PREFACE.

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THE personal history of a Nation's benefactor will always interest the people whom he has signally served. Lieutenant-General Grant rose from humble life to the highest position of military power, with no effort to attain it beyond unassuming and unwearied devotion to the Republic, during the period of its greatest peril and trial. Of such a man, the humblest citizen desires to know every detail of his career, from his boyhood to his later and more eventful years.

In this volume it has been the endeavor of the author to gratify that natural curiosity, by giving wellauthenticated incidents of his life.

For much information the author is indebted to family friends of General Grant; for others, to the writings of Larke, Carleton, Richardson, Nichols, and other historians of the war.

It is believed, that what is written is historically correct; indeed, there is no better test than the able and succinct reports of the great captains,-Grant, Sherman, Meade, and Sheridan,-which are included in this volume.

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The largest portion of the work is devoted to the early history of General Grant, and his Western Campaign, because they cover by far the longest period; although the decisive events of his grand military career were compressed into less than one year.

The reader will not undervalue the possession of all the important orders and reports of General Grant, whose pen is wielded with no less effect, in its field of service for the army and country, than his sword.

The sketches of subordinate commanders are from reliable sources; and no effort has been spared to present a faithful account of the grand armies and their chieftains, whose skill and heroism rescued the Republic from the hands of those who sought to destroy it.

If the biography shall add to the popular acquaintance with the great and good man whom we all delight to honor, and deepen the love of any of the citizens of the glorious land, on whose bloody battle-fields the beams of peace have just begun to shine, to him who, under the Divine guidance, gave us that peace, and to the country of his birth, the author's labor will not have been in vain.