Musings of a 19th Century American Historian: Who's Buried in Grant's Tomb?

Grant's Tomb, New York City

I admit, I have a special place in my heart for General Ulysses S. Grant. From the moment I read and critiqued William McFeely's 1981 Pulitzer Prize winning biography in my first graduate course on Civil War Era biographies I was hooked. My general dislike of the book prompted me to search out better scholarly works on Grant and I soon found that the literature on Grant was lacking both in interpretation and focus on his instrumental role during Reconstruction (generally considered to be the postwar period 1865-1877). I found Brooks D. Simpson's study, Let Us Have Peace to be the best book on Grant's years in between the end of the Civil War and the presidency; however, even this book failed to acknowledge Grant as a key player in arresting the course of President Andrew Johnson's Reconstruction policies and his actual interest, rather than general disinterest, in pursuing a political career. I immediately notified my mentor that I wanted to pursue a study of Grant between 1865-1869 for my Master's thesis. That project, which earned me my M.A. in history, has yielded three scholarly manuscripts in a graduate, state, and national journal in my field.

Despite two previous trips to New York City, I had not been able to get up town to see Grant's Tomb. Time permitting, I had tentatively scheduled a visit to Grant's Tomb during my last trip to the Big Apple in 2013 as part of a teacher's workshop. Sadly, I missed another opportunity. During my recent trip to New York in which Heather and I were celebrating 20 years together, I never thought we would have enough time. I had thought of a couple of historical sites I would like to visit if things worked out, but Grant's Tomb was not on the list. Suddenly the schedule opened when plans to see a third Broadway show fell thru so I asked Heather if it would be ok to hit Grant's Tomb along with a stroll through Central Park. So we boarded the subway for the ride uptown to the 125 Street station. From there, it was a good little uphill hike about 4 or so blocks to Grant's Tomb.

The beautiful Riverside Church which sits cater-corner from Grant's Tomb.

The closing 4 words in Grant's 1868 letter accepting the Republican presidential nomination, "Let Us Have Peace."

When Grant died on July 23, 1885 as a result of lung cancer (smoked too many cigars!), he had perhaps won the biggest fight of his life--completing his memoirs to help secure his family's financial security after his death. The question was, where would Grant be buried? A site for Grant's tomb in Riverside Park in New York City was offered and accepted by the Grant family.

According to the General's wife, Julia Grant, "Riverside was selected by myself and my family as the burial place of my husband, General Grant. First, because I believed New York was his preference. Second, it is near the residence that I hope to occupy as long as I live, and where I will be able to visit his resting place often. Third, I have believed, and am now convinced, that the tomb will be visited by as many of his countrymen there as it would be at any other place. Fourth, the offer of a park in New York was the first which observed and unreservedly assented to the only condition imposed by General Grant himself, namely, that I should have a place by his side."

A subscription list of employees of the Freeman,
an African American newspaper in NYC
that contributed $5.05 toward the memorial.

His remains were placed in a temporary vault immediately north of the current tomb. Though public land was provided, as was the case for most Civil War memorials, funding for the construction of a permanent memorial to Grant had to be raised from private sources. The Grant Monument Association was founded to raise such funds, hold a design competition, select an architect, and oversee construction. By 1890, the Association had raised a paltry $150,000, about half a million shy to complete the project. There was also objection to the site in New York City as Union veterans' organization favored a permanent memorial in Washington, D.C. An appeal was made to the New York State Assembly; however, legislators refused the request. Eventually, wealthy New Yorkers managed to raise the necessary funds to complete the memorial. The tomb was dedicated in April 1897.

Grant's temporary vault in Riverside Park north of the present memorial. Grant rested here from 1885-1897.

1897 commemorative program from dedication

Looking south toward Grant's Tomb from Riverside.

Now, for a look inside and to see, who, if anyone, is buried in Grant's Tomb? The view above the Grant's resting place is part of a late 1930s restoration project during the New Deal in which murals of the battles Grant had fought, including the moment in which peace was achieved with General Robert E. Lee at Appomattox Court House in April 1865, were painted on the memorial's walls. Toward the end of the 1930s, a project began to restore the two reliquary rooms, where battle flags were displayed in trophy cases.

As part of the Federal Art Project, artists William Mues and Jeno Juszko were chosen to design the busts of generals who had fought under General Ulysses S. Grant during the United States Civil War. These generals surround the final resting place of Ulysses and Julia Grant.