PERSONAL MEMOIRS OF U. S. GRANT
by Ulysses S. Grant
PREFACE.
"Man proposes and God disposes." There are but few importantevents in the affairs of men brought about by their own choice.
Although frequently urged by friends to write my memoirs I haddetermined never to do so, nor to write anything for publication.At the age of nearly sixty-two I received an injury from a fall,which confined me closely to the house while it did not apparentlyaffect my general health. This made study a pleasant pastime.Shortly after, the rascality of a business partner developed itselfby the announcement of a failure. This was followed soon after byuniversal depression of all securities, which seemed to threatenthe extinction of a good part of the income still retained, and forwhich I am indebted to the kindly act of friends. At this juncturethe editor of the Century Magazine asked me to write a few articlesfor him. I consented for the money it gave me; for at that moment Iwas living upon borrowed money. The work I found congenial, and Idetermined to continue it. The event is an important one for me,for good or evil; I hope for the former.
In preparing these volumes for the public, I have entered uponthe task with the sincere desire to avoid doing injustice to anyone, whether on the National or Confederate side, other than theunavoidable injustice of not making mention often where specialmention is due. There must be many errors of omission in this work,because the subject is too large to be treated of in two volumes insuch way as to do justice to all the officers and men engaged.There were thousands of instances, during the rebellion, ofindividual, company, regimental and brigade deeds of heroism whichdeserve special mention and are not here alluded to. The troopsengaged in them will have to look to the detailed reports of theirindividual commanders for the full history of those deeds.
The first volume, as well as a portion of the second, waswritten before I had reason to suppose I was in a criticalcondition of health. Later I was reduced almost to the point ofdeath, and it became impossible for me to attend to anything forweeks. I have, however, somewhat regained my strength, and am able,often, to devote as many hours a day as a person should devote tosuch work. I would have more hope of satisfying the expectation ofthe public if I could have allowed myself more time. I have used mybest efforts, with the aid of my eldest son, F. D. Grant, assistedby his brothers, to verify from the records every statement of factgiven. The comments are my own, and show how I saw the matterstreated of whether others saw them in the same light or not.
With these remarks I present these volumes to the public, askingno favor but ho