Ulysses S. Grant – Posthumous Promotion

Introduction

If you look through the new FY2023 U.S. Defense Authorization Bill, you will see a familiar name: Ulysses S. Grant.

Ulysses S. Grant has the chance to be honored posthumously if the bill is approved. This section of the bill, section 587, would promote Grant, giving him the rank of General of the Armies of the U.S. Ulysses would be just the third person in U.S. history to receive this rank (John J. Pershing and George Washington).

The bill states the following:

SEC. 587. POSTHUMOUS APPOINTMENT OF ULYSSES S. GRANT TO GRADE OF GENERAL OF THE AR5 MIES OF THE UNITED STATES.

The President is authorized to appoint Ulysses S. Grant posthumously to the grade of General of the Armies of the United States equivalent to the rank and precedence held by General John J. Pershing pursuant to the Act entitled ‘‘An Act Relating to the creation of the office of General of the Armies of the United States’’, approved September 3, 1919 (41 Stat. 283, chapter 56).

Grant’s Life

Hiram Ulysses Grant (Ulysses S. Grant) was born in 1822 on the Ohio River. He was the son of Jesse and Hannah Grant. His father was a tanner and Grant hated the tanning business.

Ulysses would eventually procure an appointment to West Point in which he attended and graduated in the middle of his class. Ulysses then went on to serve in the military and during the Mexican War.

Ulysses, prior to the outbreak of the war, fell in love with Julia Dent. The two would be wed years later. After the war, Grant returned home and tried his hand at various business ventures, all of which failed.

Grant did not find success until the outbreak of the Civil War. Grant made his name with victories at Fort Henry, Donelson and Shiloh. Grant then went on to capture Vicksburg and then save the Union army at Chattanooga.

Grant was then promoted to command of all Union forces and began his Overland Campaign, eventually defeating Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia.

Following the war, Grant was elected as the 18th president of the United States. He would make Civil Rights a chief priority of his presidency. Grant was truly our first Civil Rights president.

Grant would eventually be diagnosed with throat cancer and finished his memoirs just before his death, leaving Julia and his family well cared for.

Summary

Ulysses S. Grant was one of the greatest Americans to ever live. It is hard to overestimate his contribution to the Union victory of the Civil War and his promotion of Civil Rights for African Americans. This is an honor well deserved of the Ohio born general and president and we would love to see this promotion granted.