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112-433: As the surrounding area developed, Grant Road retained its rural character. Segments of the road were separated for large scale development of middle-class homes. Many of the homes that once lined Grant Road were demolished in the process. After a large, prominent house on the corner of Grant Road and Albemarle Street was demolished in 1999, residents sought historic landmark status for their properties. The historic district

224-500: A slave from his father-in-law, a thirty-five-year-old man named William Jones. Although Grant was not an abolitionist at the time, he disliked slavery and could not bring himself to force an enslaved man to work. In March 1859, Grant freed Jones by a manumission deed, potentially worth at least $ 1,000 (equivalent to $ 34,000 in 2023). Grant moved to St. Louis, taking on a partnership with Julia's cousin Harry Boggs working in

336-653: A combined army of about 120,000 men. On April 29, he relieved Grant of field command and replaced him with Major General George Henry Thomas . Halleck slowly marched his army to take Corinth, entrenching each night. Meanwhile, Beauregard pretended to be reinforcing, sent "deserters" to the Union Army with that story, and moved his army out during the night, to Halleck's surprise when he finally arrived at Corinth on May 30. Halleck divided his combined army and reinstated Grant as field commander on July 11. Later that year, on September 19, Grant's army defeated Confederates at

448-541: A direct frontal attack on Robert E. Lee 's Army of Northern Virginia , while Sherman—now in command of all western armies—would destroy Joseph E. Johnston 's Army of Tennessee and take Atlanta. Major General Benjamin Butler would advance on Lee from the southeast, up the James River , while Major General Nathaniel Banks would capture Mobile . Major General Franz Sigel was to capture granaries and rail lines in

560-523: A firehouse in Tenleytown, along with a variety of specialty businesses including a restaurant, grocery shops, pharmacy, butcher shop, and dry goods store. President Theodore Roosevelt would ride his horse through the area as he made his way from the White House to his nearby hunting lodge. He reportedly stopped at the house at 4426 Grant Road NW on at least two occasions to take the children for

672-544: A government and laws and a flag, and they must all be sustained. There are but two parties now, Traitors and Patriots." On April 18, Grant chaired a second recruitment meeting, but turned down a captain's position as commander of the newly formed militia company, hoping his experience would aid him to obtain a more senior rank. His early efforts to be recommissioned were rejected by Major General George B. McClellan and Brigadier General Nathaniel Lyon . On April 29, supported by Congressman Elihu B. Washburne of Illinois, Grant

784-413: A hill overlooking the road and a school for black children was farther east, near the road's intersection with present-day Broad Branch Road. After the war New Cut Road was renamed in honor of General Ulysses S. Grant . Due to development that resulted from Fort Reno, the area's population increased and Grant Road became a residential street and important part of the village's growth. The last quarter of

896-556: A home called "Hardscrabble" on Grant's Farm ; Julia described it as an "unattractive cabin". Grant's family had little money, clothes, and furniture, but always had enough food. During the Panic of 1857 , which devastated Grant as it did many farmers, Grant pawned his gold watch to buy Christmas gifts. In 1858, Grant rented out Hardscrabble and moved his family to Julia's father's 850-acre plantation . That fall, after having malaria , Grant gave up farming. That same year, Grant acquired

1008-486: A horseback ride. The two 20th century houses in the historic district, 4547 and 4555 Grant Road NW, were built during this period in 1908. During the 1910s real estate developers purchased large amounts of land in the area to build middle-class homes for white residents. These projects didn't succeed until after World War I when developers Harry Kite and Samuel Kite Jr. led development east of Wisconsin Avenue, inspired by

1120-402: A large garden. It was considered one of the nicest buildings on Grant Road and its demolition was protested by area residents. The people who lived in the remaining houses on Grant Road took notice and sought to protect their properties from demolition. Following a historic landmark designation process, the 4400 and 4500 blocks of Grant Road and its 13 remaining historic buildings were added to

1232-425: A large, mobile army operating in hostile territory", according to biographer Ronald White. Grant came to recognize how wars could be won or lost by factors beyond the battlefield. Grant's first post-war assignments took him and Julia to Detroit on November 17, 1848, but he was soon transferred to Madison Barracks , a desolate outpost in upstate New York, in bad need of supplies and repair. After four months, Grant

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1344-500: A little to do with my decision to resign." With no means of support, Grant returned to St. Louis and reunited with his family. In 1854, at age 32, Grant entered civilian life, without any money-making vocation to support his growing family. It was the beginning of seven years of financial struggles and instability. Grant's father offered him a place in the Galena, Illinois , branch of the family's leather business, but demanded Julia and

1456-641: A new army under Major General Winfield Scott . Traveling by sea, Scott's army landed at Veracruz and advanced toward Mexico City . They met the Mexican forces at the battles of Molino del Rey and Chapultepec . For his bravery at Molino del Rey, Grant was brevetted first lieutenant on September 30. At San Cosmé, Grant directed his men to drag a disassembled howitzer into a church steeple, then reassembled it and bombarded nearby Mexican troops. His bravery and initiative earned him his brevet promotion to captain. On September 14, 1847, Scott's army marched into

1568-505: A one block portion further northeast between Cumberland and Davenport Streets. There are two additional stretches of Grant Road further east: two blocks between 30th and 32nd Streets, and an unnumbered portion between Broad Branch Road and Ridge Road that passes through Rock Creek Park . The historic district includes the road itself and 13 contributing buildings, one of which is a commercial building on Wisconsin Avenue. The remaining buildings are single-family homes on Grant Road: homes on

1680-544: A position in his father's leather goods business, "Grant & Perkins", run by his younger brothers Simpson and Orvil. In a few months, Grant paid off his debts. The family attended the local Methodist church and he soon established himself as a reputable citizen. On April 12, 1861, the American Civil War began when Confederate troops attacked Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina . The news came as

1792-793: A pragmatic program and hired Presbyterian chaplain John Eaton to administer contraband camps. Freed slaves picked cotton that was shipped north to aid the Union war effort. Lincoln approved and Grant's program was successful. Grant also worked freed black labor on a canal to bypass Vicksburg, incorporating the laborers into the Union Army and Navy. Grant's war responsibilities included combating illegal Northern cotton trade and civilian obstruction. He had received numerous complaints about Jewish speculators in his district. The majority, however, of those involved in illegal trading were not Jewish. To help combat this, Grant required two permits, one from

1904-459: A shock in Galena, and Grant shared his neighbors' concern about the war. On April 15, Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers. The next day, Grant attended a mass meeting to assess the crisis and encourage recruitment, and a speech by his father's attorney, John Aaron Rawlins , stirred Grant's patriotism. In an April 21 letter to his father, Grant wrote out his views on the upcoming conflict: "We have

2016-442: A small ridge. Around 1795, blacksmith John Tennally opened a small tavern at the intersection of present-day Wisconsin Avenue and River Road, which were former Native American footpaths. Around a dozen families soon moved to the area, forming a village called Tennallytown, the second oldest settlement in present-day Washington, D.C. The village became a stagecoach stop for people traveling between Georgetown and Maryland . In

2128-602: A total force of over 40,000 men. Grant was with Foote four miles away when the Confederates attacked. Hearing the battle, Grant rode back and rallied his troop commanders, riding over seven miles of freezing roads and trenches, exchanging reports. When Grant blocked the Nashville Road, the Confederates retreated back into Fort Donelson. On February 16, Foote resumed his bombardment, signaling a general attack. Confederate generals John B. Floyd and Pillow fled, leaving

2240-581: A week. Three days later, Halleck claimed "word has just reached me that ... Grant has resumed his bad habits (of drinking)." Lincoln, regardless, promoted Grant to major general of volunteers and the Northern press treated Grant as a hero. Playing off his initials, they took to calling him "Unconditional Surrender Grant". Reinstated by Halleck at the urging of Lincoln and Secretary of War Edwin Stanton , Grant rejoined his army with orders to advance with

2352-567: A wife to support, he would remain in the army. Grant's unit was stationed in Louisiana as part of the Army of Occupation under Major General Zachary Taylor . In September 1846, President James K. Polk ordered Taylor to march 150 miles (240 km) south to the Rio Grande . Marching to Fort Texas , to prevent a Mexican siege, Grant experienced combat for the first time on May 8, 1846, at

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2464-472: Is a one-story garage facing Albemarle Street. The house at 4430 Grant Road NW was designed in the vernacular Italianate style and is historically known as the Parks-Conner House. It is a two-story frame building with two bays and a bracketed cornice . The one-story wrap-around porch includes decorative elements. The vernacular Tenant House at 4434 Grant Road NW is believed to be the oldest of

2576-631: Is a register of historic places in Washington, D.C. that are designated by the District of Columbia Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), a component of the District of Columbia Government . The District of Columbia Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) designates historic structures and districts and advises the Mayor of the District of Columbia on historic preservation matters. Members of

2688-470: Is historically known as the Burrows House. This is one of three houses reportedly built by Thomas Paxton in the 1860s and all are set slightly higher than street level. The building is three bays wide and features a gabled roof. The stone chimney, stone retaining wall, and stone columns supporting the one-story porch were reportedly quarried from local stones by W. Tyson Burrow in the 1880s. There

2800-605: Is historically known as the Cottage. The house is a two-story frame building, two bays wide, and its original one-story porch includes decorative elements. The Voight House at 4555 Grant Road NW was designed in the Italianate style. It is two-stories, two bays wide, with a one-story side porch. The house at 4561 Grant Road NW, also known as the Payne House, is another two-story, two-bay wide Italianate house. It includes

2912-646: Is located on the 4400 and 4500 blocks of Grant Road NW in the Tenleytown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The 4400 block begins north of Tenley Circle at the intersection with Wisconsin Avenue , then crosses Fort Drive. Nebraska Avenue divides the two blocks. The 4500 block begins at the junction of 39th Street, Albemarle Street, and Grant Street, then proceeds northeast to the intersection with Brandywine Street. The historic district ends at this intersection, but this portion of Grant Road extends for another half block. Nebraska Avenue separates Grant Street from

3024-550: Is one of several buildings in the historic district designed in the Italianate style. The building is two-stories and three bays wide with a sloped roof. It originally included a projecting storefront but that was later replaced with the current show window. The building's main entrance is on Wisconsin Avenue, but the side door facing Grant Road originally served as a second entrance. The Italianate two-story house at 4426 Grant Road NW, also listed as 3926 Albemarle Street NW,

3136-466: Is two-and-a-half stories, three bays wide, four bays deep, and is connected to a one-story addition. The house at 4543 Grant Road NW is historically known as the Admiral's House. The house was originally two-story, L-shaped, and two bays wide, but was renovated into a 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 -story, four-bay-wide Colonial Revival building with a small porch. The Folk Victorian house at 4547 Grant Road NW

3248-466: The 1791 plan for the new federal City of Washington , the village was included in the city's boundary. Due to its distance from the city center, Tenallytown would remain a small rural village in Washington County for many years. The village's name gradually changed to the present spelling, Tenleytown. In 1805 present-day Wisconsin Avenue became a toll road and was later macadamized in

3360-613: The Army of the Tennessee into Tennessee. His main army was located at Pittsburg Landing , while 40,000 Confederate troops converged at Corinth, Mississippi . Grant wanted to attack the Confederates at Corinth, but Halleck ordered him not to attack until Major General Don Carlos Buell arrived with his division of 25,000. Grant prepared for an attack on the Confederate army of roughly equal strength. Instead of preparing defensive fortifications, they spent most of their time drilling

3472-468: The Battle of Iuka , then successfully defended Corinth , inflicting heavy casualties. On October 25, Grant assumed command of the District of the Tennessee. In November, after Lincoln's preliminary Emancipation Proclamation , Grant ordered units under his command to incorporate former slaves into the Union Army, giving them clothes, shelter, and wages for their services. The Union capture of Vicksburg ,

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3584-494: The Battle of Palo Alto . Grant served as regimental quartermaster, but yearned for a combat role; when finally allowed, he led a charge at the Battle of Resaca de la Palma . He demonstrated his equestrian ability at the Battle of Monterrey by volunteering to carry a dispatch past snipers; he hung off the side of his horse, keeping the animal between him and the enemy. Polk, wary of Taylor's growing popularity, divided his forces, sending some troops (including Grant's unit) to form

3696-587: The District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites on April 21, 2002, and listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 3, 2004. The Grant Road Historic District was the first historic district in the city to include just a single street. In 2017 a mural depicting some of Tenleytown's history and landmarks was painted on the side of 4425 Wisconsin Avenue NW. The two-story stucco and stone commercial building at 4425 Wisconsin Avenue NW

3808-516: The Oregon Territory . Grant tried several business ventures but failed, and in one instance his business partner absconded with $ 800 of Grant's investment, equivalent to $ 23,000 in 2023. After he witnessed white agents cheating local Indians of their supplies, and their devastation by smallpox and measles transferred to them by white settlers, he developed empathy for their plight. Promoted to captain on August 5, 1853, Grant

3920-739: The Union Army to victory in the American Civil War in 1865. Grant was born in Ohio and graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1843. He served with distinction in the Mexican–American War , but resigned from the army in 1854 and returned to civilian life impoverished. In 1861, shortly after the Civil War began, Grant joined the Union Army and rose to prominence after securing victories in

4032-421: The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York , in spring 1839. Grant was accepted on July 1. Unfamiliar with Grant, Hamer altered his name, so Grant was enlisted under the name "U. S. Grant". Since the initials "U.S." also stood for " Uncle Sam ", he became known among army colleagues as "Sam." Initially, Grant was indifferent to military life, but within a year he reexamined his desire to leave

4144-604: The western theater . In 1863, he led the Vicksburg campaign that gave Union forces control of the Mississippi River and dealt a major strategic blow to the Confederacy. President Abraham Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general and command of all Union armies after his victory at Chattanooga . For thirteen months, Grant fought Robert E. Lee during the high-casualty Overland Campaign which ended with

4256-405: The 1890s. Six surviving homes along the 4500 block of Grant Road were built between 1890 and 1894. During the 1890s a streetcar line was installed along Wisconsin Avenue, linking the village with Georgetown and resulting in further development. The population of Tenleytown increased from 731 to 1,127 between 1892 and 1897 and large amounts of homes and shops were built along Wisconsin Avenue and

4368-468: The 1930s. Tenley Circle was paved in 1936, becoming a busy intersection for busses and streetcars, 39th Street was extended to Albemarle Street, and the diagonal Nebraska Avenue was created to link Tenleytown with Connecticut Avenue . Several houses were demolished in the process and in 1937 C. Harold Gray wrote: "Tenleytown was the nucleus of an extensive country road net which has since largely disappeared...In extending Washington's straight streets through

4480-427: The 19th century saw gradual development on Grant Road and the surrounding farmland area. The land where Fort Reno stood became a predominantly black neighborhood called Reno City. German, Irish, and Italian immigrants moved to Tenleytown, building their houses and opening a variety of shops. The area became a working class village, with two-story frame houses lining streets on the east side of Wisconsin Avenue. Most of

4592-458: The 21st century. Grant's critics take a negative view of his economic mismanagement and the corruption within his administration, while his admirers emphasize his policy towards Native Americans , vigorous enforcement of civil and voting rights for African Americans , and securing North and South as a single nation within the Union. Modern scholarship has better appreciated Grant's appointments of Cabinet reformers. Grant's father Jesse Root Grant

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4704-509: The 25th, Grant ordered Thomas to advance to the rifle-pits at the base of Missionary Ridge after Sherman's army failed to take Missionary Ridge from the northeast. Four divisions of the Army of the Cumberland, with the center two led by Major General Philip Sheridan and Brigadier General Thomas J. Wood , chased the Confederates out of the rifle-pits at the base and, against orders, continued

4816-544: The Civil War, which were posthumously published and became a major critical and financial success. At his death, Grant was the most popular American and was memorialized as a symbol of national unity. Due to the pseudohistorical and negationist mythology of the Lost Cause of the Confederacy spread by Confederate sympathizers around the turn of the 20th century, historical assessments and rankings of Grant's presidency suffered considerably before they began recovering in

4928-466: The Confederates moved into western Kentucky, taking Columbus, with designs on southern Illinois, Grant notified Frémont and, without waiting for his reply, advanced on Paducah, Kentucky , taking it without a fight on September 6. Having understood the importance to Lincoln of Kentucky's neutrality, Grant assured its citizens, "I have come among you not as your enemy, but as your friend." On November 1, Frémont ordered Grant to " make demonstrations " against

5040-557: The Confederates on both sides of the Mississippi, but prohibited him from attacking. On November 2, 1861, Lincoln removed Frémont from command, freeing Grant to attack Confederate soldiers encamped in Cape Girardeau , Missouri. On November 5, Grant, along with Brigadier General John A. McClernand , landed 2,500 men at Hunter's Point, and on November 7 engaged the Confederates at the Battle of Belmont . The Union army took

5152-527: The Cumberland River. Unaware of the garrison's strength, Grant, McClernand, and Smith positioned their divisions around the fort. The next day McClernand and Smith independently launched probing attacks on apparent weak spots but were forced to retreat. On February 14, Foote's gunboats began bombarding the fort, only to be repulsed by its heavy guns. The next day, Pillow attacked and routed McClernand's division. Union reinforcements arrived, giving Grant

5264-577: The D.C. Municipal Regulations at DCMR 10-C, Section C-201. Designated properties must: Properties are eligible for designation as historic landmarks or historic districts if they possess one or more of the following values or qualities: (a) Events: They are the site of events that contributed significantly to the heritage, culture or development of the District of Columbia or the nation; (b) History: They are associated with historical periods, social movements, groups, institutions, achievements, or patterns of growth and change that contributed significantly to

5376-480: The Dents' owning slaves, and neither of Grant's parents attended the wedding. Grant was flanked by three fellow West Point graduates in their blue uniforms, including Longstreet, Julia's cousin. The couple had four children: Frederick , Ulysses Jr. ("Buck"), Ellen ("Nellie"), and Jesse II . After the wedding, Grant obtained a two-month extension to his leave and returned to St. Louis, where he decided that, with

5488-639: The Fifteenth Amendment , and prosecuted the Ku Klux Klan . Under Grant, the Union was completely restored. An effective civil rights executive, Grant signed a bill to create the United States Department of Justice and worked with Radical Republicans to protect African Americans during Reconstruction . In 1871, he created the first Civil Service Commission , advancing the civil service more than any prior president. Grant

5600-716: The HPRB are appointed by the mayor and are approved by the Council of the District of Columbia . The D.C. Inventory of Historic Sites was created in 1964, and was originally compiled by the predecessor to the HPRB, the Joint Committee on Landmarks of the National Capital. As of 2019 , the Inventory includes approximately 750 historic sites and 50 historic districts . The criteria for designation are defined by

5712-488: The Mexican war was morally unjust and that the territorial gains were designed to expand slavery. He opined that the Civil War was divine punishment for U.S. aggression against Mexico. Historians have pointed to the importance of Grant's experience as an assistant quartermaster during the war. Although he was initially averse to the position, it prepared Grant in understanding military supply routes, transportation systems, and logistics, particularly with regard to "provisioning

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5824-617: The Mississippi River and split the Confederacy. By that time, Grant's political sympathies fully coincided with the Radical Republicans ' aggressive prosecution of the war and emancipation of the slaves. The success at Vicksburg was a morale boost for the Union war effort. When Stanton suggested Grant be brought east to run the Army of the Potomac , Grant demurred, writing that he knew the geography and resources of

5936-658: The Mississippi. Grant's army captured Jackson . Advancing west, he defeated Pemberton's army at the Battle of Champion Hill on May 16, forcing their retreat into Vicksburg. After Grant's men assaulted the entrenchments twice, suffering severe losses, they settled in for a siege which lasted seven weeks . During quiet periods of the campaign, Grant would drink on occasion. The personal rivalry between McClernand and Grant continued until Grant removed him from command when he contravened Grant by publishing an order without permission. Pemberton surrendered Vicksburg to Grant on July 4, 1863. Vicksburg's fall gave Union forces control of

6048-592: The Senate rejected Grant's annexation of Santo Domingo . In the disputed 1876 presidential election , Grant facilitated the approval by Congress of a peaceful compromise. Leaving office in 1877, Grant undertook a world tour , becoming the first president to circumnavigate the world. In 1880, he was unsuccessful in obtaining the Republican nomination for a third term. In 1885, impoverished and dying of throat cancer, Grant wrote his memoirs , covering his life through

6160-568: The South was determined to fight, would later write, "Then, indeed, I gave up all idea of saving the Union except by complete conquest." Shiloh was the costliest battle in American history to that point and the staggering 23,746 casualties stunned the nation. Briefly hailed a hero for routing the Confederates, Grant was soon mired in controversy. The Northern press castigated Grant for shockingly high casualties, and accused him of drunkenness during

6272-636: The Treasury and one from the Union Army, to purchase cotton. On December 17, 1862, Grant issued a controversial General Order No. 11 , expelling "Jews, as a class", from his military district. After complaints, Lincoln rescinded the order on January 3, 1863. Grant finally ended the order on January 17. He later described issuing the order as one of his biggest regrets. On January 29, 1863, Grant assumed overall command. To bypass Vicksburg's guns, Grant slowly advanced his Union army south through water-logged terrain. The plan of attacking Vicksburg from downriver

6384-832: The West better and he did not want to upset the chain of command in the East. On October 16, 1863, Lincoln promoted Grant to major general in the regular army and assigned him command of the newly formed Division of the Mississippi , which comprised the Armies of the Ohio , the Tennessee, and the Cumberland . After the Battle of Chickamauga , the Army of the Cumberland retreated into Chattanooga, where they were partially besieged. Grant arrived in Chattanooga, where plans to resupply and break

6496-402: The academy and later wrote that "on the whole I like this place very much". He earned a reputation as the "most proficient" horseman . Seeking relief from military routine, he studied under Romantic artist Robert Walter Weir , producing nine surviving artworks. He spent more time reading books from the library than his academic texts. On Sundays, cadets were required to march to services at

6608-625: The academy's church, which Grant disliked. Quiet by nature, he established a few intimate friends among fellow cadets, including Frederick Tracy Dent and James Longstreet . He was inspired both by the Commandant, Captain Charles Ferguson Smith , and by General Winfield Scott , who visited the academy to review the cadets. Grant later wrote of the military life, "there is much to dislike, but more to like." Grant graduated on June 30, 1843, ranked 21st out of 39 in his class and

6720-416: The age of five, Ulysses started at a subscription school and later attended two private schools. In the winter of 1836–1837, Grant was a student at Maysville Seminary , and in the autumn of 1838, he attended John Rankin 's academy. In his youth, Grant developed an unusual ability to ride and manage horses; his father gave him work driving supply wagons and transporting people. Unlike his siblings, Grant

6832-454: The appearance and development of the District of Columbia or the nation; (e) Artistry: They possess high artistic or aesthetic values that contribute significantly to the heritage and appearance of the District of Columbia or the nation; (f) Work of a Master: They have been identified as notable works of craftsmen, artists, sculptors, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, engineers, builders, or developers whose works have influenced

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6944-621: The battle gave his volunteers much-needed confidence and experience. Columbus blocked Union access to the lower Mississippi. Grant and lieutenant colonel James B. McPherson planned to bypass Columbus and move against Fort Henry on the Tennessee River . They would then march east to Fort Donelson on the Cumberland River , with the aid of gunboats, opening both rivers and allowing the Union access further south. Grant presented his plan to Henry Halleck , his new commander in

7056-454: The battle, contrary to the accounts of those with him at the time. Discouraged, Grant considered resigning but Sherman convinced him to stay. Lincoln dismissed Grant's critics, saying "I can't spare this man; he fights." Grant's costly victory at Shiloh ended any chance for the Confederates to prevail in the Mississippi valley or regain its strategic advantage in the West. Halleck arrived from St. Louis on April 11, took command, and assembled

7168-503: The buildings in the historic district date from this period. The commercial building at 4425 Wisconsin Avenue NW, the oldest surviving commercial building in the neighborhood, was constructed in 1887 by John J. O'Day. It originally served as the O'Day General Store and Tenleytown Post Office. The house at 3837 Albemarle Street NW was reportedly built near the Old Naval Observatory in the mid 19th century, but relocated in

7280-450: The camp, but the reinforced Confederates under Brigadier Generals Frank Cheatham and Gideon J. Pillow forced a chaotic Union retreat. Grant had wanted to destroy Confederate strongholds at Belmont, Missouri , and Columbus, Kentucky , but was not given enough troops and was only able to disrupt their positions. Grant's troops escaped back to Cairo under fire from the fortified stronghold at Columbus. Although Grant and his army retreated,

7392-532: The capture of Lee's army at Appomattox , where he formally surrendered to Grant. In 1866, President Andrew Johnson promoted Grant to General of the Army . Later, Grant broke with Johnson over Reconstruction policies. A war hero, drawn in by his sense of duty, Grant was unanimously nominated by the Republican Party and then elected president in 1868 . As president, Grant stabilized the post-war national economy, supported congressional Reconstruction and

7504-527: The charge up the 45-degree slope and captured the Confederate entrenchments along the crest, forcing a hurried retreat. The decisive battle gave the Union control of Tennessee and opened Georgia , the Confederate heartland, to Union invasion. On March 2, 1864, Lincoln promoted Grant to lieutenant general, giving him command of all Union Armies. Grant's new rank had previously been held only by George Washington . Grant arrived in Washington on March 8 and

7616-582: The children stay in Missouri, with the Dents, or with the Grants in Kentucky. Grant and Julia declined. For the next four years, Grant farmed with the help of Julia's slave, Dan, on his brother-in-law's property, Wish-ton-wish , near St. Louis . The farm was not successful and to earn a living he sold firewood on St. Louis street corners. In 1856, the Grants moved to land on Julia's father's farm, and built

7728-533: The city; Mexico ceded the vast territory , including California , to the U.S. on February 2, 1848. During the war, Grant established a commendable record as a daring and competent soldier and began to consider a career in the army. He studied the tactics and strategies of Scott and Taylor and emerged as a seasoned officer, writing in his memoirs that this is how he learned much about military leadership. In retrospect, although he respected Scott, he identified his own leadership style with Taylor's. Grant later believed

7840-673: The community, many of the buildings were removed and its appearance changed almost beyond recognition." There were also large developments that changed the character of the neighborhood. Woodrow Senior High and Deal Junior High were built, a reservoir and water tower were built on the Fort Reno site, and the National Capital Planning Commission planned a scenic drive that would connect Civil War era forts. To build this scenic road, named Fort Reno Drive, several houses on Grant Road were demolished. The plan

7952-401: The divisions of Major Generals Buell and Lew Wallace , Grant counterattacked at dawn the next day and regained the field, forcing the disorganized and demoralized rebels to retreat to Corinth. Halleck ordered Grant not to advance more than one day's march from Pittsburg Landing, stopping the pursuit. Although Grant had won the battle, the situation was little changed. Grant, now realizing that

8064-405: The evolution of their fields of endeavor, or are significant to the development of the District of Columbia or the nation; or (g) Archaeology: They have yielded or may be likely to yield information significant to an understanding of historic or prehistoric events, cultures, and standards of living, building, and design. Properties shall possess sufficient integrity to convey, represent or contain

8176-534: The fertile Shenandoah Valley . Grant now commanded 533,000 battle-ready troops spread out over an eighteen-mile front. The Overland Campaign was a series of brutal battles fought in Virginia during May and June 1864. Sigel's and Butler's efforts failed, and Grant was left alone to fight Lee. On May 4, Grant led the army from his headquarters towards Germanna Ford. They crossed the Rapidan unopposed. On May 5,

8288-477: The fort in command of Simon Bolivar Buckner , who submitted to Grant's demand for "unconditional and immediate surrender". Grant had won the first major victory for the Union, capturing Floyd's entire army of more than 12,000. Halleck was angry that Grant had acted without his authorization and complained to McClellan, accusing Grant of "neglect and inefficiency". On March 3, Halleck sent a telegram to Washington complaining that he had no communication with Grant for

8400-474: The heritage, culture or development of the District of Columbia or the nation; (c) Individuals: They are associated with the lives of persons significant to the history of the District of Columbia or the nation; (d) Architecture and Urbanism: They embody the distinguishing characteristics of architectural styles, building types, or methods of construction, or are expressions of landscape architecture, engineering, or urban planning, siting, or design significant to

8512-488: The largely inexperienced troops while Sherman dismissed reports of nearby Confederates. On the morning of April 6, 1862, Grant's troops were taken by surprise when the Confederates, led by Generals Albert Sidney Johnston and P. G. T. Beauregard , struck first "like an Alpine avalanche" near Shiloh church, attacking five divisions of Grant's army and forcing a confused retreat toward the Tennessee River. Johnston

8624-430: The last Confederate stronghold on the Mississippi River , was considered vital as it would split the Confederacy in two. Lincoln appointed McClernand for the job, rather than Grant or Sherman. Halleck, who retained power over troop displacement, ordered McClernand to Memphis , and placed him and his troops under Grant's authority. On November 13, 1862, Grant captured Holly Springs and advanced to Corinth . His plan

8736-537: The late 1810s and early 1820s. The village continued to grow in the 1800s, with a church, school, houses, and other businesses built near the tavern. By the 1850s the stagecoach service had ended due to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and the village was connected to rural communities to its east by a country lane that was called New Cut Road or Road from Turnpike to Broad Branch. During the Civil War farmland in

8848-481: The newly created Department of Missouri . Halleck rebuffed Grant, believing he needed twice the number of troops. However, after consulting McClellan, he finally agreed on the condition that the attack would be in close cooperation with the navy Flag Officer , Andrew H. Foote . Foote's gunboats bombarded Fort Henry, leading to its surrender on February 6, 1862, before Grant's infantry even arrived. Grant ordered an immediate assault on Fort Donelson , which dominated

8960-461: The north side of the 4400 block and south side of the 4500 block. There are several non-contributing houses on the 4500 block that were built in the mid-20th century. The 4500 block of Grant Road is narrow at only 33 feet (10 m) wide, which is around half the standard width of streets in the city, and does not have a sidewalk or street furniture. The buildings on the 4400 block include the commercial building fronting Wisconsin Avenue and three homes on

9072-426: The northern end of Missionary Ridge and roll down it on the enemy's right flank. On November 23, Major General George Henry Thomas surprised the enemy in open daylight, advancing the Union lines and taking Orchard Knob, between Chattanooga and the ridge. The next day, Sherman failed to get atop Missionary Ridge, which was key to Grant's plan of battle. Hooker's forces took Lookout Mountain in unexpected success. On

9184-444: The original porch with decorative elements. The vernacular I-house at 4565 Grant Road NW is two-stories and three bays wide with a small porch. The last house in the historic district, 3812 Brandywine Street NW, is also two-stories and three bays wide. It was designed in the Italianate style and includes a small porch. District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites The District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites

9296-417: The partial siege had already been set. Forces commanded by Major General Joseph Hooker , which had been sent from the Army of the Potomac, approached from the west and linked up with other units moving east from inside the city, capturing Brown's Ferry and opening a supply line to the railroad at Bridgeport. Grant planned to have Sherman's Army of the Tennessee, assisted by the Army of the Cumberland, assault

9408-478: The present-day 4400 block of Grant Road. It is believed to be the same houses that stand there today. One of these homes, 4434 Grant Road NW, also known as the Tenant House, was possibly built as a tenant house for The Rest, an early 18th century house at 39th Street and Windom Place which is the neighborhood's oldest residence. Two schools were also built during the war. A school for white children stood on

9520-509: The real estate business as a bill collector, again without success and at Julia's prompting ended the partnership. In August, Grant applied for a position as county engineer. He had thirty-five notable recommendations, but Grant was passed over by the Free Soil and Republican county commissioners because he was believed to share his father-in-law's Democratic sentiments. In April 1860, Grant and his family moved north to Galena, accepting

9632-459: The sack of Holly Springs, Grant considered and sometimes adopted the strategy of foraging the land, rather than exposing long Union supply lines to enemy attack. Fugitive African-American slaves poured into Grant's district, whom he sent north to Cairo to be domestic servants in Chicago. However, Lincoln ended this when Illinois political leaders complained. On his own initiative, Grant set up

9744-469: The south side of the 4500 block of Grant Road were divided to accommodate construction of new homes. These mid to late 20th century homes on each side of the block are considered noncontributing to the historic district, but due to the deep lots of the Nebraska Avenue properties, Grant Road kept the appearance of a rural country road. After Metro 's Tenleytown station opened in the 1980s, there

9856-456: The success of nearby upper middle class subdivisions such as Chevy Chase , Cleveland Park , and Friendship Heights . These developments changed the demographics of Tenleytown from a working class village to middle-class neighborhood, and Reno City was demolished beginning in 1928. The developments also led to new roads being cut through the area. Wisconsin Avenue was widened in 1919 to accommodate streetcars and automobiles, and Albemarle Street

9968-502: The surrounding area was seized by the federal government after the Union Army was defeated at the First Battle of Bull Run . The government built Fort Reno , one of 68 fortifications built to defend the city , on the city's highest natural point of 409 feet (125 m). New Cut Road was just south of Fort Reno and was used by soldiers to traverse between other forts. During the war Thomas Paxton reportedly constructed three houses on

10080-472: The surrounding streets. In 1894 there were over 30 buildings on the 4400 and 4500 blocks of Grant Road. The road played such an important role in local development that a 1899 article in the Evening Star said that if Tenleytown was a hand, Grant Road was its thumb "with twisting and turning knuckles, grabbed onto by more than its shares of houses." By 1900 there were six churches, several schools, and

10192-502: The three houses. Stucco covers the two-story, three-bay-wide frame building. There is a central chimney, gabled roof, and one-story porch. The original decorative porch included gingerbread detailing. The first house on the next block is 3837 Albemarle Street NW, historically known as the Christian-Curran House. It is sited at the intersection of 39th Street, Albemarle Street, and Grant Road. The L-shaped building

10304-493: The values and qualities for which they are judged significant. Sufficient time shall have passed to permit professional evaluation and understanding of the properties in the context of history. Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant (born Hiram Ulysses Grant ; April 27, 1822 – July 23, 1885) was the 18th president of the United States , serving from 1869 to 1877. As commanding general , Grant led

10416-483: Was a Whig Party supporter and a fervent abolitionist. Jesse and Hannah Simpson were married on June 24, 1821, and their first child, Hiram Ulysses Grant, was born on April 27, 1822. The name Ulysses was drawn from ballots placed in a hat. To honor his father-in-law, Jesse named the boy "Hiram Ulysses", though he always referred to him as "Ulysses". In 1823, the family moved to Georgetown, Ohio , where five siblings were born: Simpson, Clara, Orvil, Jennie, and Mary. At

10528-473: Was added to the District of Columbia Inventory of Historic Sites in 2002 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The buildings date from the 1860s to 1900s. Residential styles employed include the I-house , Italianate boxes, and side and front gabled folk house forms. A former post office and general store are also located on Wisconsin Avenue . The Grant Road Historic District

10640-443: Was appointed brigadier general of volunteers. Major General John C. Frémont , Union commander of the West, passed over senior generals and appointed Grant commander of the District of Southeastern Missouri. On September 2, Grant arrived at Cairo, Illinois , assumed command by replacing Colonel Richard J. Oglesby , and set up his headquarters to plan a campaign down the Mississippi, and up the Tennessee and Cumberland rivers. After

10752-551: Was appointed military aide to Governor Richard Yates and mustered ten regiments into the Illinois militia . On June 14, again aided by Washburne, Grant was appointed colonel and put in charge of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment ; he appointed John A. Rawlins as his aide-de-camp and brought order and discipline to the regiment. Soon after, Grant and the 21st Regiment were transferred to Missouri to dislodge Confederate forces. On August 5, with Washburne's aid, Grant

10864-400: Was approved by the neighborhood's new middle class residents, who thought the older buildings were unattractive and hurt the value of their own properties, but the project was later cancelled. After Nebraska Avenue was completed, homes were built along the road in the 1940s. The rear of these homes face the north side of the 4500 block of Grant Road. In the 1950s and 1960s some of the lots on

10976-495: Was assigned to command Company F, 4th Infantry , at the newly constructed Fort Humboldt in California. Grant arrived at Fort Humboldt on January 5, 1854, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Robert C. Buchanan . Separated from his family, Grant began to drink. Colonel Buchanan reprimanded Grant for one drinking episode and told Grant to "resign or reform." Grant told Buchanan he would "resign if I don't reform." On Sunday, Grant

11088-470: Was designed in the vernacular Italianate style and is two bays wide with a hipped roof and one-story wrap-around porch. The Italianate house at 3831 Albemarle Street NW is historically known as the Poore House. The frame building is three bays wide and features a one-story porch. The Hesterberg House at 4537 Grant Road NW was designed in the vernacular Greek Revival style. The rectangular building

11200-466: Was extended from Reno Road to Wisconsin Avenue. When Albemarle Street was extended in 1931, three houses on Grant Road were demolished and two were moved, including 3837 Albemarle Street NW. The houses on the 4400 block of Grant Road also lost their rear yards when Albemarle Street was extended. In addition to the Albemarle Street extension, there was significant changes to Grant Road during

11312-625: Was formally commissioned by Lincoln the next day at a Cabinet meeting. Grant developed a good working relationship with Lincoln, who allowed Grant to devise his own strategy. Grant established his headquarters with General George Meade 's Army of the Potomac in Culpeper, Virginia , and met weekly with Lincoln and Stanton in Washington. After protest from Halleck, Grant scrapped a risky invasion of North Carolina and planned five coordinated Union offensives to prevent Confederate armies from shifting troops along interior lines. Grant and Meade would make

11424-495: Was found influenced by alcohol, but not incapacitated, at his company's paytable. Keeping his pledge to Buchanan, Grant resigned, effective July 31, 1854. Buchanan endorsed Grant's resignation but did not submit any report that verified the incident. Grant did not face court-martial, and the War Department said: "Nothing stands against his good name." Grant said years later, "the vice of intemperance (drunkenness) had not

11536-590: Was in Panama, a cholera epidemic killed many soldiers and civilians. Grant organized a field hospital in Panama City , and moved the worst cases to a hospital barge offshore. When orderlies protested having to attend to the sick, Grant did much of the nursing himself, earning high praise from observers. In August, Grant arrived in San Francisco. His next assignment sent him north to Vancouver Barracks in

11648-423: Was killed and command fell upon Beauregard. One Union line held the Confederate attack off for several hours, giving Grant time to assemble artillery and 20,000 troops near Pittsburg Landing. The Confederates finally broke and captured a Union division, but Grant's newly assembled line held the landing, while the exhausted Confederates, lacking reinforcements, halted their advance. Bolstered by 18,000 troops from

11760-522: Was not forced to attend church by his Methodist parents. For the rest of his life, he prayed privately and never officially joined any denomination. To others, including his own son, Grant appeared to be agnostic . Grant was largely apolitical before the war but wrote, "If I had ever had any political sympathies they would have been with the Whigs. I was raised in that school." At Jesse Grant's request, Representative Thomas L. Hamer nominated Ulysses to

11872-560: Was promoted the next day to brevet second lieutenant . He planned to resign his commission after his four-year term. He would later write that among the happiest days of his life were the day he left the presidency and the day he left the academy. Despite his excellent horsemanship, he was not assigned to the cavalry, but to the 4th Infantry Regiment . Grant's first assignment was the Jefferson Barracks near St. Louis, Missouri . Commanded by Colonel Stephen W. Kearny , this

11984-691: Was re-elected in the 1872 presidential election , but was inundated by executive scandals during his second term. His response to the Panic of 1873 was ineffective in halting the Long Depression , which contributed to the Democrats winning the House majority in 1874 . Grant's Native American policy was to assimilate Indians into Anglo-American culture. In Grant's foreign policy, the Alabama Claims against Britain were peacefully resolved, but

12096-484: Was risky because, east of the river, his army would be distanced from most of its supply lines, and would have to rely on foraging. On April 16, Grant ordered Admiral David Dixon Porter 's gunboats south under fire from the Vicksburg batteries to meet up with troops who had marched south down the west side of the river. Grant ordered diversionary battles, confusing Pemberton and allowing Grant's army to move east across

12208-578: Was sent back to his quartermaster job in Detroit. When the discovery of gold in California brought prospectors and settlers to the territory, Grant and the 4th infantry were ordered to reinforce the small garrison there. Grant was charged with bringing the soldiers and a few hundred civilians from New York City to Panama, overland to the Pacific and then north to California. Julia, eight months pregnant with Ulysses Jr., did not accompany him. While Grant

12320-517: Was significant development in the neighborhood. In the 1990s there were calls for higher density housing to be built close to the Metro station. This was welcomed by locals, but they wanted this new housing to be built along major roads like Wisconsin Avenue. In 1999 the large house on the northwest corner of Albemarle Street and Grant Road was demolished and replaced with condominiums. The house had been built in 1890 for Dr. John W. Chappell and included

12432-472: Was the nation's largest military base in the West. Grant was happy with his commander but looked forward to the end of his military service and a possible teaching career. In 1844, Grant accompanied Frederick Dent to Missouri and met his family, including Dent's sister Julia . The two soon became engaged. On August 22, 1848, they were married at Julia's home in St. Louis. Grant's abolitionist father disapproved of

12544-410: Was to attack Vicksburg overland, while Sherman would attack Vicksburg from Chickasaw Bayou. However, Confederate cavalry raids on December 11 and 20 broke Union communications and recaptured Holly Springs, preventing Grant and Sherman from converging on Vicksburg. McClernand reached Sherman's army, assumed command, and independently of Grant led a campaign that captured Confederate Fort Hindman . After

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