Personal Memoirs [Paperback]

“The foremost military memoir in the English language, written in a clear, supple style . . . a masterpiece.” —Ron Chernow, inGrant

Faced with cancer and financial ruin, Ulysses S. Grant wrote his personal memoirs to secure his family's future—and won himself a unique place in American letters. Acclaimed by writers as diverse as Mark Twain and Gertrude Stein, Grant's memoirs demonstrate the intelligence, intense determination, and laconic modesty that made him the Union's foremost commander. Personal Memoirsis devoted almost entirely to his life as a soldier, tracing the trajectory of his extraordinary career from West Point cadet to general-in-chief of all Union armies. With their directness and clarity, his writings on war are without rival in American literature.

This edition of Grant’sPersonal Memoirsincludes an indispensable introduction and explanatory notes by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian James M. McPherson.Introduction by James M. McPherson
Suggestions for Further Reading
Maps and Illustrations
Preface
1. Ancestry—Birth—Boyhood
2. West Point—Graduation
3. Army Life—Causes of the Mexican War—Camp Salubrity
4. Corpus Christi—Mexican Smuggling—Spanish Rule in Mexico—Supplying Transportation
5. Trip to Austin—Promotion to Full Second Lieutenant—Army of Occupation
6. Advance of the Army—Crossing the Colorado—The Rio Grande
7. The Mexican War—The Battle of Palo Alto—The Battle of Resaca de la Palma—Army of Invasion—General Taylor—Movement on Camargo
8. Advance on Monterey—The Black Fort—The Battle of Monterey—Surrender of the City
9. Political Intrigue—Buena Vista—Movement against Vera Cruz—Siege and Capture of Vera Cruz
10. March to Jalapa—Battle of Cerro Gordo—Perote—Puebla—Scott and Taylor
11. Advance on thelD