10 Interesting Facts about Ulysses S. Grant

These following facts about Ulysses S. Grant will probably make you feel admired about him. If you want to know what kind of person he was during his life, or what activity he did, or anything else, then this article would be really interesting for you to read. Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States following his successful role as a general in the second half of the Civil War. Under Grant, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military; the war, and secession, ended with the surrender of the army at Appomattox. To get to know more about him, here are the other facts about Ulysses S. Grant you may consider interesting.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 1: Fast Lane Life

As president, Grant received a speeding ticket by a police officer who failed to recognize him. He was fined for driving his horse too fast through the streets of District of Columbia.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 2: Compassionate Man

When Grant accepted the surrender of Confederate forces by his rival Robert E. Lee in April 1865, he generously allowed Confederate soldiers to retain their weapons and horses and return to their homes. Grant’s wife’s family were slave owners and Grant himself owned a slave named William Jones, given to him by his father-in-law. At a time when Grant could have badly used the money from selling Jones, he signed a document that freed him instead.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 3: Unreal Name

President Grant’s real name was Hiram Ulysses Grant. At the age of 17, he secured a nomination to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point through his Congressman, Thomas Hamer. Apparently confused with Grant’s mothers maiden name of Simpson, Hamer mistakenly nominated him as Ulysses S. Grant. The academy would not accept any name other than what was on the nomination form so Grant adopted the new name as his own. Contrary to what some may believe, the S. does not stand for anything at all.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 4: Record Setting of Tomb

The body of Ulysses S. Grant lies in Riverside Park in New York City. He is buried beside his wife in Grant’s Tomb, the largest mausoleum in North America.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 5: Deal with Mark Twain

After his presidency, Grant lost all his savings to a shady investment partner, leaving his family with nearly nothing. At the time, presidents were not given pensions and Grant had already forfeited his military pension when he became president. Mark Twain offered Grant a generous deal to write his memoirs and while terminally ill with cancer, Grant finished just days before his death. The memoirs sold over 300,000 copies and earned his family over $450,000. In 1958, Congress passed legislation establishing a pension for presidents.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 6: Cigar Lover

Grant used around seven to ten cigars a day, although many of them he did not smoke, chewing on them instead. After a reporter wrote that Grant liked cigars, people began to send them to him as gifts. He received over 20,000, which may have contributed to his throat cancer.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 7: West Point

Grant was one of only three presidents to graduate from a military academy. He graduated from West Point in 1843.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 8: Sight of Blood

Although he witnessed some of the bloodiest battles in history, Grant could not stand the sight of blood. Rare steak nauseated him and he was known to cook his meat to the point of charring.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 9: Presidency Witnessing

It may not seem like a big deal today, but Ulysses Grant was the first president to have both his parents living as he entered office.

Facts about Ulysses S. Grant 10: Lincoln’s Assassination

Grant had been invited to go to Ford theater with President Lincoln but he and his wife Julia decided to travel to New Jersey to visit their children instead. Had he attended, he may have been a target as well.

Those following facts about Ulysses S. Grant might make you feel more amazed about the his life. His life is really interesting. And also, since he took great responsibility to the whole America, he was really kind to people, yet really caring to each other. Hope you found Ulysses S. Grant facts really interesting and useful.