Gen. Ulysses S. Grant - I LOVE this man! I know we shouldn't worship people, but I can't help but admire him. He never gave up. He never said die. He chose a moral course and STUCK TO IT no matter what. He did the right thing. And when he made a mistake, he corrected it, no muss, no fuss. On behalf of my ancestors that the Union Army freed, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
@James dow Yep, usually people who are truly humane aren't understood or appreciated as much as they should be. And they do get slammed with jealousy often. I've seen it happen. As for Scots culture, I can't comment in any informed way because I don't really know any Scots people. Hopefully I'll be lucky enough to experience Scotland the Scots firsthand some day. I can say I admire their their repeated fights for independence! Gotta respect that!
Grant's greatest talent was Brown nosing Stanton. He guilt for Native American genocide makes him one of the most evil man in US History. For the truth www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TCpPK8lNSzIyYPQSSC9KzCtRKM1LSS1SSMssSgUAsqcLBA&q=grant+under+fire&oq=gran&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j46l2j0j69i60.5425j0j9&client=ms-android-cricket-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=NBgMYZrGRu7lUM
@@kansashoneybadger7899 Jackson was a Unionist who threatened to invade SC during the Nullification Crisis. Farragut from Tennessee won the Civil War so sorry that don't fly. Try again without your anti-southern bias
@@kansashoneybadger7899 so if the Cherokee were upset at the South why did they join the CSA? Part of Cherokee Declaration of Secession "Throughout the Confederate States we saw this great revolution effected without violence or the suspension of the laws or the closing of the courts. The military power was nowhere placed above the civil authorities. None were seized and imprisoned at the mandate of arbitrary power. All division among the people disappeared, and the determination became unanimous that there should never again be any union with the Northern States. Almost as one man all who were able to bear arms rushed to the defense of an invaded country, and nowhere has it been found necessary to compel men to serve or to enlist mercenaries by the offer of extraordinary bounties". "But in the Northern States the Cherokee people saw with alarm a violated Constitution, all civil liberty put in peril, and all the rules of civilized warfare and the dictates of common humanity and decency unhesitatingly disregarded. In States which still adhered to the Union a military despotism has displaced the civil power and the laws became silent amid arms. Free speech and almost free thought became a crime." "The right to the writ of habeas corpus, guaranteed by the Constitution, disappeared at the nod of a Secretary of State or a general of the lowest grade. The mandate of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was set at naught by the military power, and this outrage on common right approved by a President sworn to support the Constitution. War on the largest scale was waged, and the immense bodies of troops called into the field in the absence of any law warranting it under the pretense of suppressing unlawful combination of men. The humanities of war, which even barbarians respect, were no longer thought worthy to be observed." Tahlequah, C. N., October 28, 1861. THOMAS PEGG, President National Committee. JOSHUA ROSS, Clerk National Committee. Concurred. LACY MOUSE, Speaker of Council. THOMAS B. WOLFE, Clerk Council. Approved. JNO. ROSS.
@@kansashoneybadger7899 I oppose the Union remedy for Slavery. It was Colonization, Segragation and Subjugation. Lee said that the best men of the South always favored Emancipation but unless some humane method is proposed you do them a disservice by freeing them. Illinois antebellum Black Codes gave Free Blacks less legal protection than Code Noir Laws gave Slaves. Northern Banks held more Slaves as Collateral than any State held in person. Premiums on Escape Insurance and interest on Loans were quite Lucrative. If the North had offered to reschedule loans to facilitate the they might have the moral high ground but they didn't. Immediate uncompensated emancipation meant foreclosure for Plantations, starvation for Slaves and siezure of Cotton Lands by Textile Industry. The North's #1 revenue source, textiles depended on slave grown cotton. More Free Blacks lived in the South because of the severity of the Northern Black Codes. More Free Black Professionals lived in NOLA than all the Northern Cities combined only Charleston rivaled it. The Richest Blacks in America lived in Louisiana and the top 500 richest Blacks lived in the South. So under a system undergoing gradual emancipation called Slavery is better than Jim Crow and Segragation brought by Carpet Baggers who seized the Cotton Lands. Edwin Stanton issued genocidal orders against Native Americans at Mankato Keysville Bear River Sand Creek Killdeer MT Whitestone Hill and Bosque Redondo. After Lincoln's death Stanton maintained control of the Bureau of Indian affairs in the War Dept and refused all treaties. Grant could have stopped it after Stanton died but he let it continue. President Jackson and General Jackson are two different people.
Amitoj Chopra He’s criminally under-appreciated in this country, and it’s a damn shame because he’s one of the most important Americans to ever live. Revisionist history did a lot of harm to his reputation.
Ron Chernow is a wonderful writer/historian… he writes in a delightful, fully informed and thoughtfully researched way. Such an easy way to learn history..
For several years I have been writing with many academic friends that we have always underestimated and underrated Grant. The Leadership level is off the charts.
Part of the re-writing of history by Southern historians. Elevate Lee, destroy Grant, erase Andrew Johnson's racism, erase Longstreet, bury Reconstruction, erase the Tulsa Massacre, etc.
A most interesting thing about Grant is that he is the US President who did the most of any president to secure and enforce the rights of African Americans to full citizenship. The fact that Woodrow Wilson, whose racism has been painted over by historians, criticized Grant for that fact. After Grant, no president did as much for African Americans until maybe LBJ.
Never trust intellectual academicians. They promote and cover for their own and are too critical of those they consider beneath them. Wilson was one of their own so they covered for his multiple mistakes. He presidency was one of the worst in respect to the long term negative effects his actions had on the country and the world. For years the hated Grant because he personified the common man. They underrated his presidency and still continue to try to paint him out as a drunk as this author is looking for justification in doing. What people forget is that the post war period was a very difficult time to be a president. Not only was he dealing with reconstruction, but the expansion out west and post war economic boom opened up vast economic opportunities and made the situation also ripe to graft. No president had ever had to deal with this number of multiple issues at one time. Many of which had never presented themselves before then. Grant gets criticized for the scandals that happened during his administration. Well the country was growing and expanding at such an alarming rate that there was bound to be graft involved at multiple levels.
I'm only half way through this book but I do not feel like Chernow is trying to paint Grant as a drunk...quite the opposite, the book seems to tell the tale of a man who often battled depression and struggled to shake a bad public reputation that he never truly deserved.
@@WILTALK I don't think that's what Ron Chernow was doing based on the interview. But I haven't read the book so I cannot say that you are wrong. I can say I admire your admiration for Grant. Also, I'm an African American. He did so much for my people that I can forgive him almost anything, ANYTHING. The Civil War resulted in a LOT of Union Army veterans with addiciton problems, partly because of the trauma I'm sure, and also because the way medical professionals used opium back then. They weren't as aware of the dangers I think. So Grant, although an alcoholic, wasn't alone. And apparently, per Chernow, he wasn't violent when drunk. So again, rightly or wrongly, I forgive him. I owe him, on behalf of my family, too much not too. And I'm glad to.
@@mariomanningfan According to Chernow's book, U.S. Grant was almost certainly an alcoholic who was able to impose a stern self-discipline and to give up alcohol.
OMG what a great book just finished it. this should be required reading in all schools. This is also a wonderful interview with General Petraeus and Ron Chernow.. I was very informed about the rancor in the south after the civil war. The issues of KKK and white supremacy were truly shocking . What a wonderful magnanimous character Grant had. This could well be the best book other than the bible that i have ever read. There is nobody like this today. The corruption everywhere was also shocking. My favorite part was when the solders were coming out of Vicksburg and the union solders showed respect and even gave them food from their own backpack instead of screaming insults at a defeated foe Thanks Ron for this wonderful book that has so opened my eyes as to how humans should behave toward one another with such contrast to selfish greed of the times.
"..union solders showed respect and even gave them food from their own backpack instead of screaming insults at a defeated foe.." It is definitely interesting that through a big chunk of history - maybe not as much in the early years - but how many times U.S. soldiers very easily shared their food with a recently liberated peoples, defeated foe or belligerent populace. Didn't listen to the whole interview but also learn about the terms of surrender at Appomatox to see how Lincoln and Grant wanted the southeners treated and then read how they were treated by the government after Lincoln's death. There was enouh death and suffering, fear of protracted guerrilla warfare, help the rebels to come back into the Union, let them keep what they needed to return to their farms and become productive.
I read Ron Chernows book on Grant and I enjoyed it. However, Bruce Catton did a two volume work that I enjoyed even more. Grant Takes Command, and Grand Heads South. These two books were what made me respect and admire Grant above all other generals in history. What a great man Grant was, I am glad that finally people in the current generation are starting to understand his greatness. I truly hope that one day they do a movie about Grant and do it well. I have never seen a movie or documentary that ever captured the true essence of Grant.
I struggled with understanding the Civil War. There was no real pattern with the numerous battles in many locations. But when I began to focus on Grant the war began to make sense. And his relationship with Lincoln was very deep. Including the important post war reunion and repairing a nation.
"no real pattern with the numerous battles in many locations" It's been 2 years and you'll probably never see it but what the hell - While there were some battles that took place in some random places you have to think of a few things. For the Union (check Winfield Scott's "Anaconda Plan" for starters) - 1) Take Richmond (the CS capitol), 2) Cut the Confederacy in half and control movement along the Mississippi River, 3) Control the shoreline - i.e. set up a naval blockade and stop supplies from reaching the Confederacy. For the Confederates - 1) Stop the Union Army from taking Richmond 2) Defeat the Union Army on Northern soil, 3) Threaten Washington, D.C., 4) try to make the Northern populace tired of war and vie for settlement. 5) Try to get at least one European power to recognize the Confederacy and who will step in to try to mediate peace. Not really complicated at all.
When she was considering having surgery to correct her eyes, General Grant told her not to do it because he fell in love with her and her eyes and would'nt want her to change. They clearly loved each other.
I read his bios of Hamilton and Washington before starting this bio of Grant. He and Washington appeared to have many character features in common. They were tenacious and humble but quietly confident. Grant was obviously a better overall General than Washington but they both got the job done and moved the US forward. Grant deserves more credit for what he accomplished. He attempted to right an incredible evil that the US still hasn’t dealt with in many ways. His father was difficult but Grant fulfilled the man’s beliefs about slavery. He fulfilled the Commandment of Honoring his parents. People in the South have always done a lot of bible waving but Grant and Lincoln took it to heart. Chernow did a thorough job of rehabilitating the character of a truly great man. It was gratifying to see that while he was alive he received recognition worldwide. Never totally discount people because they can often surprise you in many ways. I held quite a few dull jobs before finding the one that sparked my imagination.
For what it's worth, Grant during his day was hailed as one of the greatest American Heroes since Washington. Even later on, Theodore Roosevelt listed Grant alongside Abraham Lincoln and George Washington as the three greatest Americans in his estimation. Even Eisenhower would say that Grant was one of the greatest Generals in American History, and that his military genius was unfairly unrecognized.
Seems to me that Grant never gets the kudos, from a military perspective, that he deserves. In the early stages of the war, he was actively undermined by his own superiors and later tagged with the 'butcher' monicker for his tactics in the Overland campaign when he slugged it out when so many of his predecessors had turned turtle and retreated. A masterful warrior who had the strength of character to follow his star.
That's because the apologists for the south did a good job of character assassination. Truth is, Grant's casualties percentage while he led the Army of the West was lower than Lee's for the ANV.
Those who criticise Grant's Overland Campaign neglect the pressure for a decisive victory to help secure Lincoln's re-election. Cold Harbor was a result of this incredible pressure affecting Grant's better judgement. The prospect of an incompetent opportunist like McClellan beating Lincoln and compromising the successful conclusion of the war would have been intolerable.
It's a long story of character assassination by confederate apologists. In truth he lost less men than Lee did. His army of the west was the most successful army of the war.
@Scalping Forever Grant was the best strategist - either side - the CW produced; the South had no one that even came close .... a joke and a nazi ... you must be thinking of Guderian or Manstein.
What a great interview! Sam Grant is one of my top heroes! I hope they make that movie. They did not talk about Sam taking the slave that I think was from Julia’s family or came with Julia. Sam took him and gave him his freedom. The man at the desk told Sam that he could have a lot of money if he would sell him. Grant did not. This was when Grant was farming and work side by side with his workers. Also the letters that he and Julia wrote back and forth are so touching. I read his book. What a great man he was!
"...the good is oft interred with their bones." Thanks are due to Mr. Chernow' for his part in bringing the good the Grant did (or tried to do) back into the sunshine.
Wonderful interview by one of America's great biographers. I loved the book on Grant but the interview fills in additional details about this incredible time in our nation's history.
Glad I discovered this interview. Chernow is a delight and Patraeus is also very good at directing conversations! Back to Grant, it's unfortunate that he's not considered by the general public today (outside of historians and scholars) in the pantheon of great Americans. His story literally is the embodiment of what America is and what it stands for as a Nation. He was an imperfect man, like most of us, who had tremendous qualities that required an unfathomable situation to bring those qualities to the forefront. THEN, once those qualities were established, he built on those qualities, learning from failure along the way, to become the great man. What a tremendous individual person and my personal hero.
It is March 29, 2020 mid center of the COV quarantine here in New Orleans. Hubby and I are in good health - at home in our attic apartment on Jackson Square. Everything is shut down and will remain so for the next two weeks as we 'sit out' the order to remain inside. I bought this book when we were living in NYC and it first came out, 2017. It is a can't put down. This one, along with GRANT AND SHERMAN, and FIERCE PATRIOT and Grant's own wartime memoirs, make up a hefty section in my bookshelves. I wouldn't dream of leaving this behind. Grant is a personal hero of mine: misunderstood, underrated, a multidimensional kind of person, who, along with Sherman turned the tide of the American Civil War. That much is accepted nowadays. This is a lovely interview to watch, now I have time on my hands and can really focus on my hero...
Same here, I am reading it now too and cannot put it down. Mr. Chernow is excellent, I read Washington by him last year. Have already purchased Hamilton and it is my next read.
Brilliant book it is an exhaustive look at the man and he is not afraid to take on many of the controversies around Grant but if you look at it as whole Grant while a complex man was a really good man to his core. What would he think of what is going on in America at present?
If I had the opportunity, Grant is one of those figures from history, that I would have liked to have dinner with. I have been intrigued with him for the longest time, especially after reading his memoirs.
I felt this way learning about The Civil War in high school and having lengthy discussions with my father who shared my interest in The Civil War. After reading Grant’s Memoirs, my desire to have dinner with Grant increased ten-fold. An ordinary man who accomplished extraordinary things and a truly remarkable man.
@@31Alden Yeah, he just comes across as very low key, not at all excitable, not easily distracted, and laser focus, traits that Ron Chernow touches on. I'd like to find out things like, did he have a sense of humor, did he have any hobbies, interests outside the military, etc. And of course I'd like to know more about his warfighting thought process, his leadership style as well.
@@jeffk2278 You make great points, points I share as well. I understand Grant was quiet and reserved, but what was behind this that enabled Grant to LEAD over a million men into battle at great cost to each man? Have you read Grant’s Memoirs? Highly recommended if you haven’t. For someone who thought he couldn’t write, he wrote beautifully. I read in some of the comments that Chernow dwells too much on Grant’s drinking habits. Other commenters mentioned books by Ron White and Brooks Simpson. I will look into these books as well as Chernows as Grant is such a fascinating study. What would he think if he knew people are still writing and thinking about him? A truly great man, in my view.
@@31Alden Yes, I did read his memoirs, two rather large volumes, and found them very intriguing and fascinating (if those two words aren't synonymous). Grant clearly could write, although I believe Mark Twain did edit them in part, if not completely. That notwithstanding, the thing that just blows me away is that he wrote his memoirs as he was dying, completing them just before his death. Moreover, in the midst of being in terrible discomfort due to cancer and it being 20 years after the end of the Civil War, his memory was fully intact, and he had the clarity of thought to write this coherent masterpiece. I have not read Chernow's book and only know of it in terms of this interview. Neither have I read the other books by Ron White or Brooks Simpson you mention. I will have to look into all of those. As you can see, by my emoji, I am a huge fan of Grant...............Actually him and the Lone Ranger.
What a nice discovery is this interview. Loved the book, and admire the subject. Mr. Chernow is comprehensive in his treatment of Grant's amazing life. Those who read this biography will perhaps comes to the same conclusion I did, which is that he was the most under-appreciated president in our history, ranking with Washington and Lincoln.
Very good book. General Ulysses S. Grant the book is great, I have it and the information in the book is top notch. He is in our family line .It is so sad that people took advantage of him when he was President..
I bought this book a few months ago. It is very good and you feel the passion of the deep research. This book is a modern classic. As we are perhaps again in a modern complexity, It is very important, in my opinion, to see the challenges that we have overcome. That is us. We did those things. We did that through the concept of us. President Grant is the cornerstone of Union. Perhaps, President Grant is now what we need to look back upon.
Fascinating interview. And if they do justice to this story a movie about Grant is gonna be insanely good. I love the idea of him being a schmo with no real purpose until the situation calls for him to become the most crucial military leader in America’s history since George Washington.
Yes, he showed flashes of brilliance in the Mexican War as well. He just had no direction or purpose in a peacetime army. He didn't like the culture of it and didn't fit in. His talents were largely overlooked because of this. It took war to make him really useful and then he vaulted to the top in a hurry.
Grant's biggest weakness as President was his failure to connect with Washington insiders. He could not grasp the difference between being a General-in-Chief whose orders had to be obeyed without question and being a President who had to persuade other politicians and the voters to back his policies. Lincoln was a political master but had few friends in Washington so he packed his cabinet with insiders such as Seward, who became possibly Lincoln's best friend in Washington and acted a bit like a prime minister for Lincoln. If Grant had found such Washington allies as devoted to him as Sherman had been during the war he would have won some of the political battles he lost.
Grant won the Battle of Vicksburg. This was arguably the most important battle of the civil war. As a result of this victory, Grant and his soldiers and sailors, delivered the Mississippi back to Union control, cut off Texas from the confederacy, and cut off the south from its primary food source. When Grant won at Vicksburg, the south lost their supplies of rice, pork, molasses, and Skittles. Ok, ok, I guess you'd say sugar cane. The south never recovered from their defeat at Vicksburg. The campaign at Vicksburg ended in a siege of the city that lasted forty eight days. General Pemberton surrendered to him on July 4, 1863. The rebels were forced to surrender due to hunger. Their military position was still unassailable.
And if I recall Vicksburg didn't celebrate July 4 for 75yrs. No Vicksburg didn't surrender due to hunger. Vicksburg surrendered due to starvation. "Least we forget"
I think Chernow has the story about Grant wanting to be an “assistant” professor a little bit wrong. From other sources, the impression I got was that Grant hoped to get an appointment as an assistant professor at West Point, where they knew his ability, which would help him get a permanent professorship elsewhere when he retired from the Army. I just bought his book, though. Edit: He got it right in his book, though: “The furthest he allowed his fantasies to range ahead was to imagine himself an assistant math professor at the academy, followed by a college professorship.”
A great read about a great man. What gets me is when Grant entered West Point Military Academy, he was 5'-1" tall and weighed 117 lbs. I think this is part of the reason for his success as it enabled him to become an excellent horseman which he became renown for. Interesting also that Julia Grant had no amicable feelings for Mary Todd Lincoln due to M.T.L's jealousy of Julia Grant. They therefor declined the invitation to sit with the Lincoln's @ Fords theater the night Lincoln was assinated. So interesting as well his interaction w/ Samuel Clemens and Clemens getting him the book deal for his memoirs that saved his family from poverty.
I’m a bit surprised that on the “banning Jews” episode there is no mention that Grant’s action was due in part to a reflexive anger he had towards his overbearing and ever-hustling father who at the time was trying to sell his services to some Jewish traders as a portal of access to Grant and was constantly pestering him to cooperate in his semi-corrupt commercial side schemes. Grant’s reflexive response displayed uncharacteristic poor judgement and anger towards his father and he regretted what he had done almost immediately.
I'm a new American citizen living in Vancouver WA. I'm ashamed to say I knew nothing about our 18 President until I bought Grant on Audible. Ron Chernow, a book will be written about you, too.
@Jacques Guerrier In roughly 200+ years of history since the revolution, it's amazing how much has occurred in this country in a relatively short time compared to, say most European countries. Even more astounding is how little some of my natural born friends know of Presidents or in some cases even disregard events of the past and their significance in the grand scheme of life and culture in America. I became an American citizen many years ago now and I remember visiting the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg Pennsylvania in 2011 during the sesquicentennial celebrations. I went alone because I couldn't get any of my friends to go with me at the time. I was awed by everything I learned that hot April day and subsequently everything I began reading thereafter. Things like the advances and/or regression in medicine (depending on perspective), role of newspaper and media, photography being new way of documenting place in time apart from letters, Douglass' addresses, Lincoln's addresses, end of civil war and reconstruction, the railroad, and of course the politics of the day which included slaves and their emancipation, etc. So here's my takeaway...while it's true elements of the founding fathers devastated the lives of native peoples of this land long before the revolutionary war era, and most of them eventually perpetuated the enslavement of whole human beings and justified it right up until the doorsteps of the civil war era, it's also true that it took real courage to defy Britain, the super power of that time btw, and draft the decalaration of independence then fight to not only create a constitution but later preserve said constitution and union. If you ask me, forget DACA and it's novelty because the Founding Fathers were truly the first DREAMERS. To that effect I have to interject one quick appreciation for historians like Ron Chernow who work selflessly to help us set records straight on some of these historical figures doomed to equal parts of fame, obscurity, lies, and political intrigue of thei acts and intentions both of their own doing and by others...non-clarified until now. Lastly, let me just say and I'm speaking as an immigrant now, that though I cannot claim ancestry intimately connected or tied to this land as some of my friends would, what I can claim and feel as well as any other citizen is pride, deep pride in also being able call myself An American. I would encourage everyone both those already here and those seeking admission to never pay attention to the naysayers and usurpers of the spirit of American ideals for your political distraction. Focus instead on developing your own pride in said America, however you choose to incorporate it. It is a real thing and can be achieved. In my purview, do any of the following to show your patriotism and more: Pick up a book every now and then, participate in the discourse of the day (civilly), visit museums and landmarks when able, ask loads of questions, give loads of answers, never fear to test your knowledge against a changing world and thus never fear to change, and always, always defend this great experiment that is the USA against bigotry, laziness, and ignorance both from within and without. The forebears of this country despite their contradictions and the future generations of this country despite ideals yet to be shaped, shall both thank you for your patronage and union, as we altogether march towards prosperity as fellow countrymen, women, and neighbors.
The lack of recognition for Grants was largely a result of the southern states success of changing the narrative of the civil war from a war about slavery into so callled state rights. It lionized general lee who was defeated and surrendered to Grant. Three armies surrendered to Grant including lees army. Today there is no fort named after Grant (there was a minor fort in az that was named for him but is now a prison) while there are about a dozen major forts named after defeated southern generals like Benning and Bragg.
Poor Grant - he likely could have been a renowned author of his day had he thought through it - Lucky For The US nation he stayed not only Keep the Union together but to stitch it together after the war again.
@@flamedestroyer6 I don't think the failure of reconstruction was Grant's fault. The Southern people utterly rejected the ideal of equal rights for the ex-slaves, and the Northern people were sick of coercing the South. Grant made valiant efforts to supress the KKK but wiping it out for all time was politically impossible.
Ptab01 OutOfOrder - Yes, Grant’s memoirs are well-known and highly regarded. He wrote them as he was dying of cancer and finished them shortly before his death.
I enjoyed this interview. Petraeus is great with providing insight to the military part of Grant's Civil War campaigns. Chernow's book is excellent though the Jean Edward Smith version is excellent too. My one issue is with Grant's drinking. Chernow says he went to a small town or someplace like that to drink. I have had trouble with that comment for two reasons. After Grant became a General, he would rarely be alone with staff or aides or guards always being nearby. Grant suffered from migraines, and these were severe. It is quite possible people thought Grant was drunk when he actually fighting a migraine.
I don't think Grant was in any way disingenuous when he said Johnston was the best Confederate General. My belief is that if Johnston had been left in command, Sherman's march would have almost impossible to pull off, because Johnston would have been in front of him all through the rest of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Sherman, in his memoirs, states how difficult the the march was without any real rebel opposition.
Sam Watkins in the personal memoir Co Aytch and one of the personalities discussed in Ken Burns’ series spoke highly of Johnston. He said that he always looked out for his troops. He was very fluid, hitting when advantageous, withdrawing when losses mounted. He never took unnecessary risks. He said he and the troops were upset when he was replaced with Hood. Hood was reckless and lost his army at the Battle of Franklin. Johnston understood his resources and knew being able to continuously fight, even without great victories, was a better strategy in the long run.
Mysterious statement: "I am disposed to believe that the Author of the Universe is preparing the world to become a single nation, speaking the same language, which will hereafter render armies and navies superfluous." ~ US President Grant, Message to Congress,1873, Stated in Baha'i World Volume 9
A good movie about Ulysses Grant would help to unite the country. If at any time it was needed, it's now. General Grant saved the Union, he may help to save Democracy now.
the obsession with grants drinking is reptitive, boring and overplayed and a distraction from grants real accomplishments in the face of serious adversity.
Yeah, it's quite astonishing that they'll sweep Grant being the Arch Nemesis of the Ku Klux Klan under the table, while painting over Presidents like Woodrow Wilson that allowed them to grow to monstrous levels.
I would be interested in why he drank so much. I really haven't seen much about his relationship with his parents growing up. I think most addicts in general have had childhood trauma of some sort. He was the first born and male and men often dump their issues on to the next generation. I always find peoples childhoods are instrumental influence on their life.
I’m surprised this showed up in my feed, this being from 6 yrs ago, but i’ve been a U.S.Grant admirer since i read a biography of him by William Manchester around 45 yrs ago which peaked my interest in the Civil war to read all of Bruce Catton’s books, in addition to Grant’s 2 volume autobiography, so i enjoyed this discussion.
My daughter gave me a copy for Christmas. She got the last signed copy available when she went to a signing in Washington. I had to rebuy it on kindle so I could readjust the fonts.
RON CHERNOW ON HIRAM ULYSSES GRANT. The man we know as Ulysses S. Grant was actually named Hiram Ulysses Grant. As a boy [hating "Hiram" for some reason] he was known as "Lyss". Thomas Hamer, the Congrssman who appointed Grant to West Point, forgot all about Hiram. Remembering that Grant's mother's maiden name was Simpson and thinking that was Lyss Grant's middle name, he filled out the application in the name of "Ulysses S. Grant". When Grant arrived at West Point and discovered that the Academy had him registered under the wrong name, he tried to get the error corrected. He was told that it didn't matter what he or his parents thought his name was, the official government application said his name was "Ulysses S." and that application could not be changed. If Hiram U. Grant wanted to attend West Point, he would have to change his name."
This is an Great biography . IT'S easy reading on a complex person . IT also shows the development of the type of general we now take for granted, a thinker, planner and someone who gets the job done . Then we see a man who leads his country a la DWight Esiernhower.
For those of us who have it, it is pretty clear that Grant has ADHD. Our dopamine levels are set low so we are bored easily and chaos and conflict bring us alive. Where others freak out we are finally able to pay attention. He drank and smoked to self medicate-all to familiar, he bounced around to different jobs-classic, and his sheer will can be connected to our legendary hyperfocus... His relentlessness at Vicksburg -trying different tactics and not quitting- is classic to how we approach and solve problems. ADHD is not related to intelligence. In fact ADHD is associated with high levels of intelligence. Until this is mentioned about him, the definitive biography has not been written.
Little noted bit of history: what was cotton all about? There's a tendency to think of it as a textile -- but it was the main source of nitrogen for explosives: "gun cotton." Up until the Haber process came along, the average artillery shell needed 17 pounds of cotton for fuel.
I love Chernow. Brilliant storyteller, though it's a bit odd to have an interviewer more familiar with the military portion of Grant's career than the author himself.
I'm a big admirer of General George Thomas. I think he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Gen. Thomas's brilliant display of maneuver and superior firepower resulted in the crushing defeat of Gen. Hood? He was ahead of his time.
They missed an opportunity to discuss a comparative discussion on contemporary USA military occupations overseas and the USA military administration of the South during Reconstruction....the “Act-2” if the book to use Chernow’s metaphor.
I would have loved to listen to all of this video. I liked the content very much. Both Ron Chernow and Ret. Gen. Petraeus were very interesting, as is the topic of Grant. However, the sound was so relatively poor (not a technical or any other problem on my end), I have to find a better sound quality of this video elsewhere. Every other aspect of the video quality was quite good. But, not being able to hear it, at least as easily as the norm, really detracted from the video.
A classic of Chinese strategies is the 36 Strategies. When these two talk about Vicksburg, I keep thinking things like, "Oh, that's Strategy - Make a noise in the East and Attack at the West". Grant was a great strategist.
British General and militay historian JFC Fuller wrote a book about Grant and Lee in which he said that in the early 20th century the British military were taught how great Lee was and how bad Grant was. He said after studying them both he realized how superior Gramt was to Lee. He was very convincing. See: Grant and Lee: A Study in Personality and Generalship, JFC Fuller, 1933.
I'm suspicious of the human tendency to glorify victorious generals and then elevate them to political leadership. That being said, George Washington, U.S. Grant, and Dwight Eisenhower were superb generals and very good Presidents. We've also had a number of war hero generals who were not very good presidents.
Mrs. Grant wrote in, The Personal Memoirs of Mrs. Ulysses U. Grant: “We rented our pretty little home (in St. Louis) and hired out our four servants to persons whom we knew and who promised to be kind to them. Eliza, Dan, Julia and John belonged to me. When I visited the General during the war, I nearly always had Julia with me as nurse.” (Pages 82-83) So Mrs Grant was telling us is General Grant was fighting to free his own slaves!!!
@@GoGreen1977 Which makes it even more remarkable, because selling that man would have made Grant a great deal of money, and potentially turned his life around. It'd be like giving a house away, for free, instead of selling it.
General Petreus was a honorary president of the 7th AD Association. His father-in-law was General William Knowlton, who was a lieutenant in the 7th AD during WW2. General Knowlton, among many accomplishments, was head of West Point during the early 1970s.
Visit the new (2018)Grant Presidential Library at Mississippi State University. It a 10 million dollar addition to the Mitchell Memorial Library on the quadrangle of the University. Interestingly, at the center of the quad is the statue of Steve D. Lee, the confederate general who was the first President of the University!
Much to my dismay, I could not hear this wonderful interview because it seems the mic was not loud enough. I have a new Samsung Iphone and had to literally hold the phone to my ear. Wonderfully done by both Mr. Chernow and General Patraeus. disappointe to have
I use an iPad with a good, but affordable, set of headphones. The key is a set with pads which completely cover the ears. This attenuates background noise (you don’t need noise-cancelling phones for ordinary noise). I used to hold the iPad speaker to my ear. Listening is much better with the headphones, especially for extended periods.
I used to think Jefferson was great, looked up to him a lot. Not so much anymore Regarding Grant, I used to buy into the lost cause myth that he was a drunk, a failed president, and a general who happened to get lucky against a more talented foe. Complete 180 and now I regard him as one of the greatest generals and presidents in American history
Chernow is doing much to restore Grant's deserved high stature in American history and undo the hatchet job done to his life during Reconstruction and Jim Crow.
Gen. Ulysses S. Grant - I LOVE this man! I know we shouldn't worship people, but I can't help but admire him. He never gave up. He never said die. He chose a moral course and STUCK TO IT no matter what. He did the right thing. And when he made a mistake, he corrected it, no muss, no fuss. On behalf of my ancestors that the Union Army freed, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
@James dow Yep, usually people who are truly humane aren't understood or appreciated as much as they should be. And they do get slammed with jealousy often. I've seen it happen.
As for Scots culture, I can't comment in any informed way because I don't really know any Scots people. Hopefully I'll be lucky enough to experience Scotland the Scots firsthand some day. I can say I admire their their repeated fights for independence! Gotta respect that!
Grant's greatest talent was Brown nosing Stanton. He guilt for Native American genocide makes him one of the most evil man in US History. For the truth
www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0TCpPK8lNSzIyYPQSSC9KzCtRKM1LSS1SSMssSgUAsqcLBA&q=grant+under+fire&oq=gran&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j46l2j0j69i60.5425j0j9&client=ms-android-cricket-us-revc&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#imgrc=NBgMYZrGRu7lUM
@@kansashoneybadger7899 Jackson was a Unionist who threatened to invade SC during the Nullification Crisis. Farragut from Tennessee won the Civil War so sorry that don't fly. Try again without your anti-southern bias
@@kansashoneybadger7899 so if the Cherokee were upset at the South why did they join the CSA?
Part of Cherokee Declaration of Secession
"Throughout the Confederate States we saw this great revolution effected without violence or the suspension of the laws or the closing of the courts. The military power was nowhere placed above the civil authorities. None were seized and imprisoned at the mandate of arbitrary power. All division among the people disappeared, and the determination became unanimous that there should never again be any union with the Northern States. Almost as one man all who were able to bear arms rushed to the defense of an invaded country, and nowhere has it been found necessary to compel men to serve or to enlist mercenaries by the offer of extraordinary bounties".
"But in the Northern States the Cherokee people saw with alarm a violated Constitution, all civil liberty put in peril, and all the rules of civilized warfare and the dictates of common humanity and decency unhesitatingly disregarded. In States which still adhered to the Union a military despotism has displaced the civil power and the laws became silent amid arms. Free speech and almost free thought became a crime."
"The right to the writ of habeas corpus, guaranteed by the Constitution, disappeared at the nod of a Secretary of State or a general of the lowest grade. The mandate of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court was set at naught by the military power, and this outrage on common right approved by a President sworn to support the Constitution. War on the largest scale was waged, and the immense bodies of troops called into the field in the absence of any law warranting it under the pretense of suppressing unlawful combination of men. The humanities of war, which even barbarians respect, were no longer thought worthy to be observed."
Tahlequah, C. N., October 28, 1861.
THOMAS PEGG,
President National Committee.
JOSHUA ROSS,
Clerk National Committee.
Concurred.
LACY MOUSE,
Speaker of Council.
THOMAS B. WOLFE,
Clerk Council.
Approved.
JNO. ROSS.
@@kansashoneybadger7899 I oppose the Union remedy for Slavery. It was Colonization, Segragation and Subjugation. Lee said that the best men of the South always favored Emancipation but unless some humane method is proposed you do them a disservice by freeing them.
Illinois antebellum Black Codes gave Free Blacks less legal protection than Code Noir Laws gave Slaves. Northern Banks held more Slaves as Collateral than any State held in person. Premiums on Escape Insurance and interest on Loans were quite Lucrative. If the North had offered to reschedule loans to facilitate the they might have the moral high ground but they didn't. Immediate uncompensated emancipation meant foreclosure for Plantations, starvation for Slaves and siezure of Cotton Lands by Textile Industry. The North's #1 revenue source, textiles depended on slave grown cotton.
More Free Blacks lived in the South because of the severity of the Northern Black Codes. More Free Black Professionals lived in NOLA than all the Northern Cities combined only Charleston rivaled it. The Richest Blacks in America lived in Louisiana and the top 500 richest Blacks lived in the South. So under a system undergoing gradual emancipation called Slavery is better than Jim Crow and Segragation brought by Carpet Baggers who seized the Cotton Lands.
Edwin Stanton issued genocidal orders against Native Americans at Mankato Keysville Bear River Sand Creek Killdeer MT Whitestone Hill and Bosque Redondo. After Lincoln's death Stanton maintained control of the Bureau of Indian affairs in the War Dept and refused all treaties. Grant could have stopped it after Stanton died but he let it continue. President Jackson and General Jackson are two different people.
Ron Chernow is just an amazing writer. I am glad he wrote the book on Grant and hes a hero most of us do not know enough about. Thank you!
Amitoj Chopra He’s criminally under-appreciated in this country, and it’s a damn shame because he’s one of the most important Americans to ever live. Revisionist history did a lot of harm to his reputation.
Ppoo1o
Why do you consider Grant a hero?
@@zeroeffects88 you mean truth
@@tomcockburn6939A Grant filled the opening.😎
Ron Chernow is a wonderful writer/historian… he writes in a delightful, fully informed and thoughtfully researched way.
Such an easy way to learn history..
For several years I have been writing with many academic friends that we have always underestimated and underrated Grant. The Leadership level is off the charts.
@Brad Watson Please, the absolute ignorance you are so proud of is very offensive in this otherwise intellectual space.
Part of the re-writing of history by Southern historians. Elevate Lee, destroy Grant, erase Andrew Johnson's racism, erase Longstreet, bury Reconstruction, erase the Tulsa Massacre, etc.
@Brad Watson Ok, performance art...I get it now. May your electric camels never suffer from nanomites.
Why isn’t Grant promoted to 5-star General of The Army rank? He saved the union, seems to me he deserves it!
He got alot of bad rap by democrats and the gold scandal by his cabinet
A most interesting thing about Grant is that he is the US President who did the most of any president to secure and enforce the rights of African Americans to full citizenship. The fact that Woodrow Wilson, whose racism has been painted over by historians, criticized Grant for that fact. After Grant, no president did as much for African Americans until maybe LBJ.
Never trust intellectual academicians. They promote and cover for their own and are too critical of those they consider beneath them. Wilson was one of their own so they covered for his multiple mistakes. He presidency was one of the worst in respect to the long term negative effects his actions had on the country and the world. For years the hated Grant because he personified the common man. They underrated his presidency and still continue to try to paint him out as a drunk as this author is looking for justification in doing.
What people forget is that the post war period was a very difficult time to be a president. Not only was he dealing with reconstruction, but the expansion out west and post war economic boom opened up vast economic opportunities and made the situation also ripe to graft. No president had ever had to deal with this number of multiple issues at one time. Many of which had never presented themselves before then. Grant gets criticized for the scandals that happened during his administration. Well the country was growing and expanding at such an alarming rate that there was bound to be graft involved at multiple levels.
I'm only half way through this book but I do not feel like Chernow is trying to paint Grant as a drunk...quite the opposite, the book seems to tell the tale of a man who often battled depression and struggled to shake a bad public reputation that he never truly deserved.
Josh Kim
Maybe the reason why Grant and Lincoln got on so well; Lincoln battled depression too. They saw each other as kindred spirits.
@@WILTALK I don't think that's what Ron Chernow was doing based on the interview. But I haven't read the book so I cannot say that you are wrong. I can say I admire your admiration for Grant. Also, I'm an African American. He did so much for my people that I can forgive him almost anything, ANYTHING. The Civil War resulted in a LOT of Union Army veterans with addiciton problems, partly because of the trauma I'm sure, and also because the way medical professionals used opium back then. They weren't as aware of the dangers I think. So Grant, although an alcoholic, wasn't alone. And apparently, per Chernow, he wasn't violent when drunk. So again, rightly or wrongly, I forgive him. I owe him, on behalf of my family, too much not too. And I'm glad to.
@@mariomanningfan According to Chernow's book, U.S. Grant was almost certainly an alcoholic who was able to impose a stern self-discipline and to give up alcohol.
I've always admired President/General Grant. I hope everyone reads Ron's book.
OMG what a great book just finished it. this should be required reading in all schools. This is also a wonderful interview with General Petraeus and Ron Chernow.. I was very informed about the rancor in the south after the civil war. The issues of KKK and white supremacy were truly shocking . What a wonderful magnanimous character Grant had. This could well be the best book other than the bible that i have ever read. There is nobody like this today. The corruption everywhere was also shocking. My favorite part was when the solders were coming out of Vicksburg and the union solders showed respect and even gave them food from their own backpack instead of screaming insults at a defeated foe Thanks Ron for this wonderful book that has so opened my eyes as to how humans should behave toward one another with such contrast to selfish greed of the times.
you should read Personal Memoirs, completed days before U. S Gran's death
@Brad Watson You mock our intelligence, you mock religion, you mock the memory of long dead men far greater than yourself......go away you idiot!
"..union solders showed respect and even gave them food from their own backpack instead of screaming insults at a defeated foe.." It is definitely interesting that through a big chunk of history - maybe not as much in the early years - but how many times U.S. soldiers very easily shared their food with a recently liberated peoples, defeated foe or belligerent populace. Didn't listen to the whole interview but also learn about the terms of surrender at Appomatox to see how Lincoln and Grant wanted the southeners treated and then read how they were treated by the government after Lincoln's death. There was enouh death and suffering, fear of protracted guerrilla warfare, help the rebels to come back into the Union, let them keep what they needed to return to their farms and become productive.
I read Ron Chernows book on Grant and I enjoyed it. However, Bruce Catton did a two volume work that I enjoyed even more. Grant Takes Command, and Grand Heads South. These two books were what made me respect and admire Grant above all other generals in history. What a great man Grant was, I am glad that finally people in the current generation are starting to understand his greatness. I truly hope that one day they do a movie about Grant and do it well. I have never seen a movie or documentary that ever captured the true essence of Grant.
I struggled with understanding the Civil War. There was no real pattern with the numerous battles in many locations. But when I began to focus on Grant the war began to make sense. And his relationship with Lincoln was very deep. Including the important post war reunion and repairing a nation.
"no real pattern with the numerous battles in many locations" It's been 2 years and you'll probably never see it but what the hell - While there were some battles that took place in some random places you have to think of a few things. For the Union (check Winfield Scott's "Anaconda Plan" for starters) - 1) Take Richmond (the CS capitol), 2) Cut the Confederacy in half and control movement along the Mississippi River, 3) Control the shoreline - i.e. set up a naval blockade and stop supplies from reaching the Confederacy. For the Confederates - 1) Stop the Union Army from taking Richmond 2) Defeat the Union Army on Northern soil, 3) Threaten Washington, D.C., 4) try to make the Northern populace tired of war and vie for settlement. 5) Try to get at least one European power to recognize the Confederacy and who will step in to try to mediate peace. Not really complicated at all.
... and his wife stuck by him through all of the failure and poverty. A good woman, and practically unheard of today.
She died wealthy too because of his memoirs
When she was considering having surgery to correct her eyes, General Grant told her not to do it because he fell in love with her and her eyes and would'nt want her to change. They clearly loved each other.
I read his bios of Hamilton and Washington before starting this bio of Grant. He and Washington appeared to have many character features in common. They were tenacious and humble but quietly confident. Grant was obviously a better overall General than Washington but they both got the job done and moved the US forward. Grant deserves more credit for what he accomplished. He attempted to right an incredible evil that the US still hasn’t dealt with in many ways. His father was difficult but Grant fulfilled the man’s beliefs about slavery. He fulfilled the Commandment of Honoring his parents. People in the South have always done a lot of bible waving but Grant and Lincoln took it to heart. Chernow did a thorough job of rehabilitating the character of a truly great man. It was gratifying to see that while he was alive he received recognition worldwide. Never totally discount people because they can often surprise you in many ways. I held quite a few dull jobs before finding the one that sparked my imagination.
For what it's worth, Grant during his day was hailed as one of the greatest American Heroes since Washington.
Even later on, Theodore Roosevelt listed Grant alongside Abraham Lincoln and George Washington as the three greatest Americans in his estimation. Even Eisenhower would say that Grant was one of the greatest Generals in American History, and that his military genius was unfairly unrecognized.
You gotta read Grants personal memoirs. Great read.
Washington’s handicap was that he didn’t go to West Point. He learned on the job.
Seems to me that Grant never gets the kudos, from a military perspective, that he deserves. In the early stages of the war, he was actively undermined by his own superiors and later tagged with the 'butcher' monicker for his tactics in the Overland campaign when he slugged it out when so many of his predecessors had turned turtle and retreated. A masterful warrior who had the strength of character to follow his star.
That's because the apologists for the south did a good job of character assassination. Truth is, Grant's casualties percentage while he led the Army of the West was lower than Lee's for the ANV.
Those who criticise Grant's Overland Campaign neglect the pressure for a decisive victory to help secure Lincoln's re-election. Cold Harbor was a result of this incredible pressure affecting Grant's better judgement. The prospect of an incompetent opportunist like McClellan beating Lincoln and compromising the successful conclusion of the war would have been intolerable.
It's a long story of character assassination by confederate apologists. In truth he lost less men than Lee did. His army of the west was the most successful army of the war.
@Scalping Forever How do Chinese generals fight; never heard of one that sticks in my memory ... I've heard of Grant.
@Scalping Forever Grant was the best strategist - either side - the CW produced; the South had no one that even came close .... a joke and a nazi ... you must be thinking of Guderian or Manstein.
I'm reading Personal Memoirs now -- highly recommend
What a great interview! Sam Grant is one of my top heroes! I hope they make that movie. They did not talk about Sam taking the slave that I think was from Julia’s family or came with Julia. Sam took him and gave him his freedom. The man at the desk told Sam that he could have a lot of money if he would sell him. Grant did not. This was when Grant was farming and work side by side with his workers.
Also the letters that he and Julia wrote back and forth are so touching. I read his book. What a great man he was!
God bless you amd your family through all the generations.❤
"...the good is oft interred with their bones." Thanks are due to Mr. Chernow' for his part in bringing the good the Grant did (or tried to do) back into the sunshine.
Wonderful interview by one of America's great biographers. I loved the book on Grant but the interview fills in additional details about this incredible time in our nation's history.
Glad I discovered this interview. Chernow is a delight and Patraeus is also very good at directing conversations! Back to Grant, it's unfortunate that he's not considered by the general public today (outside of historians and scholars) in the pantheon of great Americans. His story literally is the embodiment of what America is and what it stands for as a Nation. He was an imperfect man, like most of us, who had tremendous qualities that required an unfathomable situation to bring those qualities to the forefront. THEN, once those qualities were established, he built on those qualities, learning from failure along the way, to become the great man. What a tremendous individual person and my personal hero.
Grant was at once modest & awesome.
It is March 29, 2020 mid center of the COV quarantine here in New Orleans. Hubby and I are in good health - at home in our attic apartment on Jackson Square. Everything is shut down and will remain so for the next two weeks as we 'sit out' the order to remain inside. I bought this book when we were living in NYC and it first came out, 2017. It is a can't put down. This one, along with GRANT AND SHERMAN, and FIERCE PATRIOT and Grant's own wartime memoirs, make up a hefty section in my bookshelves. I wouldn't dream of leaving this behind. Grant is a personal hero of mine: misunderstood, underrated, a multidimensional kind of person, who, along with Sherman turned the tide of the American Civil War. That much is accepted nowadays. This is a lovely interview to watch, now I have time on my hands and can really focus on my hero...
Same here, I am reading it now too and cannot put it down. Mr. Chernow is excellent, I read Washington by him last year. Have already purchased Hamilton and it is my next read.
I decided to read biographies on all the presidents. I started with Chernow's book on Washington and I cant wait to get this one on Grant.
I started with the same one. Getting one of John tyler is going to be difficult lol.
@@oneldelorbe1413 i read Gary May's biography of Tyler from the NY Times Series. I actually think Tyler was a pretty interesting guy!
Brilliant book it is an exhaustive look at the man and he is not afraid to take on many of the controversies around Grant but if you look at it as whole Grant while a complex man was a really good man to his core. What would he think of what is going on in America at present?
If I had the opportunity, Grant is one of those figures from history, that I would have liked to have dinner with. I have been intrigued with him for the longest time, especially after reading his memoirs.
My sentiments the same.
I felt this way learning about The Civil War in high school and having lengthy discussions with my father who shared my interest in The Civil War. After reading Grant’s Memoirs, my desire to have dinner with Grant increased ten-fold. An ordinary man who accomplished extraordinary things and a truly remarkable man.
@@31Alden Yeah, he just comes across as very low key, not at all excitable, not easily distracted, and laser focus, traits that Ron Chernow touches on. I'd like to find out things like, did he have a sense of humor, did he have any hobbies, interests outside the military, etc. And of course I'd like to know more about his warfighting thought process, his leadership style as well.
@@jeffk2278 You make great points, points I share as well. I understand Grant was quiet and reserved, but what was behind this that enabled Grant to LEAD over a million men into battle at great cost to each man? Have you read Grant’s Memoirs? Highly recommended if you haven’t. For someone who thought he couldn’t write, he wrote beautifully. I read in some of the comments that Chernow dwells too much on Grant’s drinking habits. Other commenters mentioned books by Ron White and Brooks Simpson. I will look into these books as well as Chernows as Grant is such a fascinating study. What would he think if he knew people are still writing and thinking about him? A truly great man, in my view.
@@31Alden Yes, I did read his memoirs, two rather large volumes, and found them very intriguing and fascinating (if those two words aren't synonymous). Grant clearly could write, although I believe Mark Twain did edit them in part, if not completely. That notwithstanding, the thing that just blows me away is that he wrote his memoirs as he was dying, completing them just before his death. Moreover, in the midst of being in terrible discomfort due to cancer and it being 20 years after the end of the Civil War, his memory was fully intact, and he had the clarity of thought to write this coherent masterpiece. I have not read Chernow's book and only know of it in terms of this interview. Neither have I read the other books by Ron White or Brooks Simpson you mention. I will have to look into all of those. As you can see, by my emoji, I am a huge fan of Grant...............Actually him and the Lone Ranger.
What a nice discovery is this interview. Loved the book, and admire the subject. Mr. Chernow is comprehensive in his treatment of Grant's amazing life. Those who read this biography will perhaps comes to the same conclusion I did, which is that he was the most under-appreciated president in our history, ranking with Washington and Lincoln.
Very good book. General Ulysses S. Grant the book is great, I have it and the information in the book is top notch. He is in our
family line .It is so sad that people took advantage of him when he was President..
I enjoy both of these gentlemen. Kudos!
I bought this book a few months ago. It is very good and you feel the passion of the deep research. This book is a modern classic. As we are perhaps again in a modern complexity, It is very important, in my opinion, to see the challenges that we have overcome. That is us. We did those things. We did that through the concept of us. President Grant is the cornerstone of Union. Perhaps, President Grant is now what we need to look back upon.
Fascinating interview.
And if they do justice to this story a movie about Grant is gonna be insanely good.
I love the idea of him being a schmo with no real purpose until the situation calls for him to become the most crucial military leader in America’s history since George Washington.
Yes, he showed flashes of brilliance in the Mexican War as well. He just had no direction or purpose in a peacetime army. He didn't like the culture of it and didn't fit in. His talents were largely overlooked because of this. It took war to make him really useful and then he vaulted to the top in a hurry.
Grant's biggest weakness as President was his failure to connect with Washington insiders. He could not grasp the difference between being a General-in-Chief whose orders had to be obeyed without question and being a President who had to persuade other politicians and the voters to back his policies. Lincoln was a political master but had few friends in Washington so he packed his cabinet with insiders such as Seward, who became possibly Lincoln's best friend in Washington and acted a bit like a prime minister for Lincoln. If Grant had found such Washington allies as devoted to him as Sherman had been during the war he would have won some of the political battles he lost.
Grant won the Battle of Vicksburg.
This was arguably the most important battle of the civil war.
As a result of this victory, Grant and his soldiers and sailors, delivered the Mississippi back to Union control, cut off Texas from the confederacy, and cut off the south from its primary food source. When Grant won at Vicksburg, the south lost their
supplies of rice, pork, molasses,
and Skittles. Ok, ok, I guess you'd say sugar cane. The south never recovered from their defeat at Vicksburg.
The campaign at Vicksburg ended in a siege of the city that lasted forty eight days. General Pemberton surrendered to him on July 4, 1863. The rebels were forced to surrender due to hunger. Their military position was still unassailable.
And if I recall Vicksburg didn't celebrate July 4 for 75yrs. No Vicksburg didn't surrender due to hunger. Vicksburg surrendered due to starvation. "Least we forget"
I think Chernow has the story about Grant wanting to be an “assistant” professor a little bit wrong. From other sources, the impression I got was that Grant hoped to get an appointment as an assistant professor at West Point, where they knew his ability, which would help him get a permanent professorship elsewhere when he retired from the Army.
I just bought his book, though.
Edit: He got it right in his book, though: “The furthest he allowed his fantasies to range ahead was to imagine himself an assistant math professor at the academy, followed by a college professorship.”
What a wonderful and lucid interview by the nation's best both militarily and of scholarship.
It's funny how Grant is so underrated I guess he really wouldn't care that is why he deserves to be respected.
Some men are born to do certain things...Grant was born to be a commander of an Army...
A great read about a great man. What gets me is when Grant entered West Point Military Academy, he was 5'-1" tall and weighed 117 lbs.
I think this is part of the reason for his success as it enabled him to become an excellent horseman which he became renown for.
Interesting also that Julia Grant had no amicable feelings for Mary Todd Lincoln due to M.T.L's jealousy of Julia Grant. They therefor declined the invitation to sit with the Lincoln's @ Fords theater the night Lincoln was assinated. So interesting as well his interaction w/ Samuel Clemens and Clemens getting him the book deal for his memoirs that saved his family from poverty.
"Grant Takes Command" - Bruce Catton. Wonderful book, can't understand why everyone is so stoked over that shouthenr guy Foote
I’m a bit surprised that on the “banning Jews” episode there is no mention that Grant’s action was due in part to a reflexive anger he had towards his overbearing and ever-hustling father who at the time was trying to sell his services to some Jewish traders as a portal of access to Grant and was constantly pestering him to cooperate in his semi-corrupt commercial side schemes.
Grant’s reflexive response displayed uncharacteristic poor judgement and anger towards his father and he regretted what he had done almost immediately.
I've read Grant's Memoirs and finished it asking "Is that it?" I have Chernow's Hamilton and am half way through. Fantastic book and subject 😊
Ron is such an entertaining writer. I might have to read ALL his books just because of that.
as always; great time watching this.
I'm a new American citizen living in Vancouver WA. I'm ashamed to say I knew nothing about our 18 President until I bought Grant on Audible. Ron Chernow, a book will be written about you, too.
@Jacques Guerrier In roughly 200+ years of history since the revolution, it's amazing how much has occurred in this country in a relatively short time compared to, say most European countries. Even more astounding is how little some of my natural born friends know of Presidents or in some cases even disregard events of the past and their significance in the grand scheme of life and culture in America. I became an American citizen many years ago now and I remember visiting the Civil War Museum in Harrisburg Pennsylvania in 2011 during the sesquicentennial celebrations. I went alone because I couldn't get any of my friends to go with me at the time. I was awed by everything I learned that hot April day and subsequently everything I began reading thereafter. Things like the advances and/or regression in medicine (depending on perspective), role of newspaper and media, photography being new way of documenting place in time apart from letters, Douglass' addresses, Lincoln's addresses, end of civil war and reconstruction, the railroad, and of course the politics of the day which included slaves and their emancipation, etc.
So here's my takeaway...while it's true elements of the founding fathers devastated the lives of native peoples of this land long before the revolutionary war era, and most of them eventually perpetuated the enslavement of whole human beings and justified it right up until the doorsteps of the civil war era, it's also true that it took real courage to defy Britain, the super power of that time btw, and draft the decalaration of independence then fight to not only create a constitution but later preserve said constitution and union. If you ask me, forget DACA and it's novelty because the Founding Fathers were truly the first DREAMERS.
To that effect I have to interject one quick appreciation for historians like Ron Chernow who work selflessly to help us set records straight on some of these historical figures doomed to equal parts of fame, obscurity, lies, and political intrigue of thei acts and intentions both of their own doing and by others...non-clarified until now.
Lastly, let me just say and I'm speaking as an immigrant now, that though I cannot claim ancestry intimately connected or tied to this land as some of my friends would, what I can claim and feel as well as any other citizen is pride, deep pride in also being able call myself An American. I would encourage everyone both those already here and those seeking admission to never pay attention to the naysayers and usurpers of the spirit of American ideals for your political distraction. Focus instead on developing your own pride in said America, however you choose to incorporate it. It is a real thing and can be achieved. In my purview, do any of the following to show your patriotism and more:
Pick up a book every now and then, participate in the discourse of the day (civilly), visit museums and landmarks when able, ask loads of questions, give loads of answers, never fear to test your knowledge against a changing world and thus never fear to change, and always, always defend this great experiment that is the USA against bigotry, laziness, and ignorance both from within and without. The forebears of this country despite their contradictions and the future generations of this country despite ideals yet to be shaped, shall both thank you for your patronage and union, as we altogether march towards prosperity as fellow countrymen, women, and neighbors.
You can visit the Grant house at Fort Vancouver!
Read up on James Garfield too. We lost a good man with tremendous potential when we lost him.
Not too many Americans are familiar with President Grant. Unfortunately, our schools are doing a poor job teaching history and civics.
The lack of recognition for Grants was largely a result of the southern states success of changing the narrative of the civil war from a war about slavery into so callled state rights. It lionized general lee who was defeated and surrendered to Grant. Three armies surrendered to Grant including lees army. Today there is no fort named after Grant (there was a minor fort in az that was named for him but is now a prison) while there are about a dozen major forts named after defeated southern generals like Benning and Bragg.
Poor Grant - he likely could have been a renowned author of his day had he thought through it - Lucky For The US nation he stayed not only Keep the Union together but to stitch it together after the war again.
He did write what many considered the greatest memoir written at the time, and to this day, the greatest written by a president.
He needed work. Like a lot of men I know (including myself) our worse tendencies show themselves when hands remain idle.
Grant was a good general, but unfortunately a poor president. It was down to him that Reconstruction was able to be dismantled by Rutherford B. Hayes.
@@flamedestroyer6 I don't think the failure of reconstruction was Grant's fault. The Southern people utterly rejected the ideal of equal rights for the ex-slaves, and the Northern people were sick of coercing the South. Grant made valiant efforts to supress the KKK but wiping it out for all time was politically impossible.
Ptab01 OutOfOrder - Yes, Grant’s memoirs are well-known and highly regarded. He wrote them as he was dying of cancer and finished them shortly before his death.
I enjoyed this interview. Petraeus is great with providing insight to the military part of Grant's Civil War campaigns. Chernow's book is excellent though the Jean Edward Smith version is excellent too. My one issue is with Grant's drinking. Chernow says he went to a small town or someplace like that to drink. I have had trouble with that comment for two reasons. After Grant became a General, he would rarely be alone with staff or aides or guards always being nearby. Grant suffered from migraines, and these were severe. It is quite possible people thought Grant was drunk when he actually fighting a migraine.
Ron should now do a book on Longstreet! That would be epic!!
all interesting men.
I don't think Grant was in any way disingenuous when he said Johnston was the best Confederate General. My belief is that if Johnston had been left in command, Sherman's march would have almost impossible to pull off, because Johnston would have been in front of him all through the rest of Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. Sherman, in his memoirs, states how difficult the the march was without any real rebel opposition.
Sam Watkins in the personal memoir Co Aytch and one of the personalities discussed in Ken Burns’ series spoke highly of Johnston. He said that he always looked out for his troops. He was very fluid, hitting when advantageous, withdrawing when losses mounted. He never took unnecessary risks. He said he and the troops were upset when he was replaced with Hood. Hood was reckless and lost his army at the Battle of Franklin. Johnston understood his resources and knew being able to continuously fight, even without great victories, was a better strategy in the long run.
Mysterious statement: "I am disposed to believe that the Author of the Universe is preparing the world to become a single nation, speaking the same language, which will hereafter render armies and navies superfluous." ~ US President Grant, Message to Congress,1873, Stated in Baha'i World Volume 9
A good movie about Ulysses Grant would help to unite the country.
If at any time it was needed, it's now.
General Grant saved the Union, he may help to save Democracy now.
Recently got that book, very very fat book but super readable, fantastically well written and super interesting
Great dialogue format.
the obsession with grants drinking is reptitive, boring and overplayed and a distraction from grants real accomplishments in the face of serious adversity.
Yeah, it's quite astonishing that they'll sweep Grant being the Arch Nemesis of the Ku Klux Klan under the table, while painting over Presidents like Woodrow Wilson that allowed them to grow to monstrous levels.
If you had continued with the interview, Mr. Chernow spends considerable time explaining his opinion about Grants' drinking based on his scholarship.
Especially when you look at the time period when he lived. Most people were drunk back then, some just hid it better than others.
I think that you may be right. Excellent book.
I would be interested in why he drank so much. I really haven't seen much about his relationship with his parents growing up. I think most addicts in general have had childhood trauma of some sort. He was the first born and male and men often dump their issues on to the next generation. I always find peoples childhoods are instrumental influence on their life.
I’m surprised this showed up in my feed, this being from 6 yrs ago, but i’ve been a U.S.Grant admirer since i read a biography of him by William Manchester around 45 yrs ago which peaked my interest in the Civil war to read all of Bruce Catton’s books, in addition to Grant’s 2 volume autobiography, so i enjoyed this discussion.
My daughter gave me a copy for Christmas. She got the last signed copy available when she went to a signing in Washington. I had to rebuy it on kindle so I could readjust the fonts.
Ron Chernow is a wonderful guy and superb writer.
The "who's buried in Grant's tomb" bit gains an extra layer when you actually go there and find out his wife is down there too
Gods and Generals not so.
RON CHERNOW ON HIRAM ULYSSES GRANT.
The man we know as Ulysses S. Grant was actually named Hiram Ulysses Grant. As a boy [hating "Hiram" for some reason] he was known as "Lyss". Thomas Hamer, the Congrssman who appointed Grant to West Point, forgot all about Hiram. Remembering that Grant's mother's maiden name was Simpson and thinking that was Lyss Grant's middle name, he filled out the application in the name of "Ulysses S. Grant".
When Grant arrived at West Point and discovered that the Academy had him registered under the wrong name, he tried to get the error corrected. He was told that it didn't matter what he or his parents thought his name was, the official government application said his name was "Ulysses S." and that application could not be changed. If Hiram U. Grant wanted to attend West Point, he would have to change his name."
It worked out, because he later became known as “Unconditional Surrender” Grant.
This is an Great biography . IT'S easy reading on a complex person . IT also shows the development of the type of general we now take for granted, a thinker, planner and someone who gets the job done . Then we see a man who leads his country a la DWight Esiernhower.
Grant and Lee were similar both were successful because they was daring, did the unexpected, took risks and fought hard.
Grant--right man at the right time. Interesting.
What is needed is a lengthy discussion about the first efforts to bring the former Confederate states back into the Union.
Judy S. - From the Union point of view, they never left the Union. They were considered to be states in rebellion.
For those of us who have it, it is pretty clear that Grant has ADHD. Our dopamine levels are set low so we are bored easily and chaos and conflict bring us alive. Where others freak out we are finally able to pay attention. He drank and smoked to self medicate-all to familiar, he bounced around to different jobs-classic, and his sheer will can be connected to our legendary hyperfocus... His relentlessness at Vicksburg -trying different tactics and not quitting- is classic to how we approach and solve problems. ADHD is not related to intelligence. In fact ADHD is associated with high levels of intelligence. Until this is mentioned about him, the definitive biography has not been written.
Little noted bit of history: what was cotton all about? There's a tendency to think of it as a textile -- but it was the main source of nitrogen for explosives: "gun cotton." Up until the Haber process came along, the average artillery shell needed 17 pounds of cotton for fuel.
This wasn't used much in the Civil War
I love Chernow. Brilliant storyteller, though it's a bit odd to have an interviewer more familiar with the military portion of Grant's career than the author himself.
I don't know, General Petraus cut Chernow off a lot. It would have been nice if the flow was less interrupted.
Chernow is the most wonderful writer
Oh wow... That last story about Grant and his wife got me choked up
Waiting for "Grant" the hip-hop musical.
Just about to read chernow book
Read the book it’s terrific!!🎉🎉
One could teach a whole class on historiography just reading bios of Grant.
I'm a big admirer of General George Thomas. I think he doesn't get the credit he deserves. Gen. Thomas's brilliant display of maneuver and superior firepower resulted in the crushing defeat of Gen. Hood? He was ahead of his time.
They missed an opportunity to discuss a comparative discussion on contemporary USA military occupations overseas and the USA military administration of the South during Reconstruction....the “Act-2” if the book to use Chernow’s metaphor.
A great interview where General Petraeus interviews the author.
I would have loved to listen to all of this video. I liked the content very much. Both Ron Chernow and Ret. Gen. Petraeus were very interesting, as is the topic of Grant. However, the sound was so relatively poor (not a technical or any other problem on my end), I have to find a better sound quality of this video elsewhere. Every other aspect of the video quality was quite good. But, not being able to hear it, at least as easily as the norm, really detracted from the video.
Better yet, get a decent set of headphones. You need a set with comfortable pads which completely cover your ears. Mine are Sony.
Great discussion.
A classic of Chinese strategies is the 36 Strategies. When these two talk about Vicksburg, I keep thinking things like, "Oh, that's Strategy - Make a noise in the East and Attack at the West". Grant was a great strategist.
Grant was such a complex leader. So interesting!
his biggest battle trait. completely cool under fire. did not every get flustered, even at Shiloh
This instills great confidence in his men
British General and militay historian JFC Fuller wrote a book about Grant and Lee in which he said that in the early 20th century the British military were taught how great Lee was and how bad Grant was. He said after studying them both he realized how superior Gramt was to Lee. He was very convincing. See: Grant and Lee: A Study in Personality and Generalship, JFC Fuller, 1933.
Great discussion
Wonderful interview. I could've used a little more volume, though.
I am not a movie critic, but I thought Gettysburg was a pretty good movie concerning the Civil War.
I'm suspicious of the human tendency to glorify victorious generals and then elevate them to political leadership. That being said, George Washington, U.S. Grant, and Dwight Eisenhower were superb generals and very good Presidents. We've also had a number of war hero generals who were not very good presidents.
Washington lost more battles than he won
Look at the difference of the polish on the shoes between Gen Petraeus and Mr Chernow.
The generals shoes are made of patent leather.
Fabulous interview .
I know this video is 6 years old, but General Petraeus really looks great for his age.
Mrs. Grant wrote in, The Personal Memoirs of Mrs. Ulysses U. Grant: “We rented our pretty little home (in St. Louis) and hired out our four servants to persons whom we knew and who promised to be kind to them. Eliza, Dan, Julia and John belonged to me. When I visited the General during
the war, I nearly always had Julia with me as nurse.” (Pages 82-83)
So Mrs Grant was telling us is General Grant was fighting to free his own slaves!!!
Kevin King - No, because by the time the Civil War started, they had freed their slaves.
Grant freed his one slave, "given" to him by his father-in-law, before the war started when Grant was struggling economically.
@@GoGreen1977 Which makes it even more remarkable, because selling that man would have made Grant a great deal of money, and potentially turned his life around.
It'd be like giving a house away, for free, instead of selling it.
General Petreus was a honorary president of the 7th AD Association. His father-in-law was General William Knowlton, who was a lieutenant in the 7th AD during WW2.
General Knowlton, among many accomplishments, was head of West Point during the early 1970s.
Loved the interview, but the audio seems to fluctuate throughout it
a1 fr yes, very soft volume.
Visit the new (2018)Grant Presidential Library at Mississippi State University. It a 10 million dollar addition to the Mitchell Memorial Library on the quadrangle of the University. Interestingly, at the center of the quad is the statue of Steve D. Lee, the confederate general who was the first President of the University!
I feel like Grant would be embarrassed for this country if he saw the sociopathic behavior of our leaders today.
The DC of Grant's era wasn't much better
If you haven’t seen this interview, I think you will appreciate it.
Perseverance!
Great book and conversation. Chills every time General Petraeus tells the Shiloh story. Lick em' tomorrow though...
Much to my dismay, I could not hear this wonderful interview because it seems the mic was not loud enough. I have a new Samsung Iphone and had to literally hold the phone to my ear. Wonderfully done by both Mr. Chernow and General Patraeus. disappointe to have
Diana Coughlin Same here. I’m using the newest iPad Pro with volume all the way up. Plus next to my ear. 😶
I use an iPad with a good, but affordable, set of headphones. The key is a set with pads which completely cover the ears. This attenuates background noise (you don’t need noise-cancelling phones for ordinary noise). I used to hold the iPad speaker to my ear. Listening is much better with the headphones, especially for extended periods.
I used to think Jefferson was great, looked up to him a lot. Not so much anymore
Regarding Grant, I used to buy into the lost cause myth that he was a drunk, a failed president, and a general who happened to get lucky against a more talented foe. Complete 180 and now I regard him as one of the greatest generals and presidents in American history
Chernow is doing much to restore Grant's deserved high stature in American history and undo the hatchet job done to his life during Reconstruction and Jim Crow.
Grant reminds me of Bill Belichick and the 2014 New England Patriots in Superbowl XLIX also known as the "DO YOUR JOB!" game
Blood must be spilled, to move forward ...can we move forward, with no blood spilled? Impossible in 2024
Twain wasn't always a shrewd businessman, his efforts at funding the Paige Compositor essentially bankrupted him.
Fantastic conversation between two fine Americans...
Hi yall, turn the volume up
Volume is low.
Steve H - Yes, much too low.
Can barely hear. 😞
Steve H I’m glad to know it’s not just my volume. I am straining to hear both men, especially Mr. Chernow, he has such a soft voice.