Ulysses S. Grant's Life And Accomplishments

Ulysses S. Grant is a man of many talents, being an exquisite military general of the Union forces during the Civil War, a family man, and becoming our 18th president. Ulysses S. Grant isn’t even his correct name, he was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio on April 27, 1822. He was the son of Jesse Root Grant; a tanner and popular businessman, and Hannah Simpson Grant, in Grant’s later years he spoke of his childhood being ‘uneventful’ but still showed greatness through his masterful horseman skills as a young boy. Grant was not an outgoing child, he was very shy and reserved, he took after for his mother for comfort rather than his outgoing father. At a young age, Grant knew he was bound to do something far greater with his life

Grant and was stationed in St. Louis, Missouri, where he met his wife Julia Dent, they planned to get married in 1844, but before the two were official, Grant was shipped of for duty during the Mexican-American War. He served as a quartermaster, serving under Gen. Zachary Taylor and Gen. Winfield Scott, he studied their military tactics and leadership skills carefully, for he would soon be appointed to lead a company into combat, he was then credited for his bravery in combat and also developed strong opposition for the war, for it was only to increase America’s land and its use for slavery. 4 years later, Grant and Julia finally married in 1848, 6 years after they were married they had 4 children, who Grant had to leave behind because of his new assignments at new posts. In 1852, he was assigned to Fort Vancouver, Washington, after multiple failed attempts to bring his 2 sons and Julia to move his family closer to the cost with him, he began to drink heavily, and earned him an infamous reputation that haunt him throughout his entire military career. In 1853, Grant was promoted to captain and transferred to Fort Humboldt in Northern California, where he had numerous altercations with the fort’s commanding officer, Lt C. Robert C. Buchanan. On July 31, 1854, Grant resigned from the Army, due to heavy drinking and multiple warnings of disciplinary actions, he then returned to life as a farmer, with poor results, he then went back to work as a clerk in his father’s tannery

The attack had rekindled the flame of Grant’s patriotism and volunteered to join, he was rejected, but with the help of a congressman from Illinois, he was appointed to command a poorly trained regiment, the 21st Illinois regiment. He trained the regiment as his old commanders did, and by September of 1861, the regiment was ready for combat. Once Kentucky had fallen victim to a failed system of neutrality in the fall, Grant and his volunteers took control of the small town Paducah. In February of 1862, Grant’s forces had joined the navy in a join invasion on Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, they were successful, and these actions were rewarded as early victories for the Union, and earned Grant the nickname “Unconditional Surrender Grant” and a promotion to Maj. General. In April of 1862 Grant and his forces moved into enemy territory in Tennessee, which is when the Battle of Shiloh started. The Battle of Shiloh, was almost considered a huge disaster on Grant’s behalf, he faced heavy criticism from congressman and military members because of the rate of casualties, which eventually led to a demotion and for him to be reinstated. After many battles, regained his rank and began hunting for Gen. Robert E. Lee’s army of northern Virginia from March 1864 to April 1865 causing large casualties to Lee’s forces. On April 9, 1865 Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Courthouse, as an