U. S. Grant: American Hero, American Myth (Civil War America)

384 Pages·2009·10.32 MB·English

by  Joan Waugh

U. S. Grant
CIVIL WAR AMERICA
GARY W. GALLAGHER, EDITOR
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
CHAPEL HILL
U. S. Gr ant
AMERICAN HERO, AMERICAN MYTH
Joan Waugh
© 2009 THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Designed by Kimberly Bryant
Set in Minion and Bickham Script by Tseng Information Systems, Inc.
Manufactured in the United States of America
The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and
durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity
of the Council on Library Resources.
The University of North Carolina Press has been a member of
the Green Press Initiative since 2003.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Waugh, Joan.
U. S. Grant : American hero, American myth / Joan Waugh.
p. cm. — (Civil War America)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8078-3317-9 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822–1885. 2. Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson),
1822–1885—Public opinion. 3. Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822–1885—Influence.
4. Presidents—United States—Biography. 5. Generals—United States—Biography. 6. United
States. Army—Biography. 7. United States—History—Civil War, 1861–1865—Public opinion.
8. Collective memory—United States. 9. Public opinion—United States. I. Title.
E672.W38 2009
973.8′2092—dc22
[B]
2009018550
Title page illustration: “Grant from West Point to Appomattox” (print) by Thure de Thulstrup
(Boston: L. Prang and Co., 1885). The commemorative portrait of Grant is surrounded by scenes
from his life (clockwise from lower left): West Point graduation, 1843; action at Chapultepec,
Mexico, 1847; drilling volunteers, 1861; directing action at Fort Donelson, 1862;
with Sherman at Shiloh, 1862; Vicksburg, 1863; Chattanooga, 1863; formal
acceptance as commander-in-chief, 1864; Appomattox surrender, 1865.
13 12 11 10 09 5 4 3 2 1
for Caleb and Joshua

Contents
Introduction 1
ONE
Youth 9
TWO
The Magnanimous General 49
THREE
A Great Soldier Might Be a Baby Politician 103
INTERLUDE
The Most Famous Living American 155
FOUR
Historian of the Union Cause 167
FIVE
Pageantry of Woe:
The Funeral of U. S. Grant 215
SIX
The Nation’s Greatest Hero Should Rest in the
Nation’s Greatest City 261
EPILOGUE
Who’s [Really] Buried in Grant’s Tomb? 303
Notes 309
Acknowledgments 359
Index 361
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U. S. Grant