Ulysses S. Grant was an American soldier and politician who served as the 18th president of the United States from 1869 to 1877.

While at West Point, his greatest interest was horses, and he earned a reputation as the "most proficient" horseman. During the graduation ceremony, while riding York, a powerful horse that only Grant could manage, he set a high-jump record that stood for 25 years.

Grant began his life as Hiram Ulysses Grant. When he was accepted to military school, the Congressman who approved the appointment mistakenly identified him as Ulysses S. Grant on the official papers. After a mild protest by Grant upon his arrival at West Point, an Army colonel responded in no uncertain terms that Grant would remain Ulysses S. Grant as far as the Army was concerned, and that was that. The "S" in Grant's name stands for nothing.

Grant fought in the Mexican-American War under General Zachary "Old Rough and Ready" Taylor, who went on to become the 12th president of the United States in 1849. In fact, Taylor led Grant in his first military battle, along with thousands of troops, at the Battle of Palo Alto.

The capture of Forts Henry and Donelson were the first significant Union victories in the Civil War and opened two great rivers to invasion in the heartland of the South. Grant was promoted to major general of volunteers, second in seniority only to Henry W. Halleck in the West. After newspapers reported that he had won the battle with a cigar clamped in his teeth, Grant was inundated with cigars sent from his many admirers.

During the war Grant owned and rode more than ten different horses, including Cincinnati, Claybank, Egypt, Fox, Jack, Jeff Davis, Kangaroo, Little Reb, Methuselah and Rodney.

On December 17, 1862, Grant issued a controversial General Order No. 11, which expelled all Jews from Grant's military district, comprising areas of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Kentucky. Grant issued the order in an effort to reduce Union military corruption, and stop an illicit trade of Southern cotton, which Grant thought was being run "mostly by Jews and other unprincipled traders." After complaints, Lincoln rescinded the order on January 3, 1863.

On April 9, 1865, Grant and Lee met at Appomattox Court House. Upon receiving Lee's dispatch about the proposed meeting Grant had been jubilant, as he believed the Southern cause was "one of the worst for which a people ever fought." After briefly discussing their days of old in Mexico, Grant wrote out the terms of surrender. Men and officers were to be paroled and granted amnesty: "Each officer and man will be allowed to return to his home, not to be disturbed by U.S. authority so long as they observe their paroles and the laws in force where they may reside." Lee expressed satisfaction and accepted Grant's terms. Grant ordered his troops to cease all celebration, saying the "war is over; the rebels are our countrymen again."

Grant was invited to join Lincoln at Ford's Theatre on the fateful evening of April 14, 1865, but declined after he and his wife made plans to visit their children in New Jersey. He was informed of the President's assassination when his train stopped later that night. Grant later described Lincoln's death as the "darkest day of my life," and bitterly regretted not having been at his side, believing he would somehow have prevented John Wilkes Booth from pulling the trigger.

Julia Grant was thrilled with her husband's nomination for the presidency in 1868--even more than the candidate himself--and immersed herself in his campaign. She was such a major figure in her husband's bid for the presidency that after his inauguration, Ulysses S. Grant turned to his wife and said, "And now, my dear, I hope you're satisfied."