How Simple Politeness Caused His Demise

Watch out for unintended consequences. They’ll get you every time.

It happened 154 years ago when a simple act of courtesy set in motion a chain of events that wound up taking a famous American’s life.

Really.

When I say the name Ulysses S. Grant, what comes to mind? Big drunk and even bigger cigar smoker. (The more scholarly-minded among you probably answered, “Victor at Appomattox” or “18^th President of the United States.” But salacious sells, so we’ll save the academic stuff for another time.) Continue reading →