Born April 27, 1822 in Point Pleasant, Ohio, Hiram Ulysses Grant, also known as Ulysses S Grant, was the first of six children of Hannah Grant and Jesse Grant . Ulysses was small, sensitive and calm. The local schools bored him and other kids took his calmness for stupidity, calling him "Useless." Odysseus also loved horses as a child and was known for taming unruly horses. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay. His family had little money for college, but the United States Military Academy at West Point offered him a free education in exchange for military service upon graduation. However, Grant didn't know there was this opportunity, so his father signed him up and he entered. After a lot of time, he decided to go for it. He was good at mathematics and drawing, but his previous training was limited, making him an otherwise unexceptional student. However, his skills with horses were astonishing and he amazed everyone with his riding abilities. Grant seemed assured of winning a coveted spot in the Army's cavalry, its elite horsemen, but he was assigned to the infantry after graduating twenty-first in a class of thirty-nine. In 1804 the army was very small. Grant was assigned to the Fourth Infantry at Jefferson Barracks, just south of St. Louis, Missouri. Grant's West Point roommate, Frederick Dent, had grown up nearby, and Grant often visited the Fredericks' home, where the family's hospitality put him at ease. One day, while visiting, Grant met Frederick's sister, Julia Dent. Julia was charming, intelligent and sociable. They soon fell in love, although Grant's service in the Mexican War would delay their union for several years. Grant's troops moved further south, first to Louisiana and then to Texas to prepare for the conflict with Mexico taking place in the Texas Territory. From 1846 to 1848, Grant (then a lieutenant) fought in the Mexican War and was twice recognized for his bravery. Grant was later appointed quartermaster of the Fourth Infantry and was responsible for providing supplies and transportation as his troops moved across the Mexican countryside. Grant did not like the ideals of war. He mourned his lost comrades and the waste created by the war. After the war ended, Grant returned to St. Louis to marry Julia. Little did Grant know, however, that his three Southern servants, including James Longstreet, would fight against him in the Civil War. The army then transferred the young lieutenant to Detroit and New York. Early in their marriage, Julia was able to travel with Grant, but when the army sent Grant to the Pacific Northwest, first to the Oregon Territory and then to California. Grant hated being away from his family. Grant eventually ran into financial problems and then became depressed. According to some accounts, he began drinking to excess. In 1854, Grant suddenly resigned from the army. And to this day we still don't know why he resigned. After leaving the army, Grant returned to his wife and children in Missouri. Julia's father had given her land and Grant tried to farm it, building a log house which he called "Hardscrabble". Working hard, Grant struggled to make a living. When additional labor was needed, he hired free blacks. He could have made money by selling the slave his father-in-law gave him, but he would have freed the slave instead. There,