Ulysses S. Grant is one of the greats in American history. He may have had one of the toughest jobs of any President during reconstruction after the Civil War. And, he was a true badass, by commanding “No terms except complete and unconditional surrender can be accepted” at Fort Donelson.

Coolest stuff I enjoyed from the article:

He used to sell firewood on the streets of St. Louis and his family had a Galena, IL leather business.

He led a regiment of Illinois volunteers early in the Civil War, and prevented Robert E. Lee and others from getting sentenced to treason after the war.

Abe Lincoln really liked Grant: “”When a group of congressmen once alleged that Grant was a drunk, the President supposedly responded by asking what kind of whiskey the General preferred. “I urged them to ascertain and let me know,” Lincoln later said, “for if it made fighting generals like Grant, I should like to get some of it for distribution.””

Grant was supposed to be in Ford’s Theater the night Lincoln was shot. He instead went to visit his children, and regretted not being there thinking he could have done something to prevent the assassination; even though he was a potential target.

Grant dismantled the KKK during reconstruction, even going so far as to send US Troops into South Carolina after KKK members.

Mark Twain published Grant’s memoirs.

http://www.history.com/news/10-things-you-may-not-know-about-ulysses-s-g…