To Rescue the Republic

Ulysses S. Grant, the Fragile Union, and the Crisis of 1876

By: Bret Baier, Catherine Whitney

Narrated by: Bret Baier

Length: 11 hrs and 41 mins

Publisher's summary

Number-One New York Times best seller

Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor illuminates the heroic life of Ulysses S. Grant

"To Rescue the Republic is narrative history at its absolute finest. A fast-paced, thrilling and enormously important book." (Douglas Brinkley)

An epic history spanning the battlegrounds of the Civil War and the violent turmoil of Reconstruction to the forgotten electoral crisis that nearly fractured a reunited nation, Bret Baier’s To Rescue the Republic dramatically reveals Ulysses S. Grant’s essential yet underappreciated role in preserving the United States during an unprecedented period of division.

Born a tanner’s son in rugged Ohio in 1822 and battle-tested by the Mexican-American War, Grant met his destiny on the bloody fields of the Civil War. His daring and resolve as a general gained the attention of President Lincoln, then desperate for bold leadership. Lincoln appointed Grant as Lieutenant General of the Union Army in March 1864. Within a year, Grant’s forces had seized Richmond and forced Robert E. Lee to surrender.

Four years later, the reunified nation faced another leadership void after Lincoln’s assassination and an unworthy successor completed his term. Again, Grant answered the call. At stake once more was the future of the Union, for though the Southern states had been defeated, it remained to be seen if the former Confederacy could be reintegrated into the country - and if the Union could ensure the rights and welfare of African Americans in the South. Grant met the challenge by boldly advancing an agenda of Reconstruction and aggressively countering the Ku Klux Klan.

In his final weeks in the White House, however, Grant faced a crisis that threatened to undo his life’s work. The contested presidential election of 1876 produced no clear victory for either Republican Rutherford B. Hayes or Democrat Samuel Tilden, who carried most of the former Confederacy. Soon Southern states vowed to revolt if Tilden was not declared the victor. Grant was determined to use his influence to preserve the Union, establishing an electoral commission to peaceably settle the issue. Grant brokered a grand bargain: the installation of Republican Hayes to the presidency, with concessions to the Democrats that effectively ended Reconstruction. This painful compromise saved the nation, but tragically condemned the South to another century of oppression of civil rights.

Deep with contemporary resonance and brimming with fresh detail that takes readers from the battlefields of the Civil War to the corridors of power where men decided the fate of the nation in back rooms, To Rescue the Republic reveals Grant, for all his complexity, to be among the first rank of American heroes.

©2021 Bret Baier (P)2021 HarperCollins Publishers

Thank you

Thank you for research, writing the historical accuracy on President Grant. Stating the obvious error on General Grants statue being defaced and torn down. We cannot let those that are ignorant destroy our countries history, we must preserve our history, learn from it and teach future generations. W

Fantastic! History junkie or not.

Bret Baier is a GREAT NARRATOR!

That out of the way this a one of a kind, professionally researched and skillfully written history of President Grant.

Well done!

Greatest US President

It’s time that Grant takes his place amongst the very greatest of US Presidents. Who else saved the country three times?

Bret Baier

I really truly enjoyed this book on Ulysses s Grant. Bret Baier gave us a good insight as to why this historical president links to present times. This swapped and happens with media people they declare it's the .... end of the world, and this book lacks the hysterical nature.

Good and Important, But ...

This is a good book that provides a compact biography of General and President Grant. It also provides a compelling parallel of the election of 1876 to the election of 2020. Disgraceful conduct (not on Grant's part) is nothing new to Presidential politics. The book is well written, moves along well, and Baier's narration, as might me expected, is first rate.

There are, however, two "buts." First, the background part of the book appears to have borrowed very liberally from Ronald C. White's recent Grant biography. Second, I don't think the book really provides a compelling assessment of whether the compromise Grant helped broker to end the election crisis provided a good outcome. Maybe a pragmatic outcome, but one that seems to have stood the election on its head.

The book does prove the truth of the quote attributed (rightly or wrongly) to Mark Twain (who, ironically, published Grant's immensely successful memoir), that "history does not repeat itself, but it rhymes."

Very interesting and informative

Besides presenting the story of General Grant, and such a comprehensive and enjoyable read, Brett Beir was a wonderful narrator and storyteller.

Great Book

I loved it. It shattered all my misconceptions about Grant. I wish we had more presidents like him and Lincoln.

Worth your time.

To Rescue the Republic

I enjoyed the book. Mostly because it focused on one of my favorite presidents, President Grant.

I cannot say I learned much new, but that is likely because I have already read President Grant’s memoir, Ron Chernow’s book and several others. If you have not read up on General Grant, you will find this book very informative and interesting. Baier’s writing style is compelling.

I do not agree with the comparison to January 6, 2020. Since Baier states he was already well into researching and writing the book when those events occurred, it seems likely the focus of the book was changed in an attempt to make it relevant to a larger audience.

It does illustrate the fact that the divisions of today are nothing new. They have always existed, and likely always will.

Feelings

I found this to be a good book untill chapter 14 and 15 where it became a great book. To put Grant in such away way made me choked up.

Great writing

Keep writing Bret. Your books dig down into “the rest of the story” which large biographies don’t do well. Also you are meticulous about getting the facts and not clouding the story with opinion. You let the reader draw their own conclusions. (Priceless!)