National memorial General Grant (often called Grant's tomb) was erected in memory of the great commander of the Civil war. Thanks to this warrior at the critical moment of its history the US has defended its unity.

Grant received a military education, but not too fond of the service. He participated in the war with Mexico and was forced to resign because of the tendency to alcohol. In civilian life, to succeed failed: the future commander worked in the leather workshop, producing saddles and harness. Hour Grant struck in 1861, with the outbreak of the Civil war. The Governor of Illinois has made it to Colonel and put in charge of a regiment of volunteers. In the battles of Grant has earned a reputation as a man with an iron will. When the Union army had not achieved success in the bloody battle of Gettysburg, President Lincoln authorized the Grant to command all Union forces. The acting decisively and firmly, achieved a victory over the southerners and received the surrender of its commander Robert E. Lee.

By the end of the war General became one of the most popular people in the country. He had to solve the difficult problem of reconstruction of the South, where the black population even named freedom, were discriminated against. During the reconstruction, more than 1,500 African Americans were elected here for political office.

In 1868 Ulysses Grant at the age of 46, was elected President of the United States, in 1872; re – elected for a second term. Under him, the U.S. experienced an economic boom and subsequent recession, the resurgence of the struggle for civil rights of the black population and corruption scandals. After completing his second term as President Grant and his wife Julia traveled the world – they were welcomed by the leaders and were met by enthusiastic crowds.

But the family's financial situation deteriorated, 1884 Grants lived almost in poverty. At the same time the General had been diagnosed with cancer. Realizing the proximity of his death and trying to ensure his wife, he took up the memoir and finished them a few days before his death in 1885.

In new York, the great commander was off in the last journey of about a million people. Prominent citizens have put forward the idea of creating a memorial Grant, a competition for the best project of the monument was announced in the U.S. and Europe. Defeated American John Hemingway Duncan, connecting the project features of the mausoleum at Halicarnassus, the tomb of Napoleon in Paris Invalides.

The monument was opened in 1897, to the seventy-fifth anniversary of the birth of General. Majestic fifty-meter mausoleum – the largest tomb in America. He finished with polished granite and marble, high Central drum is surrounded by ionic columns. The main hall is decorated with reliefs and mosaics depicting the victory of the Grant. Middle of the hall two sarcophagi lie – General and his faithful, dearly beloved Julia. When she became first lady, her slightly cross-eyed by nature, offered to remedy the deficiency, but the husband said, "I like her". Julia lived for seventeen years and has written memories, which concluded with the words: "the Light of his great fame still reaches me, falls on me and warms me".