Among the national leaders whose names will always hold an honorable place in american history is ulysses s. He was the general who led the union troops to victory during the imminent time that was the civil war. Ronald whites magisterial new biography offers a fresh view. Ulysses grant was a store clerk who had resigned in disgrace from the u.
Grant from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. The civil war general turned president was a reluctant author, but set the gold. Grant papers are described in more detail in the scope and content. Grant, his horses, check out kelly ramsey s entry into the material, a new series from covered with fur. Nov 01, 2007 completed just days before his death and hailed by mark twain as the most remarkable work of its kind since the commentaries of julius caesar, this is the nowlegendary autobiography of ulysses simpson grant 18221885, 18th president of the united states and the union general who led the north to victory in the civil war. Grant heeded the advice of mark twain and finally agreed to write his memoirs. President clinton looks back at president grant the new. Grant was a soldier, civil war hero, politician, international statesman, and the 18th president of the united states born hiram ulysses grant at point pleasant, ohio on april 27, 1822, ulysses was the oldest of six children born to jesse and hannah simpson grant. As laid out in james mcpherson s book tried by war, lincoln insisted that confederate armies be attacked, and that confederate c. Two of the most famous americans of the 19 century, mark twain and ulysses s. With kentucky s neutrality violated, brigadier general ulysses s. Grant, the simplehearted man and capable soldier, to whose patriotism, courage, persistence, and skill was so largely due the successful termination of the war between the. On paper, the outgoing, personable author and the quiet, reserved general. Grant, who was headquartered at cairo, illinois, on the extreme southern tip of that state where the ohio river entered the mississippi, put his troops on transports and steamed up the ohio about 45 miles to paducah, kentucky.
Ulysses simpson grant born hiram ulysses grant was general inchief of the union army from 1864 to 1869 during the american civil war and the 18th president of the united states from 1869 to 1877. Sep 19, 2017 learn more about the 18th president of the united states, ulysses grant including his childhood, military career, presidency, and retirement. The complete personal memoirs of general ulysses s. Grant, american general, union army commander during the late years of the american civil war, and 18th president of the united states. In 1869, at age 46, grant became the youngest president in u. To the influence of this book we are indebted for all the progress made in true civilization and to this we must look as our guide in the future. Though he does the usual justice to the military saga of the civil war, and grants. Grant was one of the greatest leaders the united states of america has ever had during a time of war. Interesting background grant never wanted to write his memoirs, he felt that was what narcissist did to. White doesnt explicitly say that grant was a great president, but. The fact remains and cannot be dislodged that general grants book is a great.
The generals reputation has been trending upward thanks to the work of recent historians. Brown about taking on that complicated legacy in his new book, grant. At last, an intergenerational family meeting resulted in him being named hiram ulysses grant. Grant, and although he tried to correct it upon entering the academy, they informed him it would require a new appointment. The grant family pew sits in the united methodist church of galena, illinois, testifying to the religious roots of ulysses s. Grant did not want to become a military officer, but his father convinced him to go. Grant, a union general during the civil war, served two terms as president. A mexican war he was also a general in the union army in the civil war ulysses s. They argue that grant s strategy was one of attrition, one in which he was continually defeated but lacked the good sense to abandon his efforts and try again by a different way. Because of this mistake, ulysses adopted the initial s. His family called him by his middle name ulysses, or lyss for short. He was the 18 th resident of the white house and before his political career.
The brilliant general became the miserable president, fuelling the descent from glory into. As a twoterm president, he is typically dismissed as weak and ineffective. It s important to remember that the overall strategy grant followed for the final year of the war wasnt entirely his. Grant was elected eighteenth president of the united states. Below are some observations about grant s memoirs, and the common thread is an admiration for grant s literary style. Grant was the most acclaimed union general during the american civil war and was twice elected president. Grant, civil war hero and twoterm president, had always declined offers to write his memoirs. Desperate for money, grant turned to writing his wartime memoirs as a way to support his family. For an author who has written many, many excellent books on the civil war, the best of those haven been biographies, to write a book with one purpose in mind to. The collection is reproduced on fiftytwo reels of microfilm, scans of which comprise this online collection. Grantborn april 27, 1822 point pleasant, ohio died july 23, 1885 mount mcgregor, new york union general who captured vicksburg and defeated lee s army of northern virginia, ending the civil war source for information on ulysses s. After the civil war, president andrew johnson named grant secretary of war over the newly reunited nation. Grant s permenant rank was first lieutenant, but he received brevets for both first lieutenant and captain at molino del rey and chapultepec. In august 1848, he married julia dent, the sister of a former.
Congressman hamer mistakenly nominated him as ulysses s. Get unlimited access to the best stories on medium and support writers while youre at it. Grant 18221885 is one of the most legendary figures in the history of the united states of america. I have been studying grants life for the last 10 years. Grant was a favorite general of abraham lincoln at the time, and grant had no problem taking charge and showing the south who s boss. Julia grant 18261902 was an american first lady 186977 and the wife of the american civil war general and 18th president of the united states, ulysses s. This author is challenging what we know about ulysses grant and the civil war. Yet, he did indeed graduate from west point in 1843 and went on to learn the practical lessons of warfare during the mexican war, a conflict he personally opposed but fought with great bravery.
Grant by megan stine, and illustrated by mark edward geyer, is all about the life of ulysses s. Though grant s forces had been depleted by more than half during the last year of the war, it was lee who surrendered in 1865. April 27, 1822 july 23, 1885 was an american soldier and politician who served as the 18th president of the united states from 1869 to 1877. Grant was the 18 president he was a general in the u. He wrote his own biography, on the suggestion of the great author mark twain. Grant entered the white house on march 4, 1869, politically inexperienced and, at age 46, the youngest man theretofore elected president. See the for students tab on this libguide for more information about grant s name. A conversation with pulitzer prize winner and biographer of alexander hamilton, george washington and john d. Grant has been highly regarded by the general public. Grant is best known as the union general who led the united states to victory over the confederate states of america during the american civil war. Even when clemens, his good friend and cigarsmoking buddy, broached the idea, grant demurred. Discover delightful children s books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months. The book is handsomely written, and it is accompanied by.
General zachary taylor needed an energetic young officer to keep his army supplied on its march through mexico. Grant was born in ohio in 1822 and attended west point. It was under his command that the civil war was brought to an end with a union victory. He was methodical, but quick in acquiring and sifting information, and he was diligent. Mar 03, 2008 the autobiography of general ulysses s grant.
Grant died of throat cancer in 1885, probably as a result of smoking several cigars a day for much of his life. He was, writes korda, thinskinned, sensitive, and burdened with the inferiority complex of a boy who had been brought up by harsh and distant parents, made fun of at school, been passed over for promotion in the army, failed at every attempt to make money or improve his situation, and eventually settled into life as a. With all the new books on grant is hard to know where to start. Finding evidence of faith in the generals adult life is harder. He began by selling short magazine articles, then negotiated a book. As a general he basically won the american civil war for the union against the confederacy. On paper, the outgoing, personable author and the quiet, reserved generalturnedpresident couldnt be.
This author is challenging what we know about ulysses. His appointments to office were uneven in quality but sometimes refreshing. He didnt need the money and he was not a literary person. To learn about the evolution of grant s name from hiram to ulysses s. Grant s real name was hiram ulysses grant, but it was entered incorrectly as ulysses s.
Grant s attorney general, amos akerman, prosecuted the klan with the hand of an avenging angel. The son of an appalachian ohio tanner, grant entered the united states military academy at. Grant died on july 23, 1885just as his memoirs were being publishedat the age of 63, in mount mcgregor, new york. I wrote of grant, the decorated civil war general, but i now confess. Little did grant or twain realize that this seemingly straightforward decision would profoundly alter not only both their lives but the course of american literature. A graduate of the prestigious west point military academy, grant served in both the mexicanamerican war 18461848 and the american civil war 18611865, in which he was appointed commander of the union army. His style is instantly familiar and utterly unique. Knowing this would upset his father, ulysses accepted the change. The first pages of the book tell of grant s rise from a hardscrabble life in point pleasant, ohio. During the war s first several years, other union commanders had tried to. Grants plan worked, and on april 9, 1865, he accepted lees surrender. What was so great about ulysses was that he was one. Grant s massive casualties, further, was far in excess of any other commander s during a similar 60 day span of time. Lee s army of northern virginia, leaving the war in the west to his close friend general william t.
During the mexicanamerican war and his service in it, grant started to formulate his own beliefs and judgments about warfare. Though grants forces had been depleted by more than half during the last year of the war, it was lee who surrendered in 1865. If i could make a suggestion, if anyone would like to get some first hand accounts of usg read campaigning with grant by horace porter. The unlikely friendship of mark twain and ulysses s. He established national parks all over the country. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Discover librarianselected research resources on ulysses s. In 2017, pulitzer prizewinning writer ron cherkow published a biography, grant, that focused on the 18th presidents relationship with a domineering father. In a new book, ron chernow attempts to rehabilitate it. Before his presidency, grant led the union army as commanding general of the united states army in winning the american civil war. Grant, the 18th president of the united states, written by american historian and biographer ron chernow.
Ulysses declined the offer and lincoln was assassinated at the very same venue. His presidency was known for corruption, scandal, and booze. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of ulysses s. Not since bruce catton has there been such an absorbing and exciting biography of ulysses s. That s why ive compiled a list of what are considered the best books on ulysses s. His life and character by hamlin garland garland was a popular 19th century writer who wrote a onevolume account of grant s life. The historic rivalry between the south s polished general and the north s rough and rugged soldier is the subject of a new show at. Grant, the 18th president of the united states, focused mainly on his military career during the mexicanamerican war and the american civil war, and completed as he was dying of throat cancer in 1885. He said dumb stuff like that when he was halfdrunk and his beard was itchy. As the primary firstperson narrative of the civil war, it has been scrutinized. Dismiss the stories that mark twain or grant s literary secretary secretly wrote the book while the general sat back inert. Grants real name was hiram ulysses grant, but it was entered incorrectly as ulysses s. I remember well that the last time we had beers together, grant told me that custer was a longhair bung munchkin from back east. The unconditional surrender continues for most general officers, a headlinemaking victory accompanied by the abject surrender of an entire enemy army, such as ulysses unconditional surrender grant accomplished at fort donelson in february 1862.
The twovolume set was published by mark twain shortly after grant s death. Home browse history military history military figures ulysses s. No 55 personal memoirs by ulysses s grant 1885 the civil war general turned president was a reluctant author, but set the gold standard for presidential. What drove ulysses grant to write about the civil war. Ulysses s grant is one of the most important figures to have held the powerful title the president of the united states. By the time the war ended, grant was the union s most important general. He was later elected president in the first election after the civil war. Four bloody and tragic years of civil war ended, and grant was the hero who had achieved the victory.
Grant began his military career as a cadet at the united states military academy at west point in 1839. For that matter, did he really drink that much more that the average man of the nineteenth century. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the civil war memoirs of ulysses s. His drinking habit, which did not adversely affect his military campaigns, became a central focus of. Later grant would become the 18th president of the united states. Apr 04, 2019 i have been enjoying reading these comments on biographies of ulysses s. The focus of the book is grants military careerhis service in the. But in the united states army, his remarkable talents as a soldier and leader saved his country from falling apart. By mistake, his name was listed on the roster as ulysses s.
Ronald whites magisterial new biography, weighing in at over 800 pages, is the newest heavyweight champion in this movement. Grant 18221885, says michael korda, was an unlikely hero. However, many historians consider him to be one of the worst presidents in history. Grant, and memoirs and selected letters, and more on.