OF THE SADDLE AND SIRLOIN CLUB 197 



AN AMERICAN ULYSSES 



77. Doggedness and persistence characterized the career and 

 life of Ulysses S. Grant. The son of a tanner, he was bom at 

 Point Pleasant, Ohio, April 27, 1822. As a youth he preferred 

 the out-of-doors and instead of following his father in the tanning 

 business, conducted the family farm, did teaming, and at intervals 

 maintained a livery business between neighboring towns. He 

 attended the village school and was given one year in the academy 

 at Maysville, Ky. Ambitious to receive a higher training, he 

 secured an appointment to the U. S. Military Academy. He 

 proved to be a good mathematician and an excellent horseman, 

 but only an average student. Following graduation he was bre- 

 vetted and later conunissioned a second lieutenant, which rank 

 he held at the opening of the Mexican War. He volunteered to 

 perform a hazardous messenger mission through the Mexican lines 

 to bring up ammunition, which act, coupled with bravery in 

 action, resulted in his promotion to first lieutenant. 



Following the war he was stationed at various places, but 

 found the army life on the Pacific coast so uncongenial, that in 

 spite of a promotion to captaincy, he resigned in 1854 and re- 

 turned to civil life. In order to reach home he was forced to 

 borrow $50 from his classmate, S. B. Buckner, and it is related 

 that after the fall of Fort Donelson and the surrender of General 

 Buckner, General Grant returned the courtesy of carfare home. 

 Civil endeavors proved successful, and the opening of the War of 

 Secession found him, after various misadventures. Colonel of 

 the 21st Illinois infantry. 



In August, 1861, he was made a brigadier general of volun- 

 teers, his commission being dated back three months. He was 

 assigned to the command of the district of Southeastern Missouri 

 with headquarters at Cairo, 111. In a series of actions, (Paducah, 

 (Ky.), Belmont, (Mo.), Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Corinth, 

 Pittsburg Landing, Shiloh, Vicksburg and some minor contests). 



