Ulysses S. Grant: Civil War, Reconstruction, Presidency
Quick Facts
- Original Name: Hiram Ulysses Grant
- Born: April 27, 1822, Point Pleasant, Ohio, U.S.
- Died: July 23, 1885, Mount McGregor, New York, U.S. (aged 63)
Early Political Career
- Entered the White House on March 4, 1869, as the youngest elected president at age 46.
- Politically inexperienced, with uneven quality in appointments.
- Notable appointments include Ely S. Parker, a Seneca Indian, as commissioner of Indian affairs and Hamilton Fish as secretary of state.
- Julia Grant, his wife, was influential, supported women's rights, and was friends with Susan B. Anthony.
Personal Life
- Julia Grant had a cast in her left eye, which she was self-conscious about; Grant loved her as she was and discouraged surgery.
- Known for lavish lifestyle during the Gilded Age, redecorating the White House and hosting extravagant state dinners.
- The Grants had four children; daughter Nellie’s White House wedding was a national event.
Key Policies and Actions
- Signed his first law in 1869 to redeem greenback currency in gold, aligning with financial conservatives.
- Appointed the first Civil Service Commission but abandoned it due to congressional opposition.
- Attempted but failed to annex the Dominican Republic.
- Negotiated the Treaty of Washington, resolving claims against Great Britain for the Confederate raider Alabama.
Re-election and Scandals
- Easily re-elected in 1872, defeating Horace Greeley.
- Administration marred by several scandals, including the Credit Mobilier and Whiskey Ring scandals.
- Blundered in handling the resignation of Secretary of War William W. Belknap.
- Supported civil rights and the Fifteenth Amendment, though struggled with effective enforcement.
Later Life and Legacy
- Post-presidency world tour beginning in 1877; greeted as a hero abroad.
- In 1884, financial ruin due to the collapse of the firm Grant and Ward.
- Diagnosed with cancer, he wrote memoirs published by Mark Twain, which are highly regarded.
- Died in 1885; buried in a grand mausoleum in New York City with his wife Julia.
- Remembered for military leadership and complex presidency.
Cabinet Members During Presidency
First Term (1869-1873)
- State: Elihu B. Washburne, Hamilton Fish
- Treasury: George S. Boutwell
- War: John A. Rawlins, William T. Sherman, William W. Belknap
- Navy: Adolph E. Borie, George M. Robeson
- Attorney General: Ebenezer R. Hoar, Amos T. Akerman, George H. Williams
- Interior: Jacob D. Cox, Columbus Delano
Second Term (1873-1877)
- State: Hamilton Fish
- Treasury: William A. Richardson, Benjamin H. Bristow, Lot M. Morrill
- War: William W. Belknap, Alphonso Taft, James D. Cameron
- Navy: George M. Robeson
- Attorney General: George H. Williams, Edward Pierrepont, Alphonso Taft
- Interior: Columbus Delano, Zachariah Chandler
These notes summarize key points about Ulysses S. Grant's presidency and life, focusing on his leadership roles, policy impacts, personal life, and post-presidency activities.