TheLifeofUlyssesS.Grant HenryChampionDeming THE L IFE OF Ulysses S . Grant. GENERAL U NITED STATES ARMY. BT HENRY C . DEMING. HARTFORD : S . S. SCRANTOtf ^.ND COMPANY. ClJICnWATT: N ATION^ ptTBLISHUjQ COMFAUY. PHILADELPHIA: t>AB5tELEE BR0THERS- U S ki-Hi St OCT f 1 917' Entered, a ecording to Act of Congress, in the year i868, by S. S. SCRAN'TON & CO., In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Connecticut Boston : Stereotyped b y Ceo. C. Rand & Avery, INTRODUCTION. THIS v olume was undertaken at the solicitation of the publishers, who wished a life of General Grant for the people. As an apology for errors and inadvertencies, I feel at liberty to say that circumstanees have constrained me to write it with a hurried pen. The pages have been sent to the printer as fast as written; and, as they were electrotyped as fast as printed, I was prevented from revising them fully in proof-sheets. There i s no authority for the youth and childhood of Grant but his father : the son never consents to indulge in reminiscence respecting his early years, and uniformly refers biographers to the record for his career during man hood. In regard to the Mexican War, I have been favored with some material by Hon. Mr. Washburne, who has also furnished me with data respecting Grant's life on the frontiers. In the campaigns from Belmont to Chattanooga, I have followed, upon all disputable points, the authority c I NTRODUCTION. have b een for the first time given to the public by this accomplished historian, I have freely used ; because I have regarded them as Gen. Grant's own commentaries upon his own campaigns, written, like Caesar's, in the field. In the Wilderness campaign I have relied upon manuscript reports, which were furnished me at headquarters, when I was investigating a question of legislation, by authority of the House of Representatives. I have also to express my acknowledgments to Charles J. Hoadly, Esq., of the State .Library, for genealogical material ; to Hon. J. Hammond Trumbull, Curator of the Watkinson Library, for facilitating my researches; to William N. Matson, Esq., for daily en couragement and aid ; and to three steadfast assistants (whom I am only permitted to indicate), I am immeasur ably indebted for lightening my labors and expediting my volume. I m ake no professions to acquaintance with military science. I can only see such system and methods in battles and campaigns, and of course can only describe such, as a civilian, who has only studied war in history, biography, and in Jomini's analysis of the campaigns of Napoleon and Frederick, may be permitted to diseern. A full detail of all the military movements of Grant was incompatible with the limits of my volume ; and I have selected for full description those which best served to illustrate his charac ter as a general. I have, moreover, attempted to avoid cumulative illustration. In the chapter devoted to " Ad CONTENTS. CHAPTER L BIHTH. — P ARENTAGE. — CHILDHOOD. [1822-1838.] PAQB Planf o the Work. — Pedigree. — Matthew Grant. — Noah Grant. — Noah Grant, 2 d. — Jesse Root Grant. — His Marriage. — Sketch of Mrs. Grant. — M other's Influence. — Birth of Grant. — The Old Home stead. — H is Name. — Boyish Susceptibilities. — Traits. — Anecdotes . 19 CHAPTER I L EDUCATION. — W EST POINT. [1838-1846.] West P oint. — Martial Life. — Course of Study. — Recreation. — Grant's Capability. — First Examination. — Graduation. — Classmates. — In struction in Law. — Preparation for Civil Government. — Garrison Life. — Jefferson Barracks. — Red River .... .81 CHAPTER I II. BDUCATIO*. — M EXICAN WAB. [1846-1848.] War. — W ar with Mexico. — Grant's Rank. — Matamoras. — View of 8 C ONTENTS. riai Enemy's D efences. — Ccrro Gordo. — Plan of Attack. — Ccrro Gordo carried. — Prisoners. — Capture of Pecote. — Occupation of Pucbla. — Description of 88 CHAPTER I V. EDUCATION. — M EXICAN WAR. — CERRO GORDO TO MEXICO. Advanee. — M exico from the Cordilleras. — Occupation of San Agustin. — D escription of Mexican Battles confined to the General Operations in which Grant was engaged. — Two Plans of Attack upon Mexico. — O rganization. — Grant's Division-Master. — Grant on the San An tonio Causeway. — What Garland's Division sec. — What they know. — C harge on San Antonio. — Operations of Twiggs. — Operations of Pieree and Shields. — Repulse of the Assailants. — Another Charge. — T he Eighth Infantry capture the Uite de pout. — Duucau's Battery opens on San Pablo. — Stormcrs on the Right seize the Salient. — Churubusco taken. — Demoralization and Retreat of the Enemy. — Pursuit. — Headquarters at Tacubaya. — Attempt at Armistice. — Before Molino del Hey. — Casa Mata assigned to Garland's Brigade. — R eady for the Assault. — Assault. — The Enemy's Batteries cap tured. — Hand-to-hand Fight in the Molino. — Casa Mata blown up. — R econnoissancc of the Southern Avenues of Mexico. — Batteries established. — Bombardment. — Pillow's Approach. — Scott's Ac count. — Garland aimed for the Alameda. — Grant flanks the Enemy. — G rant serves a Battery. — Honorably mentioned. — Street Fight. — Mexico is Ours. — Occupation of the City. — What Grant sees . S3 CHAPTER V . EDUCATION. — F RONTIER SERVICE. — CIVIL LIFE. [1848-1861.] Tactics. — S cienee of Command. — Genius. — Lord Chatham. — Grant's Marriage. — His Wife. — Torpor upon Military Posts. — Stationed at Detroit. — Life in Detroit. — Grant in Society. — His Powers of Con versation. — Gen. McPhcrson's Opinion. — "No Orator." — His duties of Quartermaster. — Influence of Duties on his Character. — Birth of his Children. — The Fourth Infantry ordered to Oregon. — Stationed at Benicia. — At Vancouver. — Description of. — Life at Vancouver. — Hudson's Bay Company. — Pur]>osc for which they are sent ac complished. — Second Year. — Habitudes of Mind. — Commission as CONTENTS. 9 CHAPTER V I. WHATIB D HE ACTUALLY DO IN THE CIVIL W.IR ? — HE ADMINISTERS THE DISTRICTF O SOUTH-EASTERN MISSOURI. FAOE Pnrposef o the Chapter. — Sir Arthur Welleslcy. — Grant hears of the Bombardment o f Sumter. — Exclamation thereupon. — Retrospect. — Grant d rills a Company. — Presents himself to Gov. Yates. — Narra tivef o Gov. Yates. — Appointed Colonel of Twenty-first Illinois Infantry. — M arches it to Missouri. — Arrives at Mexico. — Commis sioned B rigadier-General of Volunteers. — Assumes Command of the Districtf o South-east Missouri. — Topographical Features. — Politi cal S tatus. — Grant at Cairo. — Seizes Paducah. — Urges Fre"mont to seize C olumbus and Hickman. — Polk occupies them. — Grant re strainedy b Fremont. — Demonstrates against Columbus. — Encoun ters t he Enemy at Belmont. — Demonstration converted into an At tack. — O fficers with him. — Volunteers under Fire. — Seene of the Fight. — E nemy re-enforced. — Grant makes his Way out. — His Coolness. — S econd Charge. — Withdraws to the Transports. — Criti cism. — R esults of Belmont. — Maxim of Grant. — Polk asks for Exchange o f Prisoners 97 CHAPTER V n. HE B REAKS THE ENEMY'S CENTRE AT FORTS HENRY AND DONELSON. [February, M arch, April, 18C2.] New F ield of Operations. — Fremont superseded by Halleck. — Change of Command over Grant; no Change of System. — Naval Serviee in the West controlled by Halleck. — Annexation of Paducah to Grant's Command. — Inactivity of our Armies. — Procrastination. — Rebel Strategic Line. — Left of the Line. — Right of the Line. — Centre of the Line. — Forts Henry and Donclson. — Plan of McClellan. — Of Buell. — Of Halleck. — Of Grant. — Asks Permission to Attack. — Denied. — Commentary. — Admiral Foote asks Permission. — "For ward, Foote and Grant ! " — Grant a Minute-Man. — Situation of Fort Henry. — Description of Fort Henry. — Of Hieman. — Coup-de-ilain instead of Siege required. — Task of Foote. — His Implements. — Plan of Attack. — His Attack. — McClernand's Forees. — Difficult Marches. — Effect of Enemy's Fire on the Fleet. — Tenacity of Fleet. — MeClernand delayed by Mud. — Surrender of the Fort. — Enemy in Retreat. — Saying of Napolcon. — Attack on Donelson not intended by Halleck. — Grant's Promptness — Halleck intent only 10 C ONTEXTS. — D efenees of the Enemy. — Night Attack. — Arrival of Re-enforee ments. — L and Side of Donelson. — River Side. — Arrival of the Carondelet. — A ttack of. — Retires. — Bombardment by Elect. — Grant aboard F lag-Ship. — Garrison masks their Forees to escape. — Attack on o ur Investing Line. — Roll up McArthur. — Oglcsby. — W. II. L. Wallaee. — A rrested by Lewis Wallace. — Enemy baffled. — Grant's Arrival. — I nterview with Smith. — Hurries on. — Encounters the Fugitives. — S urmises the Rebel Plan. — Another Maxim. — Acts on it. — P rofessional Soldiers in the Engagement. — Sketch of Gen. Smith. — S mith's Storming Party. — Success of it. — Scene within the Fort. — P illow. — Floyd. — Buckncr. — Pillow and Floyd flee. — Buckner asks f or Terms. — Grant demands Unconditional Surrender. — Buck ner s urrenders. — Telegram from Hallcck. — Forgets to thank Grant. — T hanks Hunter and Smith. — Reception of News at Washington. — Stanton's C ommendation. — Nomination of Grant for Major-Gencral. — C onfirmed. — Donelson the first decided Victory. — Effect on the Country. — S trategic Lino collapses. — First Communication between Grant a nd Sherman. — Enduring Nature of their Friendship . .115 CHAPTER V HI. HE W INS THE VICTORT OF 8HILOH. Grant a ssumes Command of the District of Tennessee. — Trip to Nash ville. — Persecution by Hallcck. — Ordered to Fort Henry. — Letter of Hallcck to McClcllan. — Gen. Smith placed in Command. — "Chris tian Morals." — Grant's Bchavior. — Justifies himself. — Asks to be relieved. — Hallcck mollified. — Sends his Correspondence with the War-Office to Grant. — Comparison with Washington. — Grant re sumes Command. — Enemy concentrated at Corinth. — Maxims of Hallcck. — Topography of the Field. — Smith selects Battle-Field of Shiloh. — Smith dying. — Grant at Savanna, waiting for Bucll. — Visits the Front daily. — Nelson reaches Savanna. — Army Corps stationed. — Position of the Corps when attacked. — Encampment, rather than Battle-Line. — Sherman's Opinion of the Battle-Field. — No Surprise, bnt no Expectation of Battle on that Morning.