1776

I just started a new book about the American Revolution. It seems pretty good so far. It has talked about the king’s personality and what he was like. It also talked about how he felt about the colonies. The book has also talked about Parliament and their opinion of the Colonies. Some of the members actually supported the Colonies but even they referred to the American Colonies as their Colonies. The book talks about the actions the king took by increasing his forces in America drasticaly, and it caused a big controversy. Some of the English were saying that they couldn't trust the establishment, and others were saying that they should give the government a chance. Some of the men in Parliament who didn't like what the King was doing also thought that he should not accuse the American colonies of wanting independence because it only gives them the idea. So far I do like the book.

Grant after West Point

Grant was also in Mexico, in his second battle he was put in charge at a regimental camp but was curious about the battle raging and went to the front line. General Taylor told him and his regiment, who he was with at the time, to charge and he decided to go with them. Him and his men were very successful, at one point in time they were running low on ammunition and need reinforcements so Grant rode by terrible gunfire to get to General Taylor to ask for these things. In another battle him and a small group of men ran against enemy fire with a howitzer to a Church right outside Mexico City. This move was so helpful he was promoted to captain and then was interviewed by a young major named Robert E. Lee. after the war he wanted to leave the military, but was afraid he would not be successful at anything else. He tried to start a business but the man he trusted ripped him off and sailed to New York, he also tried to grow cash crops but there was a flood that destroyed all of his crops. There were many other business disasters that left him in the military until they kicked him out for his alcohol abuse. Even though he hated his fathers business it was the only place he could go for work. he was not very good there but he was receiving money and that's what mattered. He had a growing interest in military strategy, and wondered if when the Civil War broke out the army would let him back in to serve his country. Him and many other people at the time thought it would only last 2 or 3 months not anything close to what it actually was.

Gallantry Under Fire

Lee was originally stationed in New York building a fort but he really wanted to be in the conflict going on with Mexico. By the end of the war he became a colonel. He was said to be a military genius. His officers said he showed gallantry and meritorious conduct. There was a battle where he led his men through the battle with wounded and was promoted again. Early in the war he was in charge of bombarding a city and during he felt terrible not for the soldiers but for the civilians in the city. After the war his children had grown very much. When he returned he accidentally hugged his neighbor's son. Later he returned to Texas where there were a clash of abolitionists and slave owners. He personally was against slavery, he thought it was politically and morally evil in any country. though he thought abolitionists were dangerous because they would start a conflict between the North and the South. Lee was put in charge of stopping John Brown and his nineteen men. They had taken hostages so he would not let his men fire, he led a bayonet charge where he was nearly shot and killed. One of Lee's men knocked the mans rifle out of his hands. Soon Lincoln was elected and the controversy over states right got worse, especially with slavery in the west. After Texas seceded he was promoted again to colonel of the 1st Calvary. Virginia went into secret session and he knew that he would have to chose between his country and his state.

Young Grant

Young Grant was very different from Lee. Grant was very sloppy and did not like military uniforms or life for the most part and Grant was just 3 when Lee was attending west point. The main reason Grant went to west point was to get an education. He did not come from the richest family. Grant had a very poor business sense and trusted more people than he really should have. When he went to West Point he hated it. He had many problems in school for not dressing properly, and drinking at a local bar. He also came at the bottom of his class, he often struggled with his studies. One thing he did love and was good at when he was at West Point was horsemanship. From a very young age Grant loved horses. His high jump record lasted for 25 years. He hated military uniforms mainly because he was picked on about his uniform many times on his was back to his home. Even as a general he still hated the military uniform and usually dressed very sloppy. Even though he applied for the Calvary he sent as a second lieutenant in the infantry. He did learned many things at West Point that served him much later in life even if he did not enjoy it.

A House Divided

I am reading A House Divided which is a biography about Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. I have read the first chapter which is about Lee's younger life. His father was a hero from the Revolutionary War, unfortunately after the war he disgraced his family by drinking and being jailed many times. Lee did not want people to think he was like his father so he became very gentlemen like at a very young age. He also became the man of the house at a very young age, because his father moved away when he was very young. He died when Robert E. Lee was just 11. Him and his mother became very close, and he spent much of his time with his mother. He got most of his education before west point at a friends plantation. It is also where he met his future wife, who he was very faithful and devoted to. When he turned 18 he went to west point. He liked being at west point and became second in his class. He was the highest ranking cadet of his class in his sophomore year. After he graduated he returned home and married, he also spent his last few months with his mother before she passed. The book says the only time she was happy in her last years was when her son visited her. Her passing hit him very hard because he was so close to his mother. When Lee was young he was very erudite and gentlemen like.