Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee
In the Civil War, there were 1,008 officers on both sides during the civil war. The Union Army only had two ranks for generals. They were brigadier and major, but in 1864, Ulysses S. Grant earned the position of lieutenant. People could tell the different ranks apart because the brigadier had one star on his uniform, the major had two and the lieutenant had three stars. The Confederate Army had four ranks for generals. They were brigadier, major, lieutenant, and full general. People couldn't tell the different ranks apart because the men wore the same uniform.
Ulysses S. Grant was born in 1822. He went to West Point and after he graduated, he fought in the Mexican War. He became a Brigadier General on August 7, 1861 for the Union Army. In November 1861, he attacked Belmont, Missouri, but he was not prepared and even though he had the advantage, they lost. In February, he had a success. He took over Fort Henry and Fort Donelson with help from the navy. He became a Major General because of his achievement. In April on 1862, He and his troops went down the Tennessee River to Shiloh, Tennessee. That was where one of the most traumatic battles took place. Grant and his troops were taken off guard and they were almost defeated that same day. Reinforcements came and the Union Army pushed the Confederate Army to Corinth. In Vicksburg, things didn't go very well. His base in Holly Springs was captured and he retreated in December. In the spring of 1863 he defeated the troops of Pemberton and 20,000 troops surrendered. After 42 days, they captured Vicksburg on July 4, 1863.
Robert E. Lee was born in 1807. He went to West Point and when he graduated, he joined the Corps of Engineers. He became a captain during the Mexican war in 1838. The Union Army offered for him to be the lead officer, but he declined. When he was a general, he didn't stop an invasion in Virginia, so he was put in charge of Coastal Defenses. In May of 1862, Lee became the general again because Joseph Johnston was hurt. On September 17, 1862 he won the Battle of Antietam and then in December he won at Fredericksburg. In the summer of 1863, he and his troops went to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Lee tried to retreat into North Carolina in April 1865, but he got trapped. He surrendered to Grant on April 9, 1865.
I think that both of these men are good leaders and heroes. They both fought hard for what they wanted. They will be remembered for what they did during the Civil War and how they did it. Both of them played a big part in the Civil War and without them as leaders, the Civil War might have ended up with a different result.
http://library.thinkquest.org/3055/netscape/people/lee.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/3055/netscape/people/grant.html
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