The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-04-15
Grave Of Samuel Simpson Grant

The is moving here from St. Louis was the
reply.
Captain Grant took a couple of chairs in each
hand and walked ashore with them; his wife,
a small alert woman, followed him with her
little flock flour children Frederick, Ulysses,
Jesse and daughter, Nellie). The carrying Of the
chairs ashore sgniied that Ulysses Simpson
Grant had become 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 a failure at everything
he had attempted, became a clerk in his broth
ers' leather store at the munifcent salary of
5000 year. Apparently he made but little inn
preston in his new surroundings. There was
nothing about him to mark him as a man Of
destiny. But he did make some strong friends
among them Elihu B. Washburne, state senator,
John A.. Rawlins, q farmer and self-educated
lawyer; W. r. Rowley, clerk Of the Circuit court,
and Dr. Edward Kittoe, an Englishman by
birth but naturalized American.
Even when the event came which was to set
his feet firmly the ladder Of fame Grant
was still pretty much of a 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 new 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 was 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 a traitor!"
So at later meeting to raise volunteers Grant
was made chairman and within a 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 1t, although he announced his in
tention Of going to Springfield with the COM
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 a little
satchel in his hand. His leave-taking was ''un-
noticed and unhonored."
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 ad-
vancesl"
Galena further honored Its returned hero by
buying a fine brick house, located on hig hill
east Of the river, and presenting it to him for
his home. There the Grants established them
selves and took leading part in Galena society
until his election to the Presidency in 1865.
Again in 1879 he was given a great reception
after his trip around the world at the conclu-
sion of his two terms in the White House. Once
more he settled down In Galena. only to find the
quiet life which he had anticipated disrupted by
the insistence of his friends that he be a cam
didate for third term.