ulysses s grant fought battles
in 1862  grant took control of kentucky and most of tennessee  and led union forces to victory in the battle of shiloh  earning a reputation as an aggressive commander
in july 1863  after a series of coordinated battles  grant defeated confederate armies and seized vicksburg  giving the union control of the mississippi river and dividing the confederacy in two
after his victories in the chattanooga campaign  lincoln promoted him to lieutenant general and commanding general of the army in march 1864