Alben William Barkley was an American politician. He was born in 1877 and died in 1956. Brought up on a farm, he graduated from Marvin College and went on to study law at the University of Virginia before entering the law practice in 1901 at Paducah, Kentucky and becoming involved in politics as a Democrat. In 1912 he was elected to the house of representatives and served seven successive terms, winning recognition as a conscientious legislator and supporter of Woodrow Wilson. In 1926 he was elected to the US senate and served until 1949, in 1948 being elected vice-president. He was re- elected to the senate in 1954. Research Alben William Barkley
Ulysses Simpson Grant (real name Hiram Ulysses Grant, his later name arose from an error in the registration process for his cadetship) was an American soldier, politician and the eighteenth president of the USA from 1869 to 1877. He was born in 1822 at Point Pleasant, Ohio and died in 1885. He attended and graduated West Point military academy, graduated in 1843 and joined the 4th US Infantry at Jefferson Barracks as a brevet second lieutenant, being commissioned a lieutenant, he fought in the Mexican War, and was present at the battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma among others, and was brevetted captain in 1847 for conduct at Chapultepec. In 1854 he resigned his commission and engaged in business - first in farming near St Louis and later in the leathertrade with his father at galena, Illinois - until 1861 with the declaration of war when he was chosen captain of a company of volunteers. He was soon after the outbreak of the American Civil War given command of the forces at Cairo, Illinois, and in 1861 seized Paducah. In 1862 he gained possession of Fort Henry and Port Donelson, strongly contested points, the surrender of which was the first brilliant victory of the national arms. For this success he was commissioned major-general. In conjunction with the forces of General Buell he defeated the Confederates at Pittsburg Landing and soon afterward was assigned to command in Tennessee. He defeated General Price in 1863 and succeeded in taking Vicksburg from Pendleton after repeated attacks. Having thus secured the Mississippi, he was appointed major-general in the regular army and placed in command of the Western army.
He gained brilliant victories about Chattanooga and was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to the newly revived rank of lieutenant-general. Leaving Sherman to conduct the chief Western army from Tennessee to the sea, he assumed control of the movements against the Confederates defending Richmond, commanded by General Lee. With dogged persistence and at great sacrifice of life he fought the battles of the Wilderness, Spotsylvania and Cold Harbor, destroying the railways which brought supplies to the Confederates, taking Petersburg in 1865 and compelling the entire command to surrender on April the 9th at Appomattox Court House, thereby ending the American Civil War.
In the period of reconstruction which followed he played a most honourable part, often being placed in difficult positions by the animosity between President Johnson and Congress. In 1868 he was unanimously nominated for President by the Republicans, was elected and served two terms, from 1868 to 1876. During his administration occurred the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment, the funding of the national debt, civil service reform was inaugurated, the Treaty of Washington was negotiated with Great Britain, and specie payment was resumed in 1875. His administration as President was not wholly successful, some of his advisers proving most unworthy. He possessed an unassuming manner, yet was self-reliant and prompt in his decisions, calm and patient in all circumstances, and won the admiration of all by his moral and physical courage. Research Ulysses Simpson Grant
Jeri Ryan (real name Jeri Lynn Zimmermann) is a German-born American actress. She was born in 1968 at Munich. Born into a military family, her family eventually settled in Paducah, Kentucky when she was eleven years old. Educated in theatre at the Northwestern University Chicago, she became an amateur beauty queen before moving to Los Angeles and becoming an actress. She works predominantly in television, and is best known for her role between 1997 and 2001 as 'Seven of Nine' in the television series 'Star Trek: Voyager'. Research Jeri Ryan More pictures of Jeri Ryan
The Assault on Paducah, Kentucky was the first disaster encountered by the Confederate leader Forrest during his great raid through Kentucky, Tennessee and northern Mississippi in 1864 during the American Civil War. Forrest had 5000 men, while Hicks lay fortified in Paducah with 800 National troops. On March the 25th Forrest demanded a surrender. Hicks refused peremptorily. Forrest then charged the earthworks again and again, but with signal failures each time. He was obliged to retreat, having suffered severe losses. Research Assault on Paducah
Abbreviations
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