I wrote of grant, the decorated civil war general, but i now confess. He wrote his own biography, on the suggestion of the great author mark twain. Grant has 148 books on goodreads with 25770 ratings. Grant, the 18th president of the united states, written by american historian and biographer ron chernow. The generals reputation has been trending upward thanks to the work of recent historians. Grant died of throat cancer in 1885, probably as a result of smoking several cigars a day for much of his life. Grant by megan stine, and illustrated by mark edward geyer, is all about the life of ulysses s. 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. The fact remains and cannot be dislodged that general grants book is a great. This author is challenging what we know about ulysses. His style is instantly familiar and utterly unique. The twovolume set was published by mark twain shortly after grant s death. Grant from the questia online library, including fulltext online books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers and more. Ulysses grant was a store clerk who had resigned in disgrace from the u.
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. 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. What drove ulysses grant to write about the civil war. Grant, and although he tried to correct it upon entering the academy, they informed him it would require a new appointment. 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. 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. He began by selling short magazine articles, then negotiated a book. Grant s real name was hiram ulysses grant, but it was entered incorrectly as ulysses s. The brilliant general became the miserable president, fuelling the descent from glory into. He established national parks all over the country. Ronald whites magisterial new biography, weighing in at over 800 pages, is the newest heavyweight champion in this movement.
On paper, the outgoing, personable author and the quiet, reserved generalturnedpresident couldnt be. The civil war general turned president was a reluctant author, but set the gold. 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. The grant family pew sits in the united methodist church of galena, illinois, testifying to the religious roots of ulysses s. Though grants forces had been depleted by more than half during the last year of the war, it was lee who surrendered in 1865. 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. 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. Grant was born in ohio in 1822 and attended west point. In august 1848, he married julia dent, the sister of a former. The unlikely friendship of mark twain and ulysses s. Grant was elected eighteenth president of the united states. He was the general who led the union troops to victory during the imminent time that was the civil war.
To learn about the evolution of grant s name from hiram to 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 focus of the book is grants military careerhis service in the. Grant, american general, union army commander during the late years of the american civil war, and 18th president of the united states. His appointments to office were uneven in quality but sometimes refreshing. 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. As a twoterm president, he is typically dismissed as weak and ineffective. Get unlimited access to the best stories on medium and support writers while youre at it. Below are some observations about grant s memoirs, and the common thread is an admiration for grant s literary style. His presidency was known for corruption, scandal, and booze. Discover librarianselected research resources on ulysses s. Grant, a union general during the civil war, served two terms as president.
Finding evidence of faith in the generals adult life is harder. The book is handsomely written, and it is accompanied by. 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. Lee s army of northern virginia, leaving the war in the west to his close friend general william t. Apr 04, 2019 i have been enjoying reading these comments on biographies of ulysses s.
Grant began his military career as a cadet at the united states military academy at west point in 1839. Grant s permenant rank was first lieutenant, but he received brevets for both first lieutenant and captain at molino del rey and chapultepec. Grant was one of the greatest leaders the united states of america has ever had during a time of war. Ulysses s grant is one of the most important figures to have held the powerful title the president of the united states. Grant s massive casualties, further, was far in excess of any other commander s during a similar 60 day span of time. Mar 03, 2008 the autobiography of general ulysses s grant. The son of an appalachian ohio tanner, grant entered the united states military academy at. Brown about taking on that complicated legacy in his new book, grant. For that matter, did he really drink that much more that the average man of the nineteenth century.
Grant 18221885, says michael korda, was an unlikely hero. As a general he basically won the american civil war for the union against the confederacy. A mexican war he was also a general in the union army in the civil war ulysses s. Grant, his horses, check out kelly ramsey s entry into the material, a new series from covered with fur. 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. Among the national leaders whose names will always hold an honorable place in american history is ulysses s. By the time the war ended, grant was the union s most important general. Grant was a successful military general and the eighteenth president of the united states. Grant with the help of his friend mark twain, grant finished his memoirsand saved his wife from an impoverished widowhoodjust days before he died. His family called him by his middle name ulysses, or lyss for short.
He was methodical, but quick in acquiring and sifting information, and he was diligent. Grant entered the white house on march 4, 1869, politically inexperienced and, at age 46, the youngest man theretofore elected president. Desperate for money, grant turned to writing his wartime memoirs as a way to support his family. Grants plan worked, and on april 9, 1865, he accepted lees surrender. What was so great about ulysses was that he was one.
See the for students tab on this libguide for more information about grant s name. Grant was the most acclaimed union general during the american civil war and was twice elected president. 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. Ulysses declined the offer and lincoln was assassinated at the very same venue. In a new book, ron chernow attempts to rehabilitate it. Sep 19, 2017 learn more about the 18th president of the united states, ulysses grant including his childhood, military career, presidency, and retirement. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of ulysses s. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. His life and character by hamlin garland garland was a popular 19th century writer who wrote a onevolume account of grant s life.
Not since bruce catton has there been such an absorbing and exciting biography of ulysses s. 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. A conversation with pulitzer prize winner and biographer of alexander hamilton, george washington and john d. During the mexicanamerican war and his service in it, grant started to formulate his own beliefs and judgments about warfare. Grant did not want to become a military officer, but his father convinced him to go. 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. 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. On paper, the outgoing, personable author and the quiet, reserved general. 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. Congressman hamer mistakenly nominated him as ulysses s. He was invited to see the theater play along with president abraham lincoln.
Dismiss the stories that mark twain or grant s literary secretary secretly wrote the book while the general sat back inert. It s important to remember that the overall strategy grant followed for the final year of the war wasnt entirely his. Grant, and memoirs and selected letters, and more on. Home browse history military history military figures ulysses s. Grant heeded the advice of mark twain and finally agreed to write his memoirs. Grants real name was hiram ulysses grant, but it was entered incorrectly as ulysses s.
This author is challenging what we know about ulysses grant and the civil war. Interesting background grant never wanted to write his memoirs, he felt that was what narcissist did to. Despite ulysses simpson grant s stature as one of the leading figures in american history, many mysteries remain about the man. Grant s attorney general, amos akerman, prosecuted the klan with the hand of an avenging angel. 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. After the civil war, president andrew johnson named grant secretary of war over the newly reunited nation. It was under his command that the civil war was brought to an end with a union victory. He was the 18 th resident of the white house and before his political career.
Grant was the 18 president he was a general in the u. The complete personal memoirs of general ulysses s. Knowing this would upset his father, ulysses accepted the change. Even when clemens, his good friend and cigarsmoking buddy, broached the idea, grant demurred. Ronald whites magisterial new biography offers a fresh view. The first pages of the book tell of grant s rise from a hardscrabble life in point pleasant, ohio. As laid out in james mcpherson s book tried by war, lincoln insisted that confederate armies be attacked, and that confederate c. 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. Grant papers are described in more detail in the scope and content. In 1869, at age 46, grant became the youngest president in u. 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. President clinton looks back at president grant the new.
I have been studying grants life for the last 10 years. He didnt need the money and he was not a literary person. In 2017, pulitzer prizewinning writer ron cherkow published a biography, grant, that focused on the 18th presidents relationship with a domineering father. General zachary taylor needed an energetic young officer to keep his army supplied on its march through mexico.
Grant, civil war hero and twoterm president, had always declined offers to write his memoirs. Grant died on july 23, 1885just as his memoirs were being publishedat the age of 63, in mount mcgregor, new york. He was later elected president in the first election after the civil war. Discover delightful children s books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months. 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. 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. With all the new books on grant is hard to know where to start. Grant has been highly regarded by the general public. He said dumb stuff like that when he was halfdrunk and his beard was itchy. At last, an intergenerational family meeting resulted in him being named hiram ulysses grant. Though he does the usual justice to the military saga of the civil war, and grants. With kentucky s neutrality violated, brigadier general ulysses s. However, many historians consider him to be one of the worst presidents in history. Grant 18221885 is one of the most legendary figures in the history of the united states of america.
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. Before his presidency, grant led the union army as commanding general of the united states army in winning the american civil war. Four bloody and tragic years of civil war ended, and grant was the hero who had achieved the victory. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the civil war memoirs of ulysses s. During the war s first several years, other union commanders had tried to. By mistake, his name was listed on the roster as ulysses s. As the primary firstperson narrative of the civil war, it has been scrutinized. The collection is reproduced on fiftytwo reels of microfilm, scans of which comprise this online collection. Because of this mistake, ulysses adopted the initial s.
1287 1375 1479 1042 31 520 1518 1190 1192 254 60 608 1418 623 426 337 126 1434 1469 321 66 1155 173 1053 355 360 911 820 967 1134 668 589 152 304 328 980