Post by Micah / Redsky

A thing I picked up reading history was, Lee is a "great general" even though he lost his war, while Grant and Washington are not-great generals even though they won. Washington, of course, evolved on the question of slavery. Grant - well, we know. All part of the "Lost Cause", I'd later learn.

aug 29, 2025, 8:08 pm • 4 0 • view

That is to say, I'd find my observation verified by more informed sources than I. Grant was a pretty cool guy - mostly. If I was offered a chance to hang out with any historical figure, he'd be my choice.

aug 29, 2025, 8:08 pm • 0 0 • view

He was also tbh a pretty good guy for the time

aug 29, 2025, 9:22 pm • 0 0 • view

Confederates been coping for over 150 years trying to find a retort to the simple question "but who won?"

aug 29, 2025, 8:31 pm • 6 0 • view

the war absolutely does not end in April 1865 if the Vicksburg Campaign is a failure

aug 29, 2025, 8:00 pm • 4 0 • view

Well, only one of them got an iconic car named after them, so...

aug 29, 2025, 7:54 pm • 3 0 • view

I suspect half of it has roots in the aesthetics of the men too. Grant conducted himself as an everyman instead of a stern aristocrat like Lee.

aug 29, 2025, 8:14 pm • 5 0 • view

Another part is that Lee lost a war that was materially unbalanced against him, much like Germany in WW1 and WW2 and why you find a similar cope in interwar Germany and by wehreboos about WW2 Germany. Fact is, while they definitely had material disadvantage, their generals were also just bad.

aug 29, 2025, 8:34 pm • 5 0 • view

Its easy for people to cope if the winning side also had more manpower, better weapons, better logistics, and communication (union had far more factories, more people, more rail networks, and a complete telegram network back to the White House. the losers did not).

aug 29, 2025, 8:36 pm • 3 0 • view

But in my opinion, that is nothing but cope. A good general should realize that they have no chance to achieve victory and instead seek an alternative route, either through diplomacy or an insurgency, not draw out the inevitable and waste lives for nothing.

aug 29, 2025, 8:37 pm • 3 0 • view

Related: The Civil War is extremely formative to the US approach to war in a way that went away from the European established approach (decisive battles convincing one side to give up). The US model was broadly "deny all alternatives to surrender", a model developed by the Sherman/Grant "total war".

aug 29, 2025, 8:44 pm • 2 0 • view

Lee carelessly losing the one resource he couldn't afford to lose—manpower—did him in, more so than a difference between mareriel.

aug 30, 2025, 1:44 am • 2 0 • view

yes, but it wasn't just that. The war was already lost by that point, due to all of the other factors. Lee was being pointlessly stubborn drawing out the inevitable. And its not just a hindsight thing, they knew they were beaten long before.

aug 30, 2025, 1:47 am • 0 0 • view

I'm a Sherman gal myself, but grant rocked

aug 29, 2025, 7:55 pm • 86 0 • view

Sherman served up the appetizer to Grant's main course.

aug 29, 2025, 8:40 pm • 0 0 • view

Sherman noted many ways he was better than Grant, but said: "I'll tell you where he beats me though and where he beats the world. He doesn't give a damn about what the enemy does out of his sight, but it scares me like hell."

aug 29, 2025, 8:46 pm • 111 2 • view

Sherman’s real gift was in strategy, and dogged determination to see that strategy out. His enormous, excoriating March was practically bloodless. Just an astounding feat.

aug 30, 2025, 2:09 am • 38 0 • view

Immediately preceding that quote was "I am damned smarter man than Grant. I know more about military history, strategy, and grand tactics than he does. I know more about supply, administration, and everything else than he does." I tend to think he was right.

aug 30, 2025, 2:52 am • 21 0 • view

I think Grant probably knew more about supply and administration from his time as a quartermaster and I think the Vicksburg campaign is some good evidence, but then Sherman does have his march to the sea. Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan are probably among the greatest team of generals in history.

aug 30, 2025, 2:37 pm • 2 0 • view

Before they were following Sherman's path, my 3rd GGrandfather's infantry regiment was under Sheridan during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign-- Opequan, Cedar Creek, all that. I need to get back to the book on Montgomery Meigs-- *the* quartermaster.

aug 30, 2025, 3:37 pm • 2 0 • view

What unit was he in? I thought those campaigns were basically concurrent.

aug 30, 2025, 3:57 pm • 2 0 • view

28th Iowa. They spent time in Georgia May-July 1865. I tended to say "mopping up after Sherman" ehich is not quite accurate. www.nps.gov/civilwar/sea...

aug 30, 2025, 8:37 pm • 2 0 • view

No need to inform me of the full quote. I am a fangirl. One of my prized possessions is a framed Sherman photo complete with autograph. The gents in my Round Table were very envious!

aug 30, 2025, 3:49 am • 13 0 • view

My 3rd Great Grandfather was in the 28th Iowa, and after operations in the Shenandoah Valley, they basically followed Sherman's route through Georgia. Sherman told the South before, during and after the war they were fools. Favorite General for me, also.

aug 30, 2025, 10:48 am • 10 0 • view

You mean the march that was George Thomas's idea?

aug 30, 2025, 4:07 pm • 2 0 • view

The march was devised after a cavalry raid during the Vicksburg campaign proved living off the land was possible. (And that wrecking railroads was fun!) explorethearchive.com/shermans-mar...

aug 30, 2025, 4:27 pm • 3 0 • view

Broadwater's bio of Thomas: