Born on 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 silent. The local schools bored him and the other children mistook his quietness for stupidity, nicknamed him "Useless". Odysseus also loved horses as a child and was known to tame unruly horses. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay His family had little money for college, but the United States Military Academy at West Point offered a deal for a free education in exchange for military service after he graduated. But Grant didn't know this opportunity existed, so his father signed him up and he got in. After a long delay he decided to go. He was good at math and drawing, but his prior education was limited, making him an otherwise unexceptional student. His skill with horses, however, was amazing and he amazed everyone with his riding skills. Grant seemed certain to win a coveted place in the Army's cavalry, the elite mounted soldiers, but was assigned to the infantry after graduating twenty-first out of a class of thirty-nine. In 1804 the army was very small. Grant was assigned to the 4th Infantry at Jefferson Barracks, just south of St. Louis, Missouri. Grant's roommate at West Point, Frederick Dent, had grown up nearby, and Grant often visited the Fredericks' home, where the family's hospitality made him feel 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 that was taking place in the Texas Territory. From 1846 to 1848 Grant (who was a lieutenant at the time) fought in the Mexican War and was twice recognized for his bravery. Grant was then appointed quartermaster of the 4th Infantry and was responsible for providing supplies and transportation as his troops moved through the Mexican countryside. Grant did not like the ideals of war. He mourned his lost comrades and the waste created by the war. When the war ended, Grant returned to St. Louis to marry Julia. Grant, however, was unaware that all three of his Southern aides, 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 ended up running into some financial problems, then became depressed. According to some accounts, he began drinking excessively. In 1854, Grant suddenly resigned from the army. And even today it is not known why he resigned. After leaving the Army, Grant returned to his wife and children in Missouri. Julia's father had given her some land and Grant tried to farm it, building a log house which he built "Hardscrabble". Working hard, Grant found it difficult to earn a living. When extra work was needed, he hired free blacks. He could have earned money by selling the only slave his father-in-law had given him, but instead he freed the slave. The painful reality was that Odysseus could not support his family, which eventually grew to four children. He also attempted half a dozen other lines of work in the,