Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) rose from unremarkable beginnings to become a well-known figure in history. His bravery and leadership as a
Union general were essential elements to the Union victory during the
American Civil War (1861–65). As a national hero, Grant easily won
election to the presidency in 1868 and again in 1872. Though his terms
were marked by corruption and scandal around him, President Grant
worked hard to establish national stability during a very difficult time.
Early years
Hiram Ulysses Grant was the name given to Ulysses Simpson Grant at
his birth on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio. His parents, Jesse
and Hannah Simpson Grant, owned a successful tanning business.
When Grant was only a year old, the family moved to Georgetown,
Ohio, to be closer to the raw materials needed for the business.
His father’s success allowed Grant to have a better than average education, and he attended good schools throughout his youth. Having no interest in his father’s business, Grant worked on the family’s farm and pursued
his passion for working with horses. Toward the end of his schooling, Grant
was still uncertain about what career to follow. Though he was not enthusiastic about a military career, his father obtained an appointment for Grant
at the U. S. Military Academy. In 1839, Grant left for West Point.
It was during enrollment at West Point that Grant’s name was
changed. Noticing that his initials spelled HUG, he intended simply to switch his first and second name to prevent certain teasing from other cadets. The congressman
who filled out the appointment papers on
Grant’s behalf, however, mistakenly incorporated his mother’s maiden name, writing his
name as Ulysses Simpson Grant. Grant kept the
name and abandoned Hiram altogether.
Grant’s years at West Point were generally
unremarkable. Though his horsemanship skills
stood out, academically he finished twenty-first
in his class of thirty-nine cadets in 1843. He
hoped his skill with horses would earn a position
among the ranks of the calvary, but he was disappointed. He was assigned to the Fourth
Infantry in St. Louis, Missouri.
Grant’s friend and former roommate from
West Point, Frederick Dent (1786–1873), was
also assigned to St. Louis. Since it was near
Dent’s family home, Grant often visited the
family and fell in love with Dent’s sister, Julia Boggs Dent (1826–1902).
They were engaged in 1844. Grant’s military activity delayed a wedding
until August 28, 1848. Together they had four children.
Though Grant served with distinction during the MexicanAmerican War (1846–48) and was promoted to first lieutenant, he was
not enthusiastic about his military career. Eventually he was promoted to
captain while serving in California, but he hated being apart from his
family. Inclined to drink too much due to his depression, Grant decided
to resign in 1854.
By late August, Grant was home with his family again, but now in
need of money and an occupation. He pursued a series of different positions upon his return, but was unsuccessful with each. Eventually he settled into a post as a clerk in his father’s store in Illinois. The outbreak of
the Civil War would lead him back to the military and personal success.
Civil War
In April 1861, Confederate forces fired upon the federally controlled
Fort Sumter in South Carolina. As President Abraham Lincoln
(1809–1865, served 1861–65) called for troops, volunteers began to gather. While Grant took the lead in gathering volunteers from his
hometown of Galena, he pursued a higher position in the forming
Union army.
In June 1861, the Illinois governor appointed Grant to colonel in
the Twenty-first Volunteer Infantry Regiment. In August, as the Army
expanded to meet the crisis of war, Grant was promoted to brigadier general. He was the commander of the southeast Missouri district and assigned to Cairo, Illinois. From there, he began his noted military
campaigns.
Grant quickly proved to be an able leader, winning early victories as
other Union generals struggled. Grant’s armies eventually achieved
Union control of the entire Mississippi River by 1863, providing a key
turning point in the war. President Lincoln promoted Grant to major
general with this development and in 1864 appointed him as the overall
commander of Union forces. Grant’s efforts to confront the troops of the
Confederate States of America (Confederacy) on several fronts at once
brought about success. On April 9, 1865, Grant’s coordination and persistence paid off as Confederate general Robert E. Lee (1807–1870) surrendered unconditionally at Appomattox Courthouse. The Civil War
was effectively ended, and General Ulysses S. Grant was a hero.
Presidency
General Grant easily earned the Republican nomination for president in
1868. His wartime efforts made him extremely popular with the public,
and his support of the Republican Congress’s Reconstruction efforts to
rebuild the nation made him an easy choice for the party. Following his
victory in November, he took office on March 4, 1869. He was elected
again for a second term in 1872.
President Grant took office during a difficult time in the nation’s
history. The previous president, Andrew Johnson (1808–1875; served
1865–69), had taken office following the assassination of President
Lincoln in April 1865. He oversaw the initial efforts to reunite the country, but there was still a lot of work to do. Several former Confederate
states still had to be readmitted to the Union, and there was violent reaction to the new status of blacks in the South. Conflicts with Native
Americans were constant as the nation expanded westward. (See
Westward Expansion.) Though Grant achieved some success with these issues, the focus on both Reconstruction and Native American policy
faded as the nation’s economy fell into a decline.
Unfortunately for Grant, his choice of trusted advisors was not always good. Numerous scandals hurt the Grant administration, including
several that involved close aides. Though Grant himself was not involved
in any unethical activity, the corruption that plagued his two terms
would affect the evaluation of his presidency by many historians.
The overall success of Grant’s presidency can be evaluated by the
state of the nation that the next president, Rutherford B. Hayes
(1822–1893, served 1877–81), inherited. Reconstruction was effectively
over, and limited progress had been made in protecting the rights of
southern blacks. New directions in Native American policy began to
bring peace in the west. Grant’s economic policies prevented the collapse
of the U.S. currency and economy. He maintained peaceful international relations throughout his terms. Perhaps the greatest challenge
awaiting President Hayes was the need to repair the damaged reputation
of the presidency and the government in light of the Grant administration scandals.
Later years
Many Republicans were interested in having Grant run for president again
in 1876, but Grant was ready to leave office. He was encouraged again by
the party in 1880 and very nearly won another nomination, but he eventually lost the nomination to U.S. representative James A. Garfield
(1831–1881) of Ohio. This marked the end of politics for Grant.
Money problems challenged Grant the rest of his life, and often
friends and family had to come to his aid. Through the help of his son,
he became president of the Mexican Southern Railroad and settled into
a house in New York City. Investments in his son’s firm proved to be unwise, and Grant went deeply into debt when scandals drove the firm out
of business.
In need of money, Grant consented to write some articles on the
Civil War. In late 1884, Grant suspected that he was developing throat
cancer as a result of his lifetime habit of smoking cigars. Urged to write
his memoirs, he set about the task in order to secure an income for his
wife for after he was gone. From late-1884 to 1885, Grant wrote
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant. It was a financial success, but Grant did
not live to see it. On July 23, 1885, only a few days after finishing his writing, Grant died from cancer. He was buried in a magnificent Victorian tomb on the upper west side of New York City.