Ulysses Simpson Grant was born at Point Pleasant, Clermont County, Ohio, April 27, 1822. He was graduated at West Point as second lieutenant in the 4th infantry, July 1, 1843, and served under General Taylor at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey, and in all General Scott's battles, from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. He was breveted first lieutenant at Molinos del Rey, and captain at Chapultepec, for gallantry in the field. He resigned in 1854, and in the early part of 1860 removed to Galena, Illinois. In the Civil War he entered the service as colonel of the 21st Illinois Volunteers, May, 1861. As brigadier-general of volunteers he fought the battle of Belmont, November 7, of the same year; captured Fort Donelson, February 16, 1862, for which he was appointed, on the same day, major-general of volunteers; and won the battle of Shiloh, April 6 and 7, 1862. He took Vicksburg, and was made major-general in the United States Army, July 4, 1863; won the battle of Chattanooga, November 25, same year, and was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-general. He became commander-in-chief of the army, March 17, 1864; fought the battles of the Wilderness, in May, and besieged Richmond, 1864-1865. He received Lee's surrender at Appomattox Court House, April 9, 1865. Congress gave him a vote of thanks and a gold medal for Fort Donelson, Vicksburg, and Chattanooga, December 17, 1863. In July, 1866, he was made general; acted as secretary of War ad interim (12 August, 1867, February, 1868); President of the United States (first term), 1869-1873; (second term), 1873-1877.
ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS.
Resolutions of Congress Voting a Medal to General Grant.
Be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled: That the thanks of Congress be, and they hereby are, presented to Major-General Ulysses S. Grant, and through him to the officers and soldiers who have fought under his command during the rebellion, for their gallantry and good conduct in the battles in which they have been engaged; and that the President of the United States be requested to cause a gold medal to be struck, with suitable emblems, devices and inscriptions, to be presented to Major-General Grant.
Section 2. And be it further resolved, That, when the said medal shall have been struck, the President shall cause a copy of this joint resolution to be engrossed on parchment, and shall transmit the same, together with the said medal, to Major-General Grant, to be presented to him in the name of the people of the United States of America.
Section 3. And be it further resolved, That a sufficient sum of money to carry this resolution into effect is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
Approved December 17, 1863.