“In every battle there comes a time when both sides consider themselves beaten, he who continues to attack wins.” (Ulysses S. Grant)  The Civil War was a time when the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy) faught against each other. They were fighting about slavery. The North was anti-slavery, and the South wanted slavery. Robert E. Lee was a general for the South. Ulysses S. Grant was for the North. Grant’s life was fascinating, from his early life, to becoming a general, to the Civil War.

Ulysses S. Grant wasn’t born a general. He was born on April 27, 1822, in Point Pleasant, Idaho. He moved to Georgetown, Idaho at age one (1823). He went to West Point at age seventeen. “In school, Grant wore rumpled clothes and was shy and quiet. Yet he rose to become the most important general of war.” (Civil War: Ten Greatest Heroes, Scholastic) West Point was a United States Military Academy that taught fighting. He was nicknamed “Sam”. He wasn’t very good in school. This was going to be important later.

Becoming a General took a while for Grant. “The Civil War had begun and, suddenly, the North needed experienced Army officers like Grant.” (millercenter.org, Hard Times) Grant was taught by the Governer of Illinois to be a general (because he was bad in school). The Governer taught him to overlook small details and problems, and also the regiment’s main goals. Grant gradually won others’ respect and allegiance, and was appointed bridgadier General.

ulysses Grant faught in the Civil War as a General. his strategy was to chase the South and fight them whenever possible until the Confederacy gave in.”Making his headquarters with the Army of the Potomac, Garnt was deteirmined to crush Robert E. Lee and his vaunted army of Northern Virginia at any cost.”(civil war.org, Ulysses S. Grant) His plan worked. Lee surrendered on April 9, 1865. The North won the Civil War! Grant is a general that everyone will remember. No-one knows what could have happened if the Union didn’t have Grant. Hopefully nobody needs to go through a war like that again. People need to realize that war is never nessesary. “Nations, like individualls are punished for their transgressions.” (Ulysses S. Grant)