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The prose is so clear that I suspected - I was certain - that it was written by Samuel Clemens, who published it. Quite a story, actually - Clemens was broke, Grant was dying and broke, and Clemens promised him $400K he didn't have to write it. Grant managed it before he died so his family would be provided for. Thing is, though, the manuscripts are in Grant's hand and he did write like that. Amazing.

Grant didn't want to be a soldier, he wanted to be a mathematics instructor at West Point. He despised the Mexican War in which he fought and stated very bluntly that he considered it fraudulent, admired Robert E. Lee a very great deal, knew a fair number of the other Confederate commanders as fellow junior officers. The butt of most of his jokes is himself. It's actually a pretty easy read.