Civil War Figures: Ulysses S. Grant

Grant became an American icon, but not willingly. The White House offers a full biography of Grant, highlighting his leadership during the Civil War and his actions as President. Although highly respected as a general, Grant was not a savvy politician, nor an astute businessman. His last years were marked by a bad investment that resulted in his financial ruin.

Unlike his rival, Robert E. Lee, Grant did not come from a military family. Born in Ohio, he was a quiet son of a tanner. In “Life Before the Presidency,” the University of Virginia’s Miller Center of Public Affairs describes Grant’s early years and his ascent to military and political success. Grant wished to travel and become educated, but had no aspirations to join the military. He attended West Point because it was the only education his family could afford. Grant’s performance at West Point was mediocre but his career did not suffer, as is evident in the Miller Center’s many other essays devoted to Grant’s accomplishments.

Grant had been unenthusiastic about the military academy, but after graduation he spent a good number of years as a solider. He first fought in the Mexican-American War, and had numerous other postings. A complete list of Grant’s military history is available on from the Ulysses S. Grant Association at Southern Illinois University.

Ironically, although Grant went to West Point to avoid following in his father’s footsteps, when the Civil War began, he was working in his father’s tanning shop. Other little-known facts about Grant can be found on the Ulysses S. Grant Information Center Web site, hosted by the College of St. Scholastica in Minnesota. For example, Grant was tone-deaf, and despite fighting a series of notoriously gruesome battles, hated the sight of blood so much that he could only eat well-done meat.

One battle in particular, the Battle of Shiloh, was so bloody that many doubted whether Grant should continue to lead the army. The outrage and horror on both sides was extreme, and Shiloh was a watershed in the course of the war; it became apparent that the war must end. A firsthand account of the battle from Confederate soldier Henry Stanley is available from EyeWitnesstoHistory.com.

Although respected for his Civil War achievements, Grant drew mixed reviews as both a politician and a military commander. According to the PBS biography, “Ulysses S. Grant,” Grant was called a “butcher” for the bloody battles that were his means to ending the war. The PBS Web site includes a collection of political cartoons that either mock or support Grant.

His presidency was marred by scandal and he is often portrayed as a reticent politician, but the Encyclopedia Britannica paints a flattering picture of the former General, a president so liberal that Susan B. Anthony supported him for election—over the first female presidential candidate.

After serving his second term as President, Grant made bad some investments that led to his financial ruin. To provide for his family, he moved to New York and began writing his memoirs. He completed them successfully a week before his death. and is buried in what is now a famous historical site on the Upper West Side of New York City. The National Parks Service has information on the General Grant National Memorial, where Civil and Mexican War demonstrations and numerous cultural events take place.