Grant had unwittingly lost his family’s fortune in a fraudulent financial scheme, and his friend, author Mark Twain, believed the general’s reminiscences would provide Julia Grant with the security she would need after her husband died. A team of doctors believed the region’s clear, cool air might prove soothing to the ailing general and give him the time he needed to finish writing and editing his memoirs. Douglas of New York diagnosed Grant with terminal throat cancer. He arrived in nearby Saratoga Springs on June 16, 1885, via a special train aboard the private rail car of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Grant spent only the last five weeks of his life at Mount McGregor. Grant seated in rattan chair writing his memoirs at Mount McGregor on June 27th, 1885 (Library of Congress) Though Civil War–related sites are not common in upstate New York, visitors are drawn to the area to experience its many points of historical interest, recreational opportunities, fine art and music, and an abundance of dining and lodging experiences. It was added to the National Historic Register in 1971, and was recently designated a Literary Landmark by United for Libraries in partnership with the Empire State Center for the Book. Grant Cottage State Historic Site since 1989, remains a pilgrimage point for Civil War enthusiasts and regional vacationers alike. Today the Grant Cottage, a state historic site since 1957 and operated by the Friends of the Ulysses S. on July 23, 1885, his eldest son, Fred, immediately stopped the hands of the clock on the mantle. When Grant took his last breath at 8:08 a.m. Grant, savior of the Union and twice-elected president of the United States, who had retreated there in a race to finish his memoirs before the cancer that plagued him achieved its final victory. Duncan McGregor, for whom the 1,070-foot-high mountain is named, couldn’t have imagined that the site he bought to harvest its trees would later become the last refuge of Ulysses S. The Adirondack Mountains shimmer on one horizon the Catskills on the other. The porcelain clock on the mantle marks the moment time stopped in the cozy vacation cottage high on a hill above the Hudson River Valley. Grant Cottage State Historic Site, remains a pilgrimage point for Civil War enthusiasts and regional vacationers alike. Twain concurrently worked to ensure that the book would be properly promoted.The Grant Cottage, operated by the Friends of the Ulysses S. ![]() When Grant was unable to speak, the two would pass notes back and forth. On his many visits to see his friend, Twain gave literary guidance and thoughtful emotional support. There he sat on the porch wrapped in blankets to keep his frail body warm, cranking out one page after another. At one point he moved from his Manhattan brownstone to a cottage in the Adirondack Mountains. Concerned how it may affect their friendship, Grant initially vacillated with Twain’s ample proffer - but he ultimately agreed and started writing.Īs his cancer progressed and the pain increased, Grant wrote nonstop. ![]() Twain learned of the measly deal and countered with a more generous proposal from his publishing company: 70% of net profits, an upfront advance and living expenses. The Century offered Grant a contract with a paltry 10% royalty. ![]() This health calamity forced Grant to reconsider his prior negative stance with Twain on authoring his memoirs he needed to restore his finances and build a nest egg for his wife to use after his demise. Their recommendation came shortly after he was diagnosed with an advanced throat cancer. But to make some money, he began to pen a series of short articles for Century, one of the country’s most popular journals.Īs Grant gained confidence in his writing ability, the magazine’s editors urged him to expand his commentaries into a full-scale autobiography. Grant demurred because he was uncertain of his capacity to compose his life story. Twain was very distressed by his friend’s economic plight and suggested that he publish his memoirs. Ward’s Ponzi scheme was exposed, and the company collapsed. He invested his life savings into a firm run by a young financier named Ferdinand Ward who turned out to be a swindler. He experienced a number of economic reversals in his life, but the worst came in retirement.
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