Yearly Archives: 2015

Corrections to “What Trump Could Learn From U.S. Grant”

 in Discrimination / Grant / Presidency by

Some corrections need to be made to the recent article on RealClearPolitics.com titled: “What Trump Could Learn From U.S. Grant,” concerning General Ulysses S. Grant’s expulsion of all Jews “as a class” from his Civil War military department in December 1862. [http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/12/17/what_trump_could_learn_from_us_grant_129073.html] Grant was not “a cashiered U.S. Army captain,” but had resigned in 1854. He left his family’s leather goods store for good just before his 39th birthday, not […]

Review of “My Greatest Quarrel with Fortune”: Major General Lew Wallace in the West, 1861–1862, by Charles G. Beemer

 in Book reviews / Grant / Henry & Donelson / Historiography / Lew Wallace / Shiloh by

“My Greatest Quarrel with Fortune”: Major General Lew Wallace in the West, 1861–1862. By Charles G. Beemer, Kent State University Press, 2015 ISBN-10: 1606352369; ISBN-13: 978-1606352366 One hundred fifty years after being denied justice, Lew Wallace is finally receiving a portion of his just due from several historians of the Civil War. And Charles G. Beemer’s new book, “My Greatest Quarrel with Fortune”: Major General Lew Wallace in the West, […]

Maybe the worst insubordination against a commander-in-chief in U.S. history 1 comment

 in Favoritism / Grant / Presidency by

Why do most Grant biographers ignore this damning episode, in early 1868, when General-in-Chief Grant tried to help depose his superior, President Andrew Johnson? [From Grant Under Fire, pg. 560] In what may well have been the worst case of insubordination against a commander-in-chief in the nation’s history, the General-in-Chief actually lobbied certain senators to gain a conviction. Bolstering efforts to overthrow Johnson, Grant publicly forecast a threat to the […]

Four quotes related to the writing of history 2 comments

 in Historiography by

“Men hate the truth more than falsehood.”—Fire-eater R. B. Rhett Sr. to his namesake son, July 31, 1861, from the private papers of Wiley Sword. “A lot of folks like their Civil War history cut and dried, with a predictable cast of characters – they like to cheer the hero and hiss the villain. The curtain falls, and they say, ‘Very good, just as I remember the play.’”—Brian Pohanka, as […]

Did Grant “win” the American Civil War? 1 comment

 in Grant / Henry & Donelson / Lincoln / Military Affairs / Petersburg / Shiloh / Vicksburg by

Certain historians claim that Ulysses S. Grant “won” the American Civil War, a formulation far too simplistic to accurately reflect what actually happened. This chart is a simple reminder that other factors were involved. Grant may have led the Union army for the last year of the war, but Abraham Lincoln served as commander-in-chief of the nation’s entire armed forces, and historians rank him as one of the most effective […]

A great one is gone: Wiley Sword passed away November 9

 in Historiography by

  According to Crowell Brothers Funeral Homes: http://crowellbrothers.com/index.php?id=aa&q=848 Winfield Wiley Sword, age 77, of Suwanee, GA passed away Monday, November 9, 2015. Wiley was born in Mexico, Missouri on December 7, 1937 and lived there until the age of 7. He was a Civil War historian and published author who greatly enjoyed traveling and lecturing. Wiley was also an avid golfer, but nothing meant more to him that this family. […]

Fallacies concerning the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant 1 comment

 in Battles / Book reviews / Favoritism / Grant / Grant biographies / Grant Under Fire / Grant's Memoirs / Henry & Donelson / Historiography / Honesty / Lew Wallace / McClernand / Paducah / People / Reliability / Rosecrans / Sheridan / Sherman / Shiloh / Thomas by

Michael B. Ballard’s review of Chris Mackowski’s Grant’s Last Battle: The Story Behind the Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant (November 2015 Civil War News Book Review), exemplifies the mind-set that my book, Grant Under Fire, so comprehensively opposes. Grant “did not rewrite history,” Dr. Ballard maintains, “he wrote it as he understood and lived it.” The reviewer does refer to “the accuracy, or lack thereof, of the memoirs,” yet […]

Bill O’Reilly credits U.S. Grant for Lincoln’s eminence

 in Favoritism / Grant / Grant Under Fire / Lincoln / Sherman by

In an interview in AARP, October/November 2015, Bill O’Reilly stated, “Lincoln, I think the greatest American president, would not have been that without U.S. Grant. It’s not just one person.” Well, I also argue that it’s not just one person, when I hear the constantly reiterated refrain, “Ulysses S. Grant won the American Civil War.” But in Lincoln’s case, I would assert that Grant was actually a drag on his […]

Shiloh, a strategic defeat for the Union?

 in Battles / Shiloh by

Grant Under Fire, takes a revisionist view of the Battle of Shiloh, declaring it a strategic defeat for the Union. The text describes John Pope’s and Andrew Foote’s success at Island No. 10 on the Mississippi, and then remarks on how they were next aiming for Fort Pillow and Memphis, Tennessee. It concludes: “Foote expected success within days. Just before the attempt, Halleck summoned Pope’s army to the Tennessee River […]

Grant “Won” the Battle of Shiloh?

 in Battles / Favoritism / Grant / Grant biographies / Honesty / Lew Wallace / McClernand / Sherman / Shiloh by

Just as Ulysses S. Grant is credited with “winning” the American Civil War, he usually receives the acclaim for Shiloh. A multitude of facts demonstrate why this is wrong. Simply awarding praise to the commanding officer in any engagement would mean that Buell, with his independent army, deserves half (or even more, as Grant was in charge during the losing battle on April 6th). This still completely ignores how they […]

Civil War Bookshelf review of Grant Under Fire

 in Book reviews / Grant Under Fire / Historiography by

Another positive review for Grant Under Fire just appeared on Dimitri Rotov’s Civil War Bookshelf. He’s too nice in saying that the book, with “798 erudite, well-researched pages, delivers a profound, perhaps unforgettable reading experience,” and “We are in the hands of a fair, informed and intelligent author who delivers a compelling read.” Although the book directly opposes the conventional view of Ulysses S. Grant, I wrote it for those […]

Interview: Joseph A. Rose, “Grant Under Fire”

 in Book reviews / Grant Under Fire / Historiography by

Harry Smeltzer has just published a lengthy interview with me on his Bull Runnings website. It provides a good perspective on the genesis of Grant Under Fire. Although it will be difficult to change the minds of many who’ve grown up on a diet of adulatory biographies of Ulysses S. Grant, people who’ve actually read the book have been quite complimentary on the depth of its research. I’m even more […]

The Taking of Paducah 1-2-3

 in Grant's Memoirs / Paducah / Reliability by

On the CivilWarTalk website, several individuals attempted to refute the fact that Grant (admitted in his own, unsubmitted report) had received Frémont’s authorization before setting out to occupy Paducah, Ky. One person, going by the moniker “DanSBHawk” wrote: “Seems like you could put the matter to rest by showing this one telegraph of Grant acknowledging receipt of Fremonts[sic] orders on the 5th. Here it is. In his unsubmitted report, Grant […]

Little Phil: A Reassessment of the Civil War Leadership of Gen. Philip H. Sheridan

 in Book reviews / Sheridan by

With Little Phil: A Reassessment of the Civil War Leadership of Gen. Philip H. Sheridan, Eric Wittenberg has gone against the grain of current Civil War scholarship to look at the facts underneath Phil Sheridan’s sterling reputation. Such revisionism is extremely welcome. Sheridan had a very mixed military career, but his protectors, such as Ulysses S. Grant, and friendly biographers covered up the flaws in his personality and the blunders […]

Lee’s Lost Dispatch and Other Civil War Controversies by Philip Leigh

 in Book reviews / Historiography by

Lee’s Lost Dispatch and Other Civil War Controversies by Philip Leigh This book is a keeper. Instead of offering the standard, often incorrect, version of American Civil War history, Philip Leigh digs deeply into many of the conflict’s controversies. His analysis of why George H. Thomas would have made a better commander of the Military Division of the Mississippi, as opposed to General Grant’s choice of William T. Sherman, is […]

Ruin Nation: Destruction and the American Civil War by Megan Kate Nelson

 in Book reviews / Historiography by

Ruin Nation: Destruction and the American Civil War by Megan Kate Nelson Ms. Nelson’s book is a much-needed reminder of the costs of war, in general, and of the huge and tragic effects of the American Civil War. Among its many strengths, the book provides a compelling look at the destruction of Columbia, South Carolina, by troops under General William T. Sherman (and thus showed how he lied in disclaiming […]

Review of Sean M. Chick’s The Battle of Petersburg, June 15-18, 1864

 in Book reviews / Petersburg by

The Battle of Petersburg, June 15-18, 1864 offers a fresh and balanced look at an engagement that has been often draped in myth. From the start, Sean Michael Chick accurately summarizes the Overland Campaign, detailing the blunders on both sides. He doesn’t let Grant off easily, as many authors try to do, noting at one point his “almost obsessive preference for Sheridan.” When the Army of the Potomac finally reaches […]

Grant’s first “victory”?

 in Grant / Grant biographies / Historiography / Reliability by

Almost universally, Ulysses S. Grant, his biographers, and his other supporters make the claim, when they describe the incident, that he took Paducah, Kentucky, despite the absence of orders from his superior officer, General John Frémont. Grant was quite clear about this in his Personal Memoirs: “Not having received an answer to my first dispatch, I again telegraphed to department headquarters that I should start for Paducah that night unless […]

A strategic database for the American Civil War 1 comment

 in Mapping by

For a long time I have pondered a potentially worthwhile project: a database that contained the locations (and probable strengths, current commanders, etc.) of the Union and Confederate forces down to the regimental level. The data could then be displayed on an interactive basis. I would think that this would be hugely helpful in any strategic, campaign-level analysis. With appropriate software, one could easily visualize the various units on each […]

President Grant ladles out money to the rich 1 comment

 in Grant Under Fire / Presidency by

From the book: “For whatever reasons—he seemed fascinated by men of wealth—Grant offered unstinting support to capitalists and big business. He desired, and the very first law he signed mandated, the payment in gold for huge numbers of bonds bought during the Civil War, mostly with depreciated greenbacks, even though the government was not contractually obligated to do so. This provided the bondholders with a gigantic—and wholly unjustified—windfall. With better […]

An alcoholic Ulysses S. Grant resigns his commission

 in Drinking / Grant / Grant biographies / Historiography by

Many modern authors attempt to make a case for General Grant’s sobriety. But, in a general minimization of Grant’s drinking, William C. Davis’ new book, Crucible of Command: Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee—The War They Fought, The Peace They Forged, goes so far as to deny the accounts that he abused alcohol or was forced out of the pre-war army, while serving on the Pacific coast in the […]

Time-keeping in the Civil War

 in Military Affairs / Time-keeping by

Determining when various events took place during the war is, naturally, extremely important in ascertaining what actually happened and why. Standard time zones were not introduced until later in the century, when the requirements of the railroad companies demanded them. Until then, local time ruled. And the unsynchronized setting of timepieces was further exacerbated by their inaccuracies. Ulysses Grant started the war with a watch that was up to an […]

Albert D. Richardson’s problematic biography of Ulysses S. Grant 1 comment

 in Chattanooga / Grant biographies / Historiography / Shiloh / Thomas  tagged Historians by

Albert Deane Richardson’s biography, A Personal History of Ulysses S. Grant, originally published in 1868, provided numerous familiar anecdotes about a great and good Grant. The book was republished in 1885 with certain corrections. A scenario in the 1868 edition (pp. 253-54) started with Sherman chasing away the Rebels at Shiloh with some well-aimed artillery: ‘That’s the last of them,’ said Grant. ‘They will not make another stand.’ Then he […]

Commenting on this blog

 in Grant Under Fire by

Please feel free to leave a comment about the website, issues or controversies concerning Ulysses S. Grant, or the forthcoming book, Grant Under Fire. To leave a comment, click on an individual blog post. Along with a discussion of the various Civil War-related issues, I heartily request the identification of any errors found in Grant Under Fire. With all comments, please provide primary source citations to substantiate your findings whenever […]