Belonging to the Republican Party, Ulysses S. Grant was elected as the 18th President of the United States of America. He was the President from 1869-1877. After consecutive wins in the years 1868 and 1872, Grant was President for two complete terms.
He was also a Second Lieutenant in the 4th Infantry Regiment. But unfortunately, due to his drinking problem, he was compelled to resign from the American Army.
Ulysses S. Grant was already a widely popular figure when he ran for the Presidential elections in 1868. Predictably, he was elected the President in 1868 with Schuyler Colfax as his running mate. His ways of running a country matched his military ways and that inculcated great discipline in the file and ranks of the administrative echelon. Although his first term as a President was characterized by widespread peace, his second term as a President was a fraught with problems. A number of scandals and corruptions plagued the United States during his Presidency.
Ulysses S. Grant was one of the leaders of the Radical Reconstruction team and strengthened the position of the Republican Party in the southern parts of the country. He is famous for his support towards and works done in the field of African American civil rights. As a President, Grant worked tirelessly towards improving the condition of the African American population. His memoirs, which he wrote during his Presidential years, are still loved by general readers and critics alike.
The last days of this illustrious US President were painful as he suffered from throat cancer. However, he wrote an autobiography before his death on 23rd July 1885. The name of the autobiography is ‘The Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant’.
Some highly interesting trivia about the life of Ulysses S. Grant are as follows:
- Since he was a specialized horse rider, Grant was once arrested and fined for riding his horse very fast, while he was the President.
- His breakfast remained the same with a cucumber soaked in vinegar.
- He preferred his meat to be cooked black, because he could not stand the red color of blood and so could not eat rare meat.
- In his younger days, Grant’s friends called him ‘Useless’ after his name Ulysses.
- Grant had received around 20,000 cigars in his life, but he hardly smoked any.
- "The friend in my adversity I shall always cherish most. I can better trust those who helped to relieve the gloom of my dark hours than those who are so ready to enjoy with me the sunshine of my prosperity."
- "It is men who wait to be selected, and not those who seek, from whom we may expect the most efficient service."
- "Every human being, of whatever origin, of whatever station, deserves respect. We must each respect others even as we respect ourselves."
- "In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, then he who continues the attack wins."
- "Labor disgraces no man; unfortunately, you occasionally find men who disgrace labor."
For more information on US Presidents, click on the following images:
