Grant "Prettiest of places West Point" - Grant's first impressions

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Jan 24, 2017
Ulysses S. Grant's letter to his cousin, R. McKinstry Griffith, gives an insight into Grant's first impressions of the place that was to become his home for the next several years. I was surprised by the eloquence of the first paragraph of his letter and it is plain to see his abilities as a writer, even as a 17yr old cadet.

"From the window near I can see the Hudson; that far famed, that beautiful river with its bosom studded with hundreds of snow [struck: white] sails. Again if I look another way I can see Fort Putnam frowning far above: a stern monument of a sterner age, which seems placed there on purpose to tell us of the glorious deeds of our fathers. and to bid us remember their sufferings - to follow their examples. In short this is the best of all places - the place of all places for an institution like this."

Clearly enamoured with the location and it surrounds, Grant gives expression to both positive and negative elements of his experience:

"So I will tell you about a few of the drawbacks. First, I slept for two months upon one single pair of blankets, now this sounds romantic and you may think it very easy. but I tell you what coz. it is tremendeus hard. suppose you try it by way of experiment for a night or two. I am pretty shure that you would be perfectly satisfied that is no easy matter. but glad am I. these things are over. we are now in our quarters."

Needless to say it is enjoyable to read Grant's thoughts at this early juncture of his military career. See below for the full transcript:

https://www.gilderlehrman.org/sites/default/files/t-03632.pdf

Here is a PDF of the first page of Grant's letter which shows his somewhat detailed and exquisite handwriting which I had not seen before. I took special notice of the flourishing "F" in Fort. Interestingly, he also signed off on this letter as H.U.Grant (Hiram Ulysses Grant) which is of course his name before it became muddled up in the process of his selection to attend West Point.


Reading Grant's impressions of his experiences as a young man ties in nicely with this lecture and its purposes. The introduction also includes the trailer for the History channel production of the "Grant" mini series which has no doubt helped to raise Grant's profile.

 
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From an early age, Grant seems to have gravitated towards novels and poetry with romantically descriptive writing styles. This, along with descriptions of West Point he no doubt heard or read about, likely fired his young wanderlust imagination. After being in the relatively flat area of southern OH his entire life the dramatic landscape of the Hudson Valley would have offered an almost exotic and exciting experience. It's important to note that there was no photography at this time and well-illustrated books were somewhat scarce so highly-descriptive text was needed to give a better impression to the recipient of a letter. He also had a distinct but underappreciated affinity for beauty, especially that of the natural world. It's very clear in his letters to Julia from the Mexican War that he is enamored with the scenery and natural world around him in Mexico. Grant fell in love with the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest during his time there in the 1850s and harbored a desire to return there permanently. Likewise, on his world tour, he frequently notes his appreciation for both the natural wonders and the man-made wonders he encounters. Grant's sons described the intense desire their father had to travel and experience the world and he ended up being able to indulge and visit more of the world than most contemporaries. It would be high above the same Hudson Valley (150 miles north of West Point) where an ailing Grant would spend his final days. On his way to his final mountaintop home, he passed the place where he had begun his career, his son had graduated from, and where his grandson would one day graduate. West Point played a large role in his life and that of his family and was part of the discussions of a final burial location. In the end, he would not be buried there, but the funeral train passed by as the cadets stood at attention, honoring one of the most celebrated graduates. His son Frederick is buried there and recently a statue has been erected of Grant near the Plain.

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From an early age, Grant seems to have gravitated towards novels and poetry with romantically descriptive writing styles. This, along with descriptions of West Point he no doubt heard or read about, likely fired his young wanderlust imagination. After being in the relatively flat area of southern OH his entire life the dramatic landscape of the Hudson Valley would have offered an almost exotic and exciting experience. It's important to note that there was no photography at this time and well-illustrated books were somewhat scarce so highly-descriptive text was needed to give a better impression to the recipient of a letter. He also had a distinct but underappreciated affinity for beauty, especially that of the natural world. It's very clear in his letters to Julia from the Mexican War that he is enamored with the scenery and natural world around him in Mexico. Grant fell in love with the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest during his time there in the 1850s and harbored a desire to return there permanently. Likewise, on his world tour, he frequently notes his appreciation for both the natural wonders and the man-made wonders he encounters. Grant's sons described the intense desire their father had to travel and experience the world and he ended up being able to indulge and visit more of the world than most contemporaries. It would be high above the same Hudson Valley (150 miles north of West Point) where an ailing Grant would spend his final days. On his way to his final mountaintop home, he passed the place where he had begun his career, his son had graduated from, and where his grandson would one day graduate. West Point played a large role in his life and that of his family and was part of the discussions of a final burial location. In the end, he would not be buried there, but the funeral train passed by as the cadets stood at attention, honoring one of the most celebrated graduates. His son Frederick is buried there and recently a statue has been erected of Grant near the Plain.

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I am delighted you have been able to provide so much more detail with regard to Grant's impressions and how they may have been formed. From his youthful existence in a much less spectacular setting, to his appreciation of Mexico and the Pacific Northwest, and his subsequent longing to see more of the world. The images you shared help to inform the thoughts that Grant shared.

I never thought of what influenced his writing style but you can sense that element of romanticism and poetry. And combine that with the fact much understanding for the reader lay in the description of a place as opposed to having the plethora of images we have now. I have to admit I've at times found this tedious when reading older novels without knowing the reason for it being done.

It is poignant to read about his final farewell and its connection to West Point. Photographs of his son, Fred, provide what is often a spitting image of his father at the same age. Thank you for filling out more of Grant's story for us.
 
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What a wonderful letter and thanks also to @GrantCottage1885 for putting up some illustrations of the Hudson Valley. West Point is a lovely place with beautiful views of the river. Sadly, due to security concerns access to the campus is now limited. When I was a kid we could roam free and it was a great place to visit.
Wow, @lupaglupa, how fortunate you were! I've wondered if it would be possible to visit/view the new Grant monument recently unveiled at West Point, but it sounds like you need some kind of clearance. Stories like yours make me look more and more fondly on my childhood. I thought it significant after reading this that Grant's Tomb is located beside the Hudson river, and perhaps has a connection to a place he loved so well.
 
It really is a beautiful place. I've been there many times.
You should have no trouble visiting when Covid restrictions lighten. There is a Visitor Center outside the main gate where you can find out about tours. There is also an outstanding museum adjacent to the Visitor Center. The Grant statue is well done.
 
It really is a beautiful place. I've been there many times.
You should have no trouble visiting when Covid restrictions lighten. There is a Visitor Center outside the main gate where you can find out about tours. There is also an outstanding museum adjacent to the Visitor Center. The Grant statue is well done.
That's wonderful news! Thank you for the information.

I was very impressed with the Grant statue and watched its unveiling via the internet. We have a thread on it going back some ways.

I wondered why it took so long to commemorate him there, but I'm glad it's done now.
 
Wow, @lupaglupa, how fortunate you were! I've wondered if it would be possible to visit/view the new Grant monument recently unveiled at West Point, but it sounds like you need some kind of clearance. Stories like yours make me look more and more fondly on my childhood. I thought it significant after reading this that Grant's Tomb is located beside the Hudson river, and perhaps has a connection to a place he loved so well.
Tours inside the campus now are limited to buses through the grounds (or were last time I was there - not sure what the future will bring). There is a visitor's center and an excellent museum there. It's still well worth a trip!
 
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