Day Book, April 27

On April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio was born our 18th president and hero of the American Civil War, Hiram Ulysses Grant. The name “Ulysses Simpson Grant” was apparently an error in his registration for West Point (from which he graduated near the bottom of his class). He liked the look of it and kept it. Nearly anything was better than Hiram. He was remarkable in having failed at practically every task to which he applied his hand.

But he did succeed at winning battles. He captured Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, turned defeat into victory at the Battle of Shiloh (with grim determination and some timely reinforcements), and captured Vicksburg on the Mississippi denying the Confederacy that vital river route for re-supply.

Grim determination was, indeed, his style of warfare:

“The art of war is simple enough. Find out where your enemy is. Get at him as soon as you can. Strike him as hard as you can, and keep moving.”

Winning won him the confidence of Lincoln and, eventually, the gratitude of the nation. After winning the war he was elected president in 1868. With the presidency he returned to his old habit of failure. He may have coined the term “lobbyist” which tells you most of what you need to know about the Grant Administration.

His failure seemed to be contagious—publishing Grant’s memoirs nearly bankrupted poor Sam Clemens (Mark Twain) who financed their production. Grant died within a few days of completing them. To the best of my knowledge they’re the first American presidential memoirs and probably the most worth reading. His nickname at West Point had been “Useless”.

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