Grant Cottage talk: Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight D. Eisenhower shared many traits

Steve Trimm conducts a Porch Chat program, "Ulysses and Ike: Ulysses S. Grant & Dwight David Eisenhower: Leadership In War And Peace - the Parallels," at Grant Cottage in Wilton. (ERICA MILLER/

WILTON -- Ulysses S. Grant and Dwight D. Eisenhower were much alike -- heroic generals who became president, the only full two-term Republicans until Ronald Reagan.

Their common traits also ranged from military genius to a deep respect for the rights of all U.S. citizens, regardless of race, and a determination to avoid war despite their army backgrounds.

Drawing on biographies by best-selling author Michael Korda, historian Steve Trimm led a program Wednesday at Grant Cottage called "Ulysses and Ike: Ulysses S. Grant & Dwight David Eisenhower: Leadership In War And Peace -- the Parallels."

"Both of these men, Grant and Eisenhower, were much deeper spiritually than you might believe," Trimm said.


For example, in their memoirs, neither man berated subordinates who made costly military blunders.

During the Civil War, Union Gen. William Rosecrans suffered a horrific defeat at Chickamauga Creek -- 2,000 killed, 10,000 wounded and 5,000 captured and missing. After retreating to Chattanooga, he displayed no leadership and was eventually relieved by Grant.

Later, after Grant became president, Rosecrans -- a Democratic congressman -- accused Grant of complicity in a banking scandal. Later, as chairman of the House Military Affairs Committee, Rosecrans opposed military pension benefits for Grant, who was dying of cancer and in serious financial trouble.

But Grant refused to recount Rosecrans' military failings while completing his memoirs at Mount McGregor in 1885.

"Grant had axes to grind for sure, but he would not defame a man's reputation," Trimm said.

Likewise, Eisenhower treated World War II Gen. Lloyd Fredendall kindly in his memoirs, despite Fredendall's mistakes at Kasserine Pass in February 1943 which cost 6,500 American lives. Fredendall was relieved of command, replaced by Gen. George Patton.

Both Grant and Ike took the fight to their enemies, wherever and whenever they could be found and both proved to be great leaders despite a great deal of "on-the-job training" in the field.

Despite suffering huge losses at Shiloh, Grant emerged victorious. Similarly, the Allies under Eisenhower were pushed back during the Battle of the Bulge, but held strong and ultimately triumphed against Germany.

"They were at the brink of defeat, but they didn't buy it for a minute," Trimm said.

The two commanders also shared an essential ingredient, which Napoleon had called "the quick glance of genius."

"In a confused situation you can spot the core problem and its solution almost instantly," Trimm said.

Instead of panic, their calm response to a crisis instilled confidence in their men, resulting in victory.

Somewhat humorously, Trimm told how the two future leaders weren't exactly model students at West Point. Grant, although the best rider in his class (1843), once got 290 demerits for kicking a horse.

When asked about it, Grant said, "He kicked me first."

Ike, who graduated in 1915, was disciplined once for following strict orders to wear a dress coat (he was stark naked otherwise), would sometimes slip over the wall to buy ice cream in town, and was late for chapel and breakfast numerous times.

After Grant became president, some leaders called for war against Britain, which had sided with the Confederacy during the Civil War, but refused to pay reparations for U.S. ships it had destroyed. Grant refused armed conflict. Instead, he took the issue to a first-ever international tribunal in Geneva, Switzerland, which decided in America's favor and Great Britain paid up.

During Eisenhower's presidency, France sought U.S. assistance in its effort to re-establish a colony in what became South Vietnam. But Ike, wary of getting drawn into another war, refused.

During his presidency, Grant worked arduously to see that former slaves had full rights as U.S. citizens. The Justice Department was created to enforce civil rights, blacks got civil service jobs and the first black cadets were admitted to West Point.

In 1871, Grant even sent federal troops to stop Ku Klux Klansmen who were terrorizing blacks in South Carolina. About 3,000 Klan members were apprehended and had served time at a former federal prison in Albany.

Many historians portray Eisenhower as taking a passive approach to civil rights. However, Trimm pointed out that Ike established a Civil Rights Commission in 1956, that lynching was made a federal crime, allowing the federal government to take action if Southern states wouldn't, and that poll taxes were eliminated during his administration.

Also, in Little Rock, Ark., federalized National Guard troops were sent in to enforce school integration.

The wars and worlds that Grant and Ike served in were much different, separated by 80 years, but the contributions of both men to freedom highlights their ongoing legacies, which are unmistakably entwined.

For information about upcoming Grant Cottage programs, call (518) 584-4353 or go to grantcottage. org.