
came discouraged and returned home.
Had Grant obtained an interview
with Mcclellan, he might have received
the coveted appointment shared that
commanders fortune and fate, and so
have been lost to the civil war. Well.
indeed, for himself, for the union and
the world that Grant did not see Nc
Clellan. Grant looked upon his failure
to see Mcclellan as one of the greatest
misfortunes of his life, but 1t was the
turning point in his great career which
enabled him to take the road that led
on to higher fame and brought him to
the highest pinnacle of earthly hon
ors. His misfortune in missing Nc
Clellan made him the greatest general
of modern times, and put his name in
class with Alexander, Hannibal
Caesar land Napoleon