The Republican journal., 1922-04-27
GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT

GEN. ULYSSES S. GRANT
Today, Thursday, is the one-hundredth
anniversary of the birth of Gen. Ulysses
s. Grant, and an equestrian statue of the
former President and Civil War hero will
he dedicated with appropriate ceremonies
in Washington. The group OF statuary
which will be unveiled was authorized by
Congress in 1892, and stands in the Botanic
Garden grounds at the foot of Pennsyl-
yania Avenue, just across the street from
tbe grounds surrounding the Capitol. 1t
is the largest equestrian statue in the
world. the horse and rider having height
of II feet and the platform on which the
statue stands is % feet high. The group
snrs which flank the statue OF Grant on
his horse represent artillery going into
action and an artillery charge. These
groupings are of bronze and are said to
ne the finest in the world. Being in all
almost 40 feet in height it is an imposing
and fitting memorial, created in honor OF
the greatest military genius which this
-srou ntry has produced. AS is most hitting,
the Grand Army of the Republic and the
Woman's Relief Corps will occupy the
place of honor during the dedication cere-
monies.
Gen. Grant was educated at the West
Point Military Academy, where he rank
ed as the twenty first in class of thirty
nine. but he excelled in cavalry drill, be-
ing the best horseman in the class. He
fought in the Mexican War as lieuten-
ant when he was "a years old and was
commissioned as Captain soon after its
close. He resigned his commission in
1854 and settled on small farm near st,
Louis. About year before the fall of
Fort Sumpter he moved to Galena, ILL.,
where at the age of 49, he was living in
obscurity, working for living and sup
porting his family on salary of $500
wear, having failed in farming. When
the call came for troops he wrote letter
offering his services to the national gov
eminent, and in so little estimation was
he held that no reply to that letter was
ever made. But a company was raised
at once in Galena and Grant went with
it, as Captain, to Spring field, the capital
of the State. On the nth day of June,
1861, be was appointed Colonel of the
2lst Illinois regiment which, 10 days later,
went directly to Missouri to enter upon
active service. Thirty-five days later,
Col. Grant was Brigadier General and
eight months later he was a Major
<Ge neral, his commission being dated Feb.
10, 1862 During the period from this
date to the close of the war most of the
Confederate generals then living were
out generated by him and their armies
were defeated by his brave and loyal SOL
sdiers. Buckner surrendered at Fort DON
E>4 sa4s s 5esten at Shiloh,
penaeltor 81 1t Vicksburg,
s5lss2-ar was ..--.... Mississippi and
virtually put out of the war, Bragg was
conquered at Chattanooga and Lee sur
rendered in Virginia, and let it be re-
membered that when the war closed Gen.
Grant was only forty-three years old
Through merit and military genius, in
less than four years, be rose from OBJ
scurity to a place among the greatest
military leaders of the world, because he
. had the characteristics which make for
>auccess in military achievement. He had
excellent judgment, self-reliance. fertility
of resource, calmness an patience. His
habits of life were simple and he had
physical constitution which enabled him
ITO undergo the fatigue and privation in
scident to a soldiers life. Moreover his
moral and physical courage was equal to
: any emergency. He never became excited
and never uttered an oath or an impre-
E cation.