The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-04-22
Grave or Samuel Simpson Grant

Galena when the elder Grant, then owner Of
a tannery in Covington, KY. sent his two sons.
Jesse Root and Samuel Simpson, to open
leather store in the Illinois town. So Galena
could not realize the Importance to it of event
which took place in April, 1860 Hamlin Garland
in his Life of Grant describes it as follows:
Men stood on the levee watching the steamer
Ttasca' while she nosed her way up the tor
tuous current of the Galena river; she swung
up TO the wharf, attention was attracted to a
passenger the deck wearing blue cape over
coat. AS the boat struck the landing this man
rose and gathered number Of chairs together,
evidently part of his household furniture.
".Who is thatT asked one man Of a friend
on the river bank. That is Captain Grant, Jesse
Grants oldest son; he was in the Mexican war
he is moving here from ST. Louis, was the
reply.
Captain Grant took couple of chairs in each
hand and walked ashore with them; his wife,
a small alert woman, followed him with her
little flock (four children, Frederick, Ulysses,
Jesse and daughter, Nellie). The carrying of the
chairs ashore signifed that Ulysses Simpson
Grant had become a resident of Galena.'
So Ulysses Simpson Grant (the change from
Hiram Ulysses to Ulysses Simpson had taken
place during his West Point days. this army cap
tain who at forty was failure at everything
he had attempted, became a clerk in his broth
5000 year. Apparently he made but little i'm
preston in his new surroundings. There was
nothing about him TO mark him as man OF
destiny. But he did make some strong friends
among them Elihu 3. Washburne, state senator,
John A. Rawlins. farmer and self-educated
lawyer; W. R. Rowley, clerk Of the Circuit court,
and DR.. Edward Kittoe. an Englishman by
birth but naturazed American.
Even when the event came which was to set
LII 81 Conn royf
was still pretty much of nonentity in Galena.
At the news of the firing on Fort Sumter mass
meeting was called in the courthouse and at that
meeting Grant offered his West Point training
and his Mexican war experience for the service
of his country in the crisis. When some one
criticized the offer because of the likelihood OF
Grants sympathy for the South since he came
from St Louis and 1t reported that his
wife owned two slaves Immediately Washburne
and Rawlins came to the defense with the en-
phatic statement that ANY man who will try TO
stir up party prejudices at such time as this
Is traitor"
So at later meeting to raise volunteers Grant
was made chairman and within few days
he was busy drilling troops on the broad lawn
which surrounded the Southern colonial home
of washburne. He was offered the captaincy
Of the Volunteer company that Galena raised
but refused it. although he announced his In
tenIlo0 OF gong 10 SpIluSHciu Will INC lNoAii-
pany His departure from Galena was almost as
unmarked as his arrival had been. He simply
walked from his home to the Illinois Central
depot over a miserable pathway through the
muddy streets of the town, carrying little
satchel in his hand. His leave-taking was un-
noticed and unhonored"
But that departure had interesting after
math. During the early part of the war Grant
returned TO Galena on furlough and a friend.
remarking upon his recent promotion. said Some
day you will be a candidate for high civic
honors" To this Grant replied quietly Il would
like to be mayor of Gaena. Then might get
sidewalk built from my home TO the depot
But he didn't have to be elected mayor to get
that.
When the war was over and the victorious
general returned to his home in Galena, the man
who had slipped away so quietly in civilian
clothes in 1861 was welcomed back with wild
acclaim From all over the West thousands
came TO join with Galena in honoring her first
citizen Across Main street in front Of the De
Soto house was an immense arch bearing the in
scription Hail to the chief who in triumph adj
ssncesw And another arch over Main street