General Ulysses S. Grant is, militarily, the reason why the Union was preserved and why the Civil War did not extend beyond April 1865. Ulysses S Grant, born Hiram Ulysses Grant was born April 27, 1822 in Pleasant, Ohio. Grant and his family moved to Georgetown, Ohio, just a year after his birth. Grant graduated from West Point in 1843 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 4th U.S. Infantry stationed in Missouri. Grant was married to Julia Dent and later had four children in the marriage. Grant served in the Mexican-American War and resigned from the Army in 1854 after being stationed for several years away from his family. Grant tried several occupations after resigning from the Army, such as farmer, real estate agent, and, after moving to Galena, Illinois, worked at his father's leather company, but failed at all of these occupations. Grant was promoted to colonel of the 21st Illinois Volunteers in April 1861 after the Civil War began. Grant was then promoted to the rank of brigadier general later that summer by President Abraham Lincoln. (www.histo...