No Terms Except An Unconditional And

Grant wrote this on February 16, 1862, in reply to Confederate General Simon Bolivar Buckner, who had requested terms for the surrender of Fort Donelson, Tennessee. Buckner, an old friend of Grant's, had expected the customary exchange of terms; Grant's blunt refusal was unprecedented in the war. The Northern press seized on Grant's initials — "U.S." — and dubbed him "Unconditional Surrender Grant," making him an overnight hero. The victory opened the Cumberland River into the Confederate heartland and brought Grant to the attention of Abraham Lincoln, who promoted him to Major General. The two men later became close friends, and Lincoln never wavered in his support for Grant despite calls to remove him after costly battles.