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Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the Civil War
written by Charles Bracelen Flood
Studio : Harper Perennial
by Harper Perennial
Release Date : 2006-10-24
Publisher : Harper Perennial
Released : 2006-11-01
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Number of Items : 1
EAN : 9780061148712
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 28 reviews)
List Price : $16.95
Our Price : $2.39
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Americancivilwar.com |
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The lives of Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman are classic underdog stories. Both of these "obscure failures" experienced more disappointment than success prior to the start of the Civil War. By 1861, they had each resigned from the U.S. Army and failed in several civilian pursuits between them, including farming, real estate, retail, and banking. Further, Grant was known as a drunk and Sherman was labeled insane. But once they threw themselves into the war effort, their best traits and talents began to reveal themselves. Even their motives were similar--both men joined the war not to eradicate slavery but to hold the Union together, believing that secession was equal to treason. This dual biography gracefully reveals how the two men grew to be "as brothers," why their partnership proved essential to victory for the Union, and how well they complemented and helped each other in their lives and careers, despite some major differences. For instance, though he possessed tremendous talent, Sherman was insecure and initially asked Abraham Lincoln never to give him a superior command. Grant, on the other hand, never doubted his ability to lead, and he quickly, if quietly, moved up the chain of command. Once he recognized Sherman's abilities, Grant made sure to keep him close, and they grew to depend upon each other completely. Through their near-daily interaction, even when separated by distance, both men honed their skills and eventually came up with a winning strategy for the war, which they executed in a brilliant two-pronged assault. The book also discusses Grant's and Sherman's marriages, their relationships with their soldiers, and their dealings with politicians to provide well-rounded and complete portraits of these fascinating leaders. Grant and Sherman is a thoughtful portrait of the two men who "other than Lincoln... would have more to do with winning the war that preserved the Union than anyone else." --Shawn Carkonen |
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Product Description |
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They were both prewar failures—Grant, forced to resign from the Regular Army because of his drinking, and Sherman, holding four different jobs, including a much-loved position at a southern military academy—in the years before the firing on Fort Sumter. They began their unique collaboration ten months into the war, at the Battle of Shiloh, each carefully taking the other's measure. They shared the demands of family life and the heartache of personal tragedy. They shared similar philosophies of battle, employed similar strategies and tactics, and remained in close, virtually daily communication throughout the conflict. They were incontestably two of the Civil War's most important figures, and the deep, abiding friendship they shared made the Union's ultimate victory possible. Poignant, riveting, and elegantly written, Grant and Sherman is a remarkable portrait of two extraordinary men and a singular friendship, forged on the battlefield, that would change the course of history. |
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OK, If you haven't read any other books regarding Grant of Sherman |
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This book was OK if you haven't read any other books on Grant or Sherman or on their campaigns. However, if you've many of the excellent books that have been printed over the past 15 years on the campaigns of Grant and Sherman or the excellent biographies on the same individuals, this book pales in comparison. So, I would recommend getting some of the other books out there on this topic. (See my listing of these books for examples). |
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A great book on two great men.. |
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I loved this book! After reading various books on the Civil War, I was looking to explore more about Sherman and Grant, 2 Generals I find to be fascinating. With no pretense, I happen to come across this book. Once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down! It reads like a novel, it is not the usual dry history you often find. His style reminds me almost of Shaara. The author also did a good job describing the campaigns these two fought in, both together and separately. I also liked how the author delved into their past, to give the reader some background on these 2 men. If you are looking for a really good book on the Civil War that is really easy to read, then I highly recommend this one. |
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Excellent view of two generals |
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This is an excellent read with excellent insights into the personalities and temperments of the two great Union generals in the Civil War. The personal observations shared between Grant and Sherman show how much of the strategy of 1864 was a combination of the minds of these two military giants. |
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Silly title and premise, but good content |
Flood gives the reader sound accounts of Grant and Sherman's Civil War biographies, insight into Army politics, and a glimpse of several battles with a readable and entertaining prose. He chronicles the rise of Grant and Sherman from arguable failures to their rise as Civil-War heroes.
I enjoyed the accounts of the battles, although they cannot be considered anything close to comprehensive, as they concentrated solely on how those events affected the lives of the main characters. While the book contains maps of the battles, there were only a few and placed before the Prologue and not referred to in the text. I found the analysis of Grants and Sherman's hesitancy and inaction at Chattanooga to be very interesting, along with the jealously from Thomas and Hooker - both of whom seemed to get short shrift due to Grant's favoritism of Sherman. I thought Flood provided good coverage of the confusion and dysfunction in the Cabinet and Army after Lincoln's death. He provided excellent detail of Sherman's screw-up of surrender talks with Johnston - the most complete account I have read thus far.
In regards to the book's premise, while Flood captures some genuinely interesting and sincere interaction between the two, the premise that their friendship "won the war" is preposterous. Nor does he make the argument that their friendship itself was great. They barely knew each other prior to the war, and their partnership during the war lasted less than two years, and there did not appear to be consistent interaction after the war. The concept seems rather contrived, as with every chapter the author makes out-of-context note of someone's comment on their friendship, such as their interactions were "free, affectionate, and good humored", "the friendship was there for all to see", or "their encounter was more like that of two school boys coming together after vacation".
In describing a post war parade, he says "There it was: the apotheosis of the friendship and military partnership that had brought the Union and its armies to this day. They were the men, the two generals, who more than other soldiers had made this moment happen, and everyone there knew it."
I enjoyed the historical accounts and insights on their relationship, and a few details on the two I had not known much about, but I found the insinuation of a magical friendship to be rather a veiled attempt to spit out supposedly new material on a very crowded subject.
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the destiny of two men... |
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Grant and Sherman had such an incredible relationship as outlined in this book by Mr Flood, it is not hard to imagine that that relationship was a decisive factor in the Civil War. After Lee had lost some of his most trsuted commanders (Stonewall), the Union Army found it's leaders and purpose. This is a fascinating book for those who are Civil Wars buffs or not, a wonderful American tale. |
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