Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was born on April 27, 1822.

Ulysses S. Grant married Julia Boggs Dent in St. Louis, Missouri on August 22, 1848.

Grant arrives at Fort Vancouver, Oregon Territory, and becomes discouraged and unhappy about the long separation from his family, leading to consolation in drink and consideration of resigning.

Ulysses S. Grant left Galena with the Jo Daviess Guard to offer his services to Governor Yates in Springfield, marking the beginning of his significant role in the Civil War.

Colonel Grant and the Seventh District Regiment officially entered U.S. service as the Twenty-first Illinois, marking a pivotal moment in Grant's military career during the Civil War.

Aided by reinforcements, General Grant drives the Confederates from the field after a costly victory for the North. The battle is known for its severe fighting and high casualties, leading to angry public reactions in the North.

Pemberton sends a message to Grant requesting terms of surrender. Grant answers that his only terms are unconditional surrender.

Vicksburg surrenders and the garrison marches out and stacks arms. Grant immediately provides food for the starving soldiers and civilians. The loss of Vicksburg marks a turning point in the war.

On March 12, 1864, General Grant is assigned to command all armies of the United States and decides to make his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac. He then makes a quick trip to Nashville to confer with Sherman, who is given Grant's former command on March 18. By March 23, Grant is back in Washington.

Lee surrenders to Grant at Appomattox Court House on April 9, 1865, marking the end of the Civil War.

Grant was honored with a large celebration in Galena and presented with a home on Bouthillier Street, signifying the recognition and appreciation for his leadership during the Civil War.

Congress established a new rank, general of the armies of the U.S. (four stars), to which Grant was immediately appointed, solidifying his prominent position in the post-Civil War era.

The Republican National Convention at Chicago nominates Ulysses S. Grant for President, marking a significant political development.

Ulysses Grant accepts the nomination by the Republican Party for President of the United States. His campaign slogan becomes 'Let Us Have Peace.'

Grant is elected President of the United States.

On May 10, 1869, the transcontinental railroad was completed with the driving of a ceremonial golden spike at Promontory Point, Utah, where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroads met. This significant event marked the joining of the two railroads, connecting the East and West coasts of the United States.

On February 3, 1870, President Grant signed the 15th Amendment to the Constitution, granting black men the right to vote.

On April 20, 1871, Congress passed the Ku Klux Klan Act, also known as the third Enforcement Act, at the urging of President Ulysses Grant. The act aimed to expand federal authority to protect voters and established penalties for attempts to deprive citizens of equal protection under the laws.

The Third Enforcement Act of 1871, also known as the Ku Klux Klan Act, was signed into law. It empowered the President to use armed force to combat voter discrimination and allowed the suspension of habeas corpus to enforce the act if necessary. Section 3 of the act addressed insurrection, domestic violence, unlawful combinations, or conspiracies that obstructed the execution of laws and deprived people of their rights, privileges, or immunities named in the Constitution.

President Ulysses S. Grant issues a proclamation specifically targeting the Ku Klux Klan in South Carolina, taking a stand against their activities in the state.

On March 1, 1872, President Grant signed legislation establishing Yellowstone as the nation's first national park.

President Grant signs the 'An Act to promote the Development of the mining Resources of the United States,' declaring mineral deposits in public lands free and open to exploration and purchase by citizens of the United States.

The Arbitration Panel under the Treaty of Washington awarded the United States $15.1 million for damages caused by British-built warships and illegal fishing, setting a novel method of resolving international disputes and consolidating the 'special relationship' between the U.S. and Great Britain.

Ulysses S. Grant won the presidential election on November 4, 1872.

On Election Day, Grant won with 82% of the electoral vote and 56% of the popular vote, defeating Democrat Horace Greely. Republicans also retained strong majorities in the House and the Senate.

President Ulysses S. Grant signs the Coinage Act, which establishes the mint as a bureau of the Treasury Department and specifies details about official coinage. The Act controversially does not authorize a silver dollar for domestic use, leading to it being known as 'The Crime of ’73.'

Ulysses S. Grant was inaugurated as the 18th President of the United States, marking the beginning of his second term in office.

Grant signs the Civil Rights Act of 1875, guaranteeing black Americans equal rights in public places and prohibiting their exclusion from jury duty. The act includes no enforcement provisions and will be declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1883. School integration, championed by the now-deceased Charles Sumner, is not included in the bill. The act, nevertheless, creates an important precedent.

Ulysses S. Grant is inaugurated for a second term. In his second inaugural, Grant expresses gratitude for the honor conferred upon him and promises to render the best services within his power to the countrymen. He also acknowledges the overwhelming responsibilities he has carried since the firing upon Fort Sumter in April 1861.

Two hundred and thirty-eight people are accused of conspiring in the 'Whiskey Ring Scandal,' which charges distillers and Treasury Department officials with colluding to evade liquor taxes. President Grant's Private Secretary Orville E. Babcock is later implicated.

Ulysses S. Grant opened the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which celebrated the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Ulysses S. Grant announced that he will not run for a third term as president.

General George A. Custer and 266 Americans are killed by Sioux Indians in the Battle of Little Bighorn, intensifying anti-Native American sentiment and negating Grant’s Peace Policy.

The Compromise of 1877 serves as the basis for settling the 1876 presidential election. It involves Democrats conceding the Presidency to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes in exchange for the complete withdrawal of federal troops from the South, marking the end of the Reconstruction Era and the ushering in of Jim Crow laws.

The Republican National Convention meets in Chicago, with delegates divided between the followers of James G. Blaine and the stalwarts led by Senator Roscoe Conkling of New York. The convention ends with the nomination of James A. Garfield, despite 306 delegates still voting for Grant.

On March 6, 1884, the firm of Grant and Ward collapsed due to a swindler, Ferdinand Ward, luring Ulysses Grant, Jr. into a partnership, resulting in substantial debts for General Grant.

On July 18, 1885, Ulysses S. Grant completes The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant, which are published by Mark Twain's publishing company, Charles A. Webster.

On July 23, 1885, Ulysses S. Grant passes away. He is laid to rest in a temporary tomb in Riverside Park in New York City.

Funeral services for Grant are held at Mount McGregor, and a memorial service is held in London's Westminster Abbey. The coffin is carried by special train to Albany and displayed in the state Capitol, then taken to City Hall in New York City.

Three Presidents of the United States attend the burial services, and Union and Confederate Generals ride together in carriages. Grant's coffin is placed in a temporary tomb at Riverside Park.

Grant's tomb is dedicated on what would have been his 75th birthday, after the coffin had been privately transferred 10 days earlier.