L

ULYSSES S. GRANT.

IEUTENANT-GENERAL U. S. GRANT was born at Point Pleasant, Clermont Co., Ohio, April twenty-seventh, 1822. His ancestors were Scotch. His early education was obtained at a seminary at Maysville, Kentucky. Through the influence of friends he was appointed cadet at the Military Academy at West-Point in 1839; he being then but seventeen years of age. Progressing steadily in his studies, and graduating with honor, he entered the United States army July first, 1843, as brevet second lieutenant of infantry. He was assigned to the Fourth regiment, then on duty in Missouri and the Indian territory, remaining there until his regiment was ordered to Texas. At Corpus Christi he received his full commission as second lieutenant of the Seventh infantry, bearing date September thirtieth, 1845. His regiment joined the army under General Taylor, and participated in the battles of Palo Alto, May sixth, and Resaca de la Palma, May ninth, 1846. Grant had, however, been detached and rejoined the Fourth regiment the previous November.. With this corps he participated in the operations of General Taylor along the Rio Grande and in the battle of Monterey, September twenty-third, 1846. Previous to the surrender of Vera Cruz, the Fourth regiment was transferred to the command of General Scott. Lieutenant Grant took part in the siege of that stronghold and advanced with the victorious army to the city of the Montezumas. He was holding a staff appointment as quartermaster at that time, but was actively engaged in the battle of Molino del Rey, behaving with such gallantry that he was awarded by Congress the brevet of first lieutenant, which he declined. He subsequently was promoted to the full rank of first lieutenant to date from September sixteenth, 1847. At the battle of Chapultepec, September thirteenth, 1847, with his command, he joined Captain Horace Brooks, of the Second artillery, and by a united movement carried a strong field-work, thus completely turning the enemy's right. For his conduct on this occasion he received honorable mention in the official dispatches of General Worth, and was rewarded with the brevet rank of captain, to date from the battle, which brevet was confirmed during January, 1850.

After the close of the war with Mexico, Captain Grant was stationed in NewYork State, with his regiment, which was divided among the forts and defences of the northern frontier and Michigan. In 1852, his corps was sent to the

Pacific coast, and the battalion to which Captain Grant belonged was stationed at Fort Dallas, Oregon. While here he received the full commission of captain, dating from August, 1853. On the thirty-first of July, 1854, he resigned his commission in the army and took up his residence in St. Louis, where he engaged in mercantile pursuits until 1859, when he married and removed to Galena, Ill., at which place he united in partnership with his father in the tanning business.

When the rebellion broke out General Grant offered his services to Governor Yates, of Illinois, who appointed him an aid on his staff, and mustering officer of the State volunteers. He retained this position until June fifteenth, 1861, when desiring active service, he was appointed colonel of the Twenty-first Illinois volunteers. This regiment was sent into Missouri, and formed part of General Hurlbut's force, was subsequently stationed at Mexico, Mo., where it was incorporated with General Pope's troops, and, during the early part of August 1861, garrisoned Pilot Knob, and afterward Marble Creek, Mo. August twentythird he was appointed by the President Brigadier-General of volunteers, with rank from May seventeenth, 1861. General Grant was then placed in command of the post at Cairo, where he was afterwards joined by McClernand's brigade. His department then included the Missouri shore of the Mississippi from Cape Girardeau to New-Madrid. Kentucky, at this time, was supposed to be neutral, and its Governor was anxious that its soil should not be invaded by the troops of either combatants. The rebels, however, perceiving the importance of Columbus in a military view, seized upon that point and garrisoned Belmont opposite. General Grant at once determined to occupy Paducah, at the mouth of the Tennessee River, and successfully accomplished his object on the sixth of September. In answer to a protest from the Governor of Kentucky, Grant called his attention to the occupation of Columbus by the rebels as the provocation for his course. He subsequently occupied Smithland at the mouth of the Cumberland River, and thus blockaded the entrance to those important streams, and gained valuable bases for future operations. On the seventh of November General Grant made a movement upon Belmont, Mo., for the purpose of dislodging the rebel troops who had fortified that position, and was successful. The object having been accomplished, he proceeded to withdraw his forces. Large numbers of his command, however, were so busily engaged in reaping the spoils of victory, that reënforcements of the enemy landed and accelerated the departure to such an extent that the closing scenes had the appearance of a rout, and as such were considered by the Southern leaders. General Grant, however, retired safely, and, under all the circumstances, the battle of Belmont was a victory.

After Fremont's supersedure by General Halleck, Grant's department was extended, and embraced the southern part of Illinois, that part of Kentucky west

of the Cumberland River, and the southern counties of Missouri south of Cape Girardeau. Columbus had by this time-December twentieth, 1861-been greatly strengthened by the rebels, and was so situated that an attack from the river was considered impracticable. The Southern troops were also in force in Central Kentucky, occupying Bowling Green as the key of the route to Nashville in Tennessee, and held Fort Henry on the Tennessee and Fort Donelson on the Cumberland. Grant's plans comprised their dislodgment from Columbus on his right and Bowling Green on his left, and with a view to conceal his real destination, he first made a reconnoissance in force down the Mississippi to the vicinity of Columbus. Next, with troops under McClernand, he made a movement in a south-easterly direction from Cairo.. Then concentrating his forces, he moved rapidly upon Fort Henry, on the Tennessee, and carried the rebel position, February sixth, 1862, capturing General Tilghman and staff and sixty men; the rest of the command having retreated to Fort Donelson. The fleet of gunboats, under Flag-Officer Foote, then passed up the Cumberland River to Fort Donelson, while General Grant, with his command, moved across and invested the fort on the twelfth of February. The fort was garrisoned by twenty thousand men under Pillow, Floyd, and Buckner. General Grant commenced the attack on the morning of the thirteenth, and continued it on the fourteenth and fifteenth, by the night of which he had secured all the commanding positions, and, save at one point, had completely hemmed the rebel forces in. During the night of the fifteenth, the rebel generals held a council of war, when it was determined that it was useless to hold out longer. Generals Floyd and Pillow turned the command over to Buckner, and the former succeeded in withdrawing his corps through the unguarded part, and both rebel leaders made good their escape. On the next morning Buckner sent a flag of truce to General Grant, offering to surrender, and asking terms of capitulation. The answer was laconic, and gave the victorious General the appellation which he has ever since borne-"Unconditional Surrender Grant." He replied: "No terms other than an unconditional surrender can be accepted. I propose to move immediately upon your works." Buckner was compelled to submit, and immediately surrendered his command, consisting of thirteen thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine men, three thousand horses. forty-eight field-pieces, seventeen heavy guns, twenty thousand stand of arms, and a large quantity of commissary stores. The rebel losses in the siege were two hundred and thirty-one killed and one thousand and seven wounded. The Union loss was four hundred and forty-six killed, one thousand seven hundred and thirty-five wounded, and one hundred and fifty prisoners. The number of prisoners was increased on the day of surrender by a reënforcement which had been sent from the vicinity of Bowling Green. Flag-Officer Foote moved up the river immediately after the surrender, and captured Clarksville. General Buell pushed

on from the vicinity of Bowling Green, and on the twenty-third captured Nashville, Tennessee, with his advance under General Nelson. The capture of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson not only opened the navigation of the Tennessee and Cumberland Rivers, but turned the rebel positions at Columbus and Bowling Green, which were almost immediately evacuated.

For his victory at Fort Donelson, Grant was made Major-General of volunteers, to date from the day of the surrender. His district was then extended and denominated the Department of West-Tennessee. General Grant's plans seemed from the outset to have comprehended a theatre of no less magnitude than the entire valley of the Mississippi. Doubtless, had he met with the success he anticipated in his movement upon Corinth, Miss., he would have soon occupied a position in the rear of Vicksburgh which would have placed that stronghold in our possession one year at least sooner than it fell. After the capture of Nashville, Grant retraced his steps to the Cumberland, and forwarded his troops on transports to Pittsburgh Landing. Corinth was the objective point, for there the rebels had concentrated their forces under one of their ablest generals, A Sidney Johnston, and it was in a military view a position of great strategic importance. The rebel general perceived General Grant's object, and, with a view to overwhelm him before reënforcements from Nashville could join him, he moved his forces out of Corinth to attack him at Pittsburgh Landing. The engagement opened on the morning of April sixth, and raged with fearful fury until night. The Union forces had then been driven from the field to the banks of the river, and the protection of the gunboats; but there they held their position, inspired by the indomitable energy of their commander, and rested on their arms for reënforcements. The troops under Buell arrived upon the opposite bank of the river shortly after sunset, and immediately crossed the stream. The next morning the line of battle was formed, and the rebels were driven from the field with the loss of A. Sidney Johnston and fearful slaughter in their ranks. The Union army was so exhausted, however, that but a brief pursuit was made, . and the rebels retired within their intrenchments at Corinth. The Union losses in this engagement were one thousand seven hundred and thirty-five killed, seven thousand eight hundred and eighty-two wounded, and four thousand and fortyfive missing and prisoners; a portion of General Prentiss's brigade having been captured. The rebel losses were stated in the official report of Beauregard, who succeeded to the command when General Johnston fell, to be one thousand seven hundred and twenty-eight killed, eight thousand and twelve wounded, and nine hundred and fifty-nine missing.

While General Grant's expedition was being transferred to the Tennessee, a portion of the navy under Flag-Officer Foote commenced operations, in conjunction with General Pope, upon the Mississippi River, at Island No. 10, where the