Ulysses S. Grant fought the Civil War.
The Battle of Appomattox Court House , fought on the morning of April 9 , 1865 , was one of the last battles of the American Civil War . The Chattanooga Campaign was a series of maneuvers and battles in October and November 1863 , during the American Civil War . Ulysses S. Grant . As Commanding General ( 1864 -- 69 ) , Grant worked closely with President Abraham Lincoln to lead the Union Army to victory over the Confederacy in the American Civil War . Historians have hailed Grant 's military genius , and his strategies are featured in military history textbooks , but a minority contend that he won by brute force rather than superior strategy . Ulysses S. Grant was the most acclaimed Union general during the American Civil War and was twice elected President .