Grant’s Tomb: Inside America’s Largest Mausoleum

Outside

The steps leading up to Ulysses Grant’s National Monument (Grant’s Tomb) had been basking in the sun for several hours by the time I climbed them with my brother and his friend, Cam. Together, we came to visit the largest mausoleum in the United States. Constructed between 1892 and 1897, the memorial is formed of granite and white marble. Grant’s only wish before he died was to have a place for his wife, Julia, which wasn’t allowed in military cemeteries. Therefore, Mrs. Grant and the Grant Monument Association (GMA) raised funds to build the structure, now housing husband and wife, and flanked by the men Grant trusted most. Along the front of the entryway reads “Let Us Have Peace,” Grant’s presidential campaign slogan.

The construction of this monument was plagued with difficulties, including low fundraising and a granite strike in the 1890s. Over the years, the structure has seen periods of high and low interest, as well as struggles to maintain. The National Park Service took over the site from the GMA in 1959, but the struggles continued. Even in the 2010s, the site bore assaults from graffiti artists and the homeless. Our visit was accompanied by sunshine. Oh! And two cheerful Park Service ladies, who happily shared more information about the monument. ¹1 National Park Service, “General Grant National Memorial (U.S.),” 2025, https://www.nps.gov/gegr/index.htm.

Inside

Inside the mausoleum are flag stands with replica battle flags. Regimental colors from Indiana and Ohio adorn these cases, in addition to headquarters flags. Most striking to me are the three mosaics depicting Grant’s capture of Forts Henry and Donelson, Chattanooga, and Lee’s surrender to Grant. These were formed in the 1960s and repaired in the 90s. The mosaics honor the General’s finer moments. From the mosaics’ celebrations, we shift to solemnity.

Down a set of stairs, the Grants lay under red granite sarcophagi, which reminded me heavily of Napoleon’s tomb  – Les Invalides – in Paris. Just as Napoleon is flanked by his marshals, Grant is joined by his five leading generals, added 1935-43. Based on “a reading of his memoirs,” Sherman, Sheridan, McPherson, Ord, and Thomas would join Grant for an evening. There’s no evidence for why John Duncan designed the structure after the French emperor. ²2 MG Subhas, “Places – General Grant National Memorial (U.S.),” National Park Service, 2024, https://www.nps.gov/gegr/learn/historyculture/places.htm.
However, military tactics and vocabulary stemmed from Napoleon. Regardless, Grant’s Tomb offers a solemn place to appreciate the man who truly cared for country and family. 

Reflections

Any Civil War historian should add General Grant’s Tomb as a stop when in New York City. During our short visit, just one other person was exploring the stones and art. Ulysses Grant wasn’t just General of the Union Armies or President of these United States; he was a family man. During his last year of life, urged on by Mark Twain, Grant wrote his memoirs. Grant completed the memoirs days before his passing from tongue and throat cancer. Never a rich man, this was his way of securing funds for his family. He died in 1885 at the age of 63, but his finished memoirs helped Julia until her death in 1902. ³3  White House Historical Association, “Julia Grant,” accessed September 16, 2025, https://www.whitehousehistory.org/bios/julia-grant.

Grant’s legacy – his terms of surrender to Lee, the foundation of Yellowstone Park, the Fifteenth Amendment – are reminders of the man’s natural good character. Suffering rumors, scandals, and periods of financial straits, Grant pushed on. Many times, these scandals reached those close to him, but I can hardly find a scandal directly involving him. He made some bad business deals, but his character was strong. I respect that about him, and it’s one of the reasons I return to his story often. In a city offering competing focuses, this monument is a testament to one man’s character, sacrifice, and endurance.

Bibliography

National Park Service. “General Grant National Memorial (U.S.).” 2025.
https://www.nps.gov/gegr/index.htm.

National Park Service. “How Mark Twain Helped Ulysses S. Grant Write His Personal
Memoirs.” 2021. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/how-mark-twain-helped-ulysses-s-grant-write-his-personal-memoirs.htm

Subhas, MG. “Places – General Grant National Memorial (U.S.).” National Park Service, 2024.
https://www.nps.gov/gegr/learn/historyculture/places.htm.

Tomb Travel. “Ulysses S. Grant’s Tomb – Guide to General Grant National Memorial.”
Accessed September 16, 2025. https://tombtravel.com/grants-tomb/.

White House Historical Association. “Julia Grant.” Accessed September 16, 2025.
https://www.whitehousehistory.org/bios/julia-grant.