Chapter 4: Cavalry

Eisenhower stuck a hand into the center of her tank head.

“Take this!” she shouted, pulling a lever inside and firing a shell out its barrel.

Grant’s horse leapt away from the shell and launched a cannonball of its own. Eisenhower shifted along her roads, dodging the fire while shooting off a second round. Grant jumped over the shot, effortlessly avoiding stepping on Eisenhower’s roads as he landed.

“Hmph,” Nixon gave a loud huff from the stands, “It seems I’ve misjudged Grant…I always thought he was a brainless brute who could only win through overwhelming force…but these abilities he’s showing are genuinely impressive.”

“That they are!” Lincoln exclaimed with pride. “He’s the best fighter I’ve ever had: strong on the battlefield…and even stronger on a horse!”

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Years ago, Seargent Herschberger stood in front of his graduating class of West Point cadets with a stern look in his eyes.

“Before we start our ceremonies…I thought we could have ourselves a little fun first...”

Herschberger strode over to the jumping bar, lifted it higher than his head, then turned back to his class.

“Cadet Grant!” he bellowed into the crowd.

Every face turned as a towering steed stepped ahead carrying a young Odysseus Grant atop its back. The horse was York, a fearsome beast known for its terrifying temper. Only two cadets at West Point could ride him, and only Grant could ride him well.

Grant looked to the bar in front of him, then rubbed his hand across his steed’s back.

“Go,” he whispered into the horse’s ear.

The animal gave a snort, then charged ahead with tremendous speed before leaping straight through the air. The crowd let out a roar of cheers as the horse cleared the bar with ease, setting what would turn out to be a record for the high jump that would last another 25 years.

“Well now!” Herschberger remarked with a bashful grin. “I don’t think I can follow that. Class, dismissed!”

The cadets filed out of the room, chatting to themselves as Grant dismounted his horse.

“That was quite the show you put on there, Grant!” Herschberger exclaimed as he made his way over.

“York deserves all the credit.”

“Sure he does,” Herschberger responded with a knowing smile. “In any case, I wanted to give you this before you left.”

Herschberger dug into his pocket, pulling out a letter and handing it to Grant.

“What’s this?”

“Your deployment orders.” Herschberger said with a pat to Grant’s back. “Congratulations, soldier! You’ve been invited to the Mexican front by [Old Rough and Ready] herself!”

The next week, future President Jacqueline Taylor stared down her line of fresh recruits, the majority of them struggling to stand straight underneath the searing Mexican sun.

“Which of you is Lieutenant Grant?” she asked sharply.

“Here, ma’am.” Grant responded, raising up a hand.

Taylor looked him over for a second, then handed him a clipboard.

“Welcome, soldier; you’re our new quartermaster effective immediately.”

Grant looked at the set of forms, then back to Taylor.

“I’m sorry ma’am…but I’m not sure that’s the right position for me.”

Taylor crossed her arms with a scowl.

“You complaining about your placement, soldier?”

“No ma’am; merely expressing my opinion. I had expected to serve on the front lines when I joined the service. But if this is what you assign me, then I shall perform it to the best of my abilities.”

Taylor gave a nod.

“I understand your hesitation soldier, but I assure you, the quartermaster is vital to our operations.” She gestured to a storage shed over at the back of the camp. “After all, it doesn’t matter how brave our soldiers are: they can’t fight without weapons, and they sure as heck can’t march without food.”

“I recognize the role’s significance, ma’am. I’m merely confused as to why I’m the one being selected for it.”

Taylor gave a small grin.

“I love my soldiers here; but most of them can’t count past ten. Needless to say, none of them are capable of keeping an accurate tab on our supplies. So, when I heard rumors about a promising young soldier hoping to become a math professor after his end of service…” she rested a hand on his shoulder, “well, I just knew I had to grab you before anyone else did.”

Grant nodded his head.

“I understand. In that case I—”

A bullet whizzed past Grant’s head, cutting him off. Grant and Taylor turned to the side, spotting a squadron of Mexican soldiers charging into their camp, guns blazing.

“Take cover!” Taylor shouted as she and Grant leapt behind a neighboring building.

“What’s the situation?” a nearby soldier asked as Taylor peeked around their cover.

“We’ve got them outnumbered two to one,” she replied, “but we don’t have enough ammo on hand to take them down.”

“Is there any more ammunition at the storage shed?” Grant asked.

Taylor nodded her head.

“There should be a fresh stockpile just outside its doors; but it’s impossible to get there without taking enemy fire.”

“I see,” Grant remarked, “in that case, the solution seems rather straightforward to me.”

Grant gave a sharp whistle, summoning half a dozen horses from around the camp to his side.

“After all,” he went on, mounting atop the largest of the horses, “as our quartermaster, it’s my job to make sure our troops have the supplies that they need.”

“Don’t be a fool!” Taylor hissed, “You’ll be shot at the moment you’re spotted.”

“I know,” he replied curtly, “that’s why I won’t be spotted.”

“How…”

But before Taylor could press further, Grant tapped at his horse’s neck, inciting it to rush out of the cover and onto the open battlefield.

“Idiot…” Taylor muttered, closing her eyes as she awaited the inevitable sound of Grant’s screams. But, to her surprise, nothing happened.

Curious, Taylor peeked around, widening her eyes at the sight before her.

“What’s this?” she mumbled as she watched Grant’s horse sprint towards the gang of Mexican troops…with Grant himself nowhere to be seen…

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Grant’s Flashback I. The scenes at West Point, including Grant’s 25-year horse jumping record, are almost word for word true.

Ulysses Grant was indeed reluctantly appointed to be quartermaster during the Mexican-American War, but he was not personally recruited by Zachary Taylor himself. He also put up more of a resistance to the position than is displayed in the story since he really wanted to go and fight on the front lines.