General u s grant biography
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That fact was not lost upon Halleck’s men, many of whom had taken part in the bloodbath at Shiloh and who expected the same at Corinth.
Grant’s Command Restored
Ten days after his triumph at Corinth, Halleck dismantled the large army he had created. The battle ended when the Federals withdrew, with neither side proving much.
Capture of Fort Donelson and Fort Henry
By late 1861, President Lincoln was pressuring Union commanders in the west to invade the South.
He was quiet and soft-spoken but able to inspire great bravery from his soldiers on the battlefield. Grant arrived at Fort Vancouver, Washington on September 20, 1852, unhappy about being separated from his family. There, he became a clerk in his father’s leather store.
Civil War Career
After the Battle of Fort Sumter (April 12–13, 1861)touched off the American Civil War, Grant volunteered for military duty.
When Lincoln reviewed the allegations he purportedly said, “If it [drink] makes fighting men like Grant, then find out what he drinks, and send my other commanders a case!” Despite the humor, Lincoln took the allegations seriously enough to send Charles Anderson Dana to keep a watchful eye on Grant. On April 28, 1862, he issued Special Orders, No.
31 (Department of the Mississippi). After Century Magazine approached him to write articles about his Civil War experiences, Grant discovered that he enjoyed the process and decided to compile his memoirs. His memory lives on as the embodiment of loyalty, selfless service, and integrity to the United States.
A. Grant adopted the name Ulysses S.
Grant and insisted throughout his life that the initial “S” stood for nothing. As president, Grant was committed to rebuilding the country after the war and to protecting the rights of African Americans in the South. He worked to improve the economy and enact Reconstruction measures throughout his terms in office but was particularly committed to protecting the rights of formerly enslaved African Americans in the South.
He grew up in a family that was politically active and influenced by his father's strong abolitionist beliefs. The Union soldiers fortified the hill, and Orchard Knob served as Grant’s headquarters for the rest of the breakout. However, many of his civil rights achievements were undone following his administration, leading to the rebirth of the Ku Klux Klan and the rise of Jim Crow segregation in the South.
After he left office, Grant traveled the world and invested in several business ventures.
Many Northerners wanted to punish the South for the war, but Grant sought to be lenient to the South as long as they accepted the rights of formerly enslaved African Americans. By then, the storm clouds of secession and possible war loomed on the horizon. It took Halleck’s army one month to traverse the twenty-two miles to Corinth. He penned a series of magazine articles detailing his life and experiences, but his most significant achievement came when he collaborated with the renowned author Mark Twain to publish his memoirs.
The historical record reveals the story of a remarkable man who, through his intelligence, determination, iron will, and patriotism, helped lead the United States through one of the greatest times of crisis and chaos in the nation’s history. Nevertheless, he capitulated to what he termed Grant’s “ungenerous and unchivalrous terms.” In the battle’s aftermath, “Unconditional Surrender” Grant became an instant celebrity, earning him a promotion to major general of volunteers.
During the Battle of Fort Donelson, Halleck issued General Orders, No.
37 (Department of the Missouri) on February 14, 1862, assigning Grant to command of the newly created District of West Tennessee.
Battle of Shiloh
The fall of forts Henry and Donelson were serious blows to the Confederacy. The land on the Louisiana side of the river, opposite Vicksburg, was rough, etched with poor roads and many streams.
After several failed attempts to assault the city, from December 1862 through April 1863, Grant settled on a bold plan to march his army down the west side of the Mississippi, cross the river south of Vicksburg, and attack the fortress from the south and the east.