Tag Archives: Ulysses S. Grant

The Fall of Vicksburg: Turning Point of the Civil War

Posted on February 6, 2026 by Ron Franklin

Vicksburg: The Most Critical Battle of the Civil War? In early July of 1863, the campaign that, more than any other, determined the outcome of the American Civil War was concluded. That campaign was not the battle of Gettysburg, fought … Continue reading →

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Abraham Lincoln’s Masterclass in Leadership: Letters to Civil War Generals

Posted on February 1, 2026 by Ron Franklin

Abraham Lincoln: Commander-in-Chief When Abraham Lincoln was inaugurated as the 16th President of the United States in 1861, he took the helm of a nation in crisis. Seven slave-holding Southern states had already proclaimed their independence and formed a new … Continue reading →

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The Fall of Richmond in the American Civil War: The Inside Story

Posted on January 31, 2026 by Ron Franklin

Weitzel’s Order Announcing the Occupation of Richmond Headquarters Detachment Army of the James, Richmond, Va., April 3, 1865. Major-General Godfrey Weitzel, commanding detachment of the Army of the James, announces the occupation of the city of Richmond by the Armies … Continue reading →

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When Confederates Saluted Ulysses S. Grant Instead of Shooting Him

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Ron Franklin

In the movie How The West Was Won, there’s a scene set during the Civil War. A disillusioned Union private (played by George Peppard) and a similarly disillusioned Confederate soldier (Russ Tamblyn) befriend one another during the battle of Shiloh, … Continue reading →

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How Ulysses S. Grant Overcame Depression and Addiction to Win the Civil War

Posted on January 30, 2026 by Ron Franklin

A Military Hero the Army Didn’t Want At the start of the Civil War, Ulysses Grant had great credentials to be given an important military assignment. He had graduated from the U. S. Military Academy at West Point in 1843, … Continue reading →

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1863 Secret Message From Civil War Siege of Vicksburg Decoded in 2009

Posted on January 27, 2026 by Ron Franklin

A Secret Message to a Desperate General In the summer of 1863, in the midst of the American Civil War, Confederate General John C. Pemberton was under extreme pressure. His army of almost 30,000 men was besieged in Vicksburg, Mississippi … Continue reading →

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Civilians in the Siege of Vicksburg: Living in Caves, Eating Rats

Posted on January 20, 2026 by Ron Franklin

Vicksburg, Mississippi, situated on a high bluff that allowed the big guns placed there by the Confederates to interdict Union navigation of the Mississippi River, was considered by both North and South as a major key to victory in the … Continue reading →

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Robert E. Lee vs Ulysses S. Grant: Unexpected Views on Slavery

Posted on January 13, 2026 by Ron Franklin

Lee vs. Grant on Slavery The year 1856 was significant for both Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant in regard to their attitudes toward slavery. Within a few years, these men would both be generals-in-chief on opposing sides in … Continue reading →

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Was Bragg the Confederate Meade?

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Ron Franklin

In posing the question of whether Braxton Bragg was the Confederate George Meade, I don’t mean to imply they were alike in general terms. Rather, I’m focusing on each man’s most celebrated battle in his Civil War career, and the … Continue reading →

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