Greatness of Ulysses S. Grant

                    The man known as Ulysses S. Grant was born as Hiram Ulysses Grant on April 27, 1885, in Point Pleasant, Ohio, to Jesse Hannah Simpson and Jesse Root Grant.  Some time during his younger years, he dropped his first name of Hiram.  When Ulysses was 17 he was nominated for a position at the United States Military Academy (USMA) at West Point, New York.  Congressman Thomas L. Hamer mistakenly wrote the nominee's name as "Ulysses S. Grant of Ohio" with the intention of the "S" representing his mother's maiden name (Simpson); Ulysses adopted the new identification and said that the "S" did not "stand for anything."  His colleagues at West Point nicknamed him "Sam" since the initials "U.S." stood for "Uncle Sam."

                    After Grant graduated from West Point, he served in the Mexican-American War.  The Civil War began in 1861, and Grant was assigned to train Union volunteer regiments in Illinois.  He was a general in 1862 and fought a series of battles.  He was promoted to major general after he forced a large Confederate army to surrender and gained control of Kentucky and most of Tennessee.  He earned a reputation for being an aggressive commander after he "led Union forces to victory after initial setbacks in the Battle of Shiloh.  Grant's forces "defeated five uncoordinated Confederate armies (capturing one of them) and seized Vicksburg in July 1863.  this famous victory gave the Union full control of the Mississippi River, split off the western Confederacy, and opened the way for more Union triumphs."

                    President Abraham Lincoln promoted him to lieutenant general after the Union forces won the Battle of Chattanooga in late 1863.  As lieutenant general Grant commanded all the Union Armies.  He "confronted Robert E. Lee in a series of very bloody battles in 1864 known as the Overland Campaign that ended bottling up Lee at Petersburg, outside the Confederate capital of Richmond.  While holding Lee in Petersburg, Grant "coordinated a series of devastating campaigns launched by William Tecumseh Sherman, Philip Sheridan, and George Thomas."  The Union Army  finally broke through the Confederate trenches and captured Richmond in April 1865.  Lee surrendered his forces to Grant at Appomattox, causing the Confederacy to collapse.  In the 1870's, allies of Lee called Grant a "ruthless butcher who won by brute force," but most historians call him a military genius.

                    Grant's dominant role in the second half of the Civil War led to his election as President of the United States (1869-1877).  As President he advanced Reconstruction "by enforcing civil rights laws and fighting the violence brought by the Ku Klux Klan.  Under his leadership Congress passed the Fifteenth Amendment, which gave constitutional protection to African American voting rights.  He built the Republican Party in the South by using the army, black voters, Northern newcomers known as "Carpetbaggers," and native white supporters called "Scalawags."  Following these efforts, for the first time in the history of our nation, African Americans were represented in the U.S. Congress.

                    In spite of victories in both foreign and domestic affairs, the Grant Administration was smeared by corruption by his personal secretary and his Secretary of State.  Historians gave Grant the "worst rankings" until recently when his reputation improved greatly due to his "enforcement of African American voting and citizenship rights during Reconstruction."

                    Grant's quotes tend to show him as a humble Conservative with compassion (as opposed to Compassionate Conservatives):  

                    "Although a soldier by profession, I have never felt any sort of fondness for war, and I have never advocated it, except as a means of peace."

                    "Hold fast to the Bible.  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."

                    "I appreciate the fact, and am proud of it, that the attentions I am receiving are intended more for our country than for me personally."

                    "I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution."

                    "I know only two tunes:  one of them is "Yankee Doodle," and the other isn't."

                    Grant was a man who knew where to plant his flag and when to fight as shown by these two quotes.  "I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer."  "If men make war in slavish obedience to rules, they will fail."

                    "In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins."

                    "The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most.  I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity."

                    "There never was a time when, in my opinion, some way could not be found to prevent the drawing of the sword."

Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio, which was located on the Ohio River southeast of Cincinnati. His family later moved to Georgetown. He was the first child in a family of three sons and three daughters. He was officially named Hiram Ulysses Grant but was usually called Ulysses or 'Lyss. Ulysses' father owned a prosperous tannery as well as farmland. Ulysses did not like working in the tannery. He much preferred working on the farm with horses, and he became an excellent horseman. Ulysses attended local schools in Georgetown until age 14. he attended an academy in Maysville, Kentucky, for one year and then entered an academy in Ripley, Ohio, in 1838. When a neighbor's son was dismissed from the U.S. Military Academy in 1839, Ulysses' father requested his congressman to name Ulysses as his replacement. The congressman made out the appointment to Ulysses S. Grant, and Ulysses never corrected the mistake. Ulysses was an average student at West Point because he read novels instead of studying. He did well in mathematics and horsemanship. He didn't like military life and didn't plan on an Army career, considering instead a job teaching college mathematics. When Grant graduated from West Point in 1843, he was commissioned a second lieutenant and stationed near St. Louis. He was introduced to Julia Dent, a classmate's sister. They became engaged but delayed their marriage because of the Mexican War. Grant's company went to Louisiana in 1844 and then to Texas in 1845. There he was in an area claimed by both the United States and Mexico. He was active in the capture of Mexico City where he was recognized for skill and bravery. By the end of that war he was a first lieutenant and had learned lessons that would help him in the Civil War. He returned to St. Louis as soon as possible after the war and married Julia Dent on August 22, 1848. The Grants had a happy marriage and were blessed with four children. Grant continued to serve in the Army and was stationed in Detroit and Sacketts Harbor, New York, before being sent to Fort Vancouver. He couldn't afford to take his wife and new son so she went to live with his parents in Ohio. He was made a captain and was transferred to Fort Humboldt, California, where he still couldn't afford to bring his family. He became depressed and started drinking heavily according to gossip. He resigned from the Army and settled his family in St. Louis. Grant spent six years working at several jobs and not succeeding ate any of them. He was 39 years old when the Civil War started in 1861. He strongly opposed secession and had freed his only slave two years earlier. He felt a duty to fight for the Union. He helped with military drills and worked for an adjutant general before the governor made him colonel of a regiment of volunteers. He spent two months campaigning and refreshing his leadership skills before his congressman recommended to President Lincoln to appoint him a brigadier general in August 1861. Through several battles Grant revealed that he had the qualities of a great military commander. After one battle the opposing commander asked for terms of surrender. Grant replied, "No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted." The Confederate commander realized he had no choice but to surrender. Northerners claimed that Grant's initials, U.S., stood for "unconditional Surrender." He was promoted to major general. Grant lost a lot of men by a surprise Confederate attack at Shiloh on April 6, 1862, but Union troops held on until reinforcements arrived. This was the last time that Grant was surprised in battle. Many congressmen pressured Lincoln to replace Grant because of the heavy Union losses at Shiloh. Lincoln answered them, "I can't spare this man - he fights!" Grant and his army defeated a Confederate army at Vicksburg, Mississippi, after advancing all winter until they laid a siege against the city in May 1863. The Confederates surrendered on July 4, 1863. After receiving command of all Union forces in the West in October 1863, Grant went to Chattanooga, Tennessee. There his ability to make decisions saved Union forces under siege and won a great victory on November 25, 1863. While Grant's army was succeeding in the West, the army in the East was failing. Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general early in 1864 and made him commander of all the Union armies. Grant went to Virginia and started pressuring General Robert E. Lee. Lee began retreating, but Grant's troops suffered severe losses in the battles. Grant was called "butcher" because of the many losses. The fierce pressure from Union troops forced Lee to abandon Richmond early in 1865 and to surrender On April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House, Virginia. Lee and his soldiers were released on their honor by Grant and allowed to keep their horses to help with the spring planting. Grant became very popular in the North because of the victory and appreciated in the South because of his generous terms to Lee. Grant was nominated for President b y the Republican Party and won the election of 1868 by a decisive majority of electoral votes. He was the first West Point graduate to become President of the United States. In his first inauguration speech, Grant admitted that he had no political experience and promised that he would not be ruled by professional politicians. He showed his independence by his appointments to his Cabinet and other offices. Grant worked hard at bringing North and South closer together by persuading Congress to pardon many former Confederate leaders, limiting the use of federal troops in the South. He used federal troops to protect blacks from the Klu Klux Klan and other white groups determined to keep blacks from voting. Political corruption was rampant. Carpetbaggers controlled some state governments in the South. There were political machines in Northern cities making huge profits from dishonesty. Grant was honest, but some of the men he appointed were not. There was much need for civil service reform because of the many scandals. The president of the Dominican Republic offered to sell his country to the United States in 1869 and a treaty of annexation was signed. The Senate rejected the treaty on the argument that a black republic was losing its independence. Grant took little part in the social life in Washington except for official appearances. His daughter Nellie married an Englishman in the White House and attracted international attention. Grant's second administration was also plagued with scandals, but many Republican leaders urged him to run for a third term. He refused to run again. Grant was honest and tried to protect the rights of blacks to vote, own property, and other privileges. He also sought to correct injustices to American Indians. He lacked the political skills to achieve his goals of justice and reform. Historians generally consider Grant to be a poor President even though he remained very popular. When Grant left the White House after the election of Rutherford B. Hayes, he and his family spent two years traveling in Europe and the Far East, returning home in 1879 still highly popular. He received some votes for President in 1880, but James A. Garfield won the Republican nomination. Grant's response was, "I feel a great responsibility lifted from my shoulders." Grant retired from public life with $100,000 but became almost penniless after making a bad investment. He began writing magazine articles about his war experiences. When he wrote his memoirs, Mark Twain, the famous American author, became his publisher. The memoirs were so successful that Grant's family earned about $500,000 from them. Grant knew he was dying of cancer as he wrote his memoirs. He died on July 23, 1885, soon after he completed his memoirs. He is buried in a tomb in New York, City, which is called the General Grant National Memorial. Mrs. Grant died in 1902 and was buried beside him. World events during the time of President Grant include: 1) The first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory, Utah, in 1869. 2) The Suez Canal opened in 1869, joining the Mediterranean and the Red seas. 3) Susan B. Anthony founded the National Woman Suffrage Association in 1869. Wyoming Territory gave women the right to vote in the same year. 4) Amendment 15 to the Constitution was adopted in 1870, stating that citizens cannot be denied the right to vote because of race. 5) The great Chicago fire killed 300 people and left 90,000 people homeless in October 1871. 6) Yellowstone National Park, our nation's first national park, was established by Congress in 1872. 7) Barbed wire, designed by Joseph Glidden in 1873, made it possible for small farmers to settle the frontier. 8) The Battle of the Big Horn or "Custer's Last Stand" took place in 1876 when Indians massacred Custer and all his troops. 9) The telephone was patented by Alexander Graham Bell in 1876. 10) The electric light was developed by Thomas Edison in 1879. Facts for this post came from an article by John Y. Simon in World Book Encyclopedia, Vol. 8, pp 312-318.