Interview with Richard J. Sommers.

The Jim Bultema Video Collection encompasses three boxes containing a total of forty-six VHS tapes converted to DVDs. Two tapes are currently being converted to DVDs and are not located within the collection at this time. At the present time, boxes 1 and 2 have 14 tapes with accompanying DVDs and Box 3 contains 16 tapes with accompanying DVDs. The collection contains partial edited footage of the proposed documentary, but the majority remains in raw footage form. Two history graduate students watched all the DVDs and took notes for important names, places, objects, and events that appeared in interviews and footages. Not all interviewees or images were identified in the collection. The project took approximately one month to complete. This collection contains footage and audio associated with Ulysses S. Grant and parts of the documentary intended to be produced from these tapes. Various historians comment on numerous aspects of Ulysses S. Grant’s life including John Y. Simon, William McFeely, Richard Sommers and others. Historians cover many of the battles and campaigns Grant participated in including Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, Vicksburg, the Chattanooga Campaign, the Overland Campaign, Appomattox Court House, and many others. They also touch on Grant’s early years, time at West Point Military Academy, relationship with Julia Dent Grant, Mexican-American War experience, his time out of the army, Civil War experience, time as president, his world tour with Julia, the writing of his memoirs, and death. Furthermore, commentators discuss the life of Julia Dent Grant, her character, demeanor, and her, as well as Ulysses’ parents. This collection also contains footage of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Grant’s death held in Galena, Illinois and Washington D. C., in 1985. It contains multiple still shots of Grant photos, political cartoons, drawings, along with shots of landscapes and buildings occupied by Grant.