Personal Memoirs

by GRANT, ULYSSES S.PERRET, GEOFFREY

• ISBN13: 9780375752285
• ISBN10: 0375752285
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Trade Paper
• Copyright: 1999-05-04
• Publisher: Modern Library

Summary

"One of the most unflinching studies of war in our literature." --William McFeeley Among the autobiographies of great military figures, Ulysses S. Grant's is certainly one of the finest, and it is arguably the most notable literary achievement of any American president: a lucid, compelling, and brutally honest chronicle of triumph and failure. From his frontier boyhood to his heroics in battle to the grinding poverty from which the Civil War ironically "rescued" him, these memoirs are a mesmerizing, deeply moving account of a brilliant man, told with great courage as he reflects on the fortunes that shaped his life and his character. Written under excruciating circumstances (as Grant was dying of throat cancer), encouraged and edited from its very inception by Mark Twain, it is a triumph of the art of autobiography. The books in the Modern Library War series have been chosen by series editor Caleb Carr according to the significance of their subject matter, their contribution to the field of military history, and their literary merit.

Author Biography

<b>Ulysses S. Grant</b>, commander in chief of the Union forces during the final years of the Civil War and eighteenth president of the United States, was born on April 27, 1822, and died on July 23, 1885, less than one week after completing work on this book.<br><br><b>Caleb Carr</b> is the bestselling author of the novels <i>The Alienist</i> and <i>The Angel of Darkness</i>, as well as a critically acclaimed biography of an American mercenary, <i>The Devil Soldier</i>. He writes frequently on military history for <i>The New York Times</i> and <i>MHQ: The Quarterly Journal of Military History</i>, where he is a contributing editor.

Table of Contents

Introduction to the Modern Library War Series	ix
General Grant Writes His Memoirs	xi
VOLUME I
Preface	xix
Ancestry---Birth---Boyhood	3	(9)
West Point---Graduation	12	(7)
Army Life---Causes of The Mexican War---Camp Salubrity	19	(8)
Corpus Christi---Mexican Smuggling---Spanish Rule in Mexico---Supplying Transportation	27	(7)
Trip To Austin---Promotion to Full Second-Lieutenant---Army of Occupation	34	(5)
Advance Of The Army---Crossing the Colorado---The Rio Grande	39	(4)
The Mexican War---The Battle of Palo Alto---The Battle of Resaca De LA Palma---Army of Invasion---General Taylor---Movement on Camargo	43	(8)
Advance on Monterey---The Black Fort---The Battle of Monterey---Surrender of The City	51	(7)
Political Intrigue---Buena Vista---Movement Against Vera Cruzsiege and Capture of Vera Cruz	58	(5)
March to Jalapa---Battle of Cerro Gordo---Perote---Puebla---Scott and Taylor	63	(6)
Advance on the City of Mexico---Battle of Contreras---Assault at Churubusco---Negotiations for Peace---Battle of Molino Del Rey---Storming of Chapultepec---San Cosme---Evacuation of The City---Halls of The Montezumas	69	(12)
Promotion to First Lieutenant---Capture of the City of Mexico---the Army---Mexican Soldiers---Peace Negotiations	81	(7)
Treaty of Peace---Mexican bull fights---Regimental Quartermaster---Trip to Popocatepetl---Trip to the Caves of Mexico	88	(8)
Return of The Army---Marriage---Ordered to the Pacific Coast---Crossing the Isthmus---Arrival at San Francisco	96	(5)
San Francisco---Early California Expreriences---Life on the Pacific Coast---promoted Captain---Flush Time in California	101	(5)
Resignation---Private Life---Life at Galena---the Coming Crisis	106	(10)
Outbreak of the Rebellion---Presiding at a Union Meeting---Mustering Officer of State Troops---Lyon at Camp Jackson---Services Tendered to the Government	116	(7)
Appointed Colonel of the 21st Illinois---Personnel of the Regiment---General Logan---March to Missouri---Movement Against Harris at Florida, Mo.---General Pope in Command---Stationed at Mexico, Mo.	123	(7)
Commissioned Brigadier-General---Command at Ironton, Mo.---Jefferson City---Cape Girardeau---General Prentiss---Seizure of Paducah---Headquarters at Cairo	130	(8)
General Fremont in Command---Movement Against Belmont---Battle of Belmont---a Narrow Escape---After the Battle	138	(7)
General Halleck In Command---Commanding the District of Cairo---Movement on Fort Henry---Capture of Fort Henry	145	(7)
Investment of Fort Donelson---The Naval Operations---Attack of the Enemy---Assaulting the Works---Surrender of the Fort	152	(15)
Promoted Major-General of Volunteers---Unoccupied Territory---Advance Upon Nashville---Situation of the Troops---confederate Retreat---Relieved of the Command---Restored to the Command---General Smith	167	(7)
The Army at Pittsburg Landing---Injured by a hall---the confederate Attack at Shiloh---the First Day's Fight at Shiloh---General Sherman---Condition of the Army---Close of the First Day's Fight---the Second Day's Fight---Retreat And Defeat of the Confederates	174	(12)
Struck By A Bullet---Recipitate Retreat of the Confederates---Intrenchments at Shiloh---General Buell---General Johnston---Remarks on Shiloh	186	(9)
Halleck Assumes Command in the Field---the Advance Upon Corinth---Occupation of Corinth---the Army Separated	195	(8)
Headquarters Moved to Memphis---on the Road to Memphis---Escaping Jackson---Complaints and Requests---Halleck Appointed Commander-in-Chief---Return to Corinth---Movements of Bragg---Surrender of Clarksville---The Advance Upon Chattanooga---Sheridan Colonel of a Michigan Regiment	203	(10)
Advance of Van Dorn and Price---Price Enters Iuka---Battle of Iuka	213	(6)
Van Dorn's Movements---Battle of Corinth---Command of The Department of the Tennesse	219	(5)
The Campaign Against Vicksburg---Employing the Freedmen---Occupation of Holly Springs---Sherman Ordered to Memphis---Sherman's Movements Down The Mississippi---Van Dorn Captures Holly Springs---Collecting Forage and Food	224	(8)
Headquarters Moved to Holly Springs---General Mcclernand in Command---Assuming Command at Young's Point---Operations above Vicksburg---Fortifications about Vicksburg---the Canal---Lake Providence---Operations at Yazoo Pass	232	(9)
The Bayous West of the Mississippi---Criticisms of the northern Press---Running the Batteries---Loss of the Indianola---Disposition of the Troops	241	(10)
Attack on Grand Gulf---Operations Below Vicksburg	251	(7)
Capture of Port Gibson---Grierson's Raid---Occupation of Grand Gulf---Movement up the big black---Battle of Raymond	258	(7)
Movement Against Jackson---Fall of Jackson---Intercepting the Enemy---Battle of Champion's Hill	265	(12)
Battle of black River Bridge---Crossing the big black---Investment of Vicksburg---Assaulting the Works	277	(6)
Siege of Vicksburg	283	(9)
Johnston's Movements---Fortifications at Haines's Bluff---Explosion of the Mine---Explosion of the Second Mine---Preparing for the Assault---The Flag of Truce---Meeting with Pemberton---Negotiations for Surrender---Accepting the Terms---Surrender of Vicksburg	292	(13)
Retrospect of the Campaign---Sherman's Movements---Proposed Movement Upon Mobile---a Painful Accident---Ordered To Report at Cairo	305	(10)
VOLUME II
First Meeting with Secretary Stanton---General Rosecrans---Commanding Military Division of Mississippi---Andrew Johnson's Address---Arrival at Chattanooga	315	(8)
Assuming the Command at Chattanooga---Opening a line of Supplies---Battle of Wauhatchie---on the Picket Line	323	(7)
Condition of the Army---Rebuilding the Railroad---General Burnside's Situation---Orders for Battle---Plans for the Attack---Hooker's Position---Sherman's Movements	330	(9)
Preparations for Battle---Thomas Carries the first line of The Enemy---Sherman Carries Missionary Ridge---Battle of Lookout Mountain---General Hooker's Fight	339	(7)
Battle of Chattanooga---a Gallant Charge---Complete Rout of the Enemy---Pursuit of the Confederates---General Bragg---Remarks on Chattanooga	346	(7)
The Relief of Knoxville---headquarters Moved to Nashville---Visiting Knoxville---Cipher Dispatches---Withholding Orders	353	(9)
Operations in Mississippi---Longstreet in East Tennessee---Commissioned Lieutenant---General---Commanding the Armies of the United States---First Interview with President Lincoln	362	(10)
The Military Situation---Plans for the Campaign---Sheridan Assigned to Command of the Cavalry---Flank Movements---Forrest at Fort Pillow---General Banks's Expedition---Colonel Mosby---An Incident of the Wilderness Campaign	372	(11)
Commencement of the Grand Campaign---General Butler's Position---Sheridan's First Raid	383	(7)
Sherman's Campaign in Georgia---Siege of Atlanta---Death of General Mcpherson---Attempt to Capture Andersonville---Capture of Atlanta	390	(11)
Grand Movement of the Army of the Potomac---Crossing the Rapidan---Entering the Wilderness---Battle of the Wilderness	401	(18)
After the Battle---Telegraph and Signal Service---Movement by the Left Flank	419	(8)
Battle of Spotsylvania---Hancock's Position---Assault of Warren's and Wright's Corps---Upton Promoted on the Field---Good News from Butler and Sheridan	427	(7)
Battle of Spotsylvania---Losses of the Confederates---Promotions Recommended---Discomfiture of the Enemy---Ewell's Attack---Reducing the Artillery	434	(8)
Movement by the Left Flank---Battle of North Anna---An Incident of the March---Moving on Richmond---South of the Pamunkey---Position of the National Army	442	(13)
Advance on Cold Harbor---An Anecdote of the War---Battle of Cold Harbor---Correspondence with Lee---Retrospective	455	(9)
Left Flank Movement Across the Chickahominy and James---General Lee---Visit to Butter---The Movement on Petersburg---The Investment of Petersburg	464	(11)
Raid on the Virginia Central Railroad---Raid on the Weldon Railroad---Early's Movement Upon Washington---Mining the Works Before Petersburg---Explosion of the Mine Before Petersburg---Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley---Capture of the Weldon Railroad	475	(14)
Sheridan's Advance---Visit to Sheridan---Sheridan's Victory in the Shenandoah---Sheridan's Ride to Winchester---Close of the Campaign for the Winter	489	(10)
The Campaign in Georgia---Sherman's March to the Sea---War Anecdotes---The March on Savannah---Investment of Savannah---Capture of Savannah	499	(17)
The Battle of Franklin---The Battle of Nashville	516	(6)
Expedition Against Fort Fisher---Attack on the Fort---Failure of the Expedition---Second Expedition Against the Fort---Capture of Fort Fisher	522	(7)
Sherman's March North---Sheridan Ordered to Lynchburg---Canby Ordered to Move Against Mobile---Movements of Schofield and Thomas---Capture of Columbia, South Carolina---Sherman in the Carolinas	529	(11)
Arrival of the Peace Commissioners---Lincoln and the Peace Commissioners---An Anecdote of Lincoln---The Winter before Petersburg---Sheridan Destroys the Railroad---Gordon Carries the Picket Line---Parke Recaptures the Line---The Battle of White Oak Road	540	(8)
Interview with Sheridan---Grand Movement of the Army of the Potomac---Sheridan's Advance on Five Forks---Battle of Five Forks---Parke and Wright Storm the Enemy's Line---Battles Before Petersburg	548	(10)
The Capture of Petersburg---Meeting President Lincoln in Petersburg---The Capture of Richmond---Pursuing the Enemy---Visit to Sheridan and Meade	558	(9)
Battle of Sailor's Creek---Engagement at Farmville---Correspondence with General Lee---Sheridan Intercepts the Enemy	567	(8)
Negotiations at Appomattox---Interview with Lee at Mclean's House---The Terms of Surrender---Lee's Surrender---Interview with Lee After the Surrender	575	(10)
Morale of the Two Armies---Relative Conditions of the North and South---President Lincoln Visits Richmond---Arrival at Washington---President Lincoln's Assassination---President Johnson's Policy	585	(10)
Sherman And Johnston---Johnston's Surrender to Sherman---Capture of Mobile---Wilson's Expedition---Capture of Jefferson Davis---General Thomas's Qualities---Estimate of General Canby	595	(8)
The End of the War---The March to Washington---One of Lincoln's Anecdotes---Grand Review at Washington---Characteristics of Lincoln and Stanton---Estimate of the Different Corps Commanders	603	(8)
Conclusion	611	(7)
Appendix	618	(67)
Index	685