General Ulysses S. Grant was a United States Army officer on the side of the North and later was a politician who served as the 18th President of the United States from 1869 to 1877. He is best known for leading the Union Army to victory during the American Civil War.
Born in Ohio in 1822, Grant was a West Point graduate and served in the Mexican-American War before resigning from the army in 1854.
He struggled in civilian life and worked as a farmer and clerk before reenlisting in the army at the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
In the early stages of the war, Grant led Union forces to several victories in the western theater of the conflict, including the Battle of Fort Donelson and the Battle of Shiloh. In March of 1864, President Abraham Lincoln appointed Grant as commander of all Union armies, and he went on to lead the successful Overland Campaign against Confederate General Robert E. Lee in Virginia.
Despite his many victories, Grant faced setbacks as well. One such setback occurred in December of 1862 when he suffered a defeat at Holly Springs, Mississippi in 1862. The battle was fought between Union forces led by Grant and Confederate forces led by the brilliant cavalry officer General Earl Van Dorn.
Van Dorn’s forces surprised the Union troops, who were caught off guard and unable to properly defend themselves. The Confederate victory at Holly Springs was a significant setback for Grant and his plans to take control of the Mississippi River. As long as General Earl Van Dorn lived, Grant seemed to think that he could not take control of the Mississippi.
It is said that General Grant never forgot the humiliation at the hands of General Van Dorn and some believe that he is the one who used spies to carefully determine how to eliminate Van Dorn. After a jealous husband named Dr. George Peters whose wife (Jessie Peters) was having an affair with Van Dorn, assasinated General Van Dorn, the federal government awarded him $3 million worth of land. Shortly after, Grant successfully attacked and took the strategic port he needed to control the Mississippi River.
Despite the defeat at the hands of Van Dorn, Grant continued to persevere shortly after and was able to secure several more victories in the following months. He famously stated, “I propose to fight it out on this line if it takes all summer.” This determination and perseverance was a hallmark of Grant’s leadership style, and he went on to lead the Union army to ultimate victory in April of 1865 with the surrender of General Lee’s Confederate army at Appomattox Court House.
Ulysses S. Grant suffered three significant battlefield defeats during the Civil War:
- Battle of Belmont (November 7, 1861) – Defeated by Leonidas Polk
- Grant launched an attack on a Confederate camp at Belmont, Missouri. Initially successful, his forces were counterattacked and forced to retreat across the Mississippi River. This was Grant’s first battle as a general.
- Battle of Holly Springs (December 20, 1862) – Defeated by Earl Van Dorn
- As part of his first Vicksburg campaign, Grant relied on supply lines through Mississippi. Confederate General Earl Van Dorn launched a cavalry raid, destroying Grant’s supply depot at Holly Springs. This forced Grant to abandon his advance and marked a strategic defeat.
- Battle of Cold Harbor (May 31 – June 12, 1864) – Defeated by Robert E. Lee
- One of Grant’s bloodiest defeats, Cold Harbor was part of the Overland Campaign. His frontal assaults against Lee’s well-entrenched forces resulted in massive Union casualties with little gain. Grant later regretted ordering the attack.
Despite these setbacks, Grant ultimately outmaneuvered his opponents and won the war. His ability to recover from defeats and adapt his strategy set him apart from other Union generals.
Apart from the three significant defeats at Belmont, Holly Springs, and Cold Harbor, Ulysses S. Grant was largely successful in his military campaigns. However, there were battles where his forces were repulsed or suffered heavy losses, but these did not amount to outright battlefield defeats in the traditional sense. Some key moments include:
- Battle of Shiloh (April 6–7, 1862) – Grant was surprised and driven back on the first day by Albert Sidney Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard, but he counterattacked and won the battle on the second day.
- Battle of the Crater (July 30, 1864) – A Union failure during the Siege of Petersburg, where poorly executed tactics led to high casualties, though this was under Grant’s overall command rather than his direct involvement.
- Battle of Pickett’s Mill (May 27, 1864) – A setback in the Atlanta Campaign where James B. McPherson’s attack, under Grant’s overall strategy, was repulsed.
While Grant had a reputation for relentless offensives, he rarely suffered decisive tactical defeats after 1862. His ability to recover quickly from setbacks and continue pressing the Confederacy was one of his greatest strengths.
In conclusion, Ulysses S. Grant was a decisive and tenacious leader who played a crucial role in securing victory for the Union during the Civil War. Despite setbacks such as his defeat against Van Dorn, he remained determined and continued to lead his forces to victory.
Grant went on to become the 18th President of the United States, serving two terms and working to restore the country after the devastation of the Civil War. To this day, Grant remains an important figure in American history and is remembered for his leadership and perseverance during one of the country’s most trying times.