Ulysses Simpson Grant:

18((88#, commander in chief of the 2nion army in the 'ivil War, 18th President of the 2nited -tates 718+08>>9, b" Point Pleasant, near /ew 4ichmond, Ohio" %e was originally named %iram 2lysses Grant" Military Career: Grant spent his youth in Georgetown, Ohio, was graduated from West Point in 1843, and served creditably in the e!ican War" Grant was forced to resign from the army in 18#4 because of his e!cessive drin$ing" %e failed in his attempts at farming and business, and was wor$ing as a cler$ in the family leather store in Galena, &ll", when the 'ivil War bro$e out" %e was commissioned colonel of the (1st &llinois )olunteers, and in *ug", 18+1, became a brigadier general of volunteers" Grant assumed command of the ,ist" of 'airo, &ll", in -eptember and fought his first battle, an indecisive affair, at .elmont, o", on /ov" 0, 18+1" &n 1eb", 18+(, aided by 2nion gunboats, he captured 1ort %enry on the 3ennessee 4iver and 1ort ,onelson on the 'umberland" &t was the first ma5or 2nion victory, and 6incoln at once made him a ma5or general of volunteers" %owever, in *pril at -hiloh, it is li$ely that only the arrival of the army of Gen" ,on 'arlos .uell saved him from defeat" 3he )ic$sburg campaign 718+(8+39 was one of Grant:s greatest successes" *fter repeated failures to get at the town, he made a brilliant advance in cooperation with a fleet and finally too$ )ic$sburg by siege" 3he victory of .ra!ton .ragg, the 'onfederate general, at 'hic$amauga, led to Grant:s accession to the supreme command in the West, Oct", 18+3" *t 'hattanooga in /ovember his forces thoroughly defeated .ragg" 3he President, in arch, 18+4, made him commander in chief with the ran$ of lieutenant general, a grade especially revived by 'ongress for him" Grant himself directed George G" eade:s *rmy of the Potomac against Gen" 4obert ;" 6ee in the Wilderness campaign" %is policy of wearing 6ee out by sheer attrition was effective, though it resulted in the slaughter of -potsylvania and 'old %arbor" 1ailing to carry Petersburg by assault in <une, 18+4, Grant had that city under partial siege until *pril, 18+#" Philip %" -heridan:s victory at 1ive 1or$s made Petersburg and 4ichmond no longer tenable" 6ee retreated, but was cut off at *ppomatto! 'ourthouse, where he surrendered, receiving generous terms from Grant, on *pril 0, 18+#" Grant went about the distasteful business of war realistically and grimly" %e was a s$illed tactician and at times a brilliant strategist 7his )ic$sburg campaign is regarded by many as one of the great battles of history9" %is courage as a commander of forces and his powers of organi=ation and administration made him the outstanding general of the /orth" Grant also was notably wise in supporting good commanders, especially -heridan, William 3" -herman, and George %" 3homas" ade a full general in 18++, he was the first 2"-" citi=en to hold that ran$"