Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant

Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant is a two-volume work of autobiography written by Ulysses S. Grant, the commanding general of the Union Army during the American Civil War and the 18th President of the United States. Completed just days before his death from throat cancer in 1885, the memoirs were primarily composed at his cottage on Mount McGregor in New York. The work is celebrated for its clear, direct prose and its detailed, first-hand account of major military campaigns, from the Mexican–American War through the conclusion of the Civil War. Published by Mark Twain's firm, Charles L. Webster and Company, the memoirs were a critical and commercial triumph, securing his family's financial future and cementing Grant's literary reputation.

Background and writing

Following his presidency, Ulysses S. Grant entered a business partnership with Ferdinand Ward at the firm of Grant & Ward, which collapsed in 1884, leaving Grant destitute. Soon after, he was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. To provide for his wife, Julia Grant, he contracted with his friend, the author Mark Twain, to write his memoirs for publication by Charles L. Webster and Company. Grant began writing in earnest, working tirelessly despite immense physical pain, often at his home in New York City and later at a final retreat on Mount McGregor near Saratoga Springs. He was assisted by his former staff officer, Adam Badeau, and extensively used official records, including his own wartime dispatches and the monumental The War of the Rebellion: A Compilation of the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies. He completed the final revisions only days before his death at Wilton in July 1885.

Content and structure

The memoirs are structured in two volumes, chronologically detailing Grant's life from his childhood in Point Pleasant and education at the United States Military Academy at West Point through the end of the Civil War. The first volume covers his early military career, including service in the Mexican–American War under generals like Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott, and his postings to Fort Vancouver and Fort Humboldt. The second and more significant volume provides a comprehensive military history of the Civil War, beginning with his command of the 21st Illinois Infantry Regiment and proceeding through his major campaigns. These include the capture of Fort Donelson, the Battle of Shiloh, the Vicksburg campaign, the Battle of Chattanooga, his promotion to Lieutenant General, and the final Overland Campaign against Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia, culminating in the Appomattox campaign and the surrender at Appomattox Court House. The work concludes with reflections on the war but does not cover his Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant.

Historical analysis and accuracy

Historians and military scholars widely praise the memoirs for their factual accuracy, clarity, and insightful analysis of strategy. Grant's narrative is considered a vital primary source for understanding the operational decisions of the Union Army, particularly in the Western Theater. He provides detailed accounts of his relationships and strategic disagreements with contemporaries like Henry Halleck, George G. Meade, and William Tecumseh Sherman, as well as his assessments of Confederate commanders such as Robert E. Lee and John C. Pemberton. While generally objective, the work naturally presents events from Grant's perspective, and some modern analyses note his minimization of certain controversies, such as the high casualties at the Battle of Cold Harbor or the issue of General Order No. 11. His portrayal of President Abraham Lincoln is notably warm and admiring, highlighting their effective partnership.

Critical reception and legacy

Upon publication, the Personal Memoirs received immediate acclaim from literary critics, military figures, and the public. Reviewers in publications like The Atlantic Monthly praised its unadorned, powerful prose, with Matthew Arnold and Gertrude Stein later noting its literary excellence. The work was a monumental commercial success, selling over 300,000 copies and earning the Grant family approximately $450,000 (equivalent to over $12 million today). Its legacy endures as one of the finest military autobiographies ever written, frequently compared to Julius Caesar's Commentarii de Bello Gallico. It has profoundly influenced the historical understanding of the Civil War and cemented Grant's posthumous reputation not only as a great general but also as a masterful writer. The memoirs remain in print and are a cornerstone of American literature.

Publication history

The memoirs were published in two volumes in 1885 and 1886 by Charles L. Webster and Company, the publishing house owned by Mark Twain. The first volume was delivered to subscribers in December 1885, shortly after Grant's death. The project was a massive undertaking, involving extensive marketing and a subscription sales model that was highly innovative for the time. The original edition featured numerous maps and illustrations. Following the initial success, the work has been continuously republished by numerous presses over the decades, including a well-regarded annotated edition from the Library of America. The original manuscript is held by the Library of Congress. The publication's financial triumph saved the Grant family from poverty and established a new standard for presidential and military memoirs.

Category:1885 books Category:American autobiographies Category:American Civil War books Category:Memoirs