This Day In History

 

September 7, 1813

On September 7, 1813, according to the most cited—and Congressionally approved—account, the United States gets its nickname, Uncle Sam. The name is linked to Samuel Wilson, a meat packer from Troy, New York, who supplied barrels of beef to the United States Army during the War of 1812. Wilson (1766-1854) stamped the barrels with “U.S.” for United States. But because Wilson was known locally as "Uncle Sam," soldiers began referring to the grub as “Uncle Sam’s.” The local newspaper, the Troy Post, picked up on the story and Uncle Sam eventually gained widespread acceptance as the nickname for—and personification of—the U.S. federal government.

Taken from: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/september-7/united-states-nicknamed-uncle-sam