A general of incomparable skill, Ulysses Grant is considered by many scholars as the greatest Union hero of the Civil War. His accomplishments and courage were rare, as was his personal integrity. His rise from obscurity made him a hero to millions who could see themselves in him, an ordinary man who faced and met extraordinary challenges. His military genius culminated in Lee's surrender at Appomattox and propelled Grant to the U.S. presidency.
Renowned Civil War historian Ed Bearss dramatically recounts Grant's rise to fame by adroitly analyzing four major campaigns/ battles-Ft. Donelson, the Battle of Shiloh, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga. He evaluates Grant's military brilliance, the strategy of the critical campaigns/battles, and the other key commanders within the context of the Civil War as a whole.
02/24/2004 -- Fort Donelson (Feb. 11-16, 1862), The First Great Union Victory
Grant's bold plan leads to the surrender of the Confederates' 12,000-man garrison and opens the Deep South to direct attack; Lincoln promotes Grant to major general.
03/23/2004 -- The Battle of Shiloh (April 6-7, 1862), No Retreat
Defeat is turned into victory when Grant pushes back Confederates on the ground they had fought hard to win, leaving Memphis and Vicksburg vulnerable.
04/27/2004 -- Vicksburg (May 18-July 4, 1863), Splitting the Confederacy
In one of the most brilliant military campaigns of the war, Grant splits the Confederacy by winning five engagements against separate enemy forces and then creating a siege.
05/25/2004 -- Chattanooga (Nov. 23-25, 1863), Storming the Defense
Grant, now supreme commander of the Union armies in the West, storms the Confederate defenses at Missionary Ridge, opening the way to Atlanta and the Confederate heartland.
Independent scholar, historian, and popular Smithsonian study tour leader Ed Bearss was chief historian for military sites for the Nationa ...More...
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