Ulysses Simpson Grant and the Civil War
[1822-1885]
[Illustration: Ulysses S. Grant.]
In tracing the leading events in the remarkable career of the
martyr-President, we have had occasion to refer briefly to the causes
and results of the Civil War. It was a struggle that tested the manhood
quite as much as the resources of the warring sections, and each side
might well be proud of the bravery and military skill displayed by its
officers and soldiers. Certainly each side had among its generals some
of the greatest military leaders of all time. One of these, who is by
common consent regarded as the ablest general that led Northern troops
in battle, was Ulysses Simpson Grant.
He was born in a humble dwelling at Point Pleasant, O., in April, 1822.
The year following his birth the family removed to Georgetown, O., where
they lived many years.
The father of Ulysses was a farmer and manufacturer of leather. The boy
did not like the leather business, but was fond of the various kinds of
farm work. When only seven years old he hauled all the wood which was
needed in the home and at the leather factory, from a forest, a mile
from the village. As he was too small to load and unload the wood, the
men did that for him.
From the age of eleven to seventeen, according to his own story as told
in his "Personal Memoirs," he ploughed the soil, cultivated the growing
corn and potatoes, sawed fire-wood for his father's store, and did any
other work that would naturally fall to the lot of a farmer's boy. He
had his recreations, also, including fishing, swimming in the creek not
far from his home, skating in winter, and driving about the country
winter and summer.
Young Grant liked horses, and early became a skilful rider. Lincoln told
a story of him which indicates not only his expert horsemanship, but his
"bull-dog grit" as well. One day when he was at a circus the manager
offered a silver dollar to anybody who could ride a certain mule around
the ring. Several persons, one after another, mounted the animal only to
be thrown over its head. Young Ulysses was among those who offered to
ride, but like the others he was unsuccessful. Then pulling off his
coat, he got on the animal again. Putting his legs firmly around the
mule's body, and seizing him by the tail, Ulysses rode triumphantly
around the ring, amid the cheers of the expectant crowd.
Although he cared little for study, his father wished to give him all
the advantages of a good education, and secured for him an appointment
at West Point. This was indeed a rare opportunity for thorough training
in scholarship, but Ulysses was rather indifferent to it. He had a
special aptitude for mathematics, and became an expert horseman, but
with these exceptions, he took little interest in the training received
at this famous military school, his rank being only twenty-first in a
class of thirty-nine.
After graduation he wished to leave the army and become an instructor in
mathematics at West Point. But as the Mexican War broke out about that
time he entered active service. Soon he gave striking evidence of that
fearless bravery for which he was to become so noted on the
battle-fields of the Civil War.
It fell to his lot to deliver a message which necessitated a dangerous
ride. He says of it: "Before starting I adjusted myself on the side of
my horse farthest from the enemy, and with only one foot holding to the
cantle of the saddle and an arm over the neck of the horse exposed, I
started at full run. It was only at the street crossings that my horse
was under fire, but there I crossed at such a flying rate that generally
I was past and under cover of the next block of houses before the enemy
fired. I got out safely without a scratch."
Shortly after the close of the war Grant was married. Six years later he
resigned from the army and went with his family to live on a farm near
St. Louis. Although he worked hard, he found it up-hill work to support
his family, and was eventually compelled by bad health to give up
farming. He next tried the real estate business, but without success. At
last, his father offered him a place in his leather and hardware store,
where Grant worked as clerk until the outbreak of the Civil War.
With the news that the Southern troops had fired upon the flag at Fort
Sumter, Grant's patriotism was aroused. Without delay he rejoined the
army and at once took an active part in the preparations for war. First
as colonel and then as brigadier-general, he led his troops. At last he
had found a field of action in which he quickly developed his powers as
a leader.
The first of his achievements was the capture of Forts Henry and
Donelson, the centre of a strong Confederate line of defence, extending
from Columbus to Cumberland Gap. At Fort Donelson he received the
surrender of nearly 15,000 prisoners, and by his great victory compelled
the Confederates to abandon two of their most important strongholds,
Columbus and Nashville.
After the loss of Fort Donelson the Confederates fell back to a second
line of defence, extending from Memphis through Corinth to Chattanooga.
The Confederate army took position at Corinth; General Grant's army at
Pittsburg Landing, eighteen miles away. Here, early on Sunday morning,
April 6, 1862, Grant was attacked by Johnston, and his men were driven
back a mile and a half toward the river. It was a fearful battle,
lasting until nearly dark. Not until after midnight was Grant able to
rest, and then as he sat in the rain leaning against the foot of a tree,
he slept a few hours before the renewal of battle on Monday morning.
With reinforcements he was able on the second day to drive the enemy off
the field and win a signal victory.
By this battle Grant broke the second Confederate line of defence.
Although the Confederates fought bravely and well to prevent the
Northern troops from getting control of the Mississippi River, by the
close of 1862 they had lost every stronghold except Port Hudson and
Vicksburg. In 1863, General Grant put forth a resolute effort to capture
Vicksburg, and after a brilliant campaign laid siege to the city. For
seven weeks the Confederate army held out. Meanwhile the people of
Vicksburg found shelter in caves and cellars, their food at times
consisting of rats and mule flesh. But on July 4, 1863, the day
following General Lee's defeat at Gettysburg, General Pemberton, with an
army numbering about 32,000 men, surrendered Vicksburg to General Grant.
Four days later Port Hudson was captured, and thus the last stronghold
of the Mississippi came under control of the North.
General Grant's success was in no small measure due to his dogged
perseverance. While his army was laying siege to Vicksburg a Confederate
woman, at whose door he stopped to ask a drink of water, inquired
whether he expected ever to capture Vicksburg. "Certainly," he replied.
"But when?" was her next question. Quickly came the answer: "I cannot
tell exactly when I shall take the town, but _I mean to stay here till I
do, if it takes me thirty years_."
[Illustration: Map Illustrating Campaigns in the West in 1862-63.]
General Grant having by his effective campaign won the confidence of the
people, President Lincoln in 1864 made him lieutenant-general, thus
placing him in command of all the Northern forces. In presenting the new
commission, Lincoln addressed General Grant in these words: "As the
country herein trusts you, so, under God, it will sustain you." General
Grant made answer: "I feel the full weight of the responsibilities now
devolving upon me; and I know that if they are met, it will be due to
those armies, and above all, to the favor of that Providence which leads
both nations and men."
Early in May, 1864, Grant entered upon his final campaign in Virginia,
and while he marched with his army "On to Richmond," General Sherman, in
Georgia, pushed with his army "On to Atlanta" and "On to the sea." Both
generals were able, and both had able opponents. Grant crossed the
Rapidan and entered the Wilderness, where Lee's army contested every
foot of his advance. In the terrible fighting that followed Grant's
losses were severe, but, with "bull-dog grit," to use Lincoln's phrase,
he pressed on, writing to the President his stubborn resolve, "I propose
to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer."
It did take all summer and more, for Grant found it impossible to
capture Richmond by attacking it from the northern side. He therefore
transferred his army across the James River, and attacked the city from
the south; but at the end of the summer Lee still held out.
Nor did Lee relinquish his position until April 2, 1865, when he was
compelled to retreat toward the west. Grant pursued him closely for a
week, during which Lee's troops suffered great privation, living mainly
on parched corn and the young shoots of trees. Aware that the Southern
cause was hopeless, the distinguished leader of the Confederate armies,
after a most brilliant retreat, decided that the time had come to give
up the struggle.
While suffering from a severe sick headache, General Grant received a
note from Lee saying that the latter was now willing to consider terms
of surrender. It was a remarkable occasion when the two eminent generals
met on that Sunday morning, in what is known as the McLean house,
standing in the little village of Appomattox Court House. Grant writes
in his "Personal Memoirs": "I was without a sword, as I usually was when
on horseback on the field, and wore a soldier's blouse for a coat, with
the shoulder-straps of my rank to indicate to the army who I was....
General Lee was dressed in a full uniform which was entirely new, and
was wearing a sword of considerable value--very likely the sword which
had been presented by the State of Virginia.... In my rough travelling
suit, the uniform of a private with the straps of a lieutenant-general,
I must have contrasted very strangely with a man so handsomely dressed,
six feet high and of faultless form.
[Illustration: THE MEETING OF GENERALS GRANT AND LEE AT APPOMATTOX.]
The result of the interview was the surrender of General Lee with his
entire army of 26,000 men. General Grant at this time gave striking
evidence of his great kindness of heart and fine delicacy of feeling. He
issued orders that all the Confederates who owned horses and mules
should be allowed to take them home. "They will need them for the spring
ploughing," he said. He spared the vanquished troops the humiliation of
marching out and stacking their arms in token of surrender, and even
stopped the firing of salutes by his men. Never, indeed, did General
Grant appear more truly great than on the occasion of Lee's surrender.
Thus ended the military career of the greatest general that the North
produced during the Civil War.
While in the army he seemed to have marvellous powers of endurance. He
said of himself: "Whether I slept on the ground or in a tent, whether I
slept one hour or ten in the twenty-four, whether I had one meal, or
three or none, made no difference. I could lie down and sleep in the
rain without caring."
[Illustration: The McLean House]
His appearance did not indicate his robust health. He was only five feet
eight inches tall, round-shouldered, and not military in bearing or
walk. He had brown hair, blue eyes, and a musical voice. He was of a
sunny disposition and singularly pure soul, never having been known in
all his life to speak an unclean word or tell an objectionable story.
Quiet and simple in manner, he never became excited even in the heat of
battle, but always kept himself cool and collected, ready for the
severest ordeal that he might have to face.
[Illustration: General R. E. Lee.]
It need hardly be said that at the close of the war he had a warm place
in the hearts of his countrymen. Wherever he went people flocked to see
him. But like Washington and Jefferson, he found speech-making most
difficult. At one time, in the presence of friends, General Grant's
young son Jesse, mounted a haystack and said, "I'll show you how papa
makes a speech. 'Ladies and Gentlemen, I am very glad to see you: I
thank you very much. Good-night.'" All present were greatly amused
except Grant, who was much embarrassed, feeling that his little son's
effort verged too closely upon the truth.
Grant was elected President of the United States in 1868, and served two
terms. Upon retiring from the Presidency he made a tour around the
world, and was everywhere received by rulers and people alike with great
honor and distinction.
During his last days he suffered much from an incurable disease, which
became a worse enemy than he had ever found on the field of battle.
After nine months' of struggle he died at Mount McGregor, near Saratoga,
on July 23, 1885. His body was laid to rest in Riverside Park, on the
Hudson, where in 1897 a magnificent monument was erected to his memory.
Like Lincoln and Washington, he will ever live in the hearts of his
countrymen.
REVIEW OUTLINE
YOUNG ULYSSES S. GRANT FOND OF FARM WORK.
AN INSTANCE OF HIS "BULL-DOG GRIT."
GRANT GOES TO WEST POINT.
HIS BRAVERY IN THE MEXICAN WAR.
HE TRIES FARMING AND BUSINESS.
THE BEGINNING OF THE CIVIL WAR.
THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING.
GENERAL GRANT CAPTURES VICKSBURG.
GENERAL LEE'S SURRENDER.
GENERAL GRANT'S KINDNESS AND DELICACY OF FEELING.
HIS PERSONALITY.
HIS TOUR AROUND THE WORLD; HIS LAST DAYS.
TO THE PUPIL
1. Tell as much as you can about the boyhood of Grant.
2. What can you say of his record in the Mexican War?
3. Give an account of his capture of Vicksburg.
4. Picture the scene of the interview which took place when Lee
surrendered.
5. What can you tell about Grant's personality? About his ability
as a speech-maker?
6. What traits in Grant's character do you admire?