Edited by Gerald Boerner
Commentary:
Usually when I hear the name Ulysses S. Grant, I think of his Presidential years. He brought order back to the Executive Branch after the war years with Lincoln, the assassination of Lincoln, and the turmoil of the Andrew Johnson administration. Grant, like Eisenhower nearly a century later, made the transformation from a successful wartime military leader to chief executive quite well.
But today we want to look at Grant’s role in the American Civil War rather than his role as President. He graduated from West Point in 1843 with the rank of lieutenant and served under Generals Zachary Taylor and Winfield Scott during the Mexican American War; these two leaders would be his role models in later years. He served well during the early years of the Civil War along the Mississippi River. The failures of a succession of Generals who led the Union Army to achieve decisive victories against the Confederate forces, especially those led by Robert E. Lee, disappointed President Lincoln and threatened the Union.
Ultimately, Lincoln appointed Grant as Commander of the Army of the Potomac. Grant proceeded to apply his “Total War” strategy that included a total destruction of the transportation infrastructure in the south and Sherman’s march to the sea, using a scorched earth approach. Sherman’s capture and burning of Atlanta enabled Lincoln to win a second term as president. The successful defeat of Lee resulted in the surrender of the Confederate forces at Appomattox Court House. Grant treated the defeated Confederates with respect and dignity; they were,after all, Americans!
So we need to jump in and examine Grant’s wartime exploits in today’s exploration… GLB
These Introductory Comments are copyrighted:
Copyright©2011 — Gerald Boerner — All Rights Reserved[ 4344 Words ]
Quotations Related to ULYSSES S. GRANT:
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