Did Grant win the Civil War? No. Was he A winner in the Civil War? Yes. He got to President for 8 years, which repaid his wife for her patience during some hard times before and during the war. He got to tour the world and meet the heads of state! He went bankrupt trying to set his son up as a Wall Street power: but his friends and veterans bought thousands of his book, and set his widow up for life.
He died in bed, surrounded by loved ones.
Tempted by the Sirens of undeserved praise, and threatened by the Cyclops of the public press, he pressed on in his journey and drew the Scythian bow of victory. He avoided the Calypso charm of boozy retirement, and lived to tell the tale, in writing. Epic by any estimation, as I have previously blogged.