Ulysses S. Grant

Ulysses S. Grant was an American military officer and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States. He led the Union Army to victory in the American Civil War and later became president.

President

April 27, 1822

Taurus

July 23, 1885

63

Point Pleasant, Ohio, United States

Ulysses S. Grant, an American military leader and the 18th President of the United States, served from 1869 to 1877. He is renowned for commanding Union forces during the Civil War, leading to the Confederacy’s defeat, and playing a crucial role in the post-war Reconstruction period. Grant also worked to combat government corruption and promote civil rights for African Americans.

During the final years of his life, Grant faced significant financial difficulties due to poor investments and business failures. After being diagnosed with throat cancer, he wrote his memoirs to provide for his family. Published by Mark Twain, the Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant became a critical and commercial success and remains one of the greatest American military memoirs.

Grant’s early years at West Point revealed him to be an average student but a talented horseman. He served in the army during the Mexican War alongside Robert E. Lee, who would later become his battlefield adversary. Although Grant’s presidency is often criticized as weak and ineffective, it led to significant civil rights advancements and government reforms. Despite facing scandals, his personal integrity remained unblemished.

Ulysses S. Grant’s legacy as a military leader, president, and memoirist continues to be celebrated and studied today. It is worth noting that while Grant was an average student at West Point, he was a skilled horseman, whereas his future battlefield opponent, Robert E. Lee, was one of the academy’s top students.