Editing Ulysses S. Grant (section)

===West Point and first assignment===
[[File:Ulysses Grant at 21.jpg|alt=Engraving of a young Grant in uniform|thumb|upright=0.8|Grant as a young officer, {{circa}} 1845–1847]]

At Jesse Grant's request, Representative [[Thomas L. Hamer]] nominated Ulysses to the [[United States Military Academy]] at [[West Point, New York]], in spring 1839. Grant was accepted on July 1.{{sfn|White|2016|pp=24–25}} Unfamiliar with Grant, Hamer altered his name, so Grant was enlisted under the name "U. S. Grant".{{efn|One source states Hamer took the "S" from Simpson, Grant's mother's maiden name.{{sfn|Simon|1967|p=4}} According to Grant, the "S." did not stand for anything. Upon graduation from the academy he adopted the name "Ulysses S. Grant".{{sfnm|McFeely|1981|1p=12|Smith|2001|2pp=24, 83|Simon|1967|3pp=3–4}} Another version of the story states that Grant inverted his first and middle names to register at West Point as "Ulysses Hiram Grant" as he thought reporting to the academy with a trunk that carried the initials H.U.G. would subject him to teasing and ridicule. Upon finding that Hamer had nominated him as "Ulysses S. Grant." Grant decided to keep the name so that he could avoid the "hug" monogram; and it was easier to keep the wrong name than to try changing school records.{{sfn|Garland 1898|pages=30–31}}}}{{sfnm|McFeely|1981|1p=12|Smith|2001|2pp=24, 83|Simon|1967|3pp=3–4|Kahan|2018|4p=2}} Since the initials "U.S." also stood for "[[Uncle Sam]]", he became known among army colleagues as "Sam."{{sfn|White|2016|p=30}}

Initially, Grant was indifferent to military life, but within a year he reexamined his desire to leave the academy and later wrote that "on the whole I like this place very much".{{sfnm|Simpson|2014|1p=13–14|Smith|2001|2pp=26–28}} He earned a reputation as the [[Horsemanship of Ulysses S. Grant|"most proficient" horseman]].{{sfn|McFeely|1981|p=10}} Seeking relief from military routine, he studied under [[Romanticism|Romantic]] artist [[Robert Walter Weir]], producing nine surviving artworks.{{sfnm|Smith|2001|1p=27|McFeely|1981|2pp=16–17}} He spent more time reading books from the library than his academic texts.{{sfnm|McFeely|1981|1pp=16–17|Smith|2001|2pp=26–27}} On Sundays, cadets were required to march to services at the academy's church, which Grant disliked.{{sfn|White|2016|p=41}} Quiet by nature, he established a few intimate friends among fellow cadets, including [[Frederick Tracy Dent]] and [[James Longstreet]]. He was inspired both by the Commandant, Captain [[Charles Ferguson Smith]], and by General [[Winfield Scott]], who visited the academy to review the cadets. Grant later wrote of the military life, "there is much to dislike, but more to like."{{sfn|Brands|2012a|pp=12–13}}

Grant graduated on June 30, 1843, ranked 21st out of 39 in his class and was promoted the next day to [[brevet (military)|brevet]] [[second lieutenant]].{{sfnm|Chernow|2017|1p=27|Longacre|2006|2p=21|Cullum|1850|3pp=256–257}} He planned to resign his commission after his four-year term. He would later write that among the happiest days of his life were the day he left the presidency and the day he left the academy.{{sfnm|Chernow|2017|1p=28|McFeely|1981|2pp=16, 19}} Despite his excellent horsemanship, he was not assigned to the cavalry, but to the [[4th Infantry Regiment (United States)|4th Infantry Regiment]].{{efn|At the time, class ranking largely determined branch assignments. Those at the top of the class were usually assigned to the Engineers, followed by Artillery, Cavalry, and Infantry.{{sfn|Jones|2011|p=1580}}}} Grant's first assignment was the [[Jefferson Barracks]] near [[St. Louis, Missouri]].{{sfnm|Smith|2001|1pp=28–29|Brands|2012a|2p=15|Chernow|2017|3p=81}} Commanded by Colonel [[Stephen W. Kearny]], this was the nation's largest military base in the West.{{sfn|Smith|2001|pp=28–29}} Grant was happy with his commander but looked forward to the end of his military service and a possible teaching career.{{sfn|Smith|2001|pp=30–33}}