Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Biographies The True American Hero The True American Hero Heroism demands self-sacrifice, self-discipline, self-confidence and self-respect. Ulysses S. Grant had these qualities in their most complete form. He set out from humble beginnings, and failed. At the age of 38 was a conspicuous failure. Then, like few of us, he succeeded beyond belief. Had he not had tremendous greatness within him, he could never have accomplished what he did. How did such a simple, honest and humble man raise himself in the eyes of his people and the world to the highest position a man or woman can reach - that of a national hero? Grant remained a child at heart throughout his life, and seems never to have realized that he was one. His faith in the goodness of humanity was unbounded, and he was taken advantage of. His simplicity of nature was remarkable, yet this simplicity was the mainspring of his success; certainly it was the first asset of his generalship. While McClellan could see nothing beyond his own operations and Halleck nothing outside of his textbooks, Grant saw things as they were, uncontaminated by his ideas or anyone elses. He saw that the entire problem of winning the civil war was nothing more than an equation between pressure and resistance. The side which pressed the hardest along the lines of least resistance was going to win. His simplicity was the foundation of his modesty and honesty. He could not bear shams, pretensions and humbug. He despised after-dinner speeches and such orations because he felt they were silly; he simply could not deliver them. His orders were always clear, because they were always simple, honest and modest. He could not understand why a man should be dishonest, for to him honesty always seemed the best policy. His modesty taught him self-control, and his sense of duty was exceeded only by his duty towards his country. Self-control leads to self-respect, to dignity without arrogance, to pride without vulgarity, to ambition without selfishness, and Grant possessed all these many virtues to the highest degree. He was not "dignified" in the way that General Lee was, though rough and ready, he was always a gentleman, in the best meaning of the word. He was proud of his soldiers and his work, and ambitious to do his utmost for his country. He had so great a faith in the Union cause that he never for a moment lost hope that in the end it would succeed. Grant was endowed with a great hope, but his modesty and honesty in regards to himself had also given him wisdom. He was never content to do just what other people did. He was no copyist but a student, not only of things and other people, but of himself. His common sense was such that he possessed the inestimable gift of being able to learn from his own mistakes, as well as from the mistakes of others. He was never bound by traditions, he had a horror of formalities. His common sense was due to his reasoning nature, he always had a reason for what he did. Chance and luck he didn't believe in. Here is what he said about luck in war: "Some of our generals failed because they worked out everything by rule. They knew what Frederick did at one place and Napoleon at another. They were always thinking what Napoleon would do. Unfortunately for their plans, the Rebels would be thinking about something else." This is wisdom, this is common sense which in itself is wisdom. Conditions and not rules governed Grant's actions. He did not resist circumstances, neither did he seek a justification for failure. Rather, he analyzed circumstances and acted accordingly. He learnt something of importance from each operation he undertook. From these lessons, and every engagement was a lesson and not merely a victory or defeat, he built up his own art of war. In the Vicksburg campaign, Grant's moral courage has seldom been equaled. His plan met with no support and Sherman strenuously objected to it. Grant, having thought it out, knew that it was good plan and refused to change it. Here his courage drew its strength from a firm knowledge of the situation. Courage is closely connected with self-discipline, for this teaches a man to rely upon himself. Grant unfailingly did so. Once he had made up his mind, he shouldered the full responsibility for his actions. Yet he never adhered to a plan obstinately. This we clearly see at Chattanooga, and in the Wilderness and Petersburg campaigns; but nothing would induce him to give up the idea behind the plan. Few men in history, soldiers or otherwise, have possessed so strongly that dauntless spirit of resolution which is that backbone of heroism. At Donelson and Shiloh, the enemy's initial attacks in no way shatter his determination; they strengthen it. His complete mastery over himself and his quiet orders and instructions at once electrify his troops with his own confidence. There was never any excitement, cursing or recrimination. His determination was unfailing, and the word "impossible" was not to be found in his military vocabulary. At Chattanooga, his quiet business-like confidence rapidly turned a starving rabble of men into a spirited army. His persistence at Petersburg is only rivaled by his brilliance at Vicksburg; and his determination to push after Lee, over bottomless roads to Appomattox, led to one of the most remarkable pursuits in history. One of the great secrets of Grants success was to take things as they were and to devote his whole energies to making the best of them. He accepted failure without recrimination but never allowed himself to become resigned to it, and the psychological moment to act was never missed by him. His energy was extraordinary - fit or sick, nothing can stop him. He is always ready is act and never obsessed by difficulties. He never exaggerates dangers. At Belmont, in 1861, he said: "Don't be too anxious about what the other fellow is going to do to you, but make him anxious about what you are going to do to him." At Shiloh, though he was half crippled, and all was turmoil, he moved and went everywhere. His ride to Chattanooga is an epic of energy; men who can create such epics are true heroes. In them is an enormous source of power and Grant was like a hurricane - he was the true thunderbolt on any battlefield. Courage and energy will sometimes sweep a general off his feet; but Grant is master of these forces. At Donelson, at Shiloh and in the Wilderness, in spite of chaos, he has complete mastery over himself. His heart never runs away with his head; wherever he appears, his presence, like ice, allays the fever. Grant was at his best when a tumult surrounds him, because he is unaffected by it, and though he may issue no single order, his presence at once stomps out panic and induces confidence. He had a great number of horses shot out from under him and even had a cigar shot out of his mouth, but his reaction was always minimal. On one occasion a six-pound shell passed his head at three inches, but he didn't flich. He simply said: "Someone get that shell, lets see what kind of ammunition they're using." Seldom has a man possessed so high a sense of duty, and of service to his nation, to those who worked with him, and to those who fought against him. Those who surrounded him at once found that he was very human and very sensitive. He treated everyone politely and was a gentleman, all around. There was little vindictiveness in his character and he had boundless capacity to forgive and forget. His gentleness was almost woman-like, and he was able to weep in front of strangers without embarrassment. These are but a few of the simple things which Grant can teach us, and a few of the reasons why Grant is the immortal American hero. Bibliography: Word Count: 1337
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