5 ms·

The Reconstruction of Ulysses S. Grant

81 points by samclemens 10y ago

gumby 10y ago
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.
flexie 10y ago
Truly a remarkable man. It's been 150 years but that period is still intriguing.
ghaff 10y ago
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.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- linkregister 10y ago
  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
  - ghaff 10y ago
    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.)
    - linkregister 10y ago
      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.
charlescearl 10y ago
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.
douche 10y ago
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.
- Animats 10y ago
  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.
iokevins 10y ago
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/MTDP10362.xml;chunk.id=d1e2637;toc.depth=1;toc.id=;citations=;style=work;brand=mtp#X http://www.marktwainproject.org/xtf/view?docId=works/MTDP103... [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Memoirs_of_Ulysses_S._Grant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Memoirs_of_Ulysses_S....
- losteverything 10y ago
  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
gerdesj 10y ago
"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.

81 points by samclemens 10y ago

gumby 10y ago

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.

flexie 10y ago

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

ghaff 10y ago

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.

deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
linkregister 10y ago
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
- ghaff 10y ago
  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.)
  - linkregister 10y ago
    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.

charlescearl 10y ago

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.

douche 10y ago

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.

Animats 10y ago
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.

iokevins 10y ago

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/MTDP10362.xml;chunk.id=d1e2637;toc.depth=1;toc.id=;citations=;style=work;brand=mtp#X http://www.marktwainproject.org/xtf/view?docId=works/MTDP103... [2]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Memoirs_of_Ulysses_S._Grant https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_Memoirs_of_Ulysses_S....

losteverything 10y ago
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

gerdesj 10y ago

"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.