- Joined
- Sep 4, 2014
- Location
- Lexington, SC
After victory's at Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson, Ulysses S. Grant had earned the respect of President Lincoln and General Halleck not to mention his men. Here was a true fighting man; finally. It seemed as though Grant could do no wrong. That was all about to change. The battle of Shiloh turned out to be a complete disaster. As quickly as Grant's reputation had been elevated it was now plummeting. Rumors were started that his old demans had returned and he was drinking again. Observers were sent to report to Washington what they saw. Halleck assumed command of the army and refused to pay any attention to anything Grant had to say. Grant's role was reduced in the Corinth campaign. Grant Slipped into a deep depression.
Grant and perhaps the Union itself may owe our gratitude to William Tecomsa Sherman. Sherman unlike practically everyone else refused to point fingers at Grant's Generalship following Shiloh and defended his friend. Sherman even went as far as to fend off the attacks of Benjamin Stanton who was blistering Grant's blundering stupidity and negligence at Shiloh. Sherman accused Stanton of Lying.
Grant had had enough. He put in for a 20 day leave for himself and a few other staff officers. Halleck approved the leaves. Sherman upon hearing this paid his friend a visit at headquarters. Sherman, feared Grant intended to resign from the army. Once he arrived he found his fears to be true. Sherman asked why? "Sherman you know, you know that I am in the way here. I have stood it as long as I can and can endure it no longer" Sherman responded by reminding Grant that the newspapers had once labeled him crazy. Shilo had given him new life and now he was in fine feather. If Grant left, he would drop out of the contest: If he stayed, "some happy accident might restore him to favor and his true place." Grant agreed to wait a few days and then informed his friend that he had decided not to leave the army.
Could the entire destiny of the war have been changed at that meeting? Without Grant, who would have lead the Union forces on the Overland campaign? Could he have been replaced? Could his leaving the army actually have effected the outcome of the war?
This friendship or bond between these two men had a profound effect on the outcome of the war on the field and off.
http://books.google.de/books?id=PYy...onepage&q=sherman talking grant leave&f=false
Grant and perhaps the Union itself may owe our gratitude to William Tecomsa Sherman. Sherman unlike practically everyone else refused to point fingers at Grant's Generalship following Shiloh and defended his friend. Sherman even went as far as to fend off the attacks of Benjamin Stanton who was blistering Grant's blundering stupidity and negligence at Shiloh. Sherman accused Stanton of Lying.
Grant had had enough. He put in for a 20 day leave for himself and a few other staff officers. Halleck approved the leaves. Sherman upon hearing this paid his friend a visit at headquarters. Sherman, feared Grant intended to resign from the army. Once he arrived he found his fears to be true. Sherman asked why? "Sherman you know, you know that I am in the way here. I have stood it as long as I can and can endure it no longer" Sherman responded by reminding Grant that the newspapers had once labeled him crazy. Shilo had given him new life and now he was in fine feather. If Grant left, he would drop out of the contest: If he stayed, "some happy accident might restore him to favor and his true place." Grant agreed to wait a few days and then informed his friend that he had decided not to leave the army.
Could the entire destiny of the war have been changed at that meeting? Without Grant, who would have lead the Union forces on the Overland campaign? Could he have been replaced? Could his leaving the army actually have effected the outcome of the war?
This friendship or bond between these two men had a profound effect on the outcome of the war on the field and off.
http://books.google.de/books?id=PYy...onepage&q=sherman talking grant leave&f=false
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