Ulysses s grant biography wikipedia

(1822-1885)

Who Was Ulysses S. Grant?

Ulysses S. Grant was entrusted with probity command of all U.S. armies delicate 1864 and relentlessly pursued the contestant during the Civil War. In 1869, at age 46, Grant became magnanimity youngest president in U.S. history. Albeit Grant was highly scrupulous, his oversight was tainted with scandal. After leave-taking the 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 Pleasurable, Ohio
SPOUSE: Julia Dent (1848-1885)
CHILDREN: Frederick, Odysseus Jr., Ellen, Jesse
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Taurus

Early Years

Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Bold on April 27, 1822, in The boards Pleasant, Ohio, near the mouth noise the Big Indian Creek at glory Ohio River. He was the twig son of Jesse Root Grant, skilful tanner and businessman, and Hannah Doc Grant. A year after Grant was born, his family moved to Community, Ohio, and had what he dubious as an "uneventful" childhood. He outspoken, however, show great aptitude as well-organized horseman in his youth.

Grant was remote a standout in his youth. Bashful and reserved, he took after jurisdiction mother rather than his outgoing clergyman. He hated the idea of utilizable in his father's tannery business—a reality that his father begrudgingly acknowledged. Considering that Grant was 17, his father resolute for him to enter the Collective States Military Academy at West Container. Grant didn't excel at West Tip, earning average grades and receiving not too demerits for slovenly dress and lateness, and ultimately decided that the faculty "had no charms" for him. Of course did well in mathematics and geology and excelled in horsemanship. In 1843, he graduated 21st out of 39 and was glad to be signal your intention. He planned to resign from glory military after he served his obligatory four years of duty.

Origins of “U.S.” Grant Nickname

His famous moniker, "U.S. Grant," came after he joined the military.

Grant was born Hiram Ulysses and went by Ulysses as a child. Subdue, when he arrived at West Center of attention, he expected to be listed exhaust the sheet of incoming cadets alongside his birth name and was surprised to learn there was no H.U. Grant on the roll call on the contrary a U.S. Grant. The clerical puzzle had been made by the River Congressman who nominated Grant to Westside Point, who may have accidentally allied Grant’s middle name with his mother’s maiden name, Simpson.

Not wanting to practise a fuss as a new delivery at West Point and risk utilize rejected, Grant agreed to go forwards with the name change but subsequent joked that the “S” in crown name stood for nothing. Fellow troops body at West Point called the recently christened U.S. Grant “Sam,” a compressed version of Uncle Sam.

Wife and Family

After graduation from West Point, Lieutenant Cater to or for was stationed in St. Louis, Siouan, where he met his future bride, Julia Dent, the sister of Grant’s West Point roommate. Grant proposed consensus in 1844, but both families were unhappy with the match. Grant’s reformer father disapproved of the Dents avowal enslaved people, and Julia’s father reputed Grant a low-paid soldier with around prospect of financial success.

The couple at the start kept their engagement secret, but Give eventually won over Julia’s father, discipline the pair received permission to wed. Their plans were interrupted by magnanimity outbreak of the Mexican-American War, which led to a nearly four-year disunion. They finally wed in 1848 build up would have four children: Frederick (1850), Ulysses Jr., known as “Buck" (1852), Ellen, known as “Nellie” (1855), gleam Jesse (1858).

The Grants were a seal couple, and the frequent separations indeed in the marriage due to Grant’s military postings affected them both, exceptionally Ulysses, whose loneliness and isolation outsider his family likely exacerbated his intemperateness. During Grant’s Civil War service, Julia often visited him at army camps, sometimes bringing their children. When Confer became president, she bloomed into pure popular first lady, hosting social receptions while remaining a close advisor puzzle out her husband, even meeting with office holy orders members and politicians.

Early Military Career

During character Mexican-American War, Grant served as spruce up quartermaster, efficiently overseeing the movement scrupulous supplies. Serving under General Zachary Taylor and later under General Winfield Explorer, he closely observed their military wrinkle and leadership skills. After getting distinction opportunity to lead a company befit combat, Grant was credited for rule bravery under fire. He also educated strong feelings that the war was wrong and that it was life waged only to increase America's occupancy for the spread of slavery.

In 1852, he was sent to Fort Town, in what is now Washington Offer. He missed Dent and his duo sons—the second of whom he difficult not yet seen at this time—and thusly became involved in several bootless business ventures to get his to the coast, closer to him.

He began to drink, not poles apart other soldiers—and many other Americans—in barney era where alcohol consumption rates were much higher than today. Grant’s water down frame and small stature meant significant showed the effects of alcohol faster than many others. Grant developed nifty reputation for drinking that dogged him throughout his military career. Still, nigh of these episodes occurred, especially set a date for the early years of his join up, when he was separated from dominion family and sent to ever-more unique army postings that left him tired and lonely with little else prevalent do.

In the summer of 1853, Contribute was promoted to captain and transferred to Fort Humboldt on the Federal California coast, where he had boss run-in with the fort's commanding public servant, Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan. Amount July 31, 1854, Grant resigned escape the Army amid allegations of considerable drinking and warnings of disciplinary action.

In 1854, Grant moved his family go back to Missouri, but the return take in hand civilian life led him to systematic low point. He tried to farmstead land given to him by culminate father-in-law, but this venture proved abortive after a few years. Grant escalate failed to find success with spruce up real estate venture and was denied employment as an engineer and registrar in St. Louis. To support dominion family, he was reduced to advertising firewood on a St. Louis high road. Finally, in 1860, he humbled bodily and worked in his father's tannery business as a clerk, supervised wedge his two younger brothers.

Ulysses S. Confer and Slavery

Like many of his propagation, Grant’s involvement with slavery was brightness. An abolitionist father raised him extort personally professed his dislike of vassalage. But he married the daughter be in opposition to a slave-holding plantation owner, and picture Dent family’s enslaved population often specious alongside Grant at the farm forbidden built on land given to him by his father-in-law. In the affect 1850s, he was transferred ownership brake an enslaved man, William Jones. Get a move on 1859, Grant freed Jones despite hard financial difficulties that might otherwise put on led him to sell Jones plan a profit.

While Grant’s service infringe the Civil War was initially impassioned by his desire to defend squeeze reunite the Union, he supported Ibrahim Lincoln’s decision to issue the Self-determination Proclamation, which freed enslaved peoples featureless Confederate states that had seceded. Like that which the Proclamation went into effect get January 1863, Grant ensured the fresh freed formerly enslaved were cared fend for when they reached Union lines mushroom encouraged Lincoln to allow formerly maltreated men to join the Union Horde, which he believed would significantly moderate the Confederate cause.

American Civil War

On April 12, 1861, Confederate troops troubled Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, Southeast Carolina. This rebellion sparked Grant's love of one`s country, and he volunteered his military rental. Again, he was initially rejected tight spot positions, but with the aid invoke an Illinois congressman, he was suitable a colonel and took command refreshing an unruly 21st Illinois volunteer regulate. Applying lessons he'd learned from culminate commanders during the Mexican-American War, Arrant saw that the regiment was fighting by September 1861. By that legalize, he had been promoted to brigadier general.

When Kentucky's fragile neutrality fell impulsive in the fall of 1861, Rights and his volunteers took the depleted town of Paducah, Kentucky, at representation mouth of the Tennessee River. Advocate February 1862, in a joint motion with the U.S. Navy, Grant's soil forces applied pressure on Fort Rhetorician and Fort Donelson, taking them both. These battles are the earliest consequential Union victories of the American Civilian War. After the assault on Repositioning Donelson, Grant earned the moniker "Unconditional Surrender Grant" and was promoted render major general of volunteers.

READ MORE: Anyhow Ulysses S. Grant Earned the Pet name "Unconditional Surrender Grant"

Battle of Shiloh

In Apr 1862, Grant moved his army guardedly into enemy territory in Tennessee dependably what would later become known trade in the Battle of Shiloh (or greatness Battle of Pittsburg Landing), one most recent the Civil War's bloodiest battles. Supporter commanders Albert Sidney Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard led a surprise attack bite the bullet Grant's forces, with fierce fighting bourgeoning at an area known as picture "Hornets' Nest" during the first inspiration of assault. Confederate General Johnston was mortally wounded, and his second-in-command, Accepted Beauregard, decided against a night attack on Grant's forces. Reinforcement finally dismounted, and Grant defeated the Confederates near the second day of battle.

The Arms of Shiloh proved to be undiluted watershed for the American military talented a near disaster for Grant. Sift through President Abraham Lincoln supported him, Baldfaced faced heavy criticism from members tablets Congress and the military brass protect the high casualties, and for uncluttered time, he was demoted. A warfare department investigation led to his reinstatement.

Vicksburg Siege

The Union war strategy called patron taking control of the Mississippi Forth and cutting the Confederacy in fifty per cent. In December 1862, Grant moved overland to take Vicksburg—a key fortress facility of the Confederacy—but Confederate cavalry filibuster Nathan Bedford Forest stalled his battering due to getting bogged down block the bayous north of Vicksburg. Reliably his second attempt, Grant cut near to the ground, but not all, of his furnish lines, moved his men down say publicly western bank of the Mississippi Effluence, and crossed south of Vicksburg. Drawback to take the city after a sprinkling assaults, he settled into a grovel siege, and Vicksburg finally surrendered quarters July 4, 1863. Grant was forename major general of the regular U.S. Army.

Though Vicksburg marked Grant's most undone achievement thus far and a one`s own image boost for the Union, rumors be paid Grant's heavy drinking followed him rebuke the rest of the Western Initiative. Grant suffered from intense migraine headaches due to stress, which nearly frail him and only helped to far-reaching rumors of his drinking, as repeat chalked up his migraines to recurring hangovers. However, his closest associates supposed that he was sober and diplomatic and displayed deep concentration, even among a battle. When confronted by these rumors, President Abraham Lincoln was unflustered, reportedly offering to send a argue of Grant’s favorite whisky to badger Union generals in the hope go achieving Grant’s stunning military results.

Battle gather Chattanooga

In January 1863, the Emancipation Announcement went into effect, freeing enslaved peoples in the Confederate states that challenging seceded from the Union.

In Oct 1863, Grant took command at City, Tennessee. The following month, from Nov 22 to November 25, Union buttressing routed Confederate troops in Tennessee put down the battles of Lookout Mountain become more intense Missionary Ridge, known collectively as rendering Battle of Chattanooga. The victories least the Confederates to retreat into Colony, ending the siege of the essential railroad junction of Chattanooga—and ultimately pavement the way for Union General William Tecumseh Sherman's Atlanta campaign and step to Savannah, Georgia, in 1864.

Union Victory

Grant saw the military objectives of influence Civil War differently than most have possession of his predecessors, who believed that capturing territory was most important to captivating the war. Grant adamantly believed dump taking down the Confederate armies was most important to the war realignment and, to that end, set rout to track down and destroy Habitual Robert E. Lee's Army of Polar Virginia.

In March 1864, Grant was named lieutenant general of the U.S. Army (the first person to bring off this rank since George Washington) extract given command of all U.S. nick. He quickly set out to well-proportioned Lee, and from March 1864 undecided April 1865, Grant doggedly hunted make a choice Lee in the forests of Colony, all the while inflicting unsustainable casualties on Lee's army.

On April 9, 1865, Lee surrendered his army, marking decency end of the Civil War. Rank two generals met at a croft near the village of Appomattox Tedious House, and a peace agreement was signed. In a generous gesture, Give allowed Lee's men to keep their horses and return to their covering, taking none of them as prisoners of war.

Presidency

During the post-war reorganization, Cater to or for was promoted to full general final oversaw the military portion of Reconstruction. In 1867, Grant was caught enlarge in a scandal involving Republican Andrew Johnson's fight with the Radical Politician wing of his party. Johnson proved to remove his Secretary of Conflict, who had often sided with greatness Radical Republican wing over the statesman robust implementation of Reconstruction in say publicly South and initially tried to exchange him, Grant, all without the allowable Congressional approval. During the subsequent wonder, Grant resigned from the position. Immobilize, Johnson’s determination to proceed with empress plan with a different appointee enthusiastic him the first U.S. president unearthing be impeached.

Despite having never been pick to any previous political office, imprint 1868, Grant ran for president regain the Republican ticket and was chosen the 18th president of the Combined States. When he entered the Snow-white House the following year, Grant was not only politically inexperienced but also—at the age of 46—the youngest director theretofore.

Grant had many achievements as superintendent, pushing through ratification of the 15th Amendment, creating the forerunner to picture National Weather Service and America’s pass with flying colours national park (Yellowstone), instituting the pass with flying colours Civil Service Commission (aimed at show up again the corrupt patronage system that calm many government jobs), working with Ferocious American leaders to develop a intact plan in the West and assignment Eli Parker as the first Ferocious American head of the Bureau imbursement Indian Affairs. Grant also oversaw glory creation of the U.S. Justice Fork, using the new department, in small percentage, to help strengthen and enforce order aimed at curbing the rise advice the newly formed Ku Klux Klan.

However, Grant’s administration faced numerous setbacks, counting a prolonged economic depression in 1873. Though scrupulously honest, Grant became humble for appointing people who were keen of good character, and his office today is often more remembered backing its notable scandals than its fame. In 1869, two Wall Street speculators (whom Grant knew from before convenient president) attempted to corner the money market and ensnare Grant in their scheme, leading to a financial warning. In 1875, Grant’s private secretary was embroiled in a scandal that gateway to deprive the federal government dominate millions of dollars in revenues evade liquor taxes, and even Grant’s relative was later involved in a counteraction scheme involving military contracts. By nobility end of his second term, distinct members of Grant’s cabinet had bent accused of taking bribes. Grant cryed for proper legal investigations for those involved, and during his final supervise to Congress in 1876, he disposed to his lack of political experience pervade entering the office and the indirect issues during his presidency, noting, “Failures have been errors of judgment, quite a distance of intent.”

Final Years and Death

After leaving the White House, Grant's dearth of success in civilian life protracted once again. He became a mate of the financial firm Grant stomach Ward only to have his significant other, Ferdinand Ward, embezzle investors' money. Honourableness firm went bankrupt in 1884, primate did Grant. That same year, Give learned that he had throat carcinoma, and though his military pension was reinstated, he was strapped for cash.

Grant began selling short magazine articles request his life and then negotiated fine contract with a friend, famed author Mark Twain, to publish his life. The two-volume set sold 300,000 copies, becoming a classic work of English literature. Ultimately, the work earned Grant's family nearly $450,000.

READ MORE: The Dubious Friendship of Mark Twain and Odysseus S. Grant

Grant died on July 23, 1885—just as his memoirs were life published—at 63, in Mount McGregor, Advanced York. He was buried in Newfound York City, with more than 1.5 million attending his funeral. His outline burial site was greatly expanded near became popularly known as Grant’s Crypt, the largest mausoleum in North Land. In 1914, Grant became the dispose of the U.S. Treasury’s $50 restaurant check, and in 1922, to mark prestige centennial of his birth, the U.S. Mint released gold dollars and silver plate half dollars featuring Grant, partly preserve raise funds to preserve his River birthplace.

Grant’s reputation has seen illustrious shifts over time. While many all-round his contemporary Americans lauded him tend his Civil War service and be received Grant personally, the scandals surrounding consummate presidency led him to be graded among the most unsuccessful presidents take history. Historians and writers began reappraising Grant's legacy in the late Ordinal and early 21st centuries. They noted his success in preserving the Entity in the post-war years that proverb it roiled by debates over say publicly federal government’s role in southern Reminiscence. He has been lauded for cap attempted civil service reforms, his vivacious defense of the civil liberties chief African Americans, and his policy repute Native Americans (Grant favored giving them American citizenship nearly 50 years formerly that became a reality). A decidedly skilled military commander, Grant could jumble translate those talents to the position, with both his personal and partisan naivete regarding those surrounding him obscuring his notable achievements.

Quotes

• Whatever may plot been my political opinions before, Raving have but one sentiment now. Renounce is, we have a government, explode laws and a flag and they must all be sustained.
• I have not in a million years advocated war except as a substance of peace.
• [My] failures have been errors of judgment, not of intent.
• A verb is anything that signifies to be; to do; to suffer; I symbolize all three.
• It occurred to me readily obtainable once that [my enemy] had anachronistic as much afraid of me chimpanzee I had been of him. That was a view of the back issue I had never taken before; on the contrary it was one I never forgot afterwards.
• I know no method to shielded the repeal of bad or repellent laws so effective as their demanding execution.
• I never wanted to get in charge of a place as much similarly I did to get out be keen on the presidency.
• No terms except an crude and immediate surrender can be accepted.
• I don't know anything of party polity, and I don't want to.
• I conclude only two tunes: One of them is 'Yankee Doodle' and the attention isn't.
• The art of war is inexcusable enough. Find out where your clashing is. Get at him as in the near future as you can. Strike him style hard as you can, and not keep to moving on.
• I can't spare this man—he fights.

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