I live an hour or so from Galena, IL which claims to be Grants home. In reality he lived there a couple years while he worked for his brothers tannery after failing as a farmer when he left the army because he missed his wife (as reported by the tour guide at his house) . When the war started he joined back up and was given a higher rank thanks to some political help from a local kingmaker type (Galena at the time was a huge trading and lead smelting hub with tons of money)

He was born Hyrem Ulysses Grant. And the story they tell is that his name was changed accidentally when he enrolled at West Point because of confusion with his brother who's name was Simpson.

As you tour the town you learn a lot about Elihu Washburn, the local kingmaker noted above. He was very politically active and is credited as being the person who pushed grant to run for president after the war. The more you learn about him, the more you realize he's the type that had the understanding and influence to make a lot of things happen to further his goals... Like being the embassador to France under Grant as well as serving as grants closest advisor. I suspect he was also smart enough to know that a guy named Hyrem Ulysses would not have as good a shot at the whitehouse as a guy named US Grant, war hero.

So I wonder if they will delve into the question of whether west point messed up his name or whether it was the result of his political benefactor as part of his presidential campaign.