Ulysses's Fans (12)

Ulysses S. Grant

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born

April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio, The United States

died

July 23, 1885

gender

male

genre

Biographies & Memoirs, History, Politics

About this author

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Ulysses Simpson Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant) was general-in-chief of the Union Army from 1864 to 1869 during the American Civil War and the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877.

The son of an Appalachian Ohio tanner, Grant entered the United States Military Academy at age 17. In 1846, three years after graduating, Grant served as a lieutenant in the Mexican–American War under Winfield Scott and future president Zachary Taylor. After the Mexican-American War concluded in 1848, Grant remained in the Army, but abruptly resigned in 1854. After struggling through the succeeding years as a real estate agent, a laborer, and a county engineer, Grant decided to join the Northern effort in the Civil War.

Appointed brigadier general...more Ulysses Simpson Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant) was general-in-chief of the Union Army from 1864 to 1869 during the American Civil War and the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877.

The son of an Appalachian Ohio tanner, Grant entered the United States Military Academy at age 17. In 1846, three years after graduating, Grant served as a lieutenant in the Mexican–American War under Winfield Scott and future president Zachary Taylor. After the Mexican-American War concluded in 1848, Grant remained in the Army, but abruptly resigned in 1854. After struggling through the succeeding years as a real estate agent, a laborer, and a county engineer, Grant decided to join the Northern effort in the Civil War.

Appointed brigadier general of volunteers in 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln, Grant claimed the first major Union victories of the war in 1862, capturing Forts Henry and Donelson in Tennessee. He was surprised by a Confederate attack at the Battle of Shiloh; although he emerged victorious, the severe casualties prompted a public outcry. Subsequently, however, Grant's 1863 victory at Vicksburg, following a long campaign with many initial setbacks, and his rescue of the besieged Union army at Chattanooga, established his reputation as Lincoln's most aggressive and successful general. Named lieutenant general and general-in-chief of the Army in 1864, Grant implemented a coordinated strategy of simultaneous attacks aimed at destroying the South's armies and its economy's ability to sustain its forces. In 1865, after mounting a successful war of attrition against his Confederate opponents, he accepted the surrender of Confederate General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House.

Popular due to the Union victory in the war, Grant was elected President of the United States as a Republican in 1868 and re-elected in 1872, the first President to serve two full terms since Andrew Jackson 40 years before. As President, Grant led Reconstruction by signing and enforcing Congressional civil rights legislation. Grant built a powerful, patronage-based Republican Party in the South, straining relations between the North and former Confederates. His administration was marred by scandal, sometimes the product of nepotism; the neologism Grantism was coined to describe political corruption.

Grant left office in 1877 and embarked upon a two-year world tour. Unsuccessful in winning the nomination for a third term in 1880, left destitute by a fraudulent investor, and near the brink of death, Grant wrote his Memoirs, which were enormously successful among veterans, the public, and critics. However, in 1884, Grant learned that he was suffering from terminal throat cancer and, two days after completing his writing, he died at the age of 63. Presidential historians typically rank Grant in the lowest quartile of U.S. presidents for his tolerance of corruption, but in recent years his reputation has improved among some scholars impressed by his support for civil rights for African Americans.(less)

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Books by Ulysses S. Grant

Average rating: 4.18 · 1,151 ratings · 163 reviews · 70 distinct works

	Memoirs and Selected Letters by Ulysses S. Grant, William S. McFeely (Editor), Mary Drake McFeely (Editor) 4.25 avg rating — 508 ratings — published 1972	My rating:
	Personal Memoirs by Ulysses S. Grant, Geoffrey Perrett (Introduction) 4.13 avg rating — 479 ratings — published 1885 — 67 editions	My rating:
	Personal Memoirs, Vol. 2 4.23 avg rating — 71 ratings — published 1885 — 28 editions	My rating:
	Personal Memoirs, Vol. 1 4.08 avg rating — 48 ratings — published 1885 — 42 editions	My rating:
	The Autobiography of General Ulysses S Grant: Memoirs of the Civil War 4.00 avg rating — 20 ratings — published 2009 — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Civil War Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant 4.25 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2004 — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Civil War: In the Words of Its Greatest Commanders : Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant : Memoirs of Robert E. Lee by Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, Armistead L. Long 4.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2002 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Blood: Stories of Life and Death from the Civil War by Ulysses S. Grant, Abraham Lincoln 3.67 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2001 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Civil War Memoir Box by Ulysses S. Grant, William T. Sherman, William Tecumseh Sherman 5.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2011 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Letters of Ulysses S. Grant to His Father and His Youngest Sister 3.00 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2005 — 11 editions	My rating:

More books by Ulysses S. Grant…

Quotes by Ulysses S. Grant

“If I thought this war was to abolish slavery, I would resign my commission and offer my sword to the other side”
― Ulysses S. Grant

tags: civil-war , confederate , slavery

13 people liked it

“I only knew what was in my mind, and I wished to express it clearly”
― Ulysses S. Grant

tags: honesty , writing

9 people liked it

“I know only two tunes. One of them is 'Yankee Doodle' the other isn't.”
― Ulysses S. Grant

8 people liked it

See all Ulysses S. Grant's quotes »

Polls

Ulysses S. Grant Poll

This poll will examine the choices for the Ulysses S. Grant reading selection which will be the next President covered in the Presidential Series. The order for the Presidents selected was determined by the group membership.

This selection will begin on October 4, 2010 and will continue for three months (October, November and December). This discussion will be led by Bryan. Bryan has an extraordinary background and will be a great moderator to lead this discussion. He has assumed the responsibilities for the Presidential Series reads and will be leading these book discussions.

We have added all of the books nominated on the Ulysses S. Grant thread and a few others. However, if you do not see your favorite book on this list; then just comment or pop me a note and I will immediately add it to this poll.

You can always change your vote at any time; so nothing is lost. Some of the Grant books deal with only a certain period of his life, some may be multi-volume (if so- I have added both separately), some deal with other topics too; some are all encompassing, others deal with specific events in Grant's life or presidency and others are by the man, himself.

Before making your selection, please try to look up your choice and make sure it really is a book you are interested in; do not be lured in by the title. Also, check out the author and what others have said about the book before you (reviewers who you trust). Then of course, make your selection.

Bentley

Jean Edward Smith

9 votes, 29.0%

by Frank J. Scaturro

4 votes, 12.9%

Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant Volume 1

Ulysses S. Grant
VOLUME I

4 votes, 12.9%

Bruce Catton

3 votes, 9.7%

U. S. Grant American Hero, American Myth

Joan Waugh

2 votes, 6.5%

by William S. McFeely

2 votes, 6.5%

Ulysses S. Grant Triumph Over Adversity, 1822-1865

by Brooks D. Simpson

2 votes, 6.5%

Bruce Catton
BOOK II

1 vote, 3.2%

by Newt Gingrich

THIS IS AN ALTERNATE HISTORY SELECTION

1 vote, 3.2%

Grant and Sherman The Friendship That Won the Civil War

by Charles Bracelen Flood

1 vote, 3.2%

General Ulysses S. Grant The Soldier and the Man

by Edward Longacre

1 vote, 3.2%

by Geoffrey Perret

1 vote, 3.2%

by Michael Korda

0 votes, 0.0%

The Generalship of Ulysses S. Grant (Da Capo Paperback)

by J.F.C. Fuller by Ulysses S. Grant

0 votes, 0.0%

by Horace Porter

0 votes, 0.0%

Captain Sam Grant/1822-1861 (Classic Biography of Ulysses S. Grant, Vol. 1)

by Lloyd Lewis
BOOK I

0 votes, 0.0%

Ulysses S. Grant The American Presidents Series (The American Presidents)

by Josiah Bunting

0 votes, 0.0%

Never Call Retreat (Gingrich and Forstchen's Civil War Trilogy)

Newt Gingrich

THIS IS AN ALTERNATE HISTORY SELECTION

0 votes, 0.0%

Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant Volume 2

Ulysses S. Grant
VOLUME II

0 votes, 0.0%

Let Us Have Peace Ulysses S. Grant and the Politics of War and Reconstruction, 1861-1868

by Brooks D. Simpson

0 votes, 0.0%

31 total votes

12 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The History Book ...: FREE E-BOOKS	6	29	Oct 07, 2010 02:26pm
The History Book ...: 4. GRANT ~ CHAPTER 7 (206 - 257) (10/25/10 - 10/31/10) ~ No spoilers, please	14	22	Oct 29, 2010 07:07am
The History Book ...: 11. GRANT ~ CHAPTERS 19 and 20 (573 - 628) (12/13/10 - 12/19/10) ~ No spoilers, please	14	18	Dec 17, 2010 07:34am
The History Book ...: BOOK AS A WHOLE	12	42	Dec 31, 2010 10:16am
The History Book ...: 1. GRANT ~ PREFACE AND CHAPTERS 1-2 (13 - 69) (10/04/10 - 10/10/10) ~ No spoilers, please	61	62	Jan 04, 2011 05:41am
History, Security...: Ike Skelton’s National Security Book List With Reviews	6	12	Feb 01, 2011 12:09pm

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Ulysses's Fans (12)

Ulysses S. Grant

Author profile

combine editionsBooks by Ulysses S. Grant

Quotes by Ulysses S. Grant

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

combine editions
Books by Ulysses S. Grant