Here is a stunning illustrated autobiography of one of America"s great military leaders from his boyhood in Ohio to his moment of greatest triumph at Appomattox Courthouse in 1864.The text, composed of excerpts from Grant"s own personal memoirs, is accompanied by 300 supurb illustrations - photographs, rare prints, paintings, sketches, drawings, maps - many never before published. The illuminate the highlights of Grant"s public and private life, from his years at West Point through all the various stages of his military career.One of the outstanding features of this book is the section devoted to the Mexican War. This war is often slighted in our history, yet it was an important proving ground for most of the leading field commanders of both sides in the Civil War. In his Memoirs, Grant covered his experiences in Mexico in detail, and Roy Meredith has unearthed a wealth of unusual and fascinating prints, paintings, and photographs to illustrate them.Grant"s record of the Civil War years, too, gains a new, richer dimension becuase of vivid illustrations that picture many of the crucial battles n which he served, among them Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson,Shiloh, and Vicksburg. the story ends on a triumphant note at Appomattox Courthouse when Grant, carrying out his final assignment as Mr. Lincoln"s General, accepted the surrender from Lee that officially ended the Civil War