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Ulysses S Grant was born "Hiram Ulysses Grant". His family and friends called him by his middle name, usually by the nickname "Lyss".

When Grant's father solicited the his Congressman (Thomas Hamer) to nominate Lyss for an appointment to the US Military Academy at West Point, Hamer mistakenly thought his first name was Ulysses and his middle name was his mother's maiden name, Simpson. When Grant arrived at school he discovered the administrators recalcitrant about correcting the name. He thence became Ulysses S Grant, a name he officially adopted upon his graduation.

Meanwhile, when other cadets saw his initials "U.S." they nicknamed him "Uncle Sam"quickly shortened to "Sam", the name his friends thereafter used to address him.

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17y ago

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