To J.R. GRANT, ESQ.,
Covington, Ky.
[Orvil is the youngest brother. The appointment referred to was one
for the position of County Engineer.
Free-Soilers: "The Whig party had ceased to exist ... ; the Know
Nothing party had taken its place but was on the wane; the Republican
party was in a chaotic state and had not yet received a name. It had
no existence in the Slave States except at points on the borders next
to Free States. In St. Louis city and county what afterwards became
the Republican party was known as the Free Soil Democracy."--_Memoirs_.
Professorship of mathematics: When Grant left the Military Academy he
had no intention of remaining in the army. He then expected to teach
mathematics, and had already applied for such a position at West
Point. At Jefferson Barracks his chief interest was the study of
higher mathematics with the view of obtaining a professorship. The
Mexican War, however, soon drew him into active military life.
The real estate venture was unsuccessful; it was a business even then
much overcrowded. Necessity, not instability, dictated the various
experiments.]
St. Louis,
Aug. 20th, 1859.