madtechventures.com – In “Grant’s Final Victory: Ulysses S. Grant’s Heroic Last Year,” historian Charles W. Calhoun provides a compelling exploration of the final year in the life of Ulysses S. Grant, the renowned Union general and 18th president of the United States. This book offers an in-depth examination of Grant’s personal and public life in the last year of his life, from the challenges he faced, including his fight against terminal illness and financial ruin, to his triumphs and legacy.
Though Ulysses S. Grant is most celebrated for his leadership during the Civil War, his life after the war was filled with adversity, including struggles with poverty, scandal, and personal loss. However, in his final year, Grant’s life took a poignant turn, as he achieved a final, unexpected victory—one that cemented his place in American history. Calhoun’s work provides not only a detailed narrative of Grant’s last year but also insight into how these events influenced the legacy of a man who had already won the greatest military conflict in American history. This article will explore the themes of Grant’s final year, focusing on the historical context, the challenges he faced, and the victory he achieved.
The Final Year: 1884 – A Life in Decline
Grant’s last year, 1884, was defined by both personal and professional struggles. He had already been diagnosed with throat cancer, a disease that would ultimately take his life in July 1885. His health was rapidly declining, and it became evident that he was fighting not only for his life but also for his legacy. For most of his life, Grant had faced significant adversity, whether in his early military career, his presidency, or in his personal finances. By 1884, however, those adversities had intensified, with the looming shadow of illness and financial ruin threatening to overshadow his legacy.
Personal Financial Ruin and Determined Resolve
At the time of his diagnosis with throat cancer, Grant was in a precarious financial position. In the years following his presidency, Grant had invested in a number of ventures, including a brokerage firm that went bankrupt in 1884, leaving him deeply in debt. Despite his fame as a Civil War hero and former president, Grant was nearly destitute. This financial ruin, combined with his deteriorating health, made his situation more dire.
Calhoun’s book provides insight into how Grant responded to this crisis. Despite his illness and financial troubles, Grant’s determination to provide for his family and secure his legacy never wavered. It was during this period that Grant made the decision to write his memoirs—a work that would later become one of the most important literary contributions to American history. With his health failing and his finances in shambles, Grant turned to writing as a means of securing his family’s future.
Grant’s decision to write his memoirs was driven by necessity. He was aware that the royalties from his book could provide a much-needed financial cushion for his wife, Julia Grant, and their children. In Calhoun’s narrative, the writing of these memoirs becomes a focal point of Grant’s final year, as it represents not only his literary achievement but also his personal resolve in the face of overwhelming adversity.
The Memoirs: Grant’s Literary Triumph
One of the most significant achievements of Grant’s last year was the completion of his Personal Memoirs. Despite his physical suffering, Grant labored tirelessly over the manuscript, dictating portions to his secretary, Adam Badeau, and revising drafts himself. The memoirs would later be published posthumously and would become an enduring part of Grant’s legacy, admired for their candidness, clarity, and insight into the Civil War.
In Calhoun’s assessment, the memoirs are the product of Grant’s character: honest, direct, and unflinching in their portrayal of his experiences. Grant did not embellish his own role in the Civil War, nor did he seek to glorify his military campaigns. Instead, he focused on providing a detailed, factual account of his campaigns, offering a clear and thorough perspective on his leadership decisions, the battles he fought, and the men he served with. It was a remarkable effort, considering that Grant was facing both a terminal illness and significant personal hardship.
The success of Personal Memoirs was not only financial but also deeply personal. Grant’s memoirs would help restore his reputation, which had been tarnished by the political scandals and economic difficulties of his presidency. The publication of the memoirs helped cement Grant’s status as one of America’s greatest military leaders and offered the world an opportunity to hear his side of the story—a final vindication for a man whose leadership had been critical in preserving the Union during the Civil War.
Grant’s Battle with Throat Cancer
While Grant’s literary success represented a final victory, it did not come without significant personal sacrifice. The author’s account of Grant’s battle with throat cancer is heart-wrenching. By the time Grant began writing his memoirs, his health was deteriorating rapidly. The cancer, which would eventually take his life, caused severe pain and made it difficult for Grant to speak and eat. Despite this, he remained committed to completing his work, understanding the immense value it held for his family and his legacy.
Calhoun draws attention to Grant’s resilience in the face of this illness. His determination to finish the memoirs, despite the agony of his condition, speaks to his strength of character and his enduring sense of duty. Grant’s courage in facing the end of his life with dignity and resolve was one of the defining qualities of his final year. He faced the same challenges that had shaped his military career: an ability to keep moving forward, even in the most dire circumstances.
In the final months of his life, Grant continued to work on the memoirs with the help of his secretary, despite the worsening effects of his illness. He dictated as much as he could, pushing through the pain and exhaustion to complete the work that would stand as his legacy.
The Completion of Grant’s Memoirs
As Grant’s health continued to decline, his completion of the memoirs became a testament to his resilience and unyielding determination. He finished the manuscript in the spring of 1885, just a few months before his death. Grant’s victory in completing the memoirs is remarkable not just because of the literary achievement it represents, but because it exemplifies Grant’s life-long commitment to duty—a commitment that had been a constant throughout his military and presidential career.
The memoirs were eventually published in two volumes, and their success was immediate. The book became a bestseller, and the royalties were more than enough to secure the financial future of Grant’s family. It also gave Grant the opportunity to shape his own legacy, offering a direct account of his actions and decisions during the Civil War, without the distortion of others’ opinions or criticisms.
Grant passed away on July 23, 1885, just two months after the memoirs were completed. His death marked the end of a remarkable life—one that had witnessed both extraordinary triumphs and difficult failures. However, his final victory—the completion of his memoirs—was a fitting culmination of his career, proving that Grant’s character and resolve would endure even in his last months.
The Enduring Legacy of Grant’s Final Year
“Grant’s Final Victory” provides readers with a deeply human portrayal of Ulysses S. Grant, showing a man who faced his final days with courage, humility, and determination. Charles W. Calhoun’s biography underscores the importance of Grant’s memoirs in securing his legacy and in providing a comprehensive account of the Civil War from the perspective of one of its most instrumental figures.
Grant’s final victory, then, was not just a personal triumph over illness or financial hardship, but a victory for his place in history. Through the writing of his memoirs, Grant ensured that his contributions to the Civil War and to the preservation of the Union would be remembered for generations to come. The impact of his memoirs extends far beyond their immediate financial success, serving as a lasting testament to his leadership, strategic brilliance, and moral fortitude.
In conclusion, “Grant’s Final Victory” by Charles W. Calhoun provides a moving and insightful look into the last year of Ulysses S. Grant’s life—a year marked by adversity, but also by a final, heroic victory. Through the completion of his memoirs, Grant achieved a lasting triumph that secured his place in American history and reaffirmed his reputation as one of the nation’s most significant military figures.