Ulysses S. Grant III
Encyclopedia
Ulysses Simpson Grant III (July 4, 1881 – August 29, 1968) was the son of Frederick Dent Grant
, and the grandson of General of the Army and President of the United States
Ulysses S. Grant
. He was an American soldier and planner. Grant was involved in a controversy in preparing the celebrations for the centennial of the American Civil War
.
until 1898 when he received an appointment to West Point
. He graduated sixth in his class in 1903 (Douglas MacArthur
, graduated first in that class).
and graduated from the U.S. Engineer School in 1908. He also served in the General Staff
Corps from 1917 to 1920 and again from 1936 to 1940.
Grant served on Mindanao
in the Philippines
(1903–04); the Cuban Pacification (1906); the Mexican Border Service (1913–17), including the Veracruz
Expedition (1914), and the Pancho Villa Expedition
(1916); as well as in World War I
and World War II
.
In 1904 Grant served as an aide to President Theodore Roosevelt
. Grant met his future wife while he was at the White House
.
In 1907, Grant married Edith Root (1878–1962), the daughter of Elihu Root
, the former Secretary of War
and Secretary of State
. They had three daughters: Edith, Clara Frances, and Julia.
During World War I, Grant was promoted to major. From 1918-19, Major Grant served on the staff of General Tasker H. Bliss
, the United States representative at the Supreme War Council
at Versailles
. Grant was the secretary of the American section. In 1918, he assisted in the treaty negotiations with Germany regarding the treatment of prisoners of war. In 1919, Grant was on the commission to negotiate peace in Paris
.
. On August 28, 1923, Maj. Grant made his first visit to the Sierra Nevada. The superintendent
of General Grant National Park (now Kings Canyon National Park
) invited Grant to see the park named after Grant's grandfather. Maj. Grant visited the General Grant Grove and the General Grant tree
, a Giant Sequoia.
By 1923, Grant went to Washington, D.C.
and was the executive officer of the Arlington Memorial Bridge
Commission and a member of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. In 1925, he was director of the newly created Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital (1925–1933). By 1927 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel
, and was appointed as a co-director of the bicentennial celebration of the birth of George Washington
. As the director of the parks in Washington, Grant also supervised the United States Park Police
. Grant expanded the police, instituted plain-clothes patrols, and modernized the force with the addition of motorcycles and automobiles. Later, in 1928, Grant ordered the police to crack down on late-night "petters" in the parks.
In 1934, he graduated from the Army War College. He commanded the 1st Engineer Regiment at Fort DuPont, Delaware
and the Delaware Civilian Conservation Corps
District from 1934 to 1936. He was a full colonel
by this time.
In 1936, Grant was the chief of staff of the Second Corps Area
at Fort Jay
, Governors Island
, New York.
Col. Grant, his wife, and her siblings and their spouses were at her father's side when he died in 1937.
In 1940, Grant was Division Engineer for the Great Lakes
Engineer Division, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio
. He was promoted to brigadier general
.
From 1941 to mid 1942, he commanded the Engineer Replacement Training Center at Fort Leonard Wood
, Missouri. In July 1942, Grant was made Chief of the Protection Branch of the Office of Civilian Defense
in Washington, DC; he was in charge of the United States' civil defense
and often traveled across the country in this capacity.
In 1943, Grant was promoted to major general
.
. Grant's testimony as a Corps of Engineers veteran before Congress in opposition to the Echo Park Dam in Dinosaur National Monument
was a key element in the cancellation of the project, and in protection of national park lands against water development projects.
Grant was chairman of the Civil War Centennial
Commission from 1957 to 1961. He resigned from the commission due to the illness of his wife and also because of the controversies that developed in planning commemorative events for the centennial of the American Civil War
.
The centennial celebration began at Grant's Tomb with a twenty-one gun salute and was attended by cadets from West Point. A major controversy developed when ceremonies were to be held at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. A member of the Centennial Commission, who happened to be a black woman, was denied a room at a Charleston, South Carolina hotel. The NAACP protested this vigorously and called for protests and boycotts of any centennial celebrations. It accused the Centennial Commission of being pro-South and not forcing the hotel to allow blacks in, especially on official business. General Grant made the statement that the Centennial Commission was not responsible for state laws.
In 1961, Grant received an honorary LL.D. degree from Hamilton College.
After the death of his wife, Gen. Grant remained at his home
on the outskirts of Clinton, New York near Hamilton College.
He died August 29, 1968 in Clinton, New York
and is buried at the Hamilton College Cemetery near his father-in-law.
His cousin was Ulysses S. Grant IV
, the son of Ulysses S. Grant, Jr.
Frederick Dent Grant
Frederick Dent Grant was a soldier and United States minister to Austria-Hungary. Grant was the first son of General of the Army and President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant and Julia Grant. He was named after his uncle, Frederick Tracy Dent...
, and the grandson of General of the Army and President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
. He was an American soldier and planner. Grant was involved in a controversy in preparing the celebrations for the centennial of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Early life
He was born in Chicago and educated in Austria, where his father was the U.S. Minister, as well as in the United States. He attended Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
until 1898 when he received an appointment to West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
. He graduated sixth in his class in 1903 (Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
, graduated first in that class).
Military career
After his graduation from West Point he was assigned to the Corps of Engineers of the United States ArmyUnited States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and graduated from the U.S. Engineer School in 1908. He also served in the General Staff
General Staff
A military staff, often referred to as General Staff, Army Staff, Navy Staff or Air Staff within the individual services, is a group of officers and enlisted personnel that provides a bi-directional flow of information between a commanding officer and subordinate military units...
Corps from 1917 to 1920 and again from 1936 to 1940.
Grant served on Mindanao
Mindanao
Mindanao is the second largest and easternmost island in the Philippines. It is also the name of one of the three island groups in the country, which consists of the island of Mindanao and smaller surrounding islands. The other two are Luzon and the Visayas. The island of Mindanao is called The...
in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
(1903–04); the Cuban Pacification (1906); the Mexican Border Service (1913–17), including the Veracruz
Veracruz, Veracruz
Veracruz, officially known as Heroica Veracruz, is a major port city and municipality on the Gulf of Mexico in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city is located in the central part of the state. It is located along Federal Highway 140 from the state capital Xalapa, and is the state's most...
Expedition (1914), and the Pancho Villa Expedition
Pancho Villa Expedition
The Pancho Villa Expedition—officially known in the United States as the Mexican Expedition and sometimes colloquially referred to as the Punitive Expedition—was a military operation conducted by the United States Army against the paramilitary forces of Mexican insurgent Francisco "Pancho" Villa...
(1916); as well as in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
In 1904 Grant served as an aide to President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
. Grant met his future wife while he was at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
.
In 1907, Grant married Edith Root (1878–1962), the daughter of Elihu Root
Elihu Root
Elihu Root was an American lawyer and statesman and the 1912 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the prototype of the 20th century "wise man", who shuttled between high-level government positions in Washington, D.C...
, the former Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
and Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
. They had three daughters: Edith, Clara Frances, and Julia.
During World War I, Grant was promoted to major. From 1918-19, Major Grant served on the staff of General Tasker H. Bliss
Tasker H. Bliss
Tasker Howard Bliss GCMG was Chief of Staff of the United States Army from September 22, 1917 until May 18, 1918.-Biography:...
, the United States representative at the Supreme War Council
Supreme War Council
The Supreme War Council was a central command created by British Prime Minister David Lloyd George to coordinate Allied military strategy during World War I. It was founded in 1917, and was based in Versailles...
at Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
. Grant was the secretary of the American section. In 1918, he assisted in the treaty negotiations with Germany regarding the treatment of prisoners of war. In 1919, Grant was on the commission to negotiate peace in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
.
Post-World War I career
After the war, Grant returned to the United States and was the District Engineer of the 2nd Engineer District in San Francisco. While in California, Grant also served on the California Debris CommissionCalifornia Debris Commission
The California Debris Commission was a federal commission created in 1893 by an act of Congress to regulate California streams that had been devastated by the sediment washed into them from gold mining operations upstream in the Sierra Nevada...
. On August 28, 1923, Maj. Grant made his first visit to the Sierra Nevada. The superintendent
Management
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
of General Grant National Park (now Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park
Kings Canyon National Park is a National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, east of Fresno, California. The park was established in 1940 and covers...
) invited Grant to see the park named after Grant's grandfather. Maj. Grant visited the General Grant Grove and the General Grant tree
General Grant tree
The General Grant tree is the largest giant sequoia in the General Grant Grove section of Kings Canyon National Park in California and the second largest tree in the world.-History:...
, a Giant Sequoia.
By 1923, Grant went to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
and was the executive officer of the Arlington Memorial Bridge
Arlington Memorial Bridge
The Arlington Memorial Bridge in Washington, D.C. crosses the Potomac River, connecting the Lincoln Memorial and Columbia Island. The northeastern end of the bridge marks the western edge of the National Mall...
Commission and a member of the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. In 1925, he was director of the newly created Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of the National Capital (1925–1933). By 1927 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
, and was appointed as a co-director of the bicentennial celebration of the birth of George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. As the director of the parks in Washington, Grant also supervised the United States Park Police
United States Park Police
The United States Park Police is one of the oldest uniformed federal law enforcement agencies in the United States. It functions as a full service law enforcement agency with responsibilities and jurisdiction in those National Park Service areas primarily located in the Washington, D.C., San...
. Grant expanded the police, instituted plain-clothes patrols, and modernized the force with the addition of motorcycles and automobiles. Later, in 1928, Grant ordered the police to crack down on late-night "petters" in the parks.
In 1934, he graduated from the Army War College. He commanded the 1st Engineer Regiment at Fort DuPont, Delaware
Fort DuPont State Park
Fort DuPont State Park is a Delaware state park located in Delaware City, Delaware. The fort itself, named after Rear Admiral Samuel Francis duPont, was used as a military base from the Civil War through World War II, and was part of a three fort defense system, with Fort Delaware and Fort Mott...
and the Delaware Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
District from 1934 to 1936. He was a full colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
by this time.
In 1936, Grant was the chief of staff of the Second Corps Area
Corps area
A Corps area was a geographically-based organizational structure of the United States Army used to accomplish domestic administrative, training and tactical tasks from 1920 to 1942. Each corps area included divisions of the Regular Army, Organized Reserve and National Guard of the United States...
at Fort Jay
Fort Jay
Fort Jay is a harbor fortification and the name of the former Army post located on Governors Island in New York Harbor. Fort Jay is the oldest defensive structure on the island, built to defend Upper New York Bay, but has served other purposes...
, Governors Island
Governors Island
Governors Island is a island in Upper New York Bay, approximately one-half mile from the southern tip of Manhattan Island and separated from Brooklyn by Buttermilk Channel. It is legally part of the borough of Manhattan in New York City...
, New York.
Col. Grant, his wife, and her siblings and their spouses were at her father's side when he died in 1937.
In 1940, Grant was Division Engineer for the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
Engineer Division, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. He was promoted to brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
.
From 1941 to mid 1942, he commanded the Engineer Replacement Training Center at Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood (military base)
Fort Leonard Wood is a United States Army installation located in the Missouri Ozarks. The main gate is located on the southern boundary of St. Robert. The post was created in December 1940 and named in honor of General Leonard Wood, former Chief of Staff, in January 1941...
, Missouri. In July 1942, Grant was made Chief of the Protection Branch of the Office of Civilian Defense
Office of Civilian Defense
Office of Civilian Defense was a United States federal emergency war agency set up May 20, 1941 by Executive Order 8757 to co-ordinate state and federal measures for protection of civilians in case of war emergency...
in Washington, DC; he was in charge of the United States' civil defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
and often traveled across the country in this capacity.
In 1943, Grant was promoted to major general
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
.
Post-service career
After the war, Grant retired from the army. He again served on the National Capital Park and Planning Commission. He was vice president of The George Washington University from 1946 to 1951. In addition, he also served as president of the American Planning and Civic Association from 1947 to 1949. He was also on the National Council of Historic Sites and a trustee of the National Trust for Historic PreservationNational Trust for Historic Preservation
The National Trust for Historic Preservation is an American member-supported organization that was founded in 1949 by congressional charter to support preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods through a range of programs and activities, including the publication of Preservation...
. Grant's testimony as a Corps of Engineers veteran before Congress in opposition to the Echo Park Dam in Dinosaur National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument
Dinosaur National Monument is a National Monument located on the southeast flank of the Uinta Mountains on the border between Colorado and Utah at the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers. Although most of the monument area is in Moffat County, Colorado, the Dinosaur Quarry is located in Utah...
was a key element in the cancellation of the project, and in protection of national park lands against water development projects.
Grant was chairman of the Civil War Centennial
American Civil War Centennial
The American Civil War Centennial was the official United States commemoration of the American Civil War, also known as the War Between the States...
Commission from 1957 to 1961. He resigned from the commission due to the illness of his wife and also because of the controversies that developed in planning commemorative events for the centennial of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
The centennial celebration began at Grant's Tomb with a twenty-one gun salute and was attended by cadets from West Point. A major controversy developed when ceremonies were to be held at Fort Sumter in South Carolina. A member of the Centennial Commission, who happened to be a black woman, was denied a room at a Charleston, South Carolina hotel. The NAACP protested this vigorously and called for protests and boycotts of any centennial celebrations. It accused the Centennial Commission of being pro-South and not forcing the hotel to allow blacks in, especially on official business. General Grant made the statement that the Centennial Commission was not responsible for state laws.
In 1961, Grant received an honorary LL.D. degree from Hamilton College.
After the death of his wife, Gen. Grant remained at his home
Elihu Root House
Elihu Root House was the home of American statesman Elihu Root. Elihu Root was born and grew up in the immediate vicinity of this house, which became his home as an adult. He graduated from Hamilton College and the New York University School of Law...
on the outskirts of Clinton, New York near Hamilton College.
He died August 29, 1968 in Clinton, New York
Clinton, Oneida County, New York
Clinton is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,952 at the 2000 census. It was named for George Clinton, a royal governor of the colony of New York....
and is buried at the Hamilton College Cemetery near his father-in-law.
His cousin was Ulysses S. Grant IV
Ulysses S. Grant IV
Ulysses S. Grant IV , was the son of Ulysses S. Grant, Jr. and the grandson of General of the Army and President of the United States Ulysses S. Grant. He was an American geologist and paleontologist known for his work on the fossil mollusks of the California Pacific Coast...
, the son of Ulysses S. Grant, Jr.
Awards and decorations
Distinguished Service MedalDistinguished Service Medal (Army)The Distinguished Service Medal is a military award of the United States Army that is presented to any person who, while serving in any capacity with the United States military, has distinguished himself or herself by exceptionally meritorious service to the Government in a duty of great...
Legion of MeritLegion of MeritThe Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
Philippine Campaign MedalPhilippine Campaign MedalThe Philippine Campaign Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces which was created to denote service of U.S. military members in the Philippine-American War between the years of 1899 and 1913. Although a single service medal, the Philippine Campaign Medal was issued under...
Army of Cuban Pacification MedalArmy of Cuban Pacification MedalThe Army of Cuban Pacification Medal is a military award of the United States Army which was created by orders of the United States War Department on May 11, 1909...
Mexican Service MedalMexican Service MedalThe Mexican Service Medal is an award of the United States military which was established by General Orders of the United States War Department on December 12, 1917...
World War I Victory Medal
American Defense Service MedalAmerican Defense Service MedalThe American Defense Service Medal is a decoration of the United States military, recognizing service before America’s entry into the Second World War but during the initial years of the European conflict.-Criteria:...
American Campaign MedalAmerican Campaign MedalThe American Campaign Medal was a military decoration of the United States armed forces which was first created on November 6, 1942 by issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt...
World War II Victory MedalWorld War II Victory MedalThe World War II Victory Medal is a decoration of the United States military which was created by an act of Congress in July 1945. The decoration commemorates military service during World War II and is awarded to any member of the United States military, including members of the armed forces of...
Officier Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(France)
Croix de guerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
(France)- Companion of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St GeorgeThe Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(UK) 
Order of Saints Maurice and LazarusOrder of Saints Maurice and LazarusThe Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus is an order of chivalry awarded by the House of Savoy, the heads of which were formerly Kings of Italy...
(Italy)- Medal of Solidarity, 1918 (Panama)
Works by Ulysses S. Grant III
- "Washington, a Treasure of Opportunities." American Magazine of Art Vol. 22, May 1931.
- "Washington, a Planned City in Evolution." Journal of the American Institute of Architects Vol. 1, March 1944.
- "Major Problems in Planning a Worthy Capital for the Nation." Landscape Architecture Vol. 40, October 1949.
- "Here Comes the Greatest Centennial in U.S. History!" published in various newspapers October 1960.
- Ulysses S. Grant: Warrior and Statesman. (1969) William Morrow & Company, New York. This is a biography of his famous grandfather and was published posthumously.