Ulysses S. Grant

Library of Congress

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was an American hero. As a Civil War general he led the North to victory, keeping the nation united and abolishing slavery. As 18th President of the United States he worked to guarantee justice for all. Ulysses Grant also loved his wife Julia and their four children: Fred, Ulysses Jr., Ellen, and Jesse. When he died in 1885, he was one of the most famous Americans of his time.

Childhood

Hiram Ulysses Grant was born April 27, 1822, in Pt. Pleasant, Ohio, the first child born to Jesse and Hannah Grant. His family called him Ulysses, or Ulys for short. Jesse Grant owned a tannery, where they made animal hides into leather. As a youth, Ulysses enjoyed farming and caring for animals, especially horses, but did not like working in the tannery. He attended schools in Ohio and Kentucky, and thought about becoming a math teacher. His father's political connections to an Ohio Congressman led to an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York for college. Although Ulysses had no aspiration for a military career and did not want to attend the Academy, his father thought otherwise and so Ulysses attended West Point from 1839 until 1843. By mistake, the Congressman, who thought his first name was Ulysses, made the appointment as Ulysses S. Grant, believing his middle name was Simpson, his mother's maiden name. Grant attempted to get the mistake corrected, to no avail, and so he became Ulysses S. Grant. His classmates soon named him United States Grant, and then Uncle Sam Grant, and finally nicknamed him Sam.

Pre-Civil War

After graduation, the army sent Ulysses to Jefferson Barracks, near St. Louis and the largest military post west of the Mississippi in 1843. Grant visited the home of Fred Dent, his former classmate and roommate at West Point, where he met and fell in love with Fred's younger sister, Julia Boggs Dent. Their courtship lasted four years, as Grant found himself in the midst of the Mexican-American War, a war he believed political and unjust. After the war, Ulysses returned to St. Louis, and he and Julia were married on August 22, 1848. Julia traveled with her husband to his various military posts, returning to her parents' home, White Haven, in 1850 for the birth of their first child, Fred. When Ulysses was sent west in 1852, Julia did not make the long journey with him as she was pregnant with their second child.

 

Library of Congress

Wyeth painting of Ulysses S. Grant

Civil War

The Civil War began in April 1861. Ulysses re-entered the military and quickly rose to fame following his victories at Fts. Donelson and Henry, where he earned the nickname "Unconditional Surrender" Grant. In July 1863 he accepted the surrender of Vicksburg, Mississippi, and following his success at Chattanooga President Abraham Lincoln called him to become Commanding General of the entire Union Army in March 1864. Grant supported Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation, and made sure that slaves who escaped and came into Union lines were protected and cared for. Grant accepted Confederate General Robert E. Lee's surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia in April 1865, effectively ending the Civil War.

 

National Park Service

President Ulysses S. Grant

Presidency

After the Civil War, Ulysses Grant served as General of the Army and briefly acted as Interim Secretary of War for President Andrew Johnson. 

In 1868 he was elected 18th President of the United States, serving two terms during some of the most difficult times for the nation following the Civil War. During Grant's presidency, he worked hard to bind the wounds from the war and reunite the nation. As the nation's first Civil Rights president, he signed the 15th Amendment to the Constitution in 1870, guaranteeing the rights of citizenship to all people, regardless of race or previous condition of servitude. In addition, he implemented his Indian policy to ensure fair treatment toward Native Americans and worked to implement Civil Service reform in the Executive branch of the federal government. Other accomplishments included establishing peaceful arbitration among nations (a forerunner to the United Nations), and promoting free public education throughout the nation.

 

National Park Service

Ulysses S. Grant writing his memoirs.

Post-Presidency 

Once the Grants left the White House, they embarked on a world tour that lasted over two years. Welcomed by heads of state, diplomats, and citizens throughout the world, Grant acknowledged their praise as being more for the United States of America than himself.

After settling in New York City to be closer to their children, Grant worked in several businesses. In 1884 he was diagnosed with inoperable throat cancer and was the victim of a Wall Street scam that resulted in the loss of his fortune. At the urging of various individuals, he began writing his memoirs of the Civil War, completing them only a few days before his death on July 23, 1885. Published posthumously, The Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant are still considered one of the best military commentaries ever written. 

Grant's body was buried in a temporary tomb in Riverside Park, New York City, on August 8, 1885. Citizens throughout the country contributed funds to build a memorial to the Civil War general and later president. Upon completion of the memorial, Grant's body was placed in the new tomb and on April 27, 1897, an elaborate parade and ceremony was held to dedicate General Grant's tomb. The event was viewed by over one million spectators, including representatives from 26 foreign countries.

Grant's legacy as a Civil War general and as President is preserved at numerous sites throughout the country, from his birthplace to the tomb. All commemorate and honor the memory of the ordinary man who rose to extraordinary fame through his dedication to preserving the nation and ensuring justice and equality for all citizens.