Grant Grant's uncomplicated attack plan - request for help finding quotation

GregBoet

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Dec 21, 2018
Hello, new to the forum. I came here to ask for help finding a quotation from someone regarding U.S. Grant.

I have a recollection of someone describing Grant's attack plan during a certain battle or phase of the war as something like this: hit 'em in the flank, then hit 'em in the flank again, and then again, and then again.

I think I must have seen this while watching Ken Burns' Civil War documentary. In fact, I suspect it was Shelby Foote who said this in that documentary. But I am not going to rewatch the entire documentary series to try to find it! And googling this turned up nothing for me.

If anyone can point me to a quotation, I would be very grateful. But don't re-watch the entire documentary on my account, it is not that important.

Ever since I heard that, it's stuck in my mind as a metaphor for cases where you don't need a complicated plan.

Thanks in advance to anyone who can help!

Greg
 
Howdy, Greg, and welcome aboard from the Railroads and Steam Locomotives forum. Sorry I can't point you toward the information you'requested looking for but a member will be along soon who can.
 
Hi Greg and welcome! That sounds to me the section of the Ken Burns doc talking about the Overland campaign there is a section of the chapter titled "Move by the left flank" which Shelby Foote discusses. This is what I think your referring to.
It's about mid way through episode 6. Hope this helps.
 
Hey everybody... Thanks for the many welcomes! Dom71, that does sound right. I'll watch this on Netflix and get back to you as to whether I find what I'm looking for.
 
I too remember it. I think it is during Overland part of Ken Burns, as Dom 71 wrote above. It’s something like, “Move by the left flank, move by the left flank.”
 
Thanks again -- the passage I was looking for was indeed right in the middle of Episode 6. Good to refresh my memory on this.

Narrator:
Grant continued his stubborn flanking maneuvers in an attempt to get around Lee's right and move on Richmond.

Shelby Foote:
He did it with superior numbers and doggedness, kept going, move by the left flank, move by the left flank, move by the left flank. And Lee's backing up the whole time, losing men that he couldn't replace.

On another note ... After having re-watched that segment of the Burns film, I am going to have to rethink my previous idea that this is a good metaphor for having an uncomplicated plan or anything else. Thousands of deaths -> not suitable for a casually tossed-off metaphor.
 
Thanks again -- the passage I was looking for was indeed right in the middle of Episode 6. Good to refresh my memory on this.

Narrator:
Grant continued his stubborn flanking maneuvers in an attempt to get around Lee's right and move on Richmond.

Shelby Foote:
He did it with superior numbers and doggedness, kept going, move by the left flank, move by the left flank, move by the left flank. And Lee's backing up the whole time, losing men that he couldn't replace.

On another note ... After having re-watched that segment of the Burns film, I am going to have to rethink my previous idea that this is a good metaphor for having an uncomplicated plan or anything else. Thousands of deaths -> not suitable for a casually tossed-off metaphor.

Shelby Foote, the charming raconteur that he was, also represented a Southern bias. The amount of airtime he had in Ken Burns' documentary did give the impression that he was the last and most eloquent word, but his observations are not the only point of view possible
 
Shelby Foote, the charming raconteur that he was, also represented a Southern bias. The amount of airtime he had in Ken Burns' documentary did give the impression that he was the last and most eloquent word, but his observations are not the only point of view possible

True, but without Foote, or without much of Foote in the documentary, all that would have likely resulted was a one-run, stuffy series that would have been largely forgotten and eventually shelved by the early 1990s.
 
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