Ulysses Grant was a failure in virtually every venture he ever attempted. The only time he ever enjoyed success was when he was in the military. Despite being only an average cadet while at West Point, he gained acclaim for his actions during the Mexican War, and then rose through the ranks of the Union Army to become the hero of the Civil War. His success and fame as a general led to his election as President in 1868. But the qualities that had brought him military glory failed him in his presidential career.

Chronology of His Life and Career
April 27, 1822		Born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point Pleasant, Ohio.
1823		Family moved to Georgetown, Ohio.
1838		Entered an academy in Ripley, Ohio.
1843		Graduated from West Point.
1846-1847		Fought in the Mexican War.
August 22, 1848		Married Julia Dent.
1854		Resigned from the Army.
1855-1858		Lived on a farm near St. Louis, Missouri.
1859-1861		Worked at a series of failed business ventures.
1861		Appointed a Colonel of Illinois Volunteers.
1863		Led Union troops to victory at Vicksburg, Mississippi.
1864		Named Supreme Commander of Union forces.
April 9, 1865		Accepted the surrender of Confederate forces under General Robert E. Lee.
1868		Elected President of the United States.
1877-1880		Traveled Europe and the Far East with his family.
1880		Defeated in bid for presidential nomination.
1881		Moved to New York City.
1885		Completed his memoirs, Personal Memoirs.
July 23, 1885		Died in Mount McGregor, New York. Buried in New York City.

Notes and Trivia

Grant was named Hiram Ulysses at birth, but his family almost always called him Ulysses. When he got to West Point he discovered that his name had been misprinted on the application as "Ulysses Simpson" (with the Simpson actually being his mother's maiden name) and he never bothered to correct the mistake.

The American Presidency. ap.grolier.com/article?assetid=0124750-0
The American President. www.millercenter.virginia.edu/academic/americanpresident/grant
General Grant National Memorial. www.nps.gov/gegr/
The Ulysses S.Grant Association. twister.lib.siu.edu/projects/usgrant/
The Ulysses S. Grant Information Center. faculty.css.edu/mkelsey/usgrant/
Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site. www.nps.gov/ulsg/

Mexican War
Ohio
Robert E. Lee
New York City

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This page was last updated on 11/03/2011.