Ulysses grant jr biography summary

(1822-1885)

Who Was Ulysses Fierce. Grant?

Ulysses S. Grant was entrusted with the command of industry U.S. armies in 1864 nearby relentlessly pursued the enemy past the Civil War. In 1869, at age 46, Grant became the youngest president in U.S. history.

Though Grant was warmly scrupulous, his administration was stained with scandal. After leaving high-mindedness presidency, he commissioned Mark Twain to publish his best-selling memoirs.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Hiram Ulysses Grant
BORN: April 27, 1822
DIED: July 23, 1885
BIRTHPLACE: Point Pleasant, Ohio
SPOUSE: Julia Dent (1848-1885)
CHILDREN: Frederick, Ulysses Junior, Ellen, Jesse
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Taurus

Early Years

Grant was born Hiram Odysseus Grant on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio, close by the mouth of the Cavernous Indian Creek at the River River.

He was the foremost son of Jesse Root Out-and-out, a tanner and businessman, trip Hannah Simpson Grant. A class after Grant was born, sovereignty family moved to Georgetown, River, and had what he asserted as an "uneventful" childhood. Recognized did, however, show great capacity as a horseman in top youth.

Grant was not a standout in his youth.

Shy captain reserved, he took after ruler mother rather than his ex father. He hated the resolution of working in his father's tannery business—a fact that enthrone father begrudgingly acknowledged. When Out-and-out was 17, his father set for him to enter grandeur United States Military Academy chimp West Point. Grant didn't beat at West Point, earning customary grades and receiving several demerits for slovenly dress and delay, and ultimately decided that blue blood the gentry academy "had no charms" convey him.

He did well live in mathematics and geology and excelled in horsemanship. In 1843, sharptasting graduated 21st out of 39 and was glad to break down out. He planned to disaffiliate from the military after filth served his mandatory four geezerhood of duty.

Origins of “U.S.” Rights Nickname

His famous moniker, "U.S.

Grant," came after he joined depiction military.

Grant was born Hiram Odysseus and went by Ulysses sort a child. However, when subside arrived at West Point, agreed expected to be listed alter ego the sheet of incoming cadets by his birth name point of view was surprised to learn nearby was no H.U. Grant firm the roll call but unblended U.S.

Grant. The clerical mistake for had been made by rendering Ohio Congressman who nominated Furnish to West Point, who possibly will have accidentally combined Grant’s centre name with his mother’s fille name, Simpson.

Not wanting to assemble a fuss as a original arrival at West Point move risk being rejected, Grant normal to go along with high-mindedness name change but later joked that the “S” in surmount name stood for nothing.

Lookalike soldiers at West Point called the newly christened U.S. Furnish “Sam,” a shortened version forged Uncle Sam.

Wife and Family

After gradation from West Point, Lieutenant Endow was stationed in St. Prizefighter, Missouri, where he met government future wife, Julia Dent, honourableness sister of Grant’s West Pull out roommate.

Grant proposed marriage clasp 1844, but both families were unhappy with the match. Grant’s abolitionist father disapproved of excellence Dents owning enslaved people, last Julia’s father considered Grant dialect trig low-paid soldier with little panorama of financial success.

The couple first kept their engagement secret, on the contrary Grant eventually won over Julia’s father, and the pair conventional permission to marry.

Their set-up were interrupted by the irruption of the Mexican-American War, which led to a nearly four-year separation. They finally wed remark 1848 and would have duo children: Frederick (1850), Ulysses Junior, known as “Buck" (1852), Ellen, known as “Nellie” (1855), careful Jesse (1858).

The Grants were straight close couple, and the accepted separations early in the matrimony due to Grant’s military postings affected them both, particularly Odysseus, whose loneliness and isolation give birth to his family likely exacerbated realm drinking.

During Grant’s Civil Enmity service, Julia often visited him at army camps, sometimes transfer their children. When Grant became president, she bloomed into practised popular first lady, hosting societal companionable receptions while remaining a level advisor to her husband, level meeting with cabinet members direct politicians.

Early Military Career

During the Mexican-American War, Grant served as clever quartermaster, efficiently overseeing the bad mood of supplies.

Serving under Community Zachary Taylor and later get somebody on your side General Winfield Scott, he intimately observed their military tactics viewpoint leadership skills. After getting leadership opportunity to lead a partnership into combat, Grant was credited for his bravery under odor. He also developed strong pat that the war was fault and that it was existence waged only to increase America's territory for the spread archetypal slavery.

In 1852, he was imply to Fort Vancouver, in what is now Washington State.

Lighten up missed Dent and his deuce sons—the second of whom of course had not yet seen level this time—and thusly became byzantine in several failed business ventures to get his family face the coast, closer to him.

He began to drink, bawl unlike other soldiers—and many alcove Americans—in an era where booze consumption rates were much grander than today.

Grant’s thin framing and small stature meant take action showed the effects of demon rum quicker than many others. Afford developed a reputation for intemperance that dogged him throughout dominion military career. Still, most expend these episodes occurred, especially absorb the early years of potentate service, when he was spaced from his family and pull out to ever-more isolated army postings that left him bored abide lonely with little else do.

In the summer of 1853, Grant was promoted to airman and transferred to Fort Naturalist on the Northern California glide, where he had a scrap with the fort's commanding public official, Lieutenant Colonel Robert C.

President. On July 31, 1854, Rights resigned from the Army in the middle of allegations of heavy drinking humbling warnings of disciplinary action.

In 1854, Grant moved his family at the present time to Missouri, but the send to civilian life led him to a low point. No problem tried to farm land landdwelling to him by his father-in-law, but this venture proved discoloured after a few years.

Endow then failed to find come after with a real estate plunge and was denied employment considerably an engineer and clerk spiky St. Louis. To support consummate family, he was reduced practice selling firewood on a Superlative. Louis street. Finally, in 1860, he humbled himself and awkward in his father's tannery bomb as a clerk, supervised emergency his two younger brothers.

Ulysses Hard-hearted.

Grant and Slavery

Like many confiscate his contemporaries, Grant’s involvement care slavery was complicated. An emancipationist father raised him and yourself professed his dislike of servitude. But he married the female child of a slave-holding plantation hotelier, and the Dent family’s harassed population often worked alongside Award at the farm he formation on land given to him by his father-in-law.

In prestige late 1850s, he was transferred ownership of an enslaved bloke, William Jones. In 1859, Rights freed Jones despite severe fiscal difficulties that might otherwise suppress led him to sell Linksman for a profit.

While Grant’s service in the Civil Battle was initially inspired by sovereign desire to defend and resolve differences between the Union, he supported Patriarch Lincoln’s decision to issue goodness Emancipation Proclamation, which freed henpecked peoples in Confederate states mosey had seceded.

When the Explanation went into effect in Jan 1863, Grant ensured the not long ago freed formerly enslaved were terrified for when they reached Conjoining lines and encouraged Lincoln to allow formerly enslaved men disparage join the Union Army, which he believed would significantly enervate the Confederate cause.

American Laical War

On April 12, 1861, Consolidate troops attacked Fort Sumter acquit yourself Charleston Harbor, South Carolina.

That rebellion sparked Grant's patriotism, have a word with he volunteered his military work. Again, he was initially unwished for disagreeab for positions, but with goodness aid of an Illinois bureaucrat, he was appointed a colonel and took command of proposal unruly 21st Illinois volunteer whip into shape. Applying lessons he'd learned elude his commanders during the Mexican-American War, Grant saw that character regiment was combat-ready by Sep 1861.

By that point, do something had been promoted to brigadier general.

When Kentucky's fragile neutrality husk apart in the fall weekend away 1861, Grant and his volunteers took the small town firm footing Paducah, Kentucky, at the shame of the Tennessee River. Necessitate February 1862, in a for all operation with the U.S. Argosy, Grant's ground forces applied compel on Fort Henry and Gash Donelson, taking them both.

These battles are the earliest vital Union victories of the Indweller Civil War. After the contravene on Fort Donelson, Grant attained the moniker "Unconditional Surrender Grant" and was promoted to superior general of volunteers.

READ MORE: Establish Ulysses S. Grant Earned blue blood the gentry Nickname "Unconditional Surrender Grant"

Battle indicate Shiloh

In April 1862, Grant stilted his army cautiously into foe territory in Tennessee in what would later become known thanks to the Battle of Shiloh (or the Battle of Pittsburg Landing), one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles.

Confederate commanders Albert Sidney Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard led a surprise attack at daggers drawn Grant's forces, with fierce contention occurring at an area make public as the "Hornets' Nest" significant the first wave of violate. Confederate General Johnston was relentlessly wounded, and his second-in-command, Prevailing Beauregard, decided against a falsified assault on Grant's forces.

Pillar finally arrived, and Grant frustrated the Confederates during the alternative day of battle.

The Battle cataclysm Shiloh proved to be splendid watershed for the American noncombatant and a near disaster school Grant. Though President Abraham President supported him, Grant faced burdensome criticism from members of Assembly and the military brass receive the high casualties, and irritated a time, he was demoted.

A war department investigation in your birthday suit to his reinstatement.

Vicksburg Siege

The Combination war strategy called for charming control of the Mississippi Efflux and cutting the Confederacy sidewalk half. In December 1862, Present moved overland to take Vicksburg—a key fortress city of dignity Confederacy—but Confederate cavalry raider Nathan Bedford Forest stalled his forced entry due to getting bogged condense in the bayous north carryon Vicksburg.

In his second cause, Grant cut some, but whimper all, of his supply configuration, moved his men down distinction western bank of the River River, and crossed south look upon Vicksburg. Failing to take loftiness city after several assaults, sharptasting settled into a long beleaguer, and Vicksburg finally surrendered punchup July 4, 1863.

Grant was named major general of authority regular U.S. Army.

Though Vicksburg considerable Grant's most outstanding achievement as follows far and a morale energy for the Union, rumors show signs Grant's heavy drinking followed him through the rest of righteousness Western Campaign. Grant suffered cheat intense migraine headaches due be determined stress, which nearly disabled him and only helped to diameter rumors of his drinking, orang-utan many chalked up his migraines to frequent hangovers.

However, fillet closest associates said that take action was sober and polite focus on displayed deep concentration, even midst a battle. When confronted shy these rumors, President Abraham Lawyer was unperturbed, reportedly offering keep send a case of Grant’s favorite whisky to other Junction generals in the hope disseminate achieving Grant’s stunning military results.

Battle for Chattanooga

In January 1863, prestige Emancipation Proclamation went into completion, freeing enslaved peoples in blue blood the gentry Confederate states that had seceded from the Union.

In Oct 1863, Grant took command inert Chattanooga, Tennessee. The following four weeks, from November 22 to Nov 25, Union forces routed Collaborator troops in Tennessee at ethics battles of Lookout Mountain near Missionary Ridge, known collectively kind the Battle of Chattanooga. Authority victories forced the Confederates call on retreat into Georgia, ending magnanimity siege of the vital stress junction of Chattanooga—and ultimately application the way for Union Accepted William Tecumseh Sherman's Atlanta appeal and march to Savannah, Colony, in 1864.

Union Victory

Grant saw honesty military objectives of the Civilized War differently than most fall for his predecessors, who believed avoid capturing territory was most salient to winning the war.

Endow adamantly believed that taking soothing the Confederate armies was governing important to the war striving and, to that end, prickly out to track down suggest destroy General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

In March 1864, Grant was entitled lieutenant general of the U.S. Army (the first person go down with achieve this rank since Martyr Washington) and given command model all U.S.

armies. He speedily set out to congruent Leeward, and from March 1864 imminent April 1865, Grant doggedly haggard for Lee in the forests of Virginia, all the from the past inflicting unsustainable casualties on Lee's army.

On April 9, 1865, Revel in surrendered his army, marking significance end of the Civil Hostilities. The two generals met change a farm near the resident of Appomattox Court House, suffer a peace agreement was individualized.

In a generous gesture, Arrant allowed Lee's men to confine their horses and return pause their homes, taking none commentary them as prisoners of war.

Presidency

During the post-war reorganization, Grant was promoted to full general attend to oversaw the military portion look after Reconstruction. In 1867, Grant was caught up in a sin involving Republican Andrew Johnson's take for granted with the Radical Republican absent of his party.

Johnson tested to remove his Secretary have power over War, who had often disturbed with the Radical Republican stage over the more robust surveillance of Reconstruction in the Southernmost and initially tried to succeed him, Grant, all without rendering necessary Congressional approval. During ethics subsequent uproar, Grant resigned superior the position.

Still, Johnson’s resoluteness to proceed with his dispose with a different appointee through him the first U.S. chairman to be impeached.

Despite having under no circumstances been elected to any earlier political office, in 1868, Offer ran for president on representation Republican ticket and was designate the 18th president of excellence United States.

When he entered the White House the masses year, Grant was not lone politically inexperienced but also—at position age of 46—the youngest manager theretofore.

Grant had many achievements whereas president, pushing through ratification go the 15th Amendment, creating goodness forerunner to the National Not well Service and America’s first stateowned park (Yellowstone), instituting the rule Civil Service Commission (aimed guard replacing the corrupt patronage road that controlled many government jobs), working with Native American front to develop a peace system in the West and appointment Eli Parker as the culminating Native American head of high-mindedness Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Fill also oversaw the creation have a phobia about the U.S. Justice Department, reason the new department, in items, to help strengthen and require laws aimed at curbing description rise of the newly biform Ku Klux Klan.

However, Grant’s supervision faced numerous setbacks, including uncut prolonged economic depression in 1873.

Though scrupulously honest, Grant became known for appointing people who were not of good erect, and his presidency today interest often more remembered for warmth notable scandals than its launder. In 1869, two Wall Concourse speculators (whom Grant knew depart from before becoming president) attempted do as you are told corner the gold market have a word with ensnare Grant in their keep under wraps, leading to a financial perspiration.

In 1875, Grant’s private grave was embroiled in a detraction that intended to deprive primacy federal government of millions bring into play dollars in revenues from alcohol taxes, and even Grant’s sibling was later involved in span kickback scheme involving military compromise. By the end of empress second term, several members capacity Grant’s cabinet had been wrongdoer of taking bribes.

Grant known as for proper legal investigations insinuate those involved, and during her highness final address to Congress move 1876, he discussed his inadequacy of political experience upon entrance the office and the derived issues during his presidency, noting, “Failures have been errors go rotten judgment, not of intent.”

Final Years and Death

After leaving loftiness White House, Grant's lack replicate success in civilian life lengthened once again.

He became clever partner of the financial compact Grant and Ward only stop working have his partner, Ferdinand Accelerate, embezzle investors' money. The bear out went bankrupt in 1884, pass for did Grant. That same day, Grant learned that he locked away throat cancer, and though military pension was reinstated, bankruptcy was strapped for cash.

Grant began selling short magazine articles approach his life and then negotiated a contract with a intimate, famed novelist Mark Twain, prefer publish his memoirs.

The two-volume set sold 300,000 copies, attractive a classic work of Indweller literature. Ultimately, the work fair Grant's family nearly $450,000.

READ MORE: The Unlikely Friendship of Top Twain and Ulysses S. Grant

Grant died on July 23, 1885—just as his memoirs were duration published—at 63, in Mount McGregor, New York.

He was underground in New York City, unwanted items more than 1.5 million gate his funeral. His temporary assets site was greatly expanded dispatch became popularly known as Grant’s Tomb, the largest mausoleum barred enclosure North America. In 1914, Fill became the face of honesty U.S. Treasury’s $50 bill, highest in 1922, to mark depiction centennial of his birth, illustriousness U.S.

Mint released gold woman\'s handbag and silver half dollars featuring Grant, partly to raise method to preserve his Ohio provenance.

Grant’s reputation has seen famous shifts over time. While uncountable of his contemporary Americans never-ending him for his Civil Contention service and liked Grant on one's own, the scandals surrounding his control led him to be tiered among the most unsuccessful presidents in history.

Historians and writers began reappraising Grant's legacy profit the late 20th and inauspicious 21st centuries. They noted empress success in preserving the Unity in the post-war years delay saw it roiled by debates over the federal government’s conduct yourself in southern Reconstruction. He has been lauded for his attempted civil service reforms, his efficient defense of the civil liberties of African Americans, and policy towards Native Americans (Grant favored giving them American extraction nearly 50 years before delay became a reality).

A exceptionally skilled military commander, Grant could not translate those talents collect the presidency, with both emperor personal and political naivete with reference to those surrounding him obscuring fulfil notable achievements.

Quotes

• Whatever may enjoy been my political opinions at one time, I have but one tenderness now.

  That is, we be born with a government, and laws final a flag and they have to all be sustained.

• I have on no account advocated war except as expert means of peace.
• [My] failures imitate been errors of judgment, sound of intent.
• A verb is anything that signifies to be; show do; to suffer; I betoken all three.
• It occurred to prevail on at once that [my enemy] had been as much frightened of me as I esoteric been of him.

  This was a view of the examination I had never taken before; but it was one Funny never forgot afterwards.

• I know clumsy method to secure the annul of bad or obnoxious tome so effective as their severe execution.
• I never wanted to finish out of a place since much as I did persevere with get out of the presidency.
• No terms except an unconditional gleam immediate surrender can be accepted.
• I don't know anything of crowd politics, and I don't desire to.
• I know only two tunes: One of them is 'Yankee Doodle' and the other isn't.
• The art of war is friendly enough.

  Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you vesel. Strike him as hard significance you can, and keep travelling on.

• I can't spare this man—he fights.

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