No comments about A Civil War Drummer Boy: The Diary of William Bircher, 1861-1865 (Diaries, Letters, and Memoirs).

No comments about A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, Washington to Buchanan complete, with active table of contents.

5 comments about Grant Takes Command.

1. The second in a two part study of General Ulysses S. Grant's Civil War leadership, Bruce Catton has written a vivid narrative following the enigmatic Commander in Chief of Union forces through the final year and a half of the war.
   
   This work won the Pulitzer Prize. Read it and you will appreciate why. It is a remarkably good book, excellently crafted, clear and precise. This one is truly well worth your time.



2. Was Ulysses S. Grant a drunk? Did he win the Civil War simply by burying Robert E. Lee under a wave of superior manpower and resources? Bruce Catton addresses these questions, and many others, in GRANT MOVES SOUTH and its companion volume, GRANT TAKES COMMAND. Taken together, the two books chronicle Grant's Civil War experience.
   
   I've read a lot of history, but I confess to being relatively ignorant about the American Civil War except in a very general sense. I've always been interested, I just never got very far into it. These two books are my first real foray into the subject. Both are very well researched and documented, while at the same time being very readable. Catton demonstrates a thorough knowledge of the facts as well as a genuine insight into Grant's character. The result, for me, was an experience that was at once informative and enjoyable.
   
   What does Catton have to say about Grant's alleged drunkeness? Clearly, Catton is an admirer of Grant, but it's an admiration born of respect for the man as revealed in his personal records and actions, as well as in the record left by people who knew him. To get his take on this and other criticisms of Grant, read these books.
   
   Conventional wisdom has it that GRANT MOVES SOUTH and GRANT TAKES COMMAND are definitive works on the subject of U. S. Grant's Civil War career. I certainly won't argue with that perception. If you have a deep interest in Grant or in the Civil War in general, they are "must haves". Beyond that, though, if you have just a casual interest, this is still great reading material. I highly recommend both volumes.



3. "Grant Takes Command" is the second of two volumes by Bruce Catton on Grant's Civil War service and the third of a trilogy on Grant's military career (beginning with Lloyd Lewis's "Captain Sam Grant"). However, this volume can easily be read by itself. Catton picks up the story in the fall of 1863 with Grant's successful raising of the siege of Chattanooga, following which President Lincoln picks him for a third star and command of all the Union armies.
   
   Grant is the latest in a long line of Union commanders, most of whom have been badly beaten by General Robert E. Lee and his Army of Northern Virginia, and none of whom have been able to bring superior Northern resources effectively to bear on a slowly weakening Confederacy. In fact, as Grant takes command, the war has not yet been won and could still be lost.
   
   Grant will be the commander that Lincoln has long sought. Lincoln's telling exchange with an aide, repeated by Catton, lays out why. Grant is the first general to take the supreme command who will work in harness with Lincoln and in full acceptance of Lincoln's constraints as President of a democracy in the midst of a civil war. Grant is prepared to take full responsibility for the conduct of the missions of the armies, and without setting up an alibi in advance for possible failure. And as it becomes apparent in the course of Catton's absolutely superb narrative, Grant understands the terrible math. Lee and his army are too proficient to be easily beaten; great persistance will be called for. Grant grasps the essential truth that Lee's army is the Confederate center of gravity and the corollary that Lee's requirement to protect Richmond ultimately limits his ability to manuever. Further, Grant is able to cause the Union armies to work at a common design, denying Lee the ability to reinforce Virginia from other theaters of war. The result will be a long, grinding, and exceedingly bloody campaign stretching from 1864 into 1865, as Lee's army is slowly bludgeoned to death.
   
   Catton's narrative does not spare Grant his errors; in the 1864 campaign, Grant underestimates both Lee's abilities as a general and the difficulties of conducting campaigns on such a massive scale. Grant has to learn the job of Army commander in chief on the move; the unnecessary casualties of Cold Harbor and the repeatedly failure to flank Lee out of position in Virginia are proof of the learning curve. But Grant's great gift is his refusal to be deterred from his objective. He pins Lee at Petersburg and uses the Union armies of Sherman and Sheridan, among others, to destroy the Confederacy's ability to make war.
   
   "Grant Takes Command" was first published in 1960, and the details of the history of the Civil War have evolved since then. However, Catton's prose has stood the test of time. This is a truly magnificently told story on an epic scale and a highly recommended treat for the Civil War enthusiast and the casual reader alike.



4. This is a very readable, engaging study of the last two years of the Civil War, in which General Grant is taken from his command in the west, to the "big show" as commander of the Army of the Potomac. He is shown to be a determined, relentless leader willing to fight the war of attrition that ultimately led to the destruction of the Army of Northern Virginia. He proved to be more than a match for General Lee, who was confounded by Grant's steadfast leadership and willingness to stand tough, despite the losses of thousands of men. Grant was a very different kind of leader than his predecessors.
   
   I also liked the way Catton developed the personal side of Grant.
   
   This is a terrific book for those who want a straightforward history of the latter part of the Civil War, without embellishment or political bias.



5. In the weeks before General David Petraeus - widely regarded as the most operationally and strategically brilliant of today's ground generals -- took command of Multi-National Forces - Iraq, a friend told me he was reading Bruce Catton's classic "Grant Takes Command: 1863-1865" about that earlier US general who took charge of a war at its most critical point. I and several others piled on and eagerly devoured this book. Two weeks later, we met to discuss our observations. Mine are below. I would bet you a paycheck that General Petraeus -- himself a formidable scholar as well as distinguished soldier -- has read this book more than once and probably even perused it before assuming his new post. "Grant Takes Command" offers timeless insights into the art of command and remains relevant for several reasons that should resonate today.
   
   I found that several myths about General Grant were just that: myths. The first that Catton debunks is that Grant was not a political general. In one of his first chapters titled "Political Innocent", Catton lays out clearly that Grant understood that the Civil War was an extension of politics, and that certain personnel decisions in his Army would inevitably be affected by this. Thus, Grant's handling of Generals McClernand, Sigel, Butler, and Banks - all of them troublesome, of dubious competence, but politically useful at different times throughout the war -- was at once skillful, politically deft, and necessary. When they had each imploded after their political usefulness had been expended, they were thus easily discarded. To fire them when they were politically useful would have strained civil-military relations.
   
   Grant also believed in the mission completely. This included the elimination of slavery and the re-election of President Lincoln in 1864. This was no small matter in 1863. The democrats had been making overtures to Grant in 1863, and several recent commanders of the Army of the Potomac -- most famously George McClellan -- had leapt into the political arena. Lincoln felt Grant out through mutual friends before appointing him to command the Union armies. For his part, Grant did his own maneuvering to ensure that Lincoln won re-election in 1864. Grant not only gave Lincoln battlefield victories, but also ensured that soldiers of the Army of the Potomac had the opportunity to vote. One of the most skillful uses of "controlling the message" occurred after Cold Harbor and the bloody siege of Petersburg, when Union soldiers might have become demoralized at their high number of casualties. On the eve of the election, Grant ordered 100-gun salutes to celebrate the victories of Generals Sherman and Sheridan down south and out west. Catton points out that these "salutes" brought home to the Union soldiers the aura of the juggernaut of their armies inexorably closing in on the doomed Confederacy. Grant clearly understood the nature of the war he was involved in and took the action he needed to to get the job done.
   
   Grant further understood that a great team of commanders was better than a team of great commanders. Great teamwork always beats great talent. Grant had worked very well with Generals Thomas and Sherman when he commanded out west, but with the exception of Hancock, he did not have as skilled commanders individually in the Army of the Potomac. But Grant did foster good teamwork in his army, and looked for this quality in his selection of key subordinates. In my opinion, this proved to be decisive. Grant kept and provided the required supervision for generals such as Meade and Burnside, but found little use for the self-seeking and overly critical generals such as Hooker and Smith, despite their comptetence. Most important was the relationship Grant fostered with his Commander-in-Chief, President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln was much more involved in the military details of the Civil War than his own statements would indicate, and his oft-quoted remark that: "Grant doesn't tell me his plans, and I don't want to know" belies his own political skill at handling his best general and imposing his political will on the battlefield. It was the "marriage" between Lincoln and Grant, more than anything else, that saved the union. Catton's masterful work shows this quite clearly, and thus retains its great relevance for civil and military leaders.

No comments about A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents, Lincoln to T. Roosevelt complete, with active table of contents.

No comments about The Antietam And Fredericksburg (Campaigns of the Civil War.).

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2 comments about The Citizen-Soldier: The Memoirs of a Civil War Volunteer.

1. This soldier's journal from the American Civil War is a delight to read, beautifully written and insightful throughout. John Beatty was sensitive to the horror of war, but also to the humor of it. History has been kind to an author who, in writing this book, was very kind to history.



2. John Beatty intended to speak from the grave to future generations and did so with clarity, humility and with a poignant reminder of the failings of politics and those in power. The magnetic pull of the romance of war and adventure for young men soon morphed into campside remembrances of home and hearth. The diary format made it an easy read quickly drawing you into the life of that period.You can almost smell the adrenalin of the young untried soldiers chomping at the bit to get into a skirmish. Later to sense their fear,hurt,shock and ultimately their inexperience with the harshness of war...after seeing friends disembowled and crying for help...The political passions of that period were at a fever pitch which makes it all the more remarkable given the abscence of CNN and other 24/7 news channels beating the political drums...150 years later and we seemingly have devolved..."Civil War"? the ultimate oxymoron...how can any war be "Civil"...John Beatty scrapes it close to the bone in his revelations about the inefficieny of war...a worthy and very interesting visit to the past!

1 comments about Loss of the Sultana and Reminiscences of Survivors (Voices Of The Civil War).

1. Dr. David Madden founded the Civil War website at LSU and is a real student of the war. This book gives accounts by the survivors of the largest maritime disaster in our nation's history--more lives lost than on the Titanic. The disaster occurred so close to the Lincoln Assassination and Booth Chase and so near the end of the Civil War that it has been largely lost to history.
   
   Many of the soldiers were former prisoners of war at Andersonville (GA) and Cahaba (AL) and were weakened from near starvation. My ancestor was a private in the 3rd Tennessee Cavalry (USA) that had been captured by Gen. N.B. Forrest at Sulphur Springs Trestle, Alabama (near Athens, AL). He survived the disaster, floated to shore at Memphis (the sinking was eight miles north of Memphis on the Mississippi at the Hens and Chickens Islands), walked home to Monroe County (south of Knoxville) and fathered six children, my grandmother included.
   
   Dr. Madden's introduction to the book is worth the entire cost, as he covers the essentials admirably.
   
   Books by Jerry Potter and Gene Salecker give more details on the disaster, the packet boat itself and the trial attempting to assess the responsibility for vast overcrowding, but these first person accounts are priceless.
   
   The annual reunion of the Sultana Descendents will be held in Athens, Alabama on April 13-14, 2007 with Dr. Madden present and speaking.
   
   J.C. Tumblin, Past-President
   Knoxville Civil War Roundtable

5 comments about Lincoln's Greatest Speech : The Second Inaugural.

1. A proof should be as simple and as elegant as possible, yet at the same time it should be full and rigorous. Ronald C. White provides an insightful essay on Lincoln's Second Inaugural address. Unfortunately, his proof is in the form of a 256 page book. Though effective and thoughtful, White's work is bogged down by its excessive history.
   
   If White's work were in the form of a shorter paper, each paragraph would be meaningful and interesting. As it is, it is tempting to skim through White's work, as so much of it seems to serve only as filler and history to extend the length of the work and make it publishable in the form of a book. In a condensed form, White's arguments would simply be more potent.
   
   White's analysis and the content of his work are, however, effective and insightful. Though some bits are sketchy, most of his analysis makes evident the method behind Lincoln's Second Inaugural. Paragraph by paragraph, sentence by sentence, and word by word, White breaks down the rhetorical devices which Lincoln used in his hope of reunifying the nation.
   
   White's analysis is rich, ranging from explaining the effect of Lincoln's diction to the appeal to religion made when Lincoln's speaks of slavery. White goes through parallelism and imagery--he thoroughly covers all of Lincoln's methods. For readers who love history and all that is Lincoln and the Civil War, I recommend this book. But for everyone else who believes nonfiction in this era should yield maximum knowledge and understanding with minimum time, Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural is simply tedious.



2. Ronald White does an outstanding job analyzing Lincoln's second inaugural speech, supporting his work with both historical context and social context. However, this book is presented in a way that has little to offer for the casual reader.
   
   Understanding the power within Lincoln's words, White breaks down this speech to reveal the methods Lincoln used to persuade his audience. He traces, from Lincoln's early history as an orator to his final years, the growth and development of our sixth president and the affect it had on his speech. White analyzes the strategies Lincoln employed to convey his message of reconciliation; instead of merely focusing on the speech, he also includes the responses it produced upon the listeners. He sheds light to many elements of the speech that are unseen by the average reader. With an overall solid argument, this book will leave the reader amazed at the power of Lincoln's subtle language, if only the reader could finish the book. And that is the trouble.
   
   Turing an analysis of a 701-word speech into a 265 page book means boredom. White's analysis is substantial and perceptive but by analyzing almost word by word, he has turned this book into a tiresome read. The unnecessary details that White sometimes includes are overwhelming at best. His arguments are sound but the extreme amount of support he provides reduces their impact. The reader gets carried away and lost within the paragraphs of history that White uses to support his claims. While there is much to be gleaned from his pages, the unnecessary length of this book is extremely unappealing. If White were to reduce his book to a summary of his claims with minimal but concise support, this book would be much more effective.
   
   This book is a worthwhile read as there is much to be learned from White's careful analysis but because of its length it is extremely unappealing and almost impossible to reader with interest.



3. Speeches are boring. Not much to say there. But what White has done is just plain horrible. 256 pages of horrible actually. Though White's essay/book is informational and effective, it is extensive and overfilled with pointless history.
   
   Breaking down Lincoln's speech, White provides powerful information about the rhetorical devices Lincoln uses to unify the nation. However, this `powerful' information is often drowned out by the incessant historical lessons. In reality, this story is more of a biography than an analysis on Lincoln' Second Inaugural address. Although this may excite some people, for most, myself included, this is more of a turn off.
   
   So if you want to read some history, go ahead, pick up this book. But if your looking for information on Lincoln's Second Inaugural, I strongly suggest that you go on the internet to get your information.



4. A book on analyzing Licoln's Second Inaugural Address, Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural by Ronald C. White focuses on the rhetorical strategies Lincoln employs in his speech. Although the book is very informative, this book is hardly deemed to be read for pleasure.
   
   White does a good job of providing enough context to let readers know what the nation was going through at the time. It allowed me to understand what White was trying to say when he was analyzing Lincoln's speech. It becomes much clearer why Lincoln chooses certain words to say when one is fully informed of the situation.
   
   For me personally, I learned a lot about history through this book alone, but I also learned more about rhetorical strategies and why certain words work and certain words do not in particular situations. The book made it clear what rhetorical devices were used and why. Although the book fully analyzed Lincoln's speech, I do feel White does go a little overboard with his analysis.
   
   A good book to read, Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural is good for teaching people rhetorical strategies, but it is one book I would not read for the pleasure of reading.



5. This entire book is a thorough analysis of Lincoln's Second Inaugural Speech given towards the closing of the Civil War. In a time of great turmoil, Lincoln's words offered peace and reconciliation to a nation who had faced nearly four years of bloodshed. White's analysis of the speech is very insightful, as he covers everything from his word choice to people who may have inspired Lincoln. Abraham Lincoln is one of the most revered presidents today and White portrays him as the eloquent speaker he was.
   
   I found the beginning of the book to be quite boring as White goes on to explain the historical context of the speech. Although this is important, I felt he dragged it out too much to a point where it resembled a U.S. history textbook. However, the real analysis comes shortly after in which White analyzes the opening paragraph of Lincoln's speech. I assumed it was just an introduction to get the audience pumped up, however, Lincoln failed to meet America's expectations as he blatantly admitted he would not punish the South for seceding. While disappointing many Americans at the time, I look back on this and realize that it was the appropriate thing to do given the harsh circumstances. White continues to break down the speech into small excerpts, going over each sentence in extensive detail. I found it quite interesting to learn that Lincoln used alliteration, parallel structure, words that were not inclusive, and allusions to God as methods of arousing hope among the American people. The speech was very simple, yet complex at the same time and I developed even more admiration for this humble president. It is evident that White did a lot of research to compile this book and I feel that I did indeed learn a great deal. This book convinced me that the Second Inaugural Address was truly Lincoln's greatest speech.

1 comments about Take Sides with the Truth: The Postwar Letters of John Singleton Mosby to Samuel F. Chapman.

1. First off I am a "Mosby Nut" so I may be a little biased, but I found the "letters" were very interesting and am glad the" Editor" saw fit to have them published. Lt. Sam Chapman showed the "human" side to Mosby. They shared a lot of "exciting exploits" during the war and shows their friendship continued the rest of their lives.They stayed in touch as each of them moved on to other "exploits". I would reccommend this book as a "must" in any "Mosby" library.