Ulysses S. Grant was a prominent figure in the history of St. Louis, Missouri. He was born in the city in 1822, and his family moved to the nearby town of Georgetown when he was a child. After attending West Point, Grant returned to St. Louis and began a career in the leather goods industry. During the Civil War, Grant was promoted to general in chief of the Union army and led numerous campaigns that resulted in a decisive victory for the Union. After the war, Grant returned to St. Louis and was elected president of the United States in 1868.
Grant was born Hiram Ulysses Grant in St. Louis in April of 1822. His father, Jesse Root Grant, had moved to the city from Pennsylvania in 1821 to work as a tanner. Grant’s mother, Hannah Simpson Grant, was a homemaker from Virginia. The family lived in a small cottage in St. Louis, where Grant attended a local school. In 1839, Grant was accepted into the United States Military Academy at West Point. He changed his name to Ulysses S. Grant at this time, as there was already a student at the academy with the same name.
Grant graduated from West Point in 1843 and returned to St. Louis. He began a career in the leather goods industry, working as a clerk in a St. Louis store. He was also promoted to the rank of brevet second lieutenant in the United States Army. In 1845, Grant married Julia Dent, the daughter of a prominent St. Louis family. The couple had four children, two of whom were born in St. Louis.
When the Civil War began in 1861, Grant was stationed in St. Louis. He was promoted to the rank of brigadier general in the Union army in 1861 and was sent to capture Forts Henry and Donelson in Tennessee. His successful capture of the forts earned him the nickname of “Unconditional Surrender” Grant. He was promoted to major general in 1862 and was placed in command of the Union army in the Western Theater. Grant’s strategic victories at the battles of Vicksburg and Chattanooga led to the surrender of the Confederate forces in the West in July 1863.
In 1864, Grant was promoted to the rank of general in chief of the Union army. He developed a strategy of total warfare, which was designed to wear down the Confederate forces and force a surrender. He was successful in this strategy and the Confederate forces surrendered in April 1865. After the war, Grant returned to St. Louis and was elected president of the United States in 1868.
Throughout his life, Grant was a prominent figure in St. Louis. He was a member of the city council and was a major contributor to the construction of the Grant Memorial Arch, which stands at the entrance to the city. He was also a major supporter of the St. Louis Public Library, donating books and money to the institution. In 1885, Grant died in St. Louis and was buried in the city’s cemetery.
Ulysses S. Grant was a major figure in the history of St. Louis, Missouri. He was born in the city in 1822 and returned to the city after the Civil War. He was a prominent member of the city council and a major contributor to the construction of the Grant Memorial Arch. He was also a major supporter of the St. Louis Public Library. Grant’s legacy in St. Louis is a testament to his dedication to the city and its people.