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- Dec 21, 2015
I believe that this quote best describes the approach that Brooks D. Simpson used when he undertook his biography of Ulysses S. Grant Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph Over Adversity, 1822-1865, which I have read, and it also reflects very strongly in this interview, below. I found that Grant's flaws were dealt with honestly, and with the candor of someone who has found safe distance from a subject that he covers in-depth:
I have no interest in becoming Grant's advocate or antagonist, in either elevation or denigrating him. Like anyone else, Grant had his strengths and weaknesses, his virtues and his vices; if parts of his character and personality are praiseworthy, one must also concede that he was far from flawless. In short, he was human. People who search for perfect heroes reveal much more about themselves than about their subjects; so do those who make scapegoats for an age. Brooks D. Simpson, Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph Over Adversity, 1822-1865, Preface xiii
h/t cash's blog
Another well-known authority on US Grant recently passed away: Michael B. Ballard, author of U.S. Grant: The Making of a General, 1861-1863. In the article below, Michael B. Ballard addressed the myths and facts regarding U. S. Grant's drinking habits. The full text can be found at the interesting and insightful blog of Nick Sacco, Exploring the Past
Another noteworthy speech on Grant by Professor Simpson was given at this year's CWI2016 “Grant and the Continuing Civil War,” which you can view here: http://www.c-span.org/video/?410243-5/general-grant-continuing-civil-war
I have no interest in becoming Grant's advocate or antagonist, in either elevation or denigrating him. Like anyone else, Grant had his strengths and weaknesses, his virtues and his vices; if parts of his character and personality are praiseworthy, one must also concede that he was far from flawless. In short, he was human. People who search for perfect heroes reveal much more about themselves than about their subjects; so do those who make scapegoats for an age. Brooks D. Simpson, Ulysses S. Grant: Triumph Over Adversity, 1822-1865, Preface xiii
Another well-known authority on US Grant recently passed away: Michael B. Ballard, author of U.S. Grant: The Making of a General, 1861-1863. In the article below, Michael B. Ballard addressed the myths and facts regarding U. S. Grant's drinking habits. The full text can be found at the interesting and insightful blog of Nick Sacco, Exploring the Past
Michael B. Ballard on General Grant’s Drinking Habits and the “Yazoo Bender”
U.S. Grant’s reputation for drinking too much liquor began with his time spent on the west coast before the Civil War. He missed his wife and children greatly and sought solace in whiskey. His problem was that he had a low tolerance for alcohol. Unfortunately, his reputation for drinking followed him for the rest of his career, both in the military, his presidency, and thereafter. Continues here: https://pastexplore.wordpress.com/2016/11/29/michael-b-ballard-on-general-grants-drinking-habits-and-the-yazoo-bender/
U.S. Grant’s reputation for drinking too much liquor began with his time spent on the west coast before the Civil War. He missed his wife and children greatly and sought solace in whiskey. His problem was that he had a low tolerance for alcohol. Unfortunately, his reputation for drinking followed him for the rest of his career, both in the military, his presidency, and thereafter. Continues here: https://pastexplore.wordpress.com/2016/11/29/michael-b-ballard-on-general-grants-drinking-habits-and-the-yazoo-bender/
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