Grant, Ulysses Simpson: Later Years

The two years following his retirement from the White House were spent in making a triumphal tour of the world. In 1880 the Republican “Old Guard,” led by Roscoe Conkling, tried to secure another nomination for Grant but failed. He took up residence in New York City, where he invested money in a fraudulent private banking business. It collapsed in 1884, leaving him bankrupt.

Dying of cancer of the throat, he set about writing his Personal Memoirs (2 vol., 1885–86; complete annotated ed. by J. F. Marszalek, 2017) in order to provide for his family. He died a few days after the manuscript was completed. These memoirs are ranked among the great narratives of military history. The remains of the general and his wife lie in New York City in Grant's Tomb.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Later Years
• Presidency
• Military Career
• Bibliography

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