Ulysses S. Grant is a figure of remarkable contrasts in American history. As a general, he was the architect of the Union’s victory in the Civil War, a brilliant and tenacious commander who saved the nation. As the 18th President, however, his legacy is more complex, marked by a genuine commitment to civil rights and a series of scandals that tarnished his administration.
Table of Historical Contents
We’re here to take a closer look at the life of this reluctant politician, exploring his military genius as a Civil War General, his turbulent presidency, and his enduring impact on the American story.
From Reluctant Civil War Soldier to National Hero
Born Hiram Ulysses Grant on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Ohio, the future general had a modest upbringing. His father was a tanner, a trade Grant disliked. He was a quiet, unassuming boy who showed a remarkable talent for horsemanship. His father secured him an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point, where a clerical error registered him as “Ulysses S. Grant,” a name he would use for the rest of his life. He was a middling student who had little interest in a military career, but he served with distinction as a quartermaster in the Mexican-American War.
After the war, Grant’s life drifted. He resigned from the army in 1854 and struggled through a series of failed business ventures. Every occupation he tried seemed to lead to failure. By the time the Civil War erupted in 1861, he was working as a clerk in his family’s leather goods store in Galena, Illinois, a man seemingly destined for obscurity.
The war, however, revealed the quiet resolve and strategic brilliance that lay beneath his unassuming exterior. He rejoined the army and quickly rose through the ranks. His early victories at Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, where he earned the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant, captured national attention.
Unlike other Union generals, Grant was relentless. His triumphs at Vicksburg, which secured control of the Mississippi River, and Chattanooga led Abraham Lincoln to appoint him commander of all Union armies in 1864.
Grant’s Overland Campaign and siege of Petersburg ultimately forced Robert E. Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, ending the war. By its end, he was the most celebrated hero in the nation, making his path to the presidency almost inevitable.
| Ulysses S. Grant: Fast Facts | |
|---|---|
| Birth Date | April 27, 1822 |
| Death Date | July 23, 1885 |
| Political Party | Republican |
| Term in Office | March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877 |
| Vice Presidents | Schuyler Colfax (1869–1873); Henry Wilson (1873–1875) |
| Key Achievement | Crushed the Ku Klux Klan and championed the 15th Amendment |
| Nickname | “Unconditional Surrender” Grant |
The Grant Presidency – Radical Reconstruction and a Troubled United States Economy
Grant entered the presidency with a simple campaign slogan that was immensely popular, “Let us have peace.” He was committed to healing the wounds of the war and protecting the civil rights of newly freed African Americans. His administration, however, was also plagued by economic turmoil and widespread corruption among his appointees.
As a two-term president, Grant was immensely popular in the latter half of his first administration, but his popularity declined during his second term. Despite these challenges, Grant made significant strides in promoting civil rights and reconciliation.
Ulysses Grant’s Major Policies and Initiatives:
- The 15th Amendment (1870): Grant worked tirelessly to secure the ratification of this crucial amendment, which prohibited the federal and state governments from denying a citizen the right to vote based on “race, color, or previous condition of servitude.”
- The Enforcement Acts (1870-1871): To combat the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist terrorist groups in the South, Grant signed a series of laws known as the “Klan Acts.” These acts made it a federal crime to interfere with a citizen’s right to vote and gave the president the power to use federal troops and suspend habeas corpus to crush the Klan.
- Creation of the Department of Justice (1870): Grant established the Department of Justice to lead the federal government’s legal fight against the Klan and enforce the new civil rights laws.
- The Coinage Act of 1873: This act effectively ended the policy of bimetallism by demonetizing silver and putting the nation on a de facto gold standard. Critics, particularly farmers and debtors, would later label this the “Crime of ’73,” blaming it for constricting the money supply and causing economic hardship.
Defining Events of the Gilded Age in America
Grant’s presidency coincided with the rapid industrialization and westward expansion of the Gilded Age. It was a time of both great progress and great turmoil in America.
Disputed Elections, the Financial Panic and Treaty Arbitration:
- The Panic of 1873: The failure of a major banking firm, Jay Cooke & Company, triggered a severe financial panic that plunged the nation into a multi-year economic depression. Businesses failed, unemployment soared, and Grant’s administration struggled to manage the crisis.
- The Battle of the Little Bighorn (1876): As part of the ongoing Great Sioux War, Lieutenant Colonel George Custer and his 7th Cavalry were wiped out by a coalition of Lakota Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapaho warriors. The stunning defeat shocked the nation and intensified the federal government’s campaign against Native American tribes.
- The Disputed Election of 1876: Grant’s second term ended with one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history. Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel Tilden were locked in a dispute over electoral votes, a crisis that was only resolved with a backroom deal just days before Grant left office.
- The Treaty of Washington (1871): This treaty, negotiated with Great Britain, settled a series of grievances, most notably the Alabama claims, which involved damages caused by British-built Confederate warships during the Civil War. It was a major triumph for international arbitration.
Accomplishments and Scandals of the Grant Administration
Grant’s presidency is a story of noble intentions often undermined by poor judgment in character. He achieved significant victories for civil rights but was unable to prevent the corruption that flourished around him.
Key Accomplishments and Challenges:
- Champion of Civil Rights: For a time, Grant’s vigorous enforcement of civil rights laws successfully suppressed the first iteration of the Ku Klux Klan, allowing African Americans in the South to vote and hold office in record numbers. This was his most significant and, for a long time, most overlooked achievement.
- Widespread Corruption: Grant, a trusting man, appointed many friends and associates to government positions. A number of these appointees proved to be corrupt, leading to a series of scandals (like the Whiskey Ring and the Crédit Mobilier affair) that plagued his administration and damaged its reputation.
- Indian Peace Policy: Grant attempted to reform federal Indian policy, aiming to treat Native Americans with dignity and guide them toward citizenship. However, this well-intentioned policy was poorly executed and ultimately failed, undermined by land-hungry settlers and military conflicts.
The Grant Cabinet and His Vice Presidents
Grant’s loyalty to his friends proved to be a major weakness in his cabinet selections. While he had some highly effective administrators, his presidency was constantly rocked by the misdeeds of others.
Vice Presidents Schuyler Colfax and Henry Wilson
Schuyler Colfax, a popular Indiana politician, served as Grant’s first Vice President. However, his political career was destroyed when he was implicated in the Crédit Mobilier scandal, a complex scheme involving railroad construction kickbacks. The Republicans dropped him from the ticket in 1872, replacing him with Henry Wilson of Massachusetts. Wilson was a staunch abolitionist and a strong supporter of Reconstruction, but he suffered a debilitating stroke two years into his term and died in office in 1875, leaving the vice presidency vacant.
Secretary of State Hamilton Fish
Hamilton Fish of New York was Grant’s most successful cabinet appointment. A calm, dignified statesman, Fish was the administration’s anchor. He masterfully guided foreign policy, negotiating the landmark Treaty of Washington with Britain and skillfully navigating a potential war with Spain over Cuba. He was a voice of moderation and integrity in an often-chaotic administration.
Secretary of War William W. Belknap
William Belknap represents the worst of the Grant-era scandals. As Secretary of War, he accepted bribes from traders at western military posts. When his corruption was exposed by a congressional investigation in 1876, he raced to the White House to submit his resignation to Grant just minutes before the House of Representatives voted to impeach him.
A Celebrated Post-Presidency and Final Battle
After leaving the White House in 1877, Grant and his wife Julia embarked on a wildly successful two-year world tour, where he was greeted as a global celebrity. Upon returning, he invested his entire life savings in a financial firm that turned out to be a fraudulent scheme, leaving him bankrupt.
In 1884, Grant was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. Destitute and determined to provide for his family, he began writing his memoirs. Racing against death, he wrote with the same focus and clarity that he had displayed on the battlefield. He finished the manuscript just days before he died on July 23, 1885. The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant became a massive bestseller and is now considered a masterpiece of American literature. The book earned his family nearly half a million dollars, securing their financial future in his final, heroic act.
For decades, Grant’s presidency was overshadowed by the scandals that occurred under his watch. However, modern historians have taken a more favorable view, recognizing him as a president who, despite his flaws, fought courageously to protect the civil rights of African Americans and fulfill the promise of a more just and unified nation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Why was Grant’s presidency considered so corrupt?
Grant himself was personally honest, but he was a poor judge of character and intensely loyal to the people he appointed during his two-terms. This led him to defend corrupt officials long after their misdeeds were exposed. Major scandals like the Whiskey Ring (a tax evasion scheme involving distillers and government officials) and the Crédit Mobilier affair gave his administration a reputation for rampant corruption.
2. What was Grant’s greatest success as president?
His greatest success was his aggressive prosecution of the Ku Klux Klan. Using the Enforcement Acts and the newly created Department of Justice, his administration arrested thousands of Klan members and effectively destroyed the organization for a generation. This allowed African Americans to participate in the political process during Reconstruction.
3. What was Grant’s relationship with Native Americans?
Grant’s “Peace Policy” was a well-intentioned but ultimately failed attempt to reform U.S. policy toward Native Americans. He wanted to move them onto reservations, protect them from settlers, and convert them to Christianity, believing this was a more humane alternative to extermination. However, the policy was paternalistic and often clashed with the realities of westward expansion and military conflict.
4. Why did Grant’s historical reputation change?
For much of the 20th century, historians focused on the scandals of his administration and his perceived failures during Reconstruction. However, since the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s, scholars have re-evaluated his presidency and now give him significant credit for his bold and sincere efforts to protect the rights of freed slaves against violent opposition.
5. Are Grant’s memoirs worth reading?
Absolutely. The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant is widely hailed as one of the greatest military autobiographies ever written. Praised for its direct, clear, and compelling style, it provides a brilliant account of the Civil War from the perspective of its chief architect. It is a classic of American literature.
