U.S. Grant’s Reply to a Letter From the Late Gen. James McPherson’s 87-Year-Old Grandma 

If you love and respect Ulysses Grant, this correspondence should only add to understanding his deep sensitivity and leadership.

Thank you for posting this story. It speaks to the character of General Grant as much as General McPherson.

I’d like to correct the pronunciation of Birdseye. It’s “ bird see”, not “birds eye” as you’d guess. The Birdseye name was taken from a surname of friends of Jame’s father. Thanks Ron, for doing a 2nd story from my Civil War Family, McPherson and the first one, Sylvester Leaming. You’re story telling, and research, continues to entertain me. McP’s love affair with Miss Emily Hoffman is perhaps the biggest story of McP’s life, more than his military accomplishments. In fact as one of the “ Three sons of Ohio”, including Grant and Sherman, they were all very close to one another and both believed McP, if he had lived, would have healed the county’s strife and perhaps been a President. As I have studied McP and even presented his story to various military organizations, the one thing that stood out was his strong belief in the Union and the high esteem he held by all who knew him including John Bell Hood, his friend, classmate and ultimately the commander he faced off against at Atlanta. In death, he was revered by all, including the people of Vicksburg for whom McP helped recover from their major destruction. His boyhood friend, President Rutherford B Hayes spoke at his funeral as did Tecumseh Sherman. At his funeral, it was said that many generations who visited his grave would learn of his greatness, but today so few see his statue in McPherson Square in Washington DC near the White House and now, sadly, consider him, “just another dead Yankee”. I’ll give you this Ron, you pronounced his name correctly as there is no “fear” in McPherson! Rick McPherson Kansas City

Wow. Letter writing is truly a lost art. This was beautiful.

Sir these wonderful stories and tidbits of information you provide and share with us is epicly wonderful. You bring history alive and color old photos in to show us real people.

It's also interesting to note that she lived an additional eleven years after the letter; to see Grant himself president for two terms.

She would have been born in 1777 and during her life the country was born, fought 2 wars with Britain, one with Mexico and one with itself and she would have known all of the first 18 presidents of this country.

That was awesome, first time listener and I just subscribed. Beautiful work, thank you. History is important,I ran into a college kid at our local rec center and age came up. I told him I was born when JFK was president. He said who is JFK? Sad and scary.

Sherman wept as well, very touching letters sir.

People were so classy and eloquent in those days. These letters make you mourn the loss of man you never even knew about. God blessed us with so great a heritage.

Thank you for the heartfelt letters you have read to us, I cannot blame you, but thank you for the loving tears from my eyes.

Thank you. I appreciate Grant even more now, and am sorry I will never know McPherson.

I'm always taken back at how eloquently people wrote back in the 19th century. Most with only a grade school education.

Could there be a more endearing, articulate reply?

“Your bereavement is great but cannot exceed mine.” What a beautiful and sensitive expression of grief a bit like Lincoln’s letter to Mrs Bixby.

I believe the McPherson County in Kansas and the town McPherson which is the seat of the County are named after him

As usual, your interest in the human overlap with the military contexts is much appreciated and well received. Thanks again for your wonderful contributions to our evolving understanding of this pivotal conflict.

What a fantastic piece of history, thanks for producing this segment. Lydia Slocum was truly eloquent in her letter to General Grant and she was a rare witness to our great American story.

Grant commanded all of the armies during the siege of Petersburg. He made his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac.

It is truly amazing of the number of great generals from my home state of Ohio. Makes me proud and humble at the same time.

Living i n Atlanta there us Fort MacPherson. If Ft. Mac, Colin Powell's old assignment, is the same, it is fitting to be in Atlanta.

How bright a star, too soon extinguished!

Ron, another great true story. Love it. Well done and keep it up.

Military letter writing must be an academy taught subject. Several officers and even upper level noncoms seem to value respect as well as honor.

Beautiful. Thank you for sharing this truly poignant exchange. I did, however, wonder why you didn't take advantage of the obvious and use Lincoln's own word to point out that she was nearly "four score and seven years" old. Anyway, thank you for making history more than just facts on a page with such personal touches.

Excellent! I have always admired General McPherson and I have heard everything you have said here. Great research. I often wonder when Sherman wrote to McPherson's fiance about his death how SHE felt knowing that Sherman had turned down his request for leave be married. I believe she never married. How sad. Sherman had to live with that.

She sent a cordial letter to General Grant, she knew there was a larger purpose for the war than her grandson. Unlike today where the General would receive a condescending letter blaming him for everything that happened.

Grant was an amazing man and general.

Long Live the Union .

what a great set of letters

The fact that he had friends on both sides, makes it even more bizarre that he chose to die instead of surrendered. Seems like he was so loved that he would’ve been taking good care of as a prisoner.

great history, lost, but no longer lost

made me cry

Thanks for quite a story!

Awesome post *btw, City Point VA now part of Hopewell VA if anyone wants to visit. Grant’s cabin is still here on the former Epps plantation.

👍 👍

Good old u s grant - America's last slave owner

Beautiful story.