The True American HeroHeroism requires self-sacrifice, self-discipline, self-confidence, and self-respect. Ulysses S. Grant possessed these qualities in their fullest form. He started from humble beginnings and failed. At 38, it was a blatant failure. Then, like few of us, he succeeded beyond belief. If he did not have immense greatness within him, he would never have been able to accomplish what he did. How could such a simple, honest and humble man rise in the eyes of his people and the world to the highest position a man or woman can achieve: that of a national hero? ? Grant remained a child at heart throughout his life and seems to have never realized he was one. His faith in the goodness of humanity was unlimited and he was taken advantage of. His simplicity of nature was remarkable, and yet this simplicity was the driving force behind his success; it was certainly the first asset of his position as general. While McClellan saw nothing beyond his own operations and Halleck saw nothing outside his textbooks, Grant saw things as they were, uncontaminated by his or anyone else's ideas. He saw that the whole problem of winning the Civil War was nothing more than an equation between pressure and resistance. The side that tried hardest to advance on the line of least resistance would win. His simplicity was the foundation of his modesty and honesty. He couldn't stand impostures, pretensions and stupidity. He despised after-dinner speeches and speeches of that sort because he found them ridiculous; he just couldn't deliver them. His orders were always clear, because they were always simple, honest and modest. He did not understand why a man had to be dishonest, because to him honesty always seemed the best policy. His modesty taught him self-control and his sense of duty was matched only by his duty to his country. Self-control leads to self-respect, to dignity without arrogance, to pride without vulgarity, to ambition without selfishness, and Grant possessed all of these many virtues to the highest degree. He was not "dignified" like General Lee was, although rough and ready, he was still a gentleman, in the best sense of the word. He was proud of his soldiers and his work and had the ambition to do everything possible for his country. He had such faith in the Union cause that he never lost hope that it would ultimately succeed...