On September 14 Grant was enlisted Cadet "U.S. Grant" at the national academy.[26][d] His nickname at West Point became "Sam" among army colleagues since the initials "U.S." also stood for "Uncle Sam".[30][e]
Initially, Grant was indifferent to military life, but within a year he reexamined his desire to leave the academy and later wrote that "on the whole I like this place very much".[32] While at the academy, his greatest interest was horses, and he earned a reputation as the "most proficient" horseman.[33] During the graduation ceremony, while riding York, a large and powerful horse that only Grant could manage, he set a high-jump record that stood for 25 years.[34][f] Seeking relief from military routine, he studied under Romantic artist Robert Walter Weir, producing nine surviving artworks.[36] He spent more time reading books from the library than his academic texts, including works by James Fenimore Cooper and others.[37] On Sundays, cadets were required to march to and attend services at the academy's church, a requirement that Grant disliked.[38] Quiet by nature, Grant established a few intimate friends among fellow cadets, including Frederick Tracy Dent and James Longstreet. 