Ulysses S Grant (1822-1885), American soldier, statesman and 18th President of the United States. Grant was born at Point Pleasant, Ohio, into a Methodist family. He worked at his father's tannery until the age of 16, when he was nominated to the US Military Academy at West Point, where he graduated in 1843. After the Mexican-American War and a period of civilian life, he returned to the army during the American Civil War. He rose to command the entire Union army, supervising the surrender of the Confederate forces in 1865. In 1868 he was nominated as Republican candidate for the Presidency, duly being elected as 18th President. He was able to stabilise the nation's post-war economy, established the Department of Justice and signed three civil rights acts into law. In 1872 was re-elected to a second term. His was also castigated for extensive corruption. After leaving office, his business interests all but collapsed and he died in 1885 of throat cancer. |