This author is challenging what we know about Ulysses Grant and the Civil War

Summary

In this interview, historian Ron Chernow discusses his biography of Ulysses S. Grant, challenging misconceptions about the general-turned-president. Chernow emphasizes Grant's brilliance as a military strategist and his significant, yet often overlooked, achievements during Reconstruction, particularly in protecting African-American civil rights. He addresses Grant’s struggles with alcoholism, reframing the issue as a chronic disease, and highlights his efforts to combat the Ku Klux Klan. The conversation also touches on the divisive legacy of Confederate monuments and the historical amnesia surrounding Reconstruction. Chernow’s book offers a more nuanced understanding of Grant’s life and impact on American history.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ulysses S. Grant's legacy is often misunderstood, with some viewing him as a brutal general and incompetent president, while others see him as a brilliant strategist and a crucial political leader.
• 😀 Grant’s military success during the Civil War was due to his comprehensive strategy, coordinating multiple Union armies, rather than his individual tactical brilliance, which was often attributed to Robert E. Lee.
• 😀 Before the Civil War, Grant experienced personal and professional failures, working as a clerk in his father's leather goods store, before rising rapidly through the ranks once the war began.
• 😀 Grant’s alcoholism has been widely misunderstood; he struggled with it throughout his life, but it was not a moral failing—rather, it was a chronic disease that he eventually overcame.
• 😀 Grant's presidency, often overshadowed by scandals and nepotism, was marked by his firm protection of the civil rights of African Americans, particularly through the enforcement of the 14th and 15th Amendments.
• 😀 During his presidency, Grant fought against the violent backlash of white supremacist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, even deploying federal troops to protect African American rights and bring indictments against the Klan.
• 😀 Frederick Douglass praised Grant as a protector of African Americans, calling him 'the vigilant, firm, impartial, and wise protector of our race.'
• 😀 The monuments to Confederate leaders, built during Grant's second term, were symbols of defiance against Reconstruction and were designed to reassert Southern white supremacy.
• 😀 The civil rights movement of the late 1860s and 1870s, which sought to extend equality to African Americans, is often overlooked in American history due to the violent resistance it faced.
• 😀 Ron Chernow’s book *Grant* offers a comprehensive look at both the Civil War and Reconstruction, challenging the historical narrative that often skips over the important developments of Reconstruction.

Q & A

What was the main focus of Ron Chernow's biography of Ulysses S. Grant?

Ron Chernow’s biography of Ulysses S. Grant focuses on dispelling the common myths surrounding Grant's character and leadership. Chernow aims to present Grant as a brilliant military strategist and a committed protector of civil rights during Reconstruction, challenging negative stereotypes that have long surrounded him.

How does Ron Chernow challenge the portrayal of Grant as a 'brutal and clumsy' general?

Chernow counters this portrayal by highlighting Grant's strategic brilliance during the Civil War. He explains that while Robert E. Lee was a skilled tactician, it was Grant who had a comprehensive plan for ending the war, coordinating multiple armies with a broader strategic vision.

What was Grant’s pre-war life like, and how did it influence his leadership during the Civil War?

Before the war, Grant struggled with multiple business failures and worked as a clerk in a leather goods store. His pre-war life of hardship gave him a sense of daring and resilience, qualities that enabled him to rise quickly through the ranks during the war and take bold military actions.

How does Chernow address the controversy surrounding Grant's drinking?

Chernow reframes Grant's drinking problem by treating it as a chronic disease rather than a moral failing. He acknowledges Grant’s alcoholism but argues that it was something Grant struggled with throughout his life and eventually overcame by the end of his career.

What aspect of Grant’s presidency does Chernow emphasize in his biography?

Chernow emphasizes Grant's leadership in protecting the newly freed African Americans during Reconstruction. He details Grant’s efforts to enforce civil rights, combat the Ku Klux Klan, and ensure the passage of the 14th and 15th Amendments, despite the violent backlash in the South.

Why is Ulysses S. Grant often seen as a 'vigilant' protector of African Americans?

Grant is seen as a protector of African Americans because he actively fought against the rise of white supremacist violence, especially from groups like the Ku Klux Klan. He took decisive action, including sending federal troops to the South and pursuing legal measures to dismantle the Klan, ensuring African Americans could enjoy their rights as citizens.

What role did the Confederate monuments play in post-Civil War America, according to Chernow?

Chernow explains that the Confederate monuments were built toward the end of Grant's second term and served as symbols of defiance against Reconstruction. They were used to reassert Southern white supremacy and to oppose the progress made by African Americans during the Reconstruction era.

What does Chernow believe Americans tend to forget about the Civil War and Reconstruction?

Chernow believes that many Americans focus heavily on the Civil War itself but forget about Reconstruction, which he considers a crucial part of the same historical drama. He argues that there is widespread amnesia regarding the civil rights movement of the late 19th century and the violent backlash against African American progress.

What is the significance of Grant's actions against the Ku Klux Klan?

Grant's actions against the Ku Klux Klan were significant because they demonstrated his commitment to enforcing the civil rights of African Americans. He sent federal troops to the South, made legal efforts to suppress Klan activities, and pursued thousands of indictments to combat the violence and terror that the Klan instigated.

Why does Ron Chernow choose to focus on large historical figures like Ulysses S. Grant in his writing?

Chernow is drawn to writing about major historical figures because their lives serve as prisms through which larger, pivotal moments in American history can be understood. He aims to tell the stories of individuals who were central to shaping the country and its institutions, particularly those who have been overlooked or misunderstood in the broader historical narrative.