The True American Hero :: Essays Papers

The True American Hero Heroism demands self-sacrifice, self-discipline, self-confidence and self-respect. Ulysses S. cave in had these qualities in their most complete form. He set out from disgrace beginnings, and failed. At the age of 38 was a conspicuous failure. Then, like few of us, he succeeded beyond belief. Had he not had tremendous greatness within him, he could never have accomplished what he did. How did such a simple, honest and humble man raise himself in the eyes of his people and the world to the highest position a man or woman can reach - that of a subject area hero?Grant remained a child at heart throughout his life, and seems never to have realized that he was one. His faith in the goodness of liberality was unbounded, and he was taken advantage of. His simplicity of nature was remarkable, yet this simplicity was the mainspring of his success certainly it was the first asset of his generalship. While McClellan could see nothing beyond his own operations and H alleck nothing outside of his textbooks, Grant saw things as they were, uncontaminated by his ideas or anyone elses. He saw that the entire problem of win the civil war was nothing more than an equation between pressure and resistance. The side which pressed the hardest along the lines of least resistance was going to win. His simplicity was the substructure of his modesty and honesty. He could not bear shams, pretensions and humbug. He despised after-dinner speeches and such orations because he felt they were silly he simply could not deliver them. His orders were forever and a day clear, because they were always simple, honest and modest. He could not understand why a man should be dishonest, for to him honesty always seemed the best policy. His modesty taught him self-control, and his sense of commerce was exceeded only by his duty towards his country. Self-control leads to self-respect, to dignity without arrogance, to pride without vulgarity, to ambition without self ishness, and Grant possessed all these many virtues to the highest degree.He was not dignified in the way that General Lee was, though rough and ready, he was always a gentleman, in the best meaning of the word. He was proud of his soldiers and his work, and ambitious to do his utmost for his country. He had so great a faith in the Union cause that he never for a moment lost look forward to that in the end it would succeed.