Page "Ulysses S. Grant" Paragraph 15

In the summer of 1853, he was promoted to captain, one of only 50 still on active duty, and assigned to command Company F, 4th Infantry, at Fort Humboldt, on the northwest California coast.

Without explanation, he shortly thereafter resigned from the army with little notice on July 31, 1854.

The commanding officer at Fort Humbolt, Brevet Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan, a strict disciplinarian, had reports that Grant was intoxicated off duty while seated at the pay officer's table.

Buchanan had previously warned Grant several times to stop the alleged binge drinking.

In lieu of a courtmartial, Buchanan gave Grant an ultimatum to sign a drafted resignation letter.

Grant resigned ; the War Department stated on his record, " Nothing stands against his good name.

" Rumors, however, persisted in the regular army of Grant's intemperance.

According to biographer McFeely, historians overwhelmingly agree that his intemperance at the time was a fact, though there are no eyewitness reports extant.

Grant's father, again believing his son's only potential for success to be in the military, tried to get the Secretary of War to rescind the resignation, to no avail.