Ulysses S. Grant: Re-emerging

In the last three days, #Grant has been trending on social media as the History Channel’s new documentary airs. This re-emergence Ulysses S. Grant’s popularity has sparked the anticipated discussions about the general, the president, and—of course—the new look at the leader.

Inspired, we looked back in the ECW Archives and have collected a number of posts about Grant into one post for easy exploration! And stay tuned…we have more about Grant coming up on the blog in the next few days.

Eastern Theater vs. Western Theater: Where The Civil War Was Won And Lost – Series

Ulysses S. Grant’s Long Road from Donelson to Lowell

General Grant (LOC)

Surprise at Shiloh

Grant Takes Command In The West

An Adventure With Dad

Grant Ascending . . .

Scenes from Vicksburg – Series

Rosecrans Out; Grant In

In the Wake of Vicksburg, U. S. Grant as Commander of the Army of the Potomac?

Grant the Butcher?

Grant’s Command Post

“The” Turning Point of the War: The Wilderness, not Gettysburg

Edwin Forbes’s sketch of troops cheering for Grant after the Wilderness. (LOC)

ECW Weekender: Where Grant Turned South

Eye of the Storm

On the Road to Guiney Station

Camp at Mangohick Church

“If You Realized What Is Going To Happen in the Morning…”

Grant: “I should change Spotts if I was able, and could improve N. Anna and Cold Harbor.”

A Farewell to Arms

Not the Only Lemon Lover: A Couple of Recipes from Ulysses S. Grant

Grant Sets Sail

Grant (center in the helmet) with Julia and the entourage at Karnak, Egypt.

Grant In Egypt

July 1, 1884: Grant’s “New Disaster of Shiloh”

Wilderness and Ward and Ulysses S. Grant

ECW Weekender: The U.S. Grant Hotel in San Diego

On Location: Grant Cottage

Cancer and Bitterness: Ulysses S. Grant Nurses His Sickness

Grant Memorial Poetry – Series

CW & Pop Culture: Breaking Down the “Truths” of The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

A Conversation with Author Robert Conner on Grant’s Dying Days

“Grant” by Ron Chernow – A Review

Book Review: “Grant Under Fire: An Exposé of Generalship & Character in the American Civil War”

Meeting Grant’s Great-Great-Grandson



9 Responses to Ulysses S. Grant: Re-emerging

  1. I thought the show was well done. The Battle of Belmont was in Missouri rather than Kentucky, though.

  2. No new info in the series. However, one of the series’ themes is spot on – Grant’s dogged determination, never-day-die attitude won the CW for the Yanks. Also, nice to see Grant getting his props as a battlefield commander.

  3. Didn’t bother watching since Ta Nahesi Coates, was involved. If you want to involve modern day racists in revisionist history …. forget it!

    1. What part was revisionist? I think you are confusing the Lost Cause version of events with an unbiased assessment of Grant.

  4. I enjoyed the tv series, but thought it was Gen. Burnside, not Gen. Lewis _____ who was in charge of the Crater assault?
    timm

  5. Far too many errors to be taken very seriously. Generals with the wrong rank, others with the wrong insignia. West Virginia was showed as a state in 1861. Many other mistakes . And did anyone else notice that Richard Ewell had somehow grown back his leg?

    If the producers of this docudrama did not care enough to get the details correct, that makes me question how much they really cared about the project.

    1. For the general public and viewing audience that knows only a little about the CW or Grant, those minor errors won’t even be noticed. If this was on PBS I’d have higher expectations. But I thought it was OK and hopefully will inspire some people to learn more. The CW needs all of the interest and exposure it can get.

  6. The Legends and Lies series on the Civil War was much better — better casting, more realistic combat scenes, and more accurate information (directed by Kevin Hershberger, an experienced reenactor and historian). The uniforms were some of the best I saw anywhere. And it was filmed in Virginia, either at or close to the actual sites portrayed in the series.

    In the Grant series, I don’t think I saw a single battle line in any of the combat scenes. Every combat scene shows unruly mobs of soldiers fighting hand-to-hand. And the soldiers have long hair to their shoulders. The actor who plays Grant has zero personality or charisma. That being said, the commentators–like Chernow, Guelzo, Garry Adelman, and the former NPS historians–have been good.

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