Ulysses S. Grant
April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885
"One of my superstitions had always been when I started to go anywhere,
or to do anything, not to turn back,
or stop until the thing intended was accomplished."
Early Life -
Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio on the day of April 27th, in the year of 1922. He came to West Point at the age of 17 with the help of his father and was nominated by a congressman. The congressman Thomas Hamer had mistakenly nominated Hiram as Ulysses S. Grant. Grant adopted this name with the middle initial only. Grant had finished 21st of a class of 39. He claims that he had been lazy in his work, although his grades were above average. Grant did not make lasting friends but he paid attention to higher ranking officers and the like.
Pre-Civil War Service -
Grant served in the Mexican American War as a lieutenant under the generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott. Grant determinedly fought at the front lines as he was unhappy in his job as a quartermaster. Grant himself was opposed to the war.
Grant eventually married Julia Boggs Dent in 1848. She was the child of a wealthy slave owner and farmer. They had 4 children and they wrote letters to each other during Grant's time in the war.
Grant was moved to some other positions during the war. He eventually became a captain, however he soon resigned without notice. It is said that Grant spent time intoxicated at the officer's table and so was made to resign.
Grant spent a long period of financially punishing years. Grant did not have any success in the terms of business and was not a hand at farming. He eventually released the slave he received from Julia's father, surprisingly as slaves were a large price then. He went to work for his father in the tanning business.
Civil War Service -
Grant lived in Galena, Illinois when the war started and Lincoln called for 75 thousand volunteers to fight. He was deemed to be the only military professional in the area and so led the meeting to initiate recruitment, as well as accompanying the people sent to Springfield. Grant was assigned to train the volunteers. He made many efforts to get a position in the open field to no avail. He was eventually put in charge of a regiment with the help of a friend.
He took a defeat at first, however, the battle had instilled morale into his troops and so working with a naval officer, conducted an attack on two forts. The Confederate army led by General Pillow was defeated and Grant earned fame in the north. He became the major general of volunteers by Lincoln.
The Union army Grant led, the Army of the Tennessee, has stopped at the west side of the Tennessee River. The Confederates attacked them with the Union in bivouacked shelters instead of trenches. The army fell back. Later the next day, the Union attacked the Confederates in retaliation. He was able to make the Confederates fall back. However, General George Thomas convinced Halleck to give command to him and Grant was placed in second. Eventually, Grant became the 1st in command again after an intervention by Charles Dana after Thomas's failed route of the Confederates.
Grant moved to take Vicksburg. He had two failed attempts until he laid siege to it for 7 weeks. He captured Vicksburg, although with some criticism for his decisions and reported intemperance. At Chattanooga, the Army of the Cumberland were being besieged. Grant had the armies attack the Confederates forcing them into a retreat, leaving the way into the heart of the Confederacy open. Grant became the Lieutenant General of the Union Armies and so he went to Washington D.C. to discuss plans with Lincoln.
Soon afterwards, Grant launched a massive assault to be known as the Overland Campaign. He marched down south and fought Lee in a large war of attrition. Grant eventually moved to Cold Harbor and attacked it, and left to free General Butler and attack Petersburg. Grant and Lee fought over the city. With Lee occupied, Sherman took Atlanta without enemy reinforcements coming. Grant also eventually took Petersburg and then Richmond, ending the war. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.
Years later, Grant became the president of the United States and so led them for two terms. He was eventually made to try and go for a third term without success.
Soon, he learned that he had throat cancer and would soon die. He received the military pension he had lost when he became the president. He wrote and finished a memoir of his life days before he died.
or to do anything, not to turn back,
or stop until the thing intended was accomplished."
Early Life -
Ulysses S. Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio on the day of April 27th, in the year of 1922. He came to West Point at the age of 17 with the help of his father and was nominated by a congressman. The congressman Thomas Hamer had mistakenly nominated Hiram as Ulysses S. Grant. Grant adopted this name with the middle initial only. Grant had finished 21st of a class of 39. He claims that he had been lazy in his work, although his grades were above average. Grant did not make lasting friends but he paid attention to higher ranking officers and the like.
Pre-Civil War Service -
Grant served in the Mexican American War as a lieutenant under the generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott. Grant determinedly fought at the front lines as he was unhappy in his job as a quartermaster. Grant himself was opposed to the war.
Grant eventually married Julia Boggs Dent in 1848. She was the child of a wealthy slave owner and farmer. They had 4 children and they wrote letters to each other during Grant's time in the war.
Grant was moved to some other positions during the war. He eventually became a captain, however he soon resigned without notice. It is said that Grant spent time intoxicated at the officer's table and so was made to resign.
Grant spent a long period of financially punishing years. Grant did not have any success in the terms of business and was not a hand at farming. He eventually released the slave he received from Julia's father, surprisingly as slaves were a large price then. He went to work for his father in the tanning business.
Civil War Service -
Grant lived in Galena, Illinois when the war started and Lincoln called for 75 thousand volunteers to fight. He was deemed to be the only military professional in the area and so led the meeting to initiate recruitment, as well as accompanying the people sent to Springfield. Grant was assigned to train the volunteers. He made many efforts to get a position in the open field to no avail. He was eventually put in charge of a regiment with the help of a friend.
He took a defeat at first, however, the battle had instilled morale into his troops and so working with a naval officer, conducted an attack on two forts. The Confederate army led by General Pillow was defeated and Grant earned fame in the north. He became the major general of volunteers by Lincoln.
The Union army Grant led, the Army of the Tennessee, has stopped at the west side of the Tennessee River. The Confederates attacked them with the Union in bivouacked shelters instead of trenches. The army fell back. Later the next day, the Union attacked the Confederates in retaliation. He was able to make the Confederates fall back. However, General George Thomas convinced Halleck to give command to him and Grant was placed in second. Eventually, Grant became the 1st in command again after an intervention by Charles Dana after Thomas's failed route of the Confederates.
Grant moved to take Vicksburg. He had two failed attempts until he laid siege to it for 7 weeks. He captured Vicksburg, although with some criticism for his decisions and reported intemperance. At Chattanooga, the Army of the Cumberland were being besieged. Grant had the armies attack the Confederates forcing them into a retreat, leaving the way into the heart of the Confederacy open. Grant became the Lieutenant General of the Union Armies and so he went to Washington D.C. to discuss plans with Lincoln.
Soon afterwards, Grant launched a massive assault to be known as the Overland Campaign. He marched down south and fought Lee in a large war of attrition. Grant eventually moved to Cold Harbor and attacked it, and left to free General Butler and attack Petersburg. Grant and Lee fought over the city. With Lee occupied, Sherman took Atlanta without enemy reinforcements coming. Grant also eventually took Petersburg and then Richmond, ending the war. Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox.
Years later, Grant became the president of the United States and so led them for two terms. He was eventually made to try and go for a third term without success.
Soon, he learned that he had throat cancer and would soon die. He received the military pension he had lost when he became the president. He wrote and finished a memoir of his life days before he died.