Last month my wife Jenn and I took a trip in to Washington DC, a place we have been many times. During our visit (we love that city) we walked by the Capitol building and the huge statue of General Grant on his horse which stands below. The work was dedicated in 1922, 100 years after Grant's birth. Ulysses S. Grant was obviously not only a US president, but also a commander in the Civil War.

What most of us didn't know was that General Grant had a friend by the name of John A. Rolands. Grant had pledged to Rolands that during the war he would abstain from alcohol, which was a problem for Grant.  During a particulaly hard part of the Civil war when Grant had taken to drinking again, Rolands confronted him and entreated him to stay the course. Grant relented.

Did this change the direction of the war?  Who knows, but keeping Grant sober might have! In an obscure park at the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue, a small statue pays tribute to John A Rolands, but his impact may have been monumental. Rolands risked losing his friendship with Grant by holding him accountable.

This is a real frienship, that had real impact.