Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant Value Guide

Published posthumously in 1885-1886 by Mark Twain's Charles L. Webster & Co., these memoirs are a cornerstone of American military literature. Written by Ulysses S. Grant while battling terminal cancer to secure his family's finances, the two-volume set remains a definitive account of the Civil War and a testament to his literary skill.

What Is Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant Worth?

The typical price range for Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant is $500 - $600 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The physical condition of the original green cloth or deluxe leather bindings, specifically looking for shelf wear or fraying at the spine ends.
• The presence and integrity of all original maps and the fold-out facsimile of the surrender terms at Appomattox.
• Whether the set is the standard trade edition or one of the rarer deluxe versions bound in sheepskin or morocco leather.
• The overall cleanliness of the interior pages, including the absence of foxing, water stains, or heavy previous owner inscriptions.

How to Identify Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant?

• Look for the Charles L. Webster & Co. imprint on the title page, dated 1885 for Volume I and 1886 for Volume II.
• Check for the distinctive green cloth binding featuring gold-stamped medallions and Grant's signature embossed on the front covers.
• Verify the presence of steel-engraved portraits of Grant and the numerous fold-out maps and facsimile letters throughout both volumes.
• Confirm the inclusion of the 'Note to the Public' slip regarding the completion of the work, which is often found tipped into Volume II.

History of Personal Memoirs of U. S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant's memoirs are considered one of the most significant autobiographies ever written. Published shortly after his death in 1885, they were a commercial success and critical triumph, largely orchestrated by Mark Twain. Grant wrote them as he was dying of cancer, intending to secure his family's financial future. The work is lauded for its clear, concise prose and its candid, insightful recounting of his military campaigns and political life.