Grant Happy Grant's Birthday, everybody

The fact that this thread exists, and the positive vibes that resonate -indicating that some people have come to appreciate Grant -pleases me.
 
Last edited:
Happy Birthday you handsome son of a gun

grant-color.jpg
 
View attachment 134441

Here's a nice, autographed CDV of Grant as Lt. Gen. I copied from somewhere a while back.
Wow, that is nice.
One of my best friends has a land title passed down from her homesteading forebears with the signature of the president at the time... U.S. Grant. Oh, sure, I'm not a bit envious. :nah disagree:
Lucky for both of us, our friendship is strong enough that she still lets me come over to her house -- even though I know where she has it stashed! :sneaky:
 
Normally, I try to restrain myself in the Shameless Fan department, but on Grant's birthday, I give myself permission to release my inner cheerleader.

One of the things that's gone the way of the horse and buggy is campaign songs. Folk singer Oscar Brand has a whole songbook of historical U.S. presidential campaign songs, including this little ditty that made the rounds in 1868.

Warning: Probably exceeds the recommended daily allowance of cheesiness!

Thanks for posting this, and reminding me it's grant's birthday (I just realized I forgot a family member's birthday this week....)
I, too, miss campaign songs, though I can't remember any that were anything but cheesy. Perhaps another from before my time: Happy Days are Here Again. Though not written as a campaign song, it was adopted by the FDR campaign.
 
Here are a couple of paintings Grant did while at West Point:

View attachment 35661

View attachment 134357

and here's a drawing of the subject closest to Grant the horse-lover's heart:

View attachment 134358

Note signature in left-hand corner; it didn't change much over the years, did it?

More on Grant's West Point career:



from the SparkNotes bio

Grant actually was offered a position teaching math at a college in Ohio -- but the offer came when Grant was stationed on the Texas/Louisiana border before the Mexican War. The Army was getting ready to send him to Mexico, so he didn't take the offer because he didn't feel it would be right to quit the Army in its time of need after the government had shelled out all the expense of training him at West Point. And this, despite the fact that he strongly opposed the Mexican War.
Thanks for posting this! I didn't know Grant was also an artist!
 
I'm calling Grant this from now on.
Actually, he wasn't beefcake at all. Which is one reason I find him so appealing.
Like my late husband, he was just 100% real man -- no freakishly overdeveloped, bulging muscles, but just good and solid and strong from lots of hard, unglamorous work. Stamina, persistence, never-say-quit. Loyalty, devotion, honor. Do what needs to be done, no complaint.
@Jackson'sArm knows what I'm talking about....
 
As long as we don't conjure up a visual of Grant laying on a bearskin rug by the firepl-

Oops, too late. :nah disagree:
That may or may not already be on my hard drive. :whistling:

he was just 100% real man -- no freakishly overdeveloped, bulging muscles, but just good and solid and strong from lots of hard, unglamorous work. Stamina, persistence, never-say-quit. Loyalty, devotion, honor. Do what needs to be done, no complaint.
That's my idea of beefcake. :cloud9:
 
Actually, he wasn't beefcake at all. Which is one reason I find him so appealing.
Like my late husband, he was just 100% real man -- no freakishly overdeveloped, bulging muscles, but just good and solid and strong from lots of hard, unglamorous work. Stamina, persistence, never-say-quit. Loyalty, devotion, honor. Do what needs to be done, no complaint. Generosity, goodwill and a humble spirit.
@Jackson'sArm knows what I'm talking about....
You totally hit the nail on the head! It's one of the reasons I like Grant so much - he wasn't perfect and knew what failure was like. If anyone can inspire regular folk, it's someone who's fought for success and who gets up every single time they get knocked down.

Go get 'em, Grant!
 
That may or may not already be on my hard drive. :whistling:
So I can expect to see that shared....when exactly?

Not that I really have an overpowering need to see him on a bearskin rug. That would just have such novelty to it that I would be unable to avert my eyes. Now, if you have Burnside in a Speedo....PLEASE keep that well hidden! :cry:
 
Actually, he was born Hiram Ulysses Grant:



from a nice little capsule biography from the University of Virginia's Miller Center

By the way, "21st out of 39" sounds so-so, right? But consider that a lot of students washed out the first couple of years, so the 39 in Grant's graduating class were the ones who'd made it through the culling. At the end of his sophomore year, Grant was 10th of 53.
Also it's worth remembering that class placement was largely decided on demerits awarded in disciplinary actions, not academics. Often demerits were for minor offenses: tardiness, not paying attention in class, untidy uniform, etc.
A sure way to gather demerits was by pranks and practical jokes. There is a story about Custer (known as a prankster) as a student at West Point, asking his Spanish class instructor to translate, "class dismissed" into Spanish. When the instructor did, Custer and his classmates merrily left the room!
No wonder he amassed the most demerits in his 1861 graduating class and was last of 34 graduates after 23 classmates had dropped out for academic reasons and 22 had resigned to join the Confederacy.
 
When Grant was in the military, he had his bumps, considering General Halleck was a thorn in his side with rumors that he loved his bottle. Lincoln must have seen something in Grant, to appoint Grant to Commander of the Army of the Potomac.
General Sherman was a great supporter when Grant was down and depressed. When Lincoln was told that Grant drank too much, Lincoln, I believe, said I don't care if he drinks, He fights!!
 
Back
Top