5 comments about Sheridan: The Life And Wars Of General Phil Sheridan.

1. I've always found General Phil Sheridan to be a fascinating figure, and "Sheridan: The Life and Wars of General Phil Sheridan" was the first biography about him that I found. It's reasonably well written, chronicling Sheridan's early life, his attendance at West Point, and his meteoric rise to general officer rank in the early days of the Civil War. Author Roy Morris, Jr. also details Sheridan's post-Civil War military career as an unsuccessful military governor of Louisiana, an Indian fighter in the midwest, and ultimately as General-in-Chief of the U.S. Army. Especially interesting was Sheridan's relationship with George Armstrong Custer, which Morris traces from their days fighting together during the Civil War, to the time of Custer's death at Little Big Horn.

   I did find a problem with this book, despite its being fairly well written. While it provided some reasonably detailed information on Sheridan's life, times and personality, I didn't feel that it approached depth found in the best biographies of military leaders. When I finished "Sheridan," I felt I hadn't really been introduced to the man; I almost got the feeling Morris left out information in order to keep down the length of the book (which runs only to 393 pages.)

   "Sheridan" is a good basic survey of one of the great U.S. Army generals of the 19th century, but it's not a particularly penetrating study of General Philip Sheridan's life and times. In my view, Phil Sheridan deserves better.




2. Phillip Sheridan's importance to the Union effort in the Civil War cannot be overstated. His place as a general in blue ranks behind only Sherman and Grant. His best moments were at Winchester where he stemmed a Union defeat and turned it into a smashing vistory, and at Five Forks where he routed a derelict George Pickett and ended the stalemate around Petersburg. He also led a fascinating life in the military both before and after the war, eventually becomming the army's commanding general late in his life. Morris's book is well written, but it lacks the drama of say the recent biographies of Grant and Sherman. I think this is because the stories of those two generals, who both overcame much adversity in both their personal and professional lives, are much more compelling. Sheridan was a great general, but not a tragic or epic figure. But at least he has a biography that does his memory justice.



3. Though Roy Morris writes well and illuminates Sheridan's character adequately, there is ultimately something flat about this effort. His attempts to give a definitive analysis of Sheridan are compromised by some factual gaffes and problems in interpreting Sheridan in the context of his times. It must be stressed that being a bigot in the mid-19th century was accepted practice and not odious, as it's viewed today. Morris is sympathetic to Sheridan throughout, even in the midst of his advocating genocide for the Native American.

   The lack of personal detail is disquieting. There is insufficient material on Sheridan's mistress from the 1850's and his marriage late in life.

   A strong point of the book is Morris' descriptions of little Phil's relationships with Grant and Sherman, two generals infinitely superior and more intelligent that Sheridan. Morris does a good job in explaining this triumvirate that saved the nation during the civil war.

   This is a good biography, but scarcely groundbreaking or on the cutting edge of scholarship. The elusive character of Philip Sheridan will have to await a more gifted and grounded biographer.




4. As a story, this book is one of the better written biographies I've read in a while. Morris's style is compelling, and his writing flows in such a way that it is difficult to lose interest in the narrative. As a biography, however, this book is mediocre. The work is well-documented, but the chief problem I see is that the greater part of Morris's quotes and ideas come from secondary sources, making this book, in some respects, a tertiary source. In searching the notes for the source of several quotes made, I was frustrated to find that the only reference given was to another biography of Sheridan. Morris tells the story beautifully, but there seems not to be much which is groundbreaking or revolutionary.
   
   Another flaw in the book, which occupies a disproportionately large amount of space, is the excessive attention it pays to General Rosencrans in the Tennessee era of Sheridan's Civil War career. During this time, Sheridan seems to be left in the background, and the resultant feeling almost left me with the impression that I was reading a biography of Rosencrans rather than of Sheridan. It seems that Morris has an ax to grind, and that ax is to glorify Rosencrans to the fullest extent. He claims that there were three major achievements around the 4th of July 1863: Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Rosencrans's driving of the Rebels out of Tennessee. While it is true that he did indeed command the force opposing the Rebels, the sad truth is that Lincoln and Co. wanted this to happen nearly six months before it did. I have no problem with Morris's high opinion of Rosencrans (though I do not share it myself), but I don't think a biography of Sheridan is the place to extol the virtues of that man.
   
   Overall, this is a good study of a great man. It is thoroughly well-written, and a joy to read. At times, it is even funny, and Morris's dry wit (such as recounting how General AS Johnston "carelessly" bled to death at Shiloh) keeps things entertaining while not straying into the inappropriate. Also a plus is the detail given to the many aspects of Sheridan's campaigns. Morris has a talent for painting the whole picture and not just the scant part Sheridan played in it. Again, this becomes excessive (to me, at least) only when praising Rosencrans. This book is certainly worth the time it takes to read it.



5. 
   One wonders if "Little Phil" Sheridan might be the perfect example of someone afflicted with the "little man complex." Only 5'5" tall, he was combative and aggressive almost to a fault. He was almost booted out of West Point for attacking a fellow cadet with a bayonet and then his fists, and his severe Reconstruction methods in Texas and Louisiana got him transferred - twice. But he was a competent commander and inspired loyalty in his troops. Roy Morris's biography is a good one, especially regarding Sheridan's Civil War career.
   
   After leaving West Point, the 22-year-old Sheridan served in the infantry on the Texas frontier. Working in administrative posts during the early months of the war, it wasn't until May 1962 that he got his first command in the Michigan Cavalry. He distinguished himself at Booneville, MS, and then at Perryville, KY, three months later. He also played prominent roles at Stones River, TN, Chickamauga, and at Yellow Tavern, VA, where his men killed Lee's "eyes of the Confederate Army" Jeb Stuart. His most celebrated engagement in the war came during the so-called Shenandoah Valley Campaign (Aug, '64-March '65), with important victories at Winchester and Waynesboro. He was instrumental in halting Lee's retreat westward at Appomattox Court House.
   
   After the war he commanded forces of the Fifth Military District in Texas and Louisiana, but his harsh Reconstruction enforcement policies led to his being transferred to Missouri. He led a campaign against the Indians in Kansas in 1868-69 (it was during this time that the infamous quote about dead Indians being the only good ones was attributed to Sheridan, though he always denied it and Morris can offer no proof that he actually said it). After this campaign Sheridan spent two years observing the Franco-Prussian War first-hand. Upon his return he was in Chicago during the famous fire that consumed the city in 1871 and directed further campaigns against the Indians. In 1883 he replaced Sherman as commanding general of the army. He died in 1888 soon after completing his Memoirs.
   
   Morris's biography is vigorous and honest and measures the man fully. Sheridan was a forceful commander, but he could also be cruel. His Valley Campaign turned into a scorched-earth expedition, and his actions against the Indians were relentless. Morris captures Sheridan in his glory but also reveals his dark side. The book is fair and just, and Morris writes well. Recommended.

No comments about The Brecht Yearbook / Das Brecht-Jahrbuch, Volume 25: Helene Weigel 100 (Brecht Yearbook).

No comments about Oxford spy; wed at pistol point.

No comments about The Campaigns of Robert E. Lee.

No comments about The Letters of William Lloyd Garrison, Volume V, Let the Oppressed Go Free: 1861-1867 (Letters of William Lloyd Garrison).

2 comments about The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant, Volume 12: August 16 - November 15, 1864 (U S Grant Papers).

1. "The Papers of Ulysses S. Grant" is a project begun in 1962 for the purpose of publishing all the known letters written by Ulysses S. Grant. Volume one was published in 1967 and there are now twenty-four volumes in the series. People who follow Grant's career are aware of the inestimable value of this project. The Papers contain all known correspondence written by Grant and letters received by him. The editing of the series is unparalleled and the volumes represent primary source material at its apex.

   Those who believe Grant was a "drunkard" or a "butcher" should read his own words, which show Grant's humor, pathos and unique personality. Masterfully edited by John Y. Simon, these volumes are a "must have" for anyone with an interest in U.S. Grant as a general, a politician and as a man




2. The twenty-six (and counting!) volumes comprising all the known extant writings of Ulysses Grant are indeed a remarkable example of published primary source material. While every volume contains much material that is admittedly of trivial importance to even the most rabid Grant scholar, each book in this series also contains fascinating nuggets of information not found anywhere else. Anyone with even a casual interest in USG is sure to discover something worth reading in every volume. In gathering together not only all of Grant's known correspondence, but relevant peripheral documents, the editors of this series are doing a truly Herculean job and deserve great commendation.
   
   I have only a few quibbles with the series. The first involves something over which the editors had no control. I refer to the fact that, in the first few volumes (particularly Volume One,) Grant's descendants insisted that certain passages in Grant's letters to his fiancee-turned-wife Julia Dent that had been crossed out (either by Julia or other family members) not be published. This idiotic decision is not only extremely frustrating for the reader, but, ironically, damaging to Grant himself. By all accounts, the deleted passages contain nothing that could be considered detrimental to Grant's good name, but by leaving them out, these descendants unwittingly gave the impression that there was something to hide. Hopefully, in an "Appendix" volume at the end of the series, the editors will be sporting enough to include whatever deleted passages can be transcribed, and the series will at last be considered complete.
   
   My other complaints about this series are more minor. While each volume contains copious, and frequently illuminating, footnotes, the editors occasionally fail to provide enough context. That is to say, a brief, undetailed letter of Grant's will frequently be followed by several pages of footnotes providing other letters and documents on the same subject, without giving much information explaining what, exactly, it all meant. The reader who is not already fully informed on the subject being addressed is sometimes left feeling confused about what exactly is being discussed, and what its relevance may have been.
   
   Another drawback is, simply, the price. While these books are certainly handsomely--and obviously expensively--printed and bound, those of us who study history as a hobby rather than as a profession could wish for editions that were more cheaply done, and thus more affordable. Unless you are fortunate enough to have access to a good academic library, these extremely expensive (even when you buy second-hand) volumes are simply out-of-reach for many people. That's a great pity, because in these books is an "insider's view" of Grant that does not fully come across in any regular biography.

No comments about War, Politics, And Reconstruction: Stormy Days in Louisiana (Southern Classics).

No comments about Abe Lincoln Loved Animals.

No comments about Abraham Lincoln and Military Justice.

No comments about John A. Logan: Stalwart Republican from Illinois.