Ulysses Grant

Ulysses S. Grant (1822–1885) was the 18th President (1869–1877) and the commanding Union general whose leadership helped win the Civil War. As President, he worked to stabilize the post-war nation, supported Reconstruction efforts to protect African American rights, and crushed the early Ku Klux Klan. However, his administration was marred by scandals and corruption among his appointees, which tarnished his legacy.

Interesting anecdote: Grant had a need for speed – even with horse-drawn vehicles. He was once stopped and fined for driving his horse and carriage too fast in Washington, D.C. In fact, a police officer famously arrested the sitting President for speeding, to which Grant politely paid a $20 fine, illustrating that not even the President was above the law.