Grant, Ulysses S. – (Born April 27, 1822; Died natural causes July 23, 1885, Ohio) Eighteenth President of the United States of America, (March 4, 1869 – March 4, 1877) commanding General of the Union Army during the Civl War credited with ultimate victory based on total war. The absoluteness of power as a battlefield general had ill prepared Grant for the political snake pit of the presidency and he failed to surround himself with able and honest men. Following his term in office he was in desperate financial condition and needed to race against his impending death (throat cancer) to publish his Memoirs, an eventual best seller, unfortunately published posthumously. (His publisher was Samuel Clemons, better known as Mark Twain). (Republican)