Research

The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant

Grant, Ulysses S, John Y. Simon, and John F. Marszalek. Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press, 1967.

The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant were published in 31 volumes by Southern Illinois University Press between 1967 and 2009. These materials contain thousands of letters written by Ulysses S. Grant (1837-1885), and to him; his military and presidential documents; and a small number of photographs. These manuscripts are extensively annotated to explain their significance. There is also an extended calendar synopsis of letters in each volume. In total, this is the largest and most comprehensive published collection of Ulysses S. Grant correspondence available for scholarly use.

Bultema-Williams Collection of Ulysses S. Grant Photographs and Prints

This collection of postcards and photographs of Ulysses S. Grant and his family, colleagues, and homes was donated by Chief Justice (ret) Frank J. Williams, President of the Ulysses S. Grant Association, and Virginia Williams. This collection was originally amassed by James A. Bultema, USGA Vice President for Development.

Julia Grant World Tour Photographs

In 1877, when former President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia Grant, left the United States by steamship, they believed that they were embarking on a nice quiet holiday in Europe. Almost immediately, though, the Grants were in high demand for social events, speeches, dinners, and a variety of other events hosted by some of the most important people in Europe, North Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Their three-year World Tour is chronicled in these photographs of their royal hosts (Queen Victoria, Otto von Bismarck, the Khedive of Egypt, and Meiji, the Emperor of Japan) acquired by Julia Grant during and after the trip. When possible the images have been identified. A number of the images have notes written by Julia Grant either identifying the individual by name or recording Julia’s impressions of the individual. Also in this collection is a set of biographical notes on the individuals in the images, noting particularly their interactions with the Grants. The photograph album was donated to the Ulysses S. Grant Presidential Library by Ulysses Grant Dietz, the great-great-grandson of President Grant.

Ulysses S. Grant Collection

Political cartoons from publications such as Harper’s Weekly and Puck offer researchers a variety of illustrated commentary featuring Ulysses S. Grant from the early days of the Civil War to the scandals that rocked his Presidency. Patriotic sheet music written in honor of U. S. Grant, William T. Sherman, Abraham Lincoln, and the Union Army complements the MSU Libraries’ extensive collection of sheet music in the Charles Templeton Ragtime Collection. The Grant sheet music ranges from songs composed in the 1860s up to the early 20th century.

Bibliography and Chronology

This collection includes a detailed timeline of the life of Ulysses S. Grant and an extensive annotated bibliography of published books and articles about Grant.

Ida Honoré Grant Correspondence, 1889–1893

The Ida Honoré Grant Correspondence, 1889–1893, is a collection of 130 letters written largely by Mrs. Frederick Dent Grant while in Europe with her husband, the American minister to Austria-Hungary, and sent to her mother, sister, and other relatives back in the United States.

The Letters of Pvt. Arthur McKinstry

During his time of service, Arthur was faithful to write his mother and to his aunts and cousins. The letters in the donated collection were written by Arthur to these individuals. He wrote other letters to his uncles, giving reports and first-hand accounts about Company D. These letters were published in The Fredonia Censor.

Orville Elias Babcock Diaries

The Orville E. Babcock diaries represent the experiences of an Union Army officer and engineer, and aide-de-camp to Ulysses S. Grant. Babcock’s diaries begin in 1863 and continue into 1869. Babcock records his experiences in Kentucky, Ohio, Washington, DC, Vicksburg, Nashville, Knoxville, and Chattanooga, before being summoned to Virginia by General Grant. They also contain information about his post war experiences in Washington as Grant’s aide, including his diaries from his famous mission to Santo Domingo in 1869. This collection also includes supplementary materials of speeches, correspondence, and newspaper clippings.