GRANT, ULYSSES S. (1822-1885). 18th President of the U.S. (1869-1877). Nicknamed
"Unconditional Surrender" Grant after cooly demanding "immediate and unconditional
surrender" at the siege of Vicksburg, Mississippi (May 18 - July 4, 1863; surrendered on July
4, 1863). 29,000 rebel troops surrendered, the Union gained control of the Mississippi River,
and the Confederacy was split north to south. Promoted to rank of Major General, and then, in
October, 1863, placed in command of the Military Division of the Mississippi. Later, in
March, 1864, Abraham Lincoln promoted him to the rank of Lieutenant General in command of
all the armies of the United States. Received Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House
(April 9, 1865). Elected to two terms as president, despite the fact that his administration was
marked by major scandals.
"The whole tone of the South seems to be more desponding now than at any previous time
during the War. Heretofore when they had met disaster they had the material still left
back to recruit their Armies. Now the loss of a thousand men cannot be replaced unless
they resort to the darkey. Him they are afraid of and will not use him unless as a last
desperate resort."
GRANT, ULYSSES S. Extraordinary Civil War-Date Autograph Letter Signed, on
"Headquarters Armies of the United States" letterhead, Three pages, Octavo, City Point,
Virginia, December 26, 1864. Grant writes to "Jones" - probably his old friend J. Russell
Jones, formerly of Galena, Illinois, and now a Chicago businessman and investment counselor
who was helping Grant invest his $6,000.00 major general salary. Grant and Jones remained in
intimate touch throughout the war. Grant pens (in full):
"City Point, Va. Dec. 26th 1864. Dear Jones, As I am strapped and it is highly possible that
there will be no funds in the hands of the Paymasters at the end of this month [with] which
to pay of[f] Uncle Sam's boys promptly at the end of the month I wish you would send to
Mrs. U.S. Grant, Burlington N.J. any that you may have belonging to me. As I have not kept
the account I do not know that you hold any except a little gold collected from the 5-20
bonds."
"Things seem to be working well now with [Gen. George H.] Thomas in Tenn, [Gen. William
T.] Sherman in Ga. And [Gen. George] Stoneman in West Va. The whole tone of the South
seems to be more desponding now than at any previous time during the War. Heretofore
when they have met disaster they had the material still left back to recruit their Armies. Now
the loss of a thousand men cannot be replaced unless they resort to the darkey. Him they are
afraid of and will not use him unless as a last desperate resort. [Gen. John A.] Rawlins,
[Gen. T. S.] Bowers & Co. Are all flourishing. Respectfully Yours, U.S. Grant"
A superb handwritten letter penned by Lieut. General Ulysses S. Grant - extremely confident of
an ultimate Union victory after successes at the Battle of Nashville (December 15-16, 1864)
and Atlanta (July 20 - September 2, 1864) - from his headquarters in City Point, Virginia,
during the last months of the Civil War.
Grant
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