Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant · Chapter
Treaty of Peace and Mexican Excursions explained
Grant recounts the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in February 1848 and the subsequent delay in ratification, which left the army idle in Mexico.
What happens
Grant recounts the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in February 1848 and the subsequent delay in ratification, which left the army idle in Mexico. He describes attending a bullfight, finding it sickeningly cruel, and notes that bullfights were later prohibited in the Federal District. He then details his leave-taking expeditions: an ascent of Popocatapetl that ended in failure due to storm and altitude sickness, and a journey to the great caves of Mexico, where he observed stalactites and stalagmites. Along the way, he encountered bureaucratic obstacles from Mexican guards and witnessed peons gambling away their meager wages.
Themes in this chapter
The Horrors and Cost of War
Grant's visceral disgust at the bullfight mirrors the brutality of war; the casual cruelty of the sport underscores the dehumanizing aspects of conflict.
Personal Integrity and Self-Reliance
Grant's decision to leave the bullfight early and his determination to continue the cave expedition despite guard obstruction reflect his personal integrity and self-reliance.
Characters to notice
- Ulysses S. Grant
Narrator and participant; describes his reactions to the bullfight, his failed climb of Popocatapetl, and his exploration of the caves.
- Simon B. Buckner
Mentioned among officers who 'went south' and attained high rank; later surrendered Fort Donelson.
- Richard Anderson
Mentioned as a lieutenant who 'went south' and commanded a corps at Spottsylvania.
- Andrew Porter
Mentioned as a captain who remained on the National side.
- Charles P. Stone
Mentioned as a lieutenant who remained on the National side.
- Zealous B. Tower
Mentioned as a lieutenant who remained on the National side.
Key passages
“The sight to me was sickening. I could not see how human beings could enjoy the sufferings of beasts, and often of men, as they seemed to do on these occasions.”
Grant found the bullfight nauseating and could not understand how people took pleasure in the torment of animals and sometimes humans.
Grant's moral revulsion at the cruelty of the bullfight.
“The fatigues of the day and the loss of sleep the night before drove us to bed early. Our beds consisted of a place on the dirt-floor with a blanket under us.”
Exhausted from the failed climb and sleepless night, the party slept on the dirt floor with only a blanket.
Describes the primitive conditions endured during the Popocatapetl expedition.
“We determined therefore to go on unless stopped by a force sufficient to compel obedience.”
Grant and his party resolved to proceed unless physically prevented by an adequate force.
Shows Grant's determination and willingness to push against bureaucratic obstacles.