Posted by elektratig [ 64.12.116.14 ] on February 14, 2005 at 08:57:08:
In Reply to: Re: Little Known Civil War Fact posted by manualblock on February 14, 2005 at 07:22:24:
Rest assured, I "root" for the Union whenever I read about the Civil War. Indeed, it's often painful for me to read about many of the Eastern campaigns, because the Federals were so often badly defeated. Consider:
First Bull Run - Defeat
Shenandoah Valley Campaign -- Defeat
Peninsula Campaign -- Defeat
Second Bull Run -- Defeat
Antietam -- Tie
Fredericksburg -- Defeat
Mud March -- Defeat
Chancellorsville -- Defeat
Gettysburg -- Victory
Mine Run Campaign -- Defeat
Luckily, the Union was blessed with the two greatest men of the era, Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses Grant. I am firmly convinced that both were essential to victory.
Since my obsession is relatively new, I have never visited a Civil War battle site. That may change this coming summer, however.
Little known Civil War fact No. 2: Ulysses Grant's original name was Hiram Ulysses Grant. His family called him "Ulys". When he went to West Point, he inverted his first and middle names because he did not want his luggage to bear the initials "HUG". When he arrived at West Point, the Army listed him as "Ulysses S. Grant", because that was the name under which his sponsor had submitted his application (presumably because his mother's maiden name was Simpson). The Army, being the Army, told him that it had admitted "Ulysses S. Grant" and that, if he was not "Ulysses S. Grant", he should go home.
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