He was severely wounded at Port Hudson, joined General Grant in January, 1864, as his military secretary, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and was made brevet brigadier-general United States army for faithful and meritorious services in the war.

He became colonel and aide-de-camp to the general of the army in March, 186j, and continued to May, 1869, when he was retired. He was secretary of legation to the English court at London.

Rev. Wm. E. Turner, of P^lmsford, kindly furnishes the following account of the early life and literary labors of Jay Gould, the noted financier, who, while a mere lad, wrote the history of Delaware County :

" Jay Gould did not in early life enjoy the advantages of a literary education. His only opportunities were first in a private school taught in the neighborhood, for the benefit of a few of the neighbors, by a young man named Oliver. He subsequently removed to the academy in Franklin, where young Gould followed him and very early finished his education. Hence it could not be said that he ever acquired much of a literary taste, but rather a business education. He did, however, write the history of Delaware County, which is still extant and certainly a very creditable performance for a youth of sixteen years of age. His education, as we have said, was more of a business character. Hence we see him, after spending a little time as clerk in a country store, engaged in measuring the distances and assisting in plotting the maps of Ulster and Scoharie Counties. We should not forget to mention that his first business venture was with a mouse-trap which he had constructed and brought to the city of New York for the purpose of placing it among the curiosities and useful exhibits of the Crystal Palace.