Units_Grant

Ulysses S. Grant answered President Lincolns call for volunteers in the Spring of 1861 by enlisting with his local company from the town of Galena, Illinois. His military service during the Mexican - American War assured him command of this company and a rank of captain.
Grant tried , in the beginning months of the war , to secure a command position with the war departments in both Ohio and Missouri . Overlooked by his superiors, Grant spent the beginning of his military career as a recruiting officer in Camp Yates, Illinois.

In June of 1861 , Grant took command of an unruly unit ,the 7th District Regiment. His no nonsense command style soon had the regiment well in hand. His abilities as an officer soon began to take notice and in August he was appointed brigadier general in command of the Military Distict of Southeastern Missouri.

Grant led a successful naval and land assault against Fort Henry , a Confederate stronghold on the Tennesse River, in February of 1862. Two weeks later Grant attacked Fort Donelson, located on the Cumberland River , and captured it. The Confederate commander, General Buckner, asked Grant for terms of surrender. Grant replied that the only terms would be an ' unconditional surrender '. This action earned him the nick name of "Unconditional Surrender " Grant.

In April of 1862 , Grants army was surprised by the Confederates at the battle of Shiloh. This two day battle ended as a draw , but Grant still held the field. Grant was much criticized by his superiors for his actions during the battle. The following year , however, Grant would more than redeem himself.

Grant planned and carried out one of the greatest campaigns of the war in 1863 , when he took Vicksburg , Mississippi. With the fall of Vicksburg the Mississippi River was soon back under federal control and Grant was able to concentrate on taking the important confederate railway center at Chattanooga. In November, Grant succeeded in defeating the confederate army and taking Chattanooga, all but ending the war in the west.

Grants many victories earned him the respect of President Lincoln . Lincoln soon appointed Grant as commander in chief of all union armies . Now Grant could fight the war the way he wanted to.

Grants main objective was to take the fight out of the southern people. The only way to do this was to destroy everything useful to them. Grants plan called for General Shermans army to march through Georgia dividing the confederacy even more. Once this was accomplished Sherman would turn his army north and unite with Grant . Grant meanwhile, would continuosly attack General Lee's army with the hope of destroying it .

After a year of Grants ' total war ' the confederacy was on its last leg. Grants battle plan was successful and on April 9th , 1865 General Lee surrendered his army at Appomatox Court House.