Grant Does biographer Chernow over-emphasize Grant's drinking?

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

I'm not aware of any occasions like this. I believe he was stopped for speeding (on horseback) by District of Columbia police. I don't believe alcohol had anything to do with these incidents!

Grant quite liked horses. It wouldn't surprise me if he liked to race them occasionally.

Might be interesting to investigate further the critics of Grant's alleged wartime alcoholism and what their motives may have been.

It seems like at least some of those who disliked Grant, especially as a perceived threat to the laurels they hoped to win, latched on to whatever rumor and innuendo was available to further their cause, without regard for whether it was true. The circumstances of Grant leaving the Army provided ample ammunition when combined with imagination.

Hooker was another general whose drinking habits seem to have been exaggerated.

Ironically, some legitimate drunks like Ledlie got away with such behavior, at least until it got enough men killed.

 

[Nathan Stuart]

Agree. Thought Hooker was judged harshly for his drinking habits. Ledlie provided a good example (at the Crater) of how drunkenness affected field command performance.

Thought sometimes unfair alcoholism allegations could be extended to apply to Confederate leaders too. There were notable unproven claims about the drunkenness in the field of Frank Cheatham and John Breckinridge made by their personal enemies at crucial times during the war. Unfortunately (as is often the case), when mud is thrown, some mud sticks, in the minds of a few.

Have little doubt that claims of materially impairing intoxication of these leaders in the field (not confined to just Grant), were greatly exaggerated in some instances, in terms of the effects on command performance.

It's the motives of some making such claims that need to be examined and if applicable, challenged.

 

[Bruce Vail]

The marketing and promotion campaign for Chernow's book certainly over-emphasized Grant's drinking, even if the book itself did not.

Chernow's startling diagnosis of Grant as an alcoholic was often the centerpiece of the promotional campaign by the publisher. Despite Chernow's complete lack of qualifications to make such a diagnosis, we were asked to take it seriously for no other reason than Chernow was a well-known celebrity biographer.

 

[jackt62]

Thought sometimes unfair alcoholism allegations could be extended to apply to Confederate leaders too

Besides those already mentioned, Confederate generals Crittenden and Sibley were actually arrested and charged with drunkenness. Which is why the excessive focus on Grant's drinking habits is sort of ludicrous but is one of those things that he will probably always be saddled with.

 

[A. Roy]

Despite Chernow's complete lack of qualifications to make such a diagnosis, we were asked to take it seriously for no other reason than Chernow was a well-known celebrity biographer.

That's one of the criticisms of Chernow that I've seen. Even if Chernow were somehow qualified to diagnose alcoholism, it's a little hard to accept a diagnosis made retrospectively on someone long-dead.
AR

 

[A. Roy]

The marketing and promotion campaign for Chernow's book certainly over-emphasized Grant's drinking, even if the book itself did not.

Chernow's startling diagnosis of Grant as an alcoholic was often the centerpiece of the promotional campaign by the publisher

Nick Sacco's criticism of Chernow is that he over-emphasizes Grant's drinking, but with purportedly a good purpose in mind (I think I quoted this before): "These drinking problems are actually a redeeming aspect of Grant in Chernow's telling, however, because they demonstrate how Grant fought through his personal demons while achieving greatness and becoming the single most important figure in 19th century American history."

So Chernow's biography has been both promoted and criticized for a supposed theme of 'triumph over alcoholism.' Could be a valid criticism, but like I said, it didn't stand out to me as I was reading it.

AR

 

[Library Lady]

I know this was included in the other big thread about Grant and alcohol, but I think it's worthwhile to link it again here. It's a very thoughtful piece on how alcoholism was perceived then and now and the effects, both good and bad, that that could have had on Grant.

Hayes Historical Journal: The Problem of Ulysses S. Grant

Visit President Rutherford B. Hayes' wooded estate named Spiegel Grove, home of America's first presidential library. Tour the president's 31-room Victorian mansion, see his tomb, visit the newly renovated museum, explore the library and walk the mile of paved trails.

www.rbhayes.org

Here is a bit about the author so you know where he's coming from.

Lyle W. Dorsett

Lyle W. Dorsett Biography

www.wheaton.edu

I knew Professor Dorsett through taking a class from him on C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien at the College of DuPage. I found him to be engaging and knowledgeable. He's how I got introduced to the Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsy mysteries. I wish I'd known then that he was interested in the Civil War!

 

[Tennessee Union Gal]

In his 2017 biography, Grant, does author Ron Chernow place Ulysses S. Grant's use of alcohol too much at the center of his story? This claim was made recently in another CWT thread about Grant, and I thought it might be worth starting a new thread on just this question. Personally, this issue didn't occur to me during or after my reading of Grant. Chernow does include accounts of Grant's drinking and accusations that were made against him; but while I was reading the book, I just took it as a topic that should naturally come up in the life story of someone whose use of alcohol was of interest during his lifetime and has been ever since.

But what do others think about Chernow's treatment of Grant and the bottle? Not really a significant theme in the book? A crazy obsession? Or something in between?

ARB

To me it was emphasized no more that I would have expected it to be and I am a Grant fan.

 

[Belfoured]

Nick Sacco's criticism of Chernow is that he over-emphasizes Grant's drinking, but with purportedly a good purpose in mind (I think I quoted this before): "These drinking problems are actually a redeeming aspect of Grant in Chernow's telling, however, because they demonstrate how Grant fought through his personal demons while achieving greatness and becoming the single most important figure in 19th century American history."

So Chernow's biography has been both promoted and criticized for a supposed theme of 'triumph over alcoholism.' Could be a valid criticism, but like I said, it didn't stand out to me as I was reading it.

AR

I think "diagnosing" anybody with "alcoholism" - especially at 160 years' distance - is tricky turf. Obviously, it's valid to point out reliable instances where a historical figure has "abused" alcohol use (broadly construed), either by frequency or by lack of "ability to handle" and a subset of reliable instances of officers being under the influence while in combat/exercising command. Just for example, I'm aware of evidence that guys like Grant, Magruder, Hooker, etc had issues involving use of alcohol, but not evidence of that in battle/exercising command. There are others - IIRC, Cheatham, Benham, Sibley, etc - where there is evidence that they were under the influence in those circumstances. There are also instances where one has to be careful in assessing - only one example being the controversy that ensued when Baldy Smith fell off his horse at Dam No. 1 on April 16, 1862.

 

[A. Roy]

I know this was included in the other big thread about Grant and alcohol, but I think it's worthwhile to link it again here. It's a very thoughtful piece on how alcoholism was perceived then and now and the effects, both good and bad, that that could have had on Grant.

Hayes Historical Journal: The Problem of Ulysses S. Grant

Visit President Rutherford B. Hayes' wooded estate named Spiegel Grove, home of America's first presidential library. Tour the president's 31-room Victorian mansion, see his tomb, visit the newly renovated museum, explore the library and walk the mile of paved trails.

www.rbhayes.org

An interesting article about Grant's drinking -- thanks for pointing to that.

He's how I got introduced to the Dorothy L. Sayers Lord Peter Wimsy mysteries. I wish I'd known then that he was interested in the Civil War!

The Peter Wimsey stories are great!
AR

 

[A. Roy]

This discussion reminded me of an accusation of alcohol abuse against Grant during the Civil War, just after Grant's taking of Fort Donelson. In Chernow's Grant biography, he takes exception to the insinuation that Grant was drinking during this period.

On 4 March 1862, Grant's commander Henry Halleck wrote to General-in-Chief George McClellan that he suspected Grant of hitting the bottle:

"A rumor has just reached me that since the taking of Fort Donelson General Grant has resumed his former bad habits. If so, it will account for his neglect of my often-repeated orders. I do not deem it advisable to arrest him at present, but have placed General Smith in command of the expedition up the Tennessee. I think Smith will restore order and discipline." (Official Records, series 1, vol 7, ch 17, p 682)

Halleck went so far as to remove Grant from field command and threatened to put him under arrest. Grant was cleared of the accusations against him within 10 days and was restored to command.

Rather than interpreting this incident as evidence of Grant's alcoholism, Chernow takes the contrary view and makes an allegation against Halleck:

"Both Halleck and McClellan, having been upstaged by Grant, were determined to knock him down. Their grossly unfair and shocking treatment of him bespeaks settled malice instead of sound military judgment. Neither man bothered to give Grant the benefit of the doubt or await his explanation.

"There was no truth about Grant drinking during the preceding weeks. On March 20, Colonel Joseph D. Webster of Grant's staff wrote home of this charge: 'It is a vile slander, out of whole cloth. During all my acquaintance with him I have never seen him drinking anything intoxicating but once, & then he put a little brandy into some medication to disguise the taste.' Halleck may have been deflecting attention from his own persistent problems with alcohol. Later on, Assistant Secretary of War Charles A. Dana told Rawlins, 'The testimony of those best informed says that Halleck's mind has been seriously impaired by the excessive use of liquor and that as [a] general thing it is regularly muddled after dinner every day.'"

(Chernow, Grant, page 189)

ARB

 

[RedRover]

General James G. Wilson's take, from the 1890s.

 

[JerryD]

Chernow is just one of many Grant biographers and historians who have written about him, and most at least touch on the question of alcohol. But I found a review by a historian Nick Sacco who is critical of Chernow's book because it places Grant's use of alcohol at the center of the story. I didn't come away with that impression myself after reading the biography, but here's Sacco's complaint (7 Nov. 2018):

"Ron Chernow's latest biography on Ulysses S. Grant is a largely positive interpretation of the man, but he unfortunately throws caution to the wind and makes Grant's 'alcoholism' a central aspect of his story. In Chernow's interpretation, Grant fought alcoholism throughout his life. Most notably, Chernow claims that Grant's alcoholism was a 'disease,' the first time such a claim has been made by any Grant scholar. These drinking problems are actually a redeeming aspect of Grant in Chernow's telling, however, because they demonstrate how Grant fought through his personal demons while achieving greatness and becoming the single most important figure in 19th century American history."

ARB

Like you, I didnt think Chernow overplayed or underplayed the drinking issue. I think he dealt with it pretty forthrightly. I dont think it was a "central aspect" of the book.

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

Rather than interpreting this incident as evidence of Grant's alcoholism, Chernow takes the contrary view and makes an allegation against Halleck

I don't think any Grant biographer takes the post-Donelson drinking rumor as anything more than slander. I'm not sure even people who dislike Grant take it to be anything more than that.

 

[A. Roy]

I don't think any Grant biographer takes the post-Donelson drinking rumor as anything more than slander. I'm not sure even people who dislike Grant take it to be anything more than that.

Nothing out of the ordinary here then? So maybe Chernow is taking more of a 'mainstream' approach to this incident?
AR

 

[Belfoured]

I don't think any Grant biographer takes the post-Donelson drinking rumor as anything more than slander. I'm not sure even people who dislike Grant take it to be anything more than that.

That's a good example of why I pointed to the Baldy Smith episode on April 16, 1862 during the Dam No. 1 operation. He literally fell off his horse twice and - understandably if in the fall(s) he suffered a possible concussion - appeared "impaired" afterwards. This led to charges of drunkenness by Congressman Justin Morrill that were ultimately refuted. One real possibility is that the falls resulted from the poor quality of the soil/ultisols at the scene and the horse breaking through the crust. Ironically, this led to a charge by Smith against Grant in June 1864 after he had fallen out of favor with Grant. IIRC, those charges were never substantiated. Just more evidence of why historians need to be careful with this stuff.

I've always found it ironic that in an era where a larger percentage drank larger per capita amounts than we're accustomed to today, there were a lot of these claims made suggesting "outrage" at the conduct. It was probably a plausible tool for a Halleck to use against a Grant.

 

[A. Roy]

I know it's been a few days since anyone added to this thread, but I have been reviewing another incident cited by Chernow in Grant, and wanted to try to look into some of Chernow's sources. One of the most-cited accusations of drunkenness against Gen. Grant during the Civil War was that he was drunk when he was injured in a horse-riding accident in New Orleans in Sept. 1863. It seems to me that other histories tend to claim that the evidence of Grant's drinking in this case was limited and sketchy. However, Chernow seems to come down on the side of alcohol as the culprit in this case:

"On September 4, Banks staged a grand review in Grant's honor in the nearby suburb of Carrollton. By all accounts, it was a poignant moment for Grant, who at first trotted so briskly by the assembled troops that other generals had difficulty keeping pace. Then he paused on horseback in the shade of an oak tree, wearing his black felt hat and drawing on a cigar. As he surveyed passing troops, regiments carried banners inscribed with the names of his famous victories and Grant tipped his hat to the veterans flashing by. Once the review was over, Grant and other participants repaired to 'a handsome déjeuner—music, wine, choruses, etc.,' and the wine mentioned may have been his undoing." (Page 301)

I've seen that latter fragmentary quote about the déjeuner used in other histories, and as far as I can tell it comes from a letter Banks wrote to his wife, which letter rests in archives not yet digitized. But the editorial comment "the wine mentioned may have been [Grant's] undoing" is entirely Chernow's.

Chernow backs up his thinking with references to other officers supposedly knowledgeable about Grant's fall:

"Several—though hardly all—of the officers present attributed Grant's accident to drinking. 'I am frightened when I think that he is a drunkard,' Banks told his wife. 'His accident was caused by this, which was too manifest to all who saw him.' No less damaging in historical annals was a letter General William B. Franklin, a former West Point classmate of Grant's, subsequently wrote to McClellan about Grant's visit. 'He at once got into the most tremendous frolic, was drunk all over the city for forty-eight hours.' After reviewing troops and eating lunch, Grant had 'galloped over an exceedingly dusty road full split, tumbled head over heels & was badly hurt.' This report reverberated through the years and as late as 1885 Mark Twain reported that 'Franklin saw Grant tumble from his horse drunk while reviewing troops in New Orleans.' In another letter, Franklin blamed Grant's lapse on Julia's absence. 'When I saw Grant in Vicksburg about Aug. 1, he was perfectly straight & told me that he had drunk nothing during the war. I was as you can imagine somewhat surprised when I saw him in New Orleans. But Mrs. Gr[ant], a cross-eyed very ugly woman was at Vicksburg, and there was no such woman at New Orleans.' Sylvanus Cadwallader, the unreliable journalist who embellished Grant's drinking at Satartia, remembered gossip swirling around Grant's headquarters that he was 'thrown from his horse on his return from a review of Gen. Banks's troops' and that it 'was solely due to his drinking.'" (Pages 302-3)

This detailed treatment of the New Orleans accident does support the idea that Chernow believes Grant had a alcohol problem, although I'm not sure that it contributes to a 'triumph over alcoholism' theme, which has been kind of a chief complaint against Chernow.

ARB

 

[Belfoured]

I know it's been a few days since anyone added to this thread, but I have been reviewing another incident cited by Chernow in Grant, and wanted to try to look into some of Chernow's sources. One of the most-cited accusations of drunkenness against Gen. Grant during the Civil War was that he was drunk when he was injured in a horse-riding accident in New Orleans in Sept. 1863. It seems to me that other histories tend to claim that the evidence of Grant's drinking in this case was limited and sketchy. However, Chernow seems to come down on the side of alcohol as the culprit in this case:

"On September 4, Banks staged a grand review in Grant's honor in the nearby suburb of Carrollton. By all accounts, it was a poignant moment for Grant, who at first trotted so briskly by the assembled troops that other generals had difficulty keeping pace. Then he paused on horseback in the shade of an oak tree, wearing his black felt hat and drawing on a cigar. As he surveyed passing troops, regiments carried banners inscribed with the names of his famous victories and Grant tipped his hat to the veterans flashing by. Once the review was over, Grant and other participants repaired to 'a handsome déjeuner—music, wine, choruses, etc.,' and the wine mentioned may have been his undoing." (Page 301)

I've seen that latter fragmentary quote about the déjeuner used in other histories, and as far as I can tell it comes from a letter Banks wrote to his wife, which letter rests in archives not yet digitized. But the editorial comment "the wine mentioned may have been [Grant's] undoing" is entirely Chernow's.

Chernow backs up his thinking with references to other officers supposedly knowledgeable about Grant's fall:

"Several—though hardly all—of the officers present attributed Grant's accident to drinking. 'I am frightened when I think that he is a drunkard,' Banks told his wife. 'His accident was caused by this, which was too manifest to all who saw him.' No less damaging in historical annals was a letter General William B. Franklin, a former West Point classmate of Grant's, subsequently wrote to McClellan about Grant's visit. 'He at once got into the most tremendous frolic, was drunk all over the city for forty-eight hours.' After reviewing troops and eating lunch, Grant had 'galloped over an exceedingly dusty road full split, tumbled head over heels & was badly hurt.' This report reverberated through the years and as late as 1885 Mark Twain reported that 'Franklin saw Grant tumble from his horse drunk while reviewing troops in New Orleans.' In another letter, Franklin blamed Grant's lapse on Julia's absence. 'When I saw Grant in Vicksburg about Aug. 1, he was perfectly straight & told me that he had drunk nothing during the war. I was as you can imagine somewhat surprised when I saw him in New Orleans. But Mrs. Gr[ant], a cross-eyed very ugly woman was at Vicksburg, and there was no such woman at New Orleans.' Sylvanus Cadwallader, the unreliable journalist who embellished Grant's drinking at Satartia, remembered gossip swirling around Grant's headquarters that he was 'thrown from his horse on his return from a review of Gen. Banks's troops' and that it 'was solely due to his drinking.'" (Pages 302-3)

This detailed treatment of the New Orleans accident does support the idea that Chernow believes Grant had a alcohol problem, although I'm not sure that it contributes to a 'triumph over alcoholism' theme, which has been kind of a chief complaint against Chernow.

ARB

I agree regarding your ultimate conclusion. The problem for any biographer is that - unless the publisher gives you 1500 pages - there's no way to definitively resolve these various alleged incidents, if that's even possible. This one is a good example. The incident could have been due to Grant being drunk but it could also have been due to a guy who (rightly) considered himself a good horseman being challenged by a horse beyond his control. Banks and Franklin could have been reporting truthfully but so could those who apparently disagreed. Ironically, the incident was only 6 days before Franklin, under Banks's overall command, embarrassed himself by being whipped by a much smaller force at Sabine Pass - who knows if that played a role in his letter to McClellan 6 months later (and I'll wager that Franklin was not aware of McClellan's August 1862 letter to Ellen about him). I either case one could plausibly say Grant was reckless on this occasion, but stating the cause is a different proposition. The real issue is how far Chernow can go with a "diagnosis".

 

[Josh The Lighthouse Guy]

But Mrs. Gr[ant], a cross-eyed very ugly woman was at Vicksburg

Not sure I would trust the appraisal of someone who goes out of his way to insult Grant's wife like that.

 

[Belfoured]

Not sure I would trust the appraisal of someone who goes out of his way to insult Grant's wife like that.

A valid point. Especially a guy making that comment to his "friend" McClellan without knowing that Mac had tossed him under the bus in a letter to Ellen. Sort of a "what goes around comes around" deal.