Ulysses S. Grant's Life

Ulysses Simpson Grant was born on April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio. He was born to a pioneer family and he was agile with horses. He attended schools in Georgetown, Ohio. In 1839 he received an appointed to West Point Academy, he graduated as a first lieutenant but he did not like the Army and wanted to join the cavalry but there were no openings. He fought in the Mexican-American War from 1846 until 1848 when the war ended. Ulysses S. Grant married Julia Dent and they had four kids. In 1854 he resigned from the Army. He tried farming and real estate and failed. He became a partner in a family leather business in Galena, Illinois. He returned to join the military when the Civil War broke out in 1861 as colonel of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Regiment. He captured Vicksburg, Mississippi in 1863 giving the Union control of the Mississippi River. Lincoln promoted him to lieutenant general and commander of the Union armies. Grant accepted Lee's surrender on April 9, 1865 in Appomattox, Virginia. The Congress appointed Grant full General- the first man to reach this rank since George Washington. He served briefly as secretary of war. Grant was a popular leader after the Civil War. He was elected President in 1869 and served two terms. During his administration the 15th Amendment was ratified giving African Americans the right to vote. The telephone was invented by Alexander Graham Bell during Grant's presidency. Grant went home to McGregor, New York where he left the White House to write his memoirs. He died on July 23, 1885, one week after he completed his memoirs. Note: Ulysses Simpson Grant was President from 1869 through 1877 and the Vice Presidents were Schuyler Colfax and Henry Wilson.