Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the Civil War

Not a bad book for old Civil War buffs. The title is of course a tautology since it goes without saying that Grant and Sherman were the two best generals in the North and the North won. Very good on family life, early careers, and skill sets, gets bogged down after the war in the Sherman feuds. Tries to make a case for Grant as flexible and capable battlefield manager, instead of the usual meatgrinder view. ( )

Many historians have often characterized the relationship between Confederate generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson as a close relationship, in which Lee trusted Jackson implicitly. Lee himself said that Jackson's death after the Battle of Chancellorsville was 'like losing my right arm.' For the remainder of the war, Lee lacked a similar relationship with any of the other Confederate generals.

Less publicized, probably because the Union war effort is seen in such blunt, unpoetic and non-mythologized terms, is the close relationship between Union generals U. S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. Grant trusted Sherman completely, as is evident from his lack of concern when the subordinate general abandoned normal military tactics and procedure and marched through Georgia with no communication with the commanding general for weeks.

Charles Bracelen Flood has attempted to explore this unique relationship in "Grant and Sherman: The Friendship that Won the Civil War." Beginning with their backgrounds, he shows their similarities. He then goes on to demonstrate the growing trust between the two generals during the early years of the war, when both served in the western theater. He also strongly implies that, at different times, each one helped to preserve the other's military position in times of outside criticism.

The focus on these two individuals offers an interesting look at the Civil War, particularly the Union war effort, in terms of the relationships between the military and political leaders. Instead of focusing on battlefield tactics, it is interested in backroom tactics. What emerges is a portrait of an environment in which overcoming political obstacles is as important in the outcome of the war as defeating the opposing army. (This, of course, is not an unexplored area in other American conflicts: frequently George Washington's generalship in the American Revolution is studied in this way, as is Dwight Eisenhower's command of the multi-national allied forces in World War II.)

Unfortunately, Flood oversteps by describing the relationship as a friendship, rather than a partnership. Ultimately, he may be correct, but the description he provides, like that which is often provided of Lee and Jackson, is of a highly successful partnership rather than a friendship. A similar relationship could be described, using similar letters and other evidence, of the close relationship between Grant and Abraham Lincoln, but none would suggest that it was a friendship, despite its success.

As such, I found the book a frustrating read. Flood, who also wrote "Lee -- The Last Years," a book which I greatly admire, is convinced he is describing a friendship rather than a partnership. Page after page, I just did not see it, much as I might want to agree with the hypothesis in my heart. Still, there is value in the joint biography, in suggesting the importance of relationships and cooperation in overall Civil War strategy. ( )

This book is on my list of "Books to read again." (When I get caught up on all the ones I haven't read yet, that is). What a study in contrasts these two men were. ( )

This brief book retells the highlights of the lives of Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman. There’s no analysis, a few inaccuracies, and some major elisions, but it’s still a great story. You’ve got Grant, Sherman, Lincoln, the Civil War – it would be pretty hard to make it dull. And you can’t help but wonder what would become of men in today’s world who had to slog through all the setbacks Grant and Sherman had and still go on to push themselves to the top. The two men became friends, and their friendship helped to sustain each of them. As Sherman said of Grant later, "He stood by me when I was crazy and I stood by him when he was drunk, and now we stand by each other always."

I wouldn’t recommend this as the sole source of background on the Civil War or its northern generals, but it’s not a bad place to start. ( )

An interesting and highly readable treatment of the friendship between William Techumseh Sherman and Ulysses S. Grant during the American Civil War and its role in supporting and eventually assuring Northern victory. Some highlights of the text include a lengthy biographical introduction of both the main characters, especially interesting was that of Sherman, and their wives who receive large notice throughout the book (I'm always interested and delighted to read about the spouses of those notables in the book and Julia Grant and Ellen Sherman are some of the most interesting).

It wrapped up particularly strong, with Shermans troubles over the surrender conditions with Joseph Johnston in North Carolina and the victory review in Washington.

Throughout I thought that the author clearly got his arguement across - though it could have used a few more maps (a common complaint I will raise time and time again) and more of the supplied pictures should have dealt with Sherman and Grant directly. ( )