
The Reconstruction of Ulysses S. Grant - samclemens
https://www.damninteresting.com/the-reconstruction-of-ulysses-s-grant/
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charlescearl
I think part of it is wrapped up in Grant having come around to an unflinching
opposition to white supremacy. At least that was my take away from Ron White's
recent "American Ulysses ". The degree to which the Grant was able to move
forward on a semblance of emancipation, to have it unwound within a decade of
his departing office, not to be realized until a century ranks as one of the
great human rights tragedies. He was not without his ineptitides ( be careful
putting your friends in cabinet positions), but can't accept that the
diminution of his standing was not largely due to racialist backlash.

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iokevins
The Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1, has an extended section, "About
General Grant’s Memoirs"[1], describing Grant's financial particulars, at the
end of his life.

The "Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant"[2] cover his life through the end
of the Civil War. It's a great read.

[1][http://www.marktwainproject.org/xtf/view?docId=works/MTDP103...](http://www.marktwainproject.org/xtf/view?docId=works/MTDP10362.xml;chunk.id=d1e2637;toc.depth=1;toc.id=;citations=;style=work;brand=mtp#X)

[2][https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Memoirs_of_Ulysses_S....](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Memoirs_of_Ulysses_S._Grant)

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losteverything
Love links that give diaries or first hand accounts.

I always read summaries like this of Grant with some level of doubt. So just
reading a chapter of Grants writing gives my interest and doubt direction.

The part about the surrender is more worthy than a historical summary of his
life (which always mentions he was broke). He on the fly included personal
items to be taken by the confederates. How he realized most are farmers who
needed their horses. And their sidearms.

But don't take my work for it, read it yourself. That is why your post helps
me so much. TY

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douche
Grant was probably the first general who really understood what industrial war
entailed and how to fight it. Unleashing Sherman to burn his way through
Georgia, and Sheridan to burn his way through the Shenandoah, while grinding
down Lee in inconclusive battles of attrition across northern Virginia,
striking at the logistical infrastructure of the South, instead of trying to
fight the ANV in a decisive battle of maneuver.

It's a pity that the lessons learned in the trenches around Richmond were so
quickly forgotten and dismissed by the general staffs of Europe.

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Animats
Yes. "War is progressive," he wrote. He meant that technological progress
changed war. Grant used railroads and telegraphs well, which was advanced
thinking for the time.

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gumby
Like the Silicon Valley of old:

> Grant turned the unit around by demonstrating a leadership style borrowed
> from Zachary Taylor in the Mexican-American War, marked by thoughtfulness,
> decisiveness, simple orders, and—above all—humility. This, his soldiers
> admired most of all. Grant shunned ostentation, flamboyance, and even a
> commander’s uniform. He dressed like his men did and looked “plain as an old
> shoe,” according to one Army doctor.

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ghaff
I wonder if some of it is the perceived relative stature of Grant relative to
other presidents of that era (other than Lincoln of course).

I'm not sure that presidents like Buchanan and Johnson used to be perceived as
so near the bottom of the barrel as they are today. And while Johnson's
impeachment was History 101 in American history classes, I don't remember it
in the vein of "he really deserved to be impeached" but as more as a political
thing.

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linkregister
I think that detail was probably abstracted away due to the limited time in
high school history classes.

Andrew Johnson was impeached because he failed to adhere to law passed by
Congress. Before that, he conflicted with Congress on the fundamental way
Reconstruction was to be conducted. He single-handedly undermined newly-freed
slaves' chances to secure suffrage and have refuge from oppressive codes in
Southern states.

It's all in the wikipedia article:
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Johnson)

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ghaff
Yes. But since we're quoting Wikipedia, here's the summary in Wikipedia of the
chapter from JFK's Profiles in Courage about the senator who opposed Johnson's
impeachment trial in the senate:

Edmund G. Ross, from Kansas, for voting for acquittal in the Andrew Johnson
impeachment trial. As a result of Ross's vote, along with those of six other
Republicans, Democrat Johnson's presidency was saved, and the stature of the
office was preserved.

The point is that the fact that Johnson was able to stay in office was until
quite recently widely viewed as a positive outcome.

(ADDED: And the fact that it was in Profiles of Courage in this manner may
well have influenced how I learned about the event.)

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linkregister
I don't think we're presenting conflicting facts.

It's possible for a president to be terrible but ultimately better to not be
removed from office.

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gerdesj
"then thwarted attempts by President Andrew Johnson to suppress fundamental
civil rights of newly freed black Americans. "

I've always been aware of General Grant as being a bit of an American hero but
that quote may make him one of mine as well.

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flexie
Truly a remarkable man. It's been 150 years but that period is still
intriguing.

