James M. McPherson is the author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Battle Cry of Freedom".
Introduction by James M. McPherson
Suggestions for Further Reading
Maps and Illustrations
Preface
1. AncestryBirthBoyhood
2. West PointGraduation
3. Army LifeCauses of the Mexican WarCamp Salubrity
4. Corpus ChristiMexican SmugglingSpanish Rule in
MexicoSupplying Transportation
5. Trip to AustinPromotion to Full Second LieutenantArmy of
Occupation
6. Advance of the ArmyCrossing the ColoradoThe Rio Grande
7. The Mexican WarThe Battle of Palo AltoThe Battle of Resaca de
la PalmaArmy of InvasionGeneral TaylorMovement on Camargo
8. Advance on MontereyThe Black FortThe Battle of
MontereySurrender of the City
9. Political IntrigueBuena VistaMovement against Vera CruzSiege
and Capture of Vera Cruz
10. March to JalapaBattle of Cerro GordoPerotePueblaScott and
Taylor
11. Advance on the City of MexicoBattle of ContrerasAssault at
ChurubuscoNegotiations for PeaceBattle of Molino del ReyStorming
of ChapultepecSan CosmeEvacuation of the CityHalls of the
Montezumas
12. Promotion to First LieutenantCapture of the City of MexicoThe
ArmyMexican SoldiersPeace Negotiations
13. Treaty of PeaceMexican Bull FightsRegimental
QuartermasterTrip to PopcatapetlTrip to the Caves of Mexico
14. Return of the ArmyMarriageOrdered to the Pacific
CoastCrossing the IsthmusArrival at San Francisco
15. San FranciscoEarly California ExperiencesLife on the Pacific
CoastPromoted CaptainFlush Times in California
16. ResignationPrivate LifeLife at GalenaThe Coming Crisis
17. Outbreak of the RebellionPresiding at a Union
MeetingMustering Officer of State TroopsLyon at Camp
JacksonServices Tendered to the Government
18. Appointed Colonel of the 21st IllinoisPersonnel of the
RegimentGeneral LoganMarch to MissouriMovement against Harris at
Florida, MOGeneral Pope in CommandStationed at Mexico, MO
19. Commissioned Brigadier-GeneralCommand at Ironton, MOJefferson
CityCape GirardeauGeneral PrentissSeizure of
PaducahHeadquarters at Cairo
20. General Fremont in CommandMovement against BelmontBattle of
BelmontA Narrow EscapeAfter the Battle
21. General Halleck in CommandCommanding the District of
CairoMovement on Fort HenryCapture of Fort Henry
22. Investment of Fort DonelsonThe Naval OperationsAttack of the
EnemyAssaulting the WorksSurrender of the Fort
23. Promoted Major-General of VolunteersUnoccupied
TerritoryAdvance upon NashvilleSituation of the
TroopsConfederate RetreatRelieved of the CommandRestored to the
CommandGeneral Smith
24. The Army at Pittsburg LandingInjured by a FallThe Confederate
Attack at ShilohThe First Day's Fight at ShilohGeneral
ShermanCondition of the ArmyClose of the First Day's FightThe
Second Day's FightRetreat and Defeat of the Confederates
25. Struck by a BulletPrecipitate Retreat of the
ConfederatesIntrenchments at ShilohGeneral BuellGeneral
JohnstonRemarks on Shiloh
26. Halleck Assumes Command in the FieldThe Advance upon
CorinthOccupation of CorinthThe Army Separated
27. Headquarters Moved to MemphisOn the Road to MemphisEscaping
JacksonComplaints and RequestsHalleck Appointed
Commander-in-ChiefReturn to CorinthMovements of BraggSurrender
of ClarksvilleThe Advance Upon ChattanoogaSheridan Colonel of a
Michigan Regiment
28. Advance of Van Dorn and PricePrice Enters IukaBattle of
Iuka
30. The Campaign against VicksburgEmploying the
FreedmenOccupation of Holly SpringsSherman Ordered to
MemphisSherman's Movements down the MississippiVan Dorn Captures
Holly SpringsCollecting Forage and Food
31. Headquarters Moved to Holly SpringsGeneral McClernand in
CommandAssuming Command at Young's PointOperations above
VicksburgFortifications about VicksburgThe CanalLake
ProvidenceOperations at Yazoo Pass
32. The Bayous West of the MississippiCriticisms of the Northern
PressRunning the BatteriesLoss of the IndianolaDisposition of
the Troops
33. Attack on Grand GulfOperations below Vicksburg
34. Capture of Port GibsonGrierson's RaidOccupation of Grand
GulfMovement up the Big BlackBattle of Raymond
35. Movement against JacksonFall of JacksonIntercepting the
EnemyBattle of Champion's Hill
36. Battle of Black River BridgeCrossing the Big BlackInvestment
of VicksburgAssaulting the Works
37. Siege of Vicksburg
38. Johnston's MovementsFortifications at Haines' BluffExplosion
of the MineExplosion of the Second MinePreparing for the
AssaultThe Flag of TruceMeeting with PembertonNegotiations for
SurrenderAccepting the TermsSurrender of Vicksburg
39. Retrospect of the CampaignSherman's MovementsProposed
Movement upon MobileA Painful AccidentOrdered to Report at
Cairo
40. First Meeting with Secretary StantonGeneral
RosecransCommanding Military Division of MississippiAndrew
Johnson's AddressArrival at Chattanooga
41. Assuming the Command at ChattanoogaOpening a Line of
SuppliesBattle of WauhatchieOn the Picket Line
42. Condition of the ArmyRebuilding the RailroadGeneral
Burnside's SituationOrders for BattlePlans for the
AttackHooker's PositionSherman's Movements
43. Preparations for BattleThomas Carries the First Line of the
EnemySherman Carries Missionary RidgeBattle of Lookout
MountainGeneral Hooker's Fight
44. Battle of ChattanoogaA Gallant ChargeComplete Rout of the
EnemyPursuit of the ConfederatesGeneral BraggRemarks on
Chattanooga
45. The Relief of KnoxvilleHeadquarters Moved to
NashvilleVisiting KnoxvilleCipher DispatchesWithholding
Orders
46. Operations in MississippiLongstreet in East
TennesseeCommissioned Lieutenant-GeneralCommanding the Armies of
the United StatesFirst Interview with President Lincoln
47. The Military SituationPlans for the CampaignSheridan Assigned
to Command of the CavalryFlank MovementsForrest at Fort
PillowGeneral Banks's ExpeditionColonel MosbyAn Incident of the
Wilderness Campaign
48. Commencement of the Grand CampaignGeneral Butler's
PositionSheridan's First Raid
49. Sherman's Campaign in GeorgiaSiege of AtlantaDeath of General
McPhersonAttempt to Capture AndersonvilleCapture of Atlanta
50. Grand Movement of the Army of the PotomacCrossing the
RapidanEntering the WildernessBattle of the Wilderness
51. After the BattleTelegraph and Signal ServiceMovement by the
Left Flank
52. Battle of SpottsylvaniaHancock's PositionAssault of Warren's
and Wright's CropsUpton Promoted on the FieldGood News from
Butler and Sheridan
53. Hancock's AssaultLosses of the ConfederatesPromotions
RecommendedDiscomfiture of the EnemyEwell's AttackReducing the
Artillery
54. Movement by the Left FlankBattle of North AnnaAn Incident of
the MarchMoving on RichmondSouth of the PamunkeyPosition of the
National Army
55. Advance on Cold HarborAn Anecdote of the WarBattle of Cold
HarborCorrespondence with LeeRetrospective
56. Left Flank Movement across the Chickahominy and JamesGeneral
LeeVisit to ButlerThe Movement on PetersburgThe Investment of
Petersburg
57. Raid on the Virginia Central RailroadRaid on the Weldon
RailroadEarly's Movement upon WashingtonMining the Works before
PetersburgExplosion of the Mine before PetersburgCampaign in the
Shenandoah ValleyCapture of the Weldon Railroad
58. Sheridan's AdvanceVisit to SheridanSheridan's Victory in the
ShenandoahSheridan's Ride to WinchesterClose of the Campaign for
the Winter
59. The Campaign in GeorgiaSherman's March to the SeaWar
AnecdotesThe March on SavannahInvestment of SavannahCapture of
Savannah
60. The Battle of FranklinThe Battle of Nashville
61. Expedition against Fort FisherAttack on the FortFailure of
the ExpeditionSecond Expedition against the FortCapture of Fort
Fisher
62. Sherman's March NorthSheridan Ordered to LynchburgCanby
Ordered to Move against MobileMovements of Schofield and
ThomasCapture of Columbia, South CarolinaSherman in the
Carolinas
63. Arrival of the Peace CommissionersLincoln and the Peace
CommissionersAn Anecdote of LincolnThe Winter before
PetersburgSheridan Destroys the RailroadGordon Carries the Picket
LineParke Recaptures the LineThe Battle of White Oak Road
64. Interview with SheridanGrand Movement of the Army of the
PotomacSheridan's Advance on Five ForksBattle of Five ForksParke
and Wright Storm the Enemy's LineBattles before Petersburg
65. The Capture of PetersburgMeeting President Lincoln in
PetersburgThe Capture of RichmondPursuing the EnemyVisit to
Sheridan and Meade
66. Battle of Sailor's CreekEngagement at FarmvilleCorrespondence
with General LeeSheridan Intercepts the Enemy
67. Negotiations at AppomattoxInterview with Lee at McLean's
HouseThe Terms of SurrenderLee's SurrenderInterview with Lee
after the Surrender
68. Morale of the Two ArmiesRelative Conditions of the North and
SouthPresident Lincoln Visits RichmondArrival at
WashingtonPresident Lincoln's AssassinationPresident Johnson's
Policy
69. Sherman and JohnstonJohnston's Surrender to ShermanCapture of
MobileWilson's ExpeditionCapture of Jefferson DavisGeneral
Thomas's QualitiesEstimate of General Canby
70. The End of the WarThe March to WashingtonOne of Lincoln's
AnecdotesGrand Review at WashingtonCharacteristics of Lincoln and
StantonEstimate of the Different Corps Commanders
Conclusion
Explanatory Notes
Index
Ulysses S. Grant (1822-1885) was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in Point
Pleasant, Ohio, and worked on the family farm until his appointment
in 1839 to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. There, he was
erroneously registered as "U. S. Grant"-a change that he would
adopt for the rest of his life. He served in the Mexican War
(1846--1848) under Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott.
After the outbreak of the Civil War, Grant was appointed colonel of
a militia regiment, and moved up through the ranks of the army,
eventually becoming lieutenant general with command of all the
armies of the United States and leading the Union army to victory
in 1865. From 1869-1877 he served as the eighteenth president of
the United States. Encouraged by his friend Mark Twain, Grant began
preparing his memoirs in 1884. The Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant
were completed just a few days before his death on July 23,
1885.
James M. McPherson, the George Henry David Professor Emeritus of
United States History at Princeton University, is the author of the
Pulitzer Prize-winningBattle Cry of Freedom, as well as the
award-winning books The Struggle for Equality, For Cause and
Comrades- Why Men Fought in the Civil War, and Tried for War-
Abraham Lincoln as Commander in Chief, among others. In 2007, he
was the first recipient of the Pritzker Military Library Literature
Award for lifetime achievement in military history, and in 2009, he
was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
"The best [memoirs] of any general's since
Caesar." —Mark Twain
"A unique expression of the national character . . . [Grant] has
conveyed the suspense which was felt by himself and his army and by
all who believed in the Union cause. The reader finds himself . . .
on edge to know how the Civil War is coming out."
—Edmund Wilson
“Perhaps the most revelatory autobiography of high command to
exist in any language. . . . If there is a single contemporary
document which explains ‘why the North won the Civil war,’ that
abiding conundrum of American historical inquiry, it is the
Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant.” —John Keegan
“Well observed, often humorous, invariably charming, penetrating
and lucid . . . On every page, his narrative has the simple
directness of the finest English prose, inspired by the King James
Bible on which he had been raised. The overall effect is both
intimate and majestic.” —The Guardian
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