Ulysses S. Grant
Who was Ulysses S. Grant?
President of the United States from 1869 to 1877
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Ulysses S. Grant (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Ulysses S. Grant, originally named Hiram Ulysses Grant, was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio. He became the 18th president of the United States and played a crucial role as a military leader in American history. Serving as president from 1869 to 1877, he is recognized for leading the Union Army to victory in the Civil War. Grant, married to Julia Grant, experienced both national success and personal financial struggles during his 63 years. He passed away on July 23, 1885, in Wilton, New York, shortly after finishing his famous memoirs.
Grant graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1843 and served in the Mexican-American War under Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott. Despite his skills on the battlefield, he struggled during peacetime and left the army in 1854, returning to a life of poverty. When the Civil War began in 1861, he rejoined the army and showed a strong strategic instinct that set him apart from others. His victories at Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and the Vicksburg campaign in 1863 earned him national recognition. Taking Vicksburg allowed Union forces to control the Mississippi River and divided the Confederacy geographically. Impressed by these achievements, President Abraham Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general, putting him in charge of all Union armies in 1864.
As commanding general, Grant applied constant pressure on Confederate forces across multiple fronts. He personally led the Overland Campaign against Robert E. Lee in Virginia, engaging in battles at the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor before besieging Petersburg. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, bringing the Civil War to a close. Grant offered lenient surrender terms, allowing Confederate soldiers to return home with their horses and sidearms, which helped smooth the path to peace. In 1866, he was promoted to General of the Army, the nation's highest military rank.
Elected president in 1868 due to his wartime achievements and unanimous support from the Republican Party, Grant took an active role in Reconstruction. He backed the Fifteenth Amendment, allowing African American men to vote, and established the United States Department of Justice to combat the Ku Klux Klan in the early 1870s. He also started the first Civil Service Commission in 1871. Despite these efforts, his second term was marred by major scandals, like the Credit Mobilier affair and the Whiskey Ring, involving his administration. His response to the Panic of 1873 was criticized, and the resulting economic depression led to Democratic gains in Congress.
After his presidency, Grant faced financial ruin when a business collapsed in 1884, leaving him bankrupt. Diagnosed with throat cancer, he worked quickly to finish his memoirs, which were published by Mark Twain and became both a critical and commercial success, bringing in significant royalties for his family. He received the Congressional Gold Medal for his contributions to the nation. Grant was buried in New York City, where his tomb remains a notable memorial.
Before Fame
Grant was born into a humble family in Point Pleasant, Ohio, where his father worked as a tanner. He didn't show much ambition early on but had a knack for handling horses. His father helped him get into the United States Military Academy. At West Point, his name was mistakenly entered as Ulysses S. Grant, and he decided to keep it. He graduated in 1843, ranking in the middle of his class, and became a brevet second lieutenant.
His first real challenge was during the Mexican-American War from 1846 to 1848. He served under two future presidents and gained practical experience in logistics and battlefield tactics. Although he thought the war was unjust, he did his job well. The years after the war weren't easy. Posted far from his family, Grant dealt with isolation and reportedly struggled with alcohol, leading him to resign from the army in 1854. He tried his hand at farming, real estate, and working in his father's leather goods store in Galena, Illinois, without much success. The Civil War's outbreak gave him a new sense of purpose, bringing him back to the only line of work where he truly excelled.
Key Achievements
- Led the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War as commanding general, accepting Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox in 1865
- Served as the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877, overseeing Reconstruction and the ratification of the Fifteenth Amendment
- Directed the Vicksburg campaign in 1863, securing Union control of the Mississippi River and strategically dividing the Confederacy
- Signed legislation establishing the United States Department of Justice and used federal power to prosecute and suppress the Ku Klux Klan
- Received the Congressional Gold Medal and authored widely acclaimed personal memoirs that set a standard for military autobiography
Did You Know?
- 01.Grant's birth name was Hiram Ulysses Grant, but a clerical error at West Point registered him as Ulysses S. Grant, and he adopted the name permanently rather than correct the record.
- 02.He completed his two-volume personal memoirs in extraordinary circumstances, writing against terminal throat cancer and finishing the manuscript just four days before his death in 1885.
- 03.Mark Twain published Grant's memoirs through his own publishing company, and the book earned approximately $450,000 in royalties for Grant's widow Julia, equivalent to many millions of dollars today.
- 04.Despite commanding one of history's most destructive armies, Grant was reportedly squeamish about blood and could not eat meat that was not cooked completely through.
- 05.Grant's terms at Appomattox allowed surrendering Confederate soldiers to keep their personal horses, a practical concession he justified by noting the men would need the animals for spring plowing.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Congressional Gold Medal | — | — |