Ulysses S. Grant
...the small town of Point Pleasant, Ohio. They named their
son Hiram Ulysses Grant. In 1823 the family moved to a town nearby called
Georgetown, Ohio, where Ulysses' father owned a tannery and some
farmland. Grant had two brothers and three sisters born in Georgetown.
Ulysses attended school in Georgetown until he was 14. He then spent
one year at the academy in Maysville, Kentucky, and in 1838, he entered an
academy in nearby Ripely, Ohio. Early in 1839, his father learned that a
neighbors son had been dismissed from the U.S. Military Academy. Jesse
asked his congressman to appoint Ulysses as a replacement. The
congressman made a mistake in Grant's name. He thought that Ulysses was
his first name and his middle name that of his mother's maiden name. But
Ulysses never corrected the mistake.
Grant was an average student at West Point. He spent most of his free
time reading novels and little time studying. He ranked high in math and was
very good at horsemanship. Ulysses did not like the military life and had no
intention of making it his career. Instead he considered teaching mathematics
in a college.
Grant graduated from West Point in 1843 and was commissioned a
second lieutenant. He was assigned to the 4th Infantry Regiment stationed
near St. Louis. It was there that he met Julia Dent. They fell in love and soon
became engages. The threat of war with Mexico delayed their wedding
plans.
In 1847, Grant took part in the capture of Mexico City and won a
promotion for his skill and bravery. He reached the rank of 1st Lieutenant by
the end of the war. Grant returned to St. Louis as soon as he could and on
Aug. 22, 1848, he was married to Julia Dent. During their marriage, the
Grant's had four children: Frederick, Ulysses S. Jr., Ellen, and Jesse Root Jr.
Civil War Era
Grant was almost 39 years old when the...
View Full Essay
