Was Ulysses S. Grant a drunk?

Answer 1

Reports vary. Also he moved up to a position where he could arrange for some of these reports to be conveniently mislaid!

We know that he began to drink heavily when he was posted to the desert, and sorely missed his family. He then quit the service - voluntarily or not, we still don't know.

As a General, he was seldom seen without a bottle and a cigar, but accusations of drunkenness on duty seem to have come from his boss, Henry Halleck, with whom he feuded badly. Halleck may have been peddling the 'Believable Lie' - the essence of good Propaganda. Not many others of his colleagues suggested that he was incapable through drink.

There is also disagreement over whether he had a strong head. Some said he could drink other people under the table ('hollow leg') Others said he got drunk rather easily.

Sherman said candidly that he looked after Grant when he was drunk, and Grant looked after him when he was mad.

A regular heavy drinker, certainly. That does not always mean an alcoholic.

My guess is that an alcoholic would not have displayed the steadiness, efficiency, determination and persistence of Grant.

Answer 2

His drinking was greatly exaggerated by his political enemies. However, late in his first stint of army life, when he was stationed in California, apart from his wife and children without much to do, there were periods of heavy drinking that were reported. I understand he kept his drinking under control after he quit the army and moved back home to be with family.

Answer 3

There is no solid proof of that. There are jealous rumors. He drank a lot and he also got depressed at a few low points in his life.