Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1929-04-25
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pictures. courtesy United states Military Academy

~N~~o-
War department from its beginning and the adlu
tant declared that the papers would have TO go
back to Washington to have the name changed
But the young cadet, with the simple dlrectness
which was to characterize his future career cut
through the red tape without the slightest hesi
tatlon He decided then and there to take the
name "Ulysses Simpson and be done with 1t.
Grants life as q cadet forms one Of the most
interesting parts Of d new biography OF the great
Civil war leader It is Meet General Grant, by
W. f. Woodward published by Horace Liveright
OF New York. and In the chapter headed Nlhe
Unwilling Soldier Woodward tells how Grant
came to West Point as follows:
Gray-eoated cadets Ioter about the bulletin
board OF the academy guard room Slim young
fellows. their movements graceful and fluid, they
are living In a time dimension that contains
. neither age nor youth Their fresh contours have
moi been eroded to sharpness by the dlsusion Of
life. Though they have ceased to be boys they
have not yet become Their existence Is hap
PLY suspended between ambition and achievement
They laugh lot for they are still to learn that
ambition and achievement never meet
In the throng is vivacious youth named Sher-
man. slender redhared and blue-eyed. The world
IL 10 hear OF him; and after he has departed, his
image In bronze will sit bronze horse and
stare pensively through tho changing years at the
flood OF new generations in New Yorks tlfth ave-
nue..
But on that day his metal steed was far away IN
the Incredible future HI simply young Sher-
man-called Bill-full of good nature and likeable
traits. He had queer ideas and whimsical MIND.
His finger down the list 81 new cadets on the
bulletin board and stops at ~ s. Grant"
Here's u. S Grant" he calls out. u. s yes,
that's what 1t says. What do you suppose the u
S. part of 1t stands for2'
FOR United statesr' somebody shouts. That's
what u S. stands for. We're going to have fell
low here named after this great big United States.
mo 1t doesn't" comes another voice from the
crowd. There isn't anybody named United
States. II can't be.
fbarp adn ingic
.uncie Sam Grant That's what he is-the
grandson of-e1u good old Uncle Sam
When Grant arrived at the academy he FOUND,
himself already named He was Sam Grant.
No matter how he protested; and he did not pro-
much. The name Ulysses was never heard
at Wests Point and does not appear when Grant
is mentioned In the "reminiscences OF his class
mates They all knew him as sam
Despite Woodwards description of the scene
OF Grants entrance upon his military career the
apparent logical explanation Of how Grant became
known as ~. S." instead Of u. H." the fact re-
mains that two years after he had entered the
academy he was signing his name U. IT, Grant
At least, that is the signature the hack Of q
drawing made by Grant In 1871 as part OF his
academic work, still preserved at West Point
But the most interesting paradox Of all is the
fact that this man who destined 10 become
one OF the greatest generals In American history
had d profound dstaste for military life as Wood
wards chapter heading 1.-THE Unwilling Soldier
Implies In regard to this Woodward observes
To those who attended the shrine Of Mars, h
seemed a very unmilitary figure. not only on NJ
first day but for many months thereafter III
shoulders had d noticeable stoop-the result OF NJ
back bending labor as child and ne WaiNeu VIII
the housekeeping clomp -clomp OF FARMER o.
newly rlowed ground. One OF his fellow cadet
recoected him unique appearing Ano'he
sad they all thought him "countrifed 10 nun
OF them he seemed an obvious msht
They kept him In the awkward squad for months
and after time he succeeded In adjusting hin,
aalf orudelv "a hls environment . though
he continued for four years to be something OF
trial to the tactical officers The fact Is that \
nossesscd no native talent ukor soldiering--and n
did not like the military profession The moulc
ing force OF West Point had TO struggle mere VII
raw material that was not adapted 10 It's processe
and the effort was somewhat like that of tryl
to make an automobile engineer out OF man WI
wants to be physician Near the close OF n
fe after he had become west Points most az
tlneuishea son, he wrote that when he entered Il
academy he had little hope of ever getting thronp
the course; and he had expected, IL he did grad'
ate 10 resign from the army and try~-fo- eel
place as professor OF mathematics In some sma
college,
Even more remarkable, In view OF his laft
fame as general is Grants own testimony
Ills dislike for military life During his first We
AZ q cadet there was bill in congress to aholi
the academy because the opponents OF militia
education declared that West Point was bree
ing ground for snobbishness TINT 1t was Inc
Client as school and that keeping 1t UP was sifnf
d waste OF money Grant has told how ne look
III the newspapers every dry. hoping that the y
Il 3g AL