In recent years, Ulysses S. Grant’s reputation among presidents has seen an improvement, thanks to acclaimed biographies by authors like Ron Chernow. These books provide a fresh perspective on Grant’s time in the White House.
However, the legacy of the 18th president, who led Union armies to victory in the Civil War, remains complex, particularly in relation to slavery. John Reeves’ illuminating book, “Soldier of Destiny: Slavery, Secession and the Redemption of Ulysses S. Grant,” delves into this aspect of Grant’s life.
While Reeves doesn’t offer a comprehensive biography and skips over Grant’s time in the White House, he sheds light on how Grant benefited from slavery in the years leading up to his involvement in ending the institution. The book traces Grant’s evolution from someone deeply ingrained in the slave culture of St. Louis before the Civil War. Reeves portrays Grant as someone trying to establish a “respectable middle-class lifestyle” for his family, which, notably, depended on the ownership of human property.
Reeves is both fair and candid in depicting Grant’s ambivalence toward slavery before the war. He also examines the qualities and skills that transformed Grant from a resigned Army officer into one of history’s most revered military heroes, offering a detailed account of the key battles he faced during the Civil War.
The book doesn’t shy away from highlighting the flaws in Grant’s military legacy, including persistent reports of his drinking. It devotes a chapter to Grant’s controversial order expelling Jewish people from a military district, an action intended to curb illegal cotton speculation but is considered a “black mark on his character.”
Despite these flaws, Reeves weaves a thought-provoking portrait of Grant, capturing a historical figure who never lost faith in himself or his country.
