Grants personal memoirsto this day held up as among the finest of the many presidential memoirsaccomplished the one thing grant could not achieve during his lifetime. Grant was americas first modern general, the first to fight like he wasnt replaying napoleon bonapartes campaigns. General grant s letters to a friend, 18611880 1897. As laid out in james mcpherson s book tried by war, lincoln insisted that confederate armies be attacked, and that confederate c.
Ron chernow has written a magisterial, but eminently readable, 959page account of the life of ulysses s. Grant reprint by ulysses s grant, brian m thomsen, thomas fleming isbn. Grant s book itself is a classic, but this paperback printing is highly unreadable. Yet, he did indeed graduate from west point in 1843 and went on to learn the practical lessons of warfare during the mexican war, a conflict he personally opposed but fought with great bravery. Completed just days before his death and hailed by mark twain as the most remarkable work of its kind since the commentaries of julius caesar, this is the nowlegendary autobiography of ulysses simpson grant 18221885, 18th president of the united states and the union general who led the north to victory in the civil war. Grant bydaniel huntingdon, courtesy of the national museum of.
Im on my 4th grant bio in as many weeks, but so far my favorite has been the newest, ron white s american ulysses, particularly its treatment of grant s world tour, which was by far the best treatment of that phase of his life aside, of course, from edwina campbell s excellent citizen of a wider commonwealth. Grant may defy the odds just as the union s civil war general. Smith taught at the university of toronto for 35 years before joining the faculty of marshall university where he is professor of political science. Origianl maps illustrate the battles of shiloh, vicksburg, the widlerness, and the surrender at appomattox. Grant to his father and his youngest sister, 185778, ed. Most americans know the traditional story of ulysses s. Laver southeastern louisiana, who previously wrote a useful book on american military leadership, examines the career of u. Grant to his father and his youngest sister, 185778. A graduate of the prestigious west point military academy, grant served in both the mexicanamerican war 18461848 and the american civil war 18611865, in which he was appointed commander of the union army. Grant, the 18th president of the united states, focused mainly on his military career during the mexicanamerican war and the american civil war.
Chernow asserts that both grant s command of the overland campaign and his presidency have been seen in an undeservedly negative light. Philadelphia inquirer masterful and often poignant. Review of grant by jean edward smith my journey through. The first pages of the book tell of grants rise from a hardscrabble life in point pleasant, ohio. After serving as a general during the civil war, and as president for two consecutive terms during the turbulent reconstruction era, grant was ready for a vacation from the years of stress that war and politics had brought him. He later became the 18th president of the united states 18691877.
A massive biography of the civil war general and president, who was the single most important figure behind reconstruction. Publishers weekly jul 26, 2004 this little book will inevitably be compared with josiah bunting s similarly short biography of one of the world s greatest military figures forecasts, june 14. Later onevolume edition of grant s memoirs, twice signed in pencil by confederate general fitzhugh lee. Ulysses s father, jesse grant, was a hardpushing smalltime entrepreneur who started out.
As 18th president of the united states he worked to guarantee justice for all. The twovolume set was published by mark twain shortly after grants death. Grant began in may 1877, only a couple of months after grant s second presidential term had ended. The detail on the battles he fought and commanded are vivid and in his own words. Grant, the union military genius who won the civil war, and subsequently the twotime president who championed the freedom of the former slave population of the south through his policy of reconstruction. Grant was a successful military general and the eighteenth president of the united states. The son of an appalachian ohio tanner, grant entered the united states military academy at age 17. Grant to appear, as we live with the reality of faulkners. The civil warthe clash between northern and southern stateswas just beginning. A conversation with pulitzer prize winner and biographer of alexander hamilton, george washington and john d.
Grant, original name hiram ulysses grant, born april 27, 1822, point pleasant, ohio, u. Grant spent his youth in georgetown, ohio, was graduated from west point in 1843, and served creditably in the mexican war. Grant, was getting ready to lead about a thousand men into battle. Ulysses simpson grant, 182285, commander in chief of the union army in the civil war and 18th president 186977 of the united states, b. In his wellwritten account, longacre, a prolific author of civil war histories most recently confederate goliath, illuminates not only grant s military career but. His life and character by hamlin garland garland was a popular 19th century writer who wrote a onevolume account of grant s life. Grant finished writing his personal memoirs shortly before his death in 1885. Before his presidency, grant led the union army as commanding general of the united states army in winning the american civil war. He was the 18 th resident of the white house and before his political career. Ronald whites magisterial new biography offers a fresh view. The memoir has been highly regarded by the public, military historians, and literary critics. May 08, 2009 ulysses simpson grant born hiram ulysses grant was general inchief 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. Ulysses s grant is one of the most important figures to have held the powerful title the president of the united states. Grant may defy the odds just as the unions civil war general and our 18th president.
Grant is essentially an account of the education of u. Grant a change that he would adopt for the rest of his life. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the civil war memoirs of ulysses s. Completed in the last year of his life, 1885, as grant battled throat cancer and poverty, the personal memoirs of ulysses s. Hamlin garland was born and raised on pioneer farms in the upper midwest, and his earliest and best fiction most of it collected in main travelled roads, 1891 deals with the unremitting hardship of frontier lifeangry, realistic stories about the toil and abuses to which farmers of the time were subjected.
Grant 18221885 was born hiram ulysses grant in point pleasant, ohio, and worked on the family farm until his appointment in 1839 to the u. I expect a true history major would digest each word and battle. Published in 1969, this book by bruce catton is part two of a twopart biography of ulysses s. Grant began his military career as a cadet at the united states military academy at west point in 1839.
Pyramid schemes are as american as apple pie, by john steele gordon, the wall street journal. Grant was the most acclaimed union general during the american civil war and was twice elected president. Grant university of nebraska press, 1996 ps primary source a primary source is a work that is being studied, or that provides firsthand or direct evidence on a topic. This illustrated biography introduces general ulysses s. Lee into submission and then became a bad president. Josiah bunting wrote this particular installment and edited by arthur m. Grant is an evenhanded and stirring portrait of a flawed leader who nevertheless ably guided america through a pivotal juncture in its history.
Grant, one is struck by the humanity both the pitiful frailty and the incredible strength of its subject. Apr 04, 2019 im on my 4th grant bio in as many weeks, but so far my favorite has been the newest, ron whites american ulysses, particularly its treatment of grants world tour, which was by far the best treatment of that phase of his life aside, of course, from edwina campbells excellent citizen of a wider commonwealth. After resigning from the army under murky circumstances in 1854, he spent the next seven years in a futile search for a career. Oct 10, 2017 but just as no one could have predicted hamiltons pop trajectory, chernows deep dive on ulysses s. The autobiography of general ulysses s grant by ulysses s. Grant, halflength portrait, standing, facing front, in uniform digital file from original print. There are but few important events in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice. His life and character by hamlin garland garland was a popular 19th century writer who wrote a onevolume account of grants life. April 27, 1822 july 23, 1885 was the 18th president of the united states 18691877 following his success as military commander in the american civil war. Longacres biography is also a military history of grants time in the civil war with detailed description and with some maps of the battles grant was biographer edward g. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the personal memoirs of general u. It was the 2002 finalist for the pulitzer prize in biography. Ulysses simpson grant, nascido hiram ulysses grant.
Series information with straightforward language and illustrations on nearly every page, the who was series invites kids to explore history by learning about key figures from. I admit i moved past some of the dialogue as it was too detailed for me. Grant, the 18th president of the united states, focused mainly on his military career during the mexicanamerican war and the american civil war, and completed as he was dying of throat cancer in 1885. No 55 personal memoirs by ulysses s grant 1885 the civil war general turned president was a reluctant author, but set the gold standard for presidential. It s important to remember that the overall strategy grant followed for the final year of the war wasnt entirely his. Grant, the 18th president of the united states, focused mainly on his military career during the mexican american war and the american civil war, and completed as he was dying of throat cancer in 1885. Instantly popular and praised by admirers, critics, and people throughout the country, this autobiography was both a critical and financial success. Money magazine reading ron chernows new biography, a truly mammoth examination of the life of ulysses s. April 27, 1822 july 23, 1885 was an american soldier and politician who served as the 18th president of the united states from 1869 to 1877. White doesnt explicitly say that grant was a great president, but. Grant, the 18th president of the united states, written by american historian and biographer ron chernow. It is a style of american misery familiar from mark twainthe scotchirishamerican style.
Grant s writings complete and unabridged including his personal memoirs, state of the union address and letters of ulysses s. Grant april 27, 1822july 23, 1885, born hiram ulysses grant, was the general who helped the union army of the united states win the american civil war. Grant was published by mark twain shortly after grants death. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. General grant s unpublished correspondence in the case of gen. Sep, 2014 grant is jean edward smith s 2001 biography of the eighteenth u. Grant was a failure at almost everything he had tried. But thats the least important thing about this book. His memoir is easy to read without so much statistics and details that are hard to follow. But just as no one could have predicted hamilton s pop trajectory, chernow s deep dive on ulysses s.
Grant, eighteenth president of the united states and general inchief of the union forces during the civil war. Buy a cheap copy of the autobiography of general ulysses s. Thick octavo, original silver and giltstamped green cloth. Memoirs of the civil war paperback march 3, 2008 by. Grant, who led the union army during the american civil war and later became the eighteenth president of the united states. This book follows grant through the last half of the war and examines how he helped win the war. Ronald whites magisterial new biography, weighing in at over 800 pages, is the newest heavyweight champion in this movement. The first pages of the book tell of grant s rise from a hardscrabble life in point pleasant, ohio. He demonstrates thatto both the union and the confederacythat the u. Longacre s biography of grant is a biography of the soldier and the man from his birth in 1822 in ohio up until near the end of the civil war when the war ended militarily for grant on april 9, 1865, when grant. Grant is the eighteenth book in the american presidents series a biographical series chronicling the presidents of the united states. President clinton looks back at president grant the new. Grant, a union general during the civil war, served two terms as president, from 1869 to 1877.
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