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Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant · 1885

Ulysses S. Grant's 1885 memoir, which describes serving under Zachary Taylor during the Mexican-American War.

Grant, who served under Taylor in Mexico, describes Taylor's plain, unpretentious style of command.

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Front cover of a black book titled 'Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant' in gold lettering, with a gold medallion in the center bearing a profile portrait of Major General Ulysses S. Grant and the text 'Joint Resolution of Congress December 17 1863'.
Ulysses S. Grant, Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant, 1885.

About this source

What it is

This two-volume autobiography was written by Ulysses S. Grant in the final year of his life and published in 1885, shortly after his death, with help from his friend Mark Twain.

Why it matters

Grant served under Taylor in Mexico and gives a firsthand account of Taylor's plain dress and calm, unpretentious command style. The memoir, written while Grant was dying of cancer and facing bankruptcy, became one of the best-selling books of its time and remains a valued historical source for its honest, direct style.

Look closer

  • Why might a soldier's personal account of a commander differ from an official report?
  • What does Grant's description of Taylor's plain dress suggest about his character?
  • Why was Grant writing this memoir, and how might that purpose shape what he chose to include?

This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Zachary Taylor, Ulysses S Grant and James K. Polk on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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