Ulysses S. Grant?

Question: Ulysses S!. Grant!?

Does any one know random facts about him!? Like what his favorite color was!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Be careful about the answers you buy into!. Some of the most striking are mistaken or dubious!.

For example, I do not know of any leading Grant historian ever asserting that his nickname was "Useless"!. He was generally called simply "Lys"!.

He didn't exactly change his OWN name (to avoid the acronym H!.U!.G!., though that might have played a role at some point)!. Rather, the Congressman who got him into West Point, knew that he went by "Ulysses", and wrongly ASSUMED that was his FIRST name AND that his middle name was his mother's MAIDEN name ("Simpson"), so wrote "Ulysses S Grant"!. Grant set out to correct things, but in the end it proved too difficult and he decided it was not worth his while!.

From West Point on his nickname to friends was "Sam", based on the early joke that "U!.S!." stood for "Uncle Sam"!.

(Early in the Civil War these initials, and his response to a Confederate commander's request for terms --""No terms except an unconditional and immediate surrender can be accepted"-- led to the new nickname "Unconditional Surrender Grant"!.)

Like his hero, Zachary Taylor, he was not into finery he was entitled to as general!.!.!. so wore a simple private's shirt!. with his rank insignia on it!.

Sad irony --he liked cigars, but his SERIOUS smoking started after grateful citizens responded to his victories by sending him more and more of them (don't know the precise numbers)!.!. and it was THROAT cancer from these that killed him!.

Many of Grant's reverses came from the combination of his own scrupulous honesty and trusting those he should not have!. This hurt him business before the war, damaged his Presidency, and led him into bankruptcy later on!.!.!.!. but he insisted on honoring the debts!.

But there was also a FORTUNATE outcome of that (for US) -- dying of cancer and eager NOT to leave his family destitute, he finally agreed to write his memoirs (friend Mark Twain convinced him and set up terms), finished JUST before his death, very profitable and perhaps the BEST military memoirs ever written

(This was all the more remarkable for the intense pain he was suffering at the time, though helped by his ability to write quick, clear, succinct communications -- a skill that enabled him to avoid any misunderstandings of his orders by subordinates!.)

He WAS a master horseman from very early on!. For more about that, and several stories, start here:
http://faculty!.css!.edu/mkelsey/usgrant/h!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

He was once arrested during presidency for riding his horse too fast, and was fined $20!.

He ate a cucumber soaked in vinegar for breakfast each day!.

Grant received over 20,000 cigars from people during his presidency!.

His childhood nickname was "Useless"

Go here!

http://www!.geocities!.com/presfacts/grant!.!.!.

Enjoy!Www@QuestionHome@Com

He loved to ride horses he was a master horseman!.He also loved cigars!.And smoked non stop!.He was also very good at math!.Wanted to be a math teacher at West point!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

His favorite color was blue!. The one he liked least was grey!. Thanks for focussing on the essentials!.Www@QuestionHome@Com