"Ulysses S. Grant: An Outstanding Military Figure and the Savior of the Civil War"

Ulysses S. Grant: An Outstanding Military Figure and the Savior of the Civil War

Though some circles may make Ulysses S. Grant seem to be a drunkard and an anti-Semite, he was not. In reality Grant was an outstanding military figure, especially during the Civil War. One may ask, "how did President Lincoln's choice of Ulysses S. Grant to command the Union army change the outcome of the Civil War?" Though Grant led the Union in many battles that ended in defeat, he still pressed onward and the Union won the war. You can't keep a good man down, especially this one.

Before Ulysses S. Grant was the General in Chief on the Union army, he was a regular general. He fought in many different wars and battles in the Civil War before his promotion by President Lincoln on March 12, 1864 (www.mscomm.com/~ulysses/). In the time between the attack on Fort Sumter and Grants promotion to General in Chief, the Union army had suffered many losses in major battles, Bull Run, Fredericksburg, one of the Union's worst defeats, and Chancellorsville.

The Peacemakers.

English: Confederate General Robert E. Lee poses i...

English: Pres. U.S. Grant (between 1870 and 1880) ...

During the time between the Battles of Bull Run and Fredericksburg, Grant was commanding his own regiment down in Mississippi in the Siege of Vicksburg. The importance of this battle was great because the victory by the Union accomplished one of their goals for the war, to capture the Mississippi River and split the Confederate army in two. This battle was also very important to Grants career. President Lincoln recognized his success in this battle and other battles during past wars. This was the primary reason why President Lincoln promoted Ulysses S. Grant to Commander in Chief of the Union army on March 12, 1864.

On the day Ulysses S. Grant was promoted to the Commander in Chief of the...