Top 10 Facts about Ulysses S Grant

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Top 10 Facts about Ulysses S Grant

He was born on the 27^th of April, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio in the United States to Jesse Root Grant and Hannah Simpson Grant.

His father was a merchant. He was the firstborn in a family of six. He began his education at the age of five. He was a shy boy and was very close to his mother.

One of the things that made him famous is that he was a great horseman in his younger days.

Although he has no interest in the military, we went ahead and enrolled in United States Military Academy at West Point.

In actual fact, he was always reprimanded for being late and dressing inappropriately in the military.

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Ulysses married his wife Julia Dent in 1848 and they had four children. He became the 18th President of the United States of America in the year 1869 to the year 1877.

He died on the 23^rd of July, 1883, at the age of 63 years due to throat cancer.

1. Grant was an artist.

One of the most important thing to note about Grant is that he was a talented artist. He studied drawing during his 3rd class and 2nd class years.

More importantly, he focused on landscape drawing. This was evident  during his second class year and studied topographical and anatomical drawing in his third year.

His surviving paintings as a cadet at the United States Military Academy attest to his drawing skills.

Drawing and painting were his favorite hobbies. His instructor was Robert Walter Weir.

2. Ulysses Grant had a drinking problem

Ulysses Grant struggled with alcohol throughout his life. Grant’s taste for a strong drink became problematic in the early 1850s.

Many times, almost repeatedly,  he was forced to resign from the army for being caught drunk while on duty. His alcoholism had a profound effect on his generalship.

3. Ulysses S. Grant hated wearing army uniforms

Ulysses Grant received numerous demerits for his unkempt uniforms during his days at West Point.

His dislike for Military dress continued even after he assumed supreme commands of the union army during the civil war.

He rarely carried a sword and often took to the field clad in a civilian hat, mud-caked boots, and an ordinary private coat with his rank stitched onto it.

An observer once described as an ordinary scrubby-looking man with a slightly seedy look as if he was out of office on half-pay.

4. He once owned a slave.

During his time living with his father-in-law’s family, Grant came into possession of a slave, a man named William Jones.

After a year he freed him for no recompense even though he was in a dire financial strait. Grant came from an abolitionist family and his father did not approve of Grant’s slave-owning in-laws.

Grant’s own view of slavery was more complex, he said that he was never an abolitionist not even what could be called anti-slavery.

5. Ulysses never wanted to be a soldier

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Grant in his memoirs indicated that he had no desire for a military career. For him, it came as a surprise when his father informed him that his application was a success.

Grant had no choice but to be in the military school. His disinterest in the military was clearly evident as he was always in trouble for having an unkempt uniform all the time.

He only intended to serve his four years commission and then retire. He wrote a letter to a friend telling him that leaving both the military academy and presidency were amongst the best days of his life.

6. Ulysses S. Grant became the youngest president of the United States in 1868

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At 46 years old, Grant was elected and became the USA’s youngest president during the time. His home was evident that he was the President with an American flag as a symbol.

His campaign slogan was ‘let us have peace’. He won by 214 to 80 in the electoral college with 52.7% of the popular vote.

He stood for the Republican Party with a platform of equalizing civil rights for all African American enfranchisement.

7. The famous World Tour after his Second Presidential Term

Photo by John Russell Young – Wikimedia

His world tour lasted two and a half years. It included meeting people such as Queen Victoria, Pope Leo XIII, and Emperor Meiji.

He was involved in resolving some international disputes. His tour served to increase the international reputation of America as well as of his own personality.

8. The Controversial and Varied Legacy

His presidential term was filled with corruption scandals and was commonly ranked among the worst.

During the 20th century, certain schools of history began to regard him negatively, portraying him as a good general but a poor statesman.

Some maligned his military prowess, rendering him an uninspired butcher.

In the 21^st century, his reputation was rehabilitated with historians viewing him in a positive light.

9. He once Sold Fireworks for a Living

Grant resigned his post in 1854 from the Mexican-American war. He spent seven years working as a farmer, a real estate agent, and a rent collector.

He once had to make a living by selling firewood on St. Louis street corners. He also practiced the leather business which did not turn out well.

He also started a financial firm with his son which left him bankrupt.

10. Missed to save his Friend Abraham Lincoln on the night of his assassination

Both Grant and Abraham Lincoln were good friends. 

The night Lincoln was assassinated, they had  a date which Grant missed due to family commitment.

The assassination at Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865, when John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln was meant to happen when they were together.

Upon hearing about Abraham Lincoln’s death he described it as the darkest day of his life. He bitterly regretted not having been at his side that night.

He was convinced that he would have managed to stop John Wilkes Booth from shooting Abraham Lincoln.

President Lincoln had faith in Ulysses Grant when few people did not.

Between president Abraham and General Ulysses Grant was a mutual appreciation society of difficulties presented by their respected positions.

Ulysses Grant was the 18th president of the United States of America. Apart from being a leader, President Grant demonstrated other skills such as horse riding, artist and a gifted writer.

However, President Ulysses Grant had his faults. For instance, he struggled with alcoholism through out his life.

President Grant had a funny character though, he joined the military yet he did not have any interest in it. He was a family man and a great friend to President Abraham Lincoln.