Ulysses S. Grant

Excerpt from Ulysses S. Grant: His Life and Character This book is not to be taken as a military history of General Grant. It is not, perhaps, everything that is understood by the word "biography," but it tells the story of Ulysses Grant from his birth to his death. It is an attempt at characterization. It has not been my intention to set down all the significant words and deeds of General Grant, nor to analyze all the official acts of President Grant, but to present the man Grant as he stands to-day before unbiased critics. If I succeed in making the reader a little better acquainted with his great and singular character, I shall feel that my larger purpose has been carried out. In order that I might secure the fullest understanding of my subject, I have visited every town wherein Ulysses Grant lived long enough to leave a distinct impression upon its citizens. This search for first-hand material took me at the start to southern Ohio, to Georgetown, his boyhood home, and to Ripley, and to Maysville, Kentucky, where he attended school in his youth. I also studied the records on file in the adjutant's office at West Point, and the newspaper files in Washington, St. Louis, New York, Cincinnati, Detroit, Louisville, Chicago, Springfield, Galena, Cairo, Memphis, Vicksburg, New Orleans, Richmond, Monterey, and Mexico City. In all of these cities I sought for and obtained interviews from those who had known Ulysses Grant personally and had some significant message to impart. In order to realize the Mexican battle-fields, I visited Monterey, Vera Cruz, Jalapa, Perote, Puebla, Contreras, Churubusco, El Molino del Rey, and San Cosme.