Who Was Ulysses S. Grant?

Part of Who Was?

Illustrated by Mark Edward Geyer
Ebook
On sale Jun 26, 2014 | 112 Pages | 9780698171831

Ulysses S. Grant certainly does not have the typical war hero “back story.” Although a graduate of West Point, he never wanted to be a soldier and was terrified when he first saw battle. However, during the Civil War, after many Northern generals failed to deliver decisive victories, U.S. Grant rose to what the times required. He took command of Union forces, helped bring the war to an end in 1865, and went on to serve two terms as president.
Who Was Ulysses S. Grant?

It was a summer day in 1861. The Civil War—the clash between Northern and Southern states—was just beginning. A Northern officer, Colonel Ulysses S. Grant, was getting ready to lead about a thousand men into battle. That’s what he’d been trained to do. He had been an army officer for many years. He had fought in a war before.

But this was different. This was the first time Ulysses was in charge. It was the first time he was leading a huge group of men to fight—and possibly die.

As Ulysses marched along, he began to get nervous. He later wrote that his heart pounded so hard, he could feel it in his throat.

The closer he got to the Southern troops, the more frightened Ulysses became. Secretly, he wished he could stop marching. But he couldn’t do that. It was his job to keep going, no matter what happened next.

And guess what happened next: Ulysses found the enemy soldiers’ campsite. But the soldiers were gone! They had run away!

All at once, Ulysses realized something. The enemy soldiers had been just as afraid of him as he was of them.

From that day on, Ulysses S. Grant never let fear stand in his way.

Megan Stine has written several books for young readers, including Where Is the White House?Who Was Marie Curie?, and Who Was Sally Ride?. View titles by Megan Stine
Who HQ is your headquarters for history. The Who HQ team is always working to provide simple and clear answers to some of our biggest questions. From Who Was George Washington? to Who Is Michelle Obama?, and What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? to Where Is the Great Barrier Reef?, we strive to give you all the facts. Visit us at WhoHQ.com View titles by Who HQ

About

Ulysses S. Grant certainly does not have the typical war hero “back story.” Although a graduate of West Point, he never wanted to be a soldier and was terrified when he first saw battle. However, during the Civil War, after many Northern generals failed to deliver decisive victories, U.S. Grant rose to what the times required. He took command of Union forces, helped bring the war to an end in 1865, and went on to serve two terms as president.

Excerpt

Who Was Ulysses S. Grant?

It was a summer day in 1861. The Civil War—the clash between Northern and Southern states—was just beginning. A Northern officer, Colonel Ulysses S. Grant, was getting ready to lead about a thousand men into battle. That’s what he’d been trained to do. He had been an army officer for many years. He had fought in a war before.

But this was different. This was the first time Ulysses was in charge. It was the first time he was leading a huge group of men to fight—and possibly die.

As Ulysses marched along, he began to get nervous. He later wrote that his heart pounded so hard, he could feel it in his throat.

The closer he got to the Southern troops, the more frightened Ulysses became. Secretly, he wished he could stop marching. But he couldn’t do that. It was his job to keep going, no matter what happened next.

And guess what happened next: Ulysses found the enemy soldiers’ campsite. But the soldiers were gone! They had run away!

All at once, Ulysses realized something. The enemy soldiers had been just as afraid of him as he was of them.

From that day on, Ulysses S. Grant never let fear stand in his way.

Author

Megan Stine has written several books for young readers, including Where Is the White House?Who Was Marie Curie?, and Who Was Sally Ride?. View titles by Megan Stine
Who HQ is your headquarters for history. The Who HQ team is always working to provide simple and clear answers to some of our biggest questions. From Who Was George Washington? to Who Is Michelle Obama?, and What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? to Where Is the Great Barrier Reef?, we strive to give you all the facts. Visit us at WhoHQ.com View titles by Who HQ

Books for National Depression Education and Awareness Month

For National Depression Education and Awareness Month in October, we are sharing a collection of titles that educates and informs on depression, including personal stories from those who have experienced depression and topics that range from causes and symptoms of depression to how to develop coping mechanisms to battle depression.

Read more

Horror Titles for the Halloween Season

In celebration of the Halloween season, we are sharing horror books that are aligned with the themes of the holiday: the sometimes unknown and scary creatures and witches. From classic ghost stories and popular novels that are celebrated today, in literature courses and beyond, to contemporary stories about the monsters that hide in the dark, our list

Read more

Books for LGBTQIA+ History Month

For LGBTQIA+ History Month in October, we’re celebrating the shared history of individuals within the community and the importance of the activists who have fought for their rights and the rights of others. We acknowledge the varying and diverse experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community that have shaped history and have led the way for those

Read more