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Article: First in war.(Ulysses S. Grant)(Biography)
- Article from:
- Cobblestone
- Article date:
- December 1, 2006
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 Carus Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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No American officer ever rose higher or faster through army ranks than Ulysses S. Grant did during the Civil War. By the time the conflict was over, he was the most celebrated military hero in the nation. But a few years prior, in 1854, he had left the army, only to encounter little success in civilian life. When the war began in early 1861, the 38-year-old Grant's fortunes had sunk so low that the veteran could not even get assigned to a small command.
Grant was loyal to the Union and knew he wanted to fight in support of the North. It was not until a sympathetic Illinois governor came to his aid in the spring of 1861, however, that the frustrated Grant won an ...