of California during the year 1849; Charles G. Merchant, of New York; and George C. McClelland, of Pennsyl vania, no one of whom was at this time connected with the United States Service.

The admirers of General Grant will take no little interest in examining the above list and tracing the career of the twenty-first graduate in his outstripping all his seniors in grade. Having surmounted all difficulties, he commanded, at the close of the war, a larger force and a greater extent of territory than all of his thirty-eight classmates put together, and had risen higher in the military scale than any in his class, notwithstanding the fact that he showed at West Point none of that brilliancy and dash which is thought so much of by collegiates.

Henry Coppée, Esq., who was with young Grant for two years, at West Point Academy, gives the following account of him while there:

"I remember him as a plain, common-sense, straightforward youth; quiet, rather of the old-head-on-youngshoulders order; shunning notoriety; quite contented, while others were grumbling; taking to his military duties. in a very business-like manner; not a prominent man in the corps, but respected by all, and very popular with his friends. His sobriquet of Uncle Sam was given to him there, where every good fellow has a nickname, from these very qualities; indeed, he was a very uncle-like sort of a youth. He was then and always an excellent horseman, and his picture rises before me as I write, in the old, torn coat, obsolescent leather gig-top, loose riding pantaloons, with spurs buckled over them, going with his clanking sabre to the drill hall. He exhibited but little enthusiasm in anything; his best standing was in the mathematical branches, and their application to tactics and military engineering.

"If we again dwell upon the fact that no one, even of his most intimate friends, dreamed of a great future for him, it is to add that, looking back now, we must confess that the possession of many excellent qualities, and the entire absence of all low and mean ones, establish a logical sequence from first to last, and illustrate, in a novel manner, the poet's fancy about

'The baby figures of the giant ması

Of things to come at large.'"

CHAPTER III.

ENTERS THE ARMY-THE MEXICAN WAR.

ON leaving West Point Grant entered the United States army as a brevet second lieutenant in the Fourth Infantry -the date at which this brevet rank was awarded to him was that of the succeeding day to his graduation, viz.: July 1, 1843. Lieutenant Grant's regiment was at this time stationed on the frontier in Missouri and Missouri Territory, among the Indians who were at that time very annoying and dangerous to the early settlers of that region. He remained nearly two years, when in 1845 he was ordered, with his regiment, to Corpus Christi, Texas, where United States troops were gathering under command of General Taylor.

Corpus Christi was an important town on the Texas shore, and was taken possession of by the Americans as a base of operations. While stationed here Grant received his commission as full second lieutenant of infantry. The commission was dated September 30, 1845, and was made out to fill a vacancy in the Second U.S. Infantry. Having become so attached to the officers and men of the Fourth, a request was forwarded to Washington to allow him to remain with his old company, and in the following November he received a commission appointing him a full second lieutenant in the Fourth Infantry.

Some time before the declaration by Congress of war with Mexico. the struggle commenced in Texas. The bill

annexing Texas to the Union having been passed three days before the Tyler administration closed. The State was originally a part of Mexico. It had been largely settled by citizens of the United States.

The people rebelled and seceded from Mexico under the leadership of General Sam Houston. The battle of San

Jacinto resulted in the capture of the President of Mexico, General Santa Anna. General Houston making his release the recognition of the independence of Texas, this condition was complied with. Not long thereafter Texas asked to be annexed to the United States. The war between Mexico and the United States grew out of the annexation of

Texas largely, and the desire of the South for an enlarged area-the North, on the other hand, bitterly opposing it because the area of slavery would be extended thereby.

The Americans and Mexicans were facing each other upon the opposite banks of the Rio Grande. Several petty struggles ensued before the actual declaration of war. General Taylor learned that a large force of Mexicans were marching with the intention of crossing the river into Texas. At Fort Brown, opposite Matamoras, there was a small garrison of United States troops. The Mexicans besieged this fort. After a severe bombardment they crossed the river six thousand strong to attack the fort in front and rear. The gallant garrison defended the posi tion with great bravery. Major Brown, who was in command of the fort, signaled General Taylor then at Point Isabel, twelve miles distant, of his peril by firing during the night eighteen pounders at stated intervals. Early on the morning of the 8th of May, 1846, General Taylor, with 2200 men, set out to rescue his comrades. Lieutenant Grant was then with General Taylor, and marched to his first battle ground. At about noon of the same day the American troops encountered the Mexicans at Palo Alto, where they were drawn up in line of battle, to dispute the further advance of the Americans. General Taylor promptly accepted battle and defeated the enemy, mainly through the efficiency of his artillery. Lieutenant Grant, though not mentioned in the official reports, has been spoken of by his companions as acting with great bravery. Several of the officers of his regiment received brevets for their gallant and meritorious conduct. The Mexican loss had been 262, while the Americans had lost but four killed and thirty-two wounded.

During the night the Mexicans retreated to a new and