Page images
PDF
EPUB

formidable position a few miles in the rear, called Resaca de la Palma, having left their dead and wounded upon the battle field at Palo Alto. On the following morning General Taylor attacked the new position of the Mexicans, opening the battle with artillery, following with charges of infantry and cavalry. Though the Mexicans stubbornly defended their position, they were no match for the more intelligent and better disciplined Americans. They were soon put to flight, having lost in killed and wounded a thousand men. The American loss did not exceed 150. Fort Brown was relieved, the enemy retreating in great disorder across the Rio Grande.

The American army then advanced up the left bank of the Rio Grande, a distance of 150 miles, where they crossed the river and marched upon Monterey, in the Republic of New Leon, which was garrisoned by 10,000 Mexican troops. The army under Taylor comprised 6,220 men. Arriving before the city on Sunday morning, September 20, a careful reconnoissance showed that the place had been strongly fortified; but General Taylor determined to drive the enemy out of their entrenchments, and succeeded after a terrible and bloody conflict, which continued with but few intermissions until the 24th, when the city capitulated. The Fourth Infantry, to which Grant was attached, in an at

[graphic]

ROUTE OF THE U. S. ARMY FROM VERA ORUZ TO MEXICO,

tempt to capture Fort Teneria, lost two-thirds of their numbers. The American army lost heavily; 43 officers and 517 men were killed and wounded.

About this time a combined movement of the army

and navy had been planned by way of Vera Cruz. General Scott having effected a landing above Vera Cruz, a portion of the forces on the Rio Grande was sent down the river to co-operate with him, and among others was Lieutenant Grant, who accompanied the Fourth Infantry, and participated in the siege operations which eventually caused the surrender of Vera Cruz-March 29, 1847. On the first day of April he was appointed regimental quartermaster, a post of recognized importance and responsibility. Lieutenant Grant held this position during the rest of the war.

WINFIELD SCOTT IN 1865.

Though it is customary for the quartermaster of a regiment to remain with the regiment's trains of supplies during an engagement, yet his nature was such that he could not keep out of an engagement, and always rejoined his regiment on such occasions and shared their fighting. At the battle of Molino del Rey, fought Sept. 8, 1847, he

[graphic]

behaved with such distinguished gallantry and merit that he was appointed a full first lieutenant, to date from the day of the battle. In the fierce battle of Chapultepec, on the 13th of September, he won the high approval of his superior officers for his distinguished gallantry, and the sagacity of his tactics while under fire-for his brave and meritorious conduct he received the brevet of Captain of the Regular Army. In Capt. Horace Brooks' report of the

operations of the Second Artillery at Chapultepec, he says:

“I succeeded in reaching the fort with a few men. Here Lieut. U. S. Grant and a few more men of the Fourth Infantry found me, and, by a joint movement, after an obstinate resistance, a strong field. work was carried, and the enemy's right was completely turned."

The report of Major Francis Lee, commanding the Fourth Infantry, of the battle of Chapultepec, says:

"At the first barrier the enemy was in strong force, which ren. dered it necessary to advance with caution. This was done, and when the head of the battalion was within short musket range of the barrier, Lieut. Grant, Fourth Infantry, and Capt. Brooks, Second Artillery, with a few men of their respective regiments, by a hand. some movement to the left, turned the right flank of the enemy, and the barrier was carried.* * * Second-Lieut. Grant behaved with distinguished gallantry on the 13th and 14th." * *

The report of Brevet Colonel John Garland, commanding the First Brigade, of the battle of Chapultepec, says:

"The rear of the enemy had made a stand behind a breastwork, from which they were driven by detachments of the Second Artillery, under Capt. Brooks, and the Fourth Infantry under Lieut. Grant, supported by other regiments of the division, after a short, sharp conflict. I recognized the command as it came up, mounted a howitzer on the top of a convent, which, under the direction of Lieut. Grant, Quartermaster of the Fourth Infantry, and Lieut. Lendrum, Third Artillery, annoyed the enemy considerably. * * * I must not omit to call attention to Lieut. Giant, who acquitted himself most nobly upon several occasions under my observation."

General Worth, in his report of September 16, says:

"I have again to make acknowledgements to Colonels Garland and Clarke, brigade commanders, as also to their respective staffs; to S. Smith, Haller, and Grant, Fourth Infantry, especially."

Upon the fall of Mexico, and the peace which ensued, 1848, the United States troops were recalled, the Fourth Infantry being first sent to New York and then to the

frontier, Captain Grant going with his company first to Detroit and then to Sacketts Harbor. This year he mar ried Miss Julia Dent, the sister of one of his classmates at West Point.

The discovery of gold in California, in the autumn of 1851, carried to that region an immense emigration, many of whom were desperate, vile and reckless, making it necessary to dispatch more troops in order to protect the

[graphic]

GENERAL SCOTT'S ENTRY INTO MEXICO.

crowds of emigrants from the Indians, who had been provoked by the lawlessness of the whites to the most cruel reprisals. The battalion to which Captain Grant was attached was sent into Oregon, taking up its quarters at Fort Dallas in that distant territory.

In 1853, after a two-years' absence from his family, finding garrison life in that lonely region offered no opportunities of usefulness, he determined to resign his commission-having been promoted to a full captaincy-which he did on the 31st day of July, 1854, and commenced life as a private citizen, taking up his residence on a small farm near St. Louis, remaining there engaged in commercial. pursuits until the year 1859, when he entered into partnership with his father in the leather trade at Galena, Ill The firm of Grant & Son soon became a very prosperous concern, and at the outbreak of the Rebellion, to all appearances Captain Grant had one of the best busines prospects of any one in Galena.

« PreviousContinue »