his men to an early victory at Belmont,
and then took Forts Donelson and
Henry, demanding unconditional
surrender. At the time, other Union
generals were suffering heavy defeats.
Grant’s successes led to his promotion
to major general.
On April 6, 1862, when Grant and his
forces were encamped at Shiloh on the
Tennessee River, Confederate troops
launched a surprise attack. The first day
ended in near defeat for Grant, but the
next day he launched a counterattack,
and his troops prevailed, in the face of
fierce Southern attacks, thanks to his
determination and the sheer force of
numbers. His troops suffered devastating
losses in what was one of the bloodiest
confrontations of the war to that point.
This sparked demands for Grant’s
removal, but President Lincoln famously
responded by saying,“I can’t spare this
man—he fights.”
Grant’s next major objective was
Vicksburg, Mississippi. After a brilliant
campaign, he took this Confederate
stronghold in July 1863, freeing the
Mississippi River to Union traffic and
in effect dividing the Confederacy.
Further successes in Tennessee, in
particular the defeat of Braxton Bragg
at Chattanooga later in the year,
confirmed his abilities as a commander
and his status as a national hero.
Lincoln summoned him to Washington
and on March 9, 1864, Grant was
appointed general-in-chief of the Union
armies. He was also made lieutenant
general, a rank that had previously
been held only by George Washington.Bludgeoning tactics
Finally, Grant directed the converging
Union drives that brought about the
defeat of the Confederacy. He had a
simple strategy for fighting the
Confederate Army. He knew the Northhad greater industrial
resources, manpower, and
money, and he was willing
to use them all in order to
win. “Strike at the enemy
as hard as you can” and
“Wear them out,” he said.
Leaving Sherman in charge in
the west, Grant personally led the
relentless Union attacks by the Army
of the Potomac in Virginia, the war’s
principal battlefront. He gradually wore
down General Robert E. Lee’s forces
during the Overland Campaign. The
siege of Petersburg and the fall ofRichmond followed, which resulted in
Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court
House on April 9, 1865. Grant’s generous
terms allowed Confederate officers and
soldiers to return to their homes.Warrior to statesman
After the formal Confederate surrender,
Grant disagreed with President Andrew
Johnson on his lenient stance toward the
South. Grant thought the South should
be treated like a conquered nation—a
position that won him favor among the
more radical Northern citizenship.
Grant won a bid for the presidency in
1868 (and would be re-elected in 1872).
However, he did not always conduct
himself in the statesmanlike manner
that the people expected. He took
personal gifts (unaware that it was
thought improper), appointed friends to
Cabinet positions (which he saw as a
form of loyalty), and made sincere—but
ultimately disastrous—policy decisions
that led the country into a depression.
In the “Whiskey Ring,” one of a series of
scandals that blighted his administration,
corrupt officials stole more than
$3 million in taxes from the Federal
government. It is thought that Grant
was not personally involved in any of
this, but his reputation was tarnished.
Grant’s post-presidency career fared
little better. Bad investments, swindles,
and mismanagement left him bankrupt,
and in an effort to pay off his debts he
wrote his memoirs. Published by Mark
Twain, they earned the Grant family
more than half a million dollars
following his death on July 23, 1885.
Despite the war and the controversy
surrounding his presidency, Grant is
today considered a great American
because of his wartime achievements,
his loyalty, and his resolve. His legacy is
celebrated every day by the many
people who visit Grant’s Tomb on the
Upper West Side of
Manhattan in
New York City.TIMELINEULYSSES S. GRANTULYSSES S. GRANT IN 1843“ The war is over—the rebels
are our countrymen again.”
GRANT AFTER LEE’S SURRENDER AT APPOMATTOX COURT HOUSE, APRIL 9, 1865Grant’s field glasses
Faded and frayed, these field glasses
were used by Grant to follow troop
movements on the battlefield.Grant on horseback
A natural horseman, Grant is portrayed leading his men
into battle in this lithograph published in 1864, the year
he became general-in-chief of the Union army and thus
took command of 533,000 men.■ April 27, 1822 Born in Point Pleasant Ohio, the
son of a tanner and merchant.
■ 1839–43 Studies at West Point, emerging 21st
in a class of 39. He is assigned to the infantry.
■ 1846–47 Fighting in the War with Mexico, he
performs with bravery and initiative under fire at
Monterrey and in the attack on Chapultepec.
■ 1848 Marries Julia Dent, the sister of a friend
from West Point; they will have four children.
■ April 1854 Resigns from the U.S. Army while
serving as a captain in California.
■ April 1861 At the outbreak of the Civil War,
raises a volunteer company and is swiftly
promoted to colonel and then brigadier general.
■ February 1862 His successful attacks on Fort
Henry and Fort Donelson in Tennessee, with the
capture of over 12,000 Confederate soldiers,
win him praise and promotion to major general.
■ April 6–7, 1862 Almost routed at Shiloh, but
retrieves the situation. His reputation is harmed
by the high casualties suffered.
■ May–July 1863 Traps 30,000 Confederate
soldiers at Vicksburg and forces them to
surrender after a six-week siege.
■ October–November 1863 Taking command of
the besieged Army of the Cumberland at
Chattanooga, he wins a notable victory at
Missionary Ridge (November 25).
■ March 1864 Promoted to general-in-chief
of all Union armies with the rank of lieutenant
general, Grant moves to the Eastern Theater to
lead the fight against the main Confederate
force, Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia.
■ May–June 1864 Leads a Union advance through
Virginia in the Overland Campaign, fighting Lee at
the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and Cold Harbor.
■ June 1864–March 1865 Fights trench warfare
around Petersburg and Richmond, Virginia,
wearing down the Confederate defense.
■ April 9, 1865 Accepts General Lee’s surrender
at Appomattox Court House, effectively bringing
the war to an end; the terms allow Confederate
soldiers and officers to return to their homes.
■ 1869–1877 Serves two terms as president.
■ July 23, 1885 Dies at Mount McGregor, New
York, of throat cancer.TIMELINE