Ulysses S. Grant By Madeline Cook

Summary Ulysses S. Grant was the top union general in the civil war He is credited with defeating Robert E. Lee and the confederate army He became President in 1848 and was elected to a second term in 1852 His picture is on the $50 bill

Early Days Hiram Ulysses Grant was born April 27, 1822 in a small white house in Point Pleasant, Ohio. His parents were named Jesse and Hannah Grant Growing up Ulysses became a very skilled horsemen and loved the outdoors

Early Days Jesse ask his local to congressman to recommend Hiram Ulysses Grant to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point The congressman submitted his name as Ulysses S. Grant instead of Hiram Ulysses Grant. He kept this name. This is how he became U. S. Grant Grant met his future wife while at West Point. Her name was Julia Dent

Successes and Failures Upon graduation from West Point, Grant was sent to Texas in 1845. He fought in the Mexican American war and discovered that he had a nerve for battle He returned from the west in 1848 and married Julia Dent Grant was sent back to the west. Mrs. Grant stayed behind with their two children Grant missed his wife and children and found it difficult to live on his army salary

Successes and Failures He left the army and moved to Missouri The Grants had four children He tried farming, selling firewood and business. He was not very successful Abraham Lincoln became President in 1860 The civil war started in 1861 Grant joined the Union army

The General Grant was quickly made a brigadier general He was a very successful commander that won several important battles. He became known for attacking the enemy President Lincoln said of Grant: “I cannot spare this man. He fights”.

The General Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general - the first person to hold the rank since George Washington. Grant was in charge of the entire union army and was ordered to defeat Robert E. Lee

The General He pursued Lee and the Confederate army in a series of savage battles called the overland campaign Lee finally surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Court House, Virginia Lee surrenders to Grant Lee and Grant

The White House Grant was very popular after wining the civil war Andrew Johnson became President when Lincoln was assassinated on April 15, 1865 He did not run for reelection in 1848 Grant ran for President and was elected as a popular war hero

The White House As President, Grant attempted to help native Americans and African Americans in the south His administration however is best known for scandal and the economic depression of 1873 He remained popular and was elected to a second term

Life After the White House After the white house, Grant and Julia went on a two year world tour that included Egypt and China Grant than pursued a series of business ventures that were not successful and he was again penniless He moved to New York and wrote his memoirs which were very successful Grant writing his memoirs

Life After the White House He died on July 23, 1885 He is buried at Grant’s tomb in New York city. Julia died in 1902 and is also buried at Grant’s tomb

Resources Profiles of the Presidents, Ulysses S. Grant by Jean Kinney Williams Pictures from Google images