Grant What ACW generals though about each other

[leftyhunter]

Interesting on what ACW generals thought about each other. Lee,Grant and Sherman thought highly of NBF and both Lee and Grant considered Hood has a courageous and galleent officer but a bit reckless. Lee surprisingly enough states that the accusations against Sherman during his March through Georgia were highly exaterated and would not tolerate criticism of Grant. Grant thought McCellen was a very capable officer and he faced extraordinary pressures early in the war. Grant stated that has not Jackson been killed at Chanslorsvile Jackson would be defeated by one of the more competent and experienced Union generals.
Leftyhunter

 

[Library Lady]

Being a library person, you know I'll go with a book: Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals - In Their Own Words by Robert I. Girardi. In the interest of full disclosure, I do know Rob through the Round Table.

Book Review - Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals - In Their Own Words | Defense Media Network

A review of author Robert I. Girardi's book, Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals - In Their Own Words.

www.defensemedianetwork.com

Book Review: The Civil War Generals

The Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals in Their Own Words Robert I. Girardi, Zenith Press Drawing from memoirs, diaries, letters and

www.historynet.com

 

[JeffBrooks]

Pretty much everyone seemed to think Phil Kearny was the bravest man alive.

 

[nc native]

Sherman thought Forrest was dangerous, thus his comment about hunting him down if it cost the lives of 10,000 men and bankrupted the US Treasury. John Mosby could not stand George Custer and this could have contirbuted to POWs being executed on both sides during the 1864 Valley Campaign. Wade Hampton and Judson Kilpatrick had a personal feud going that almost led to a fight between the men during Joseph Johnston's surrender of the Army of the Tennessee.

 

[Sheltowee]

Assuming that Lee's magnanimous opinions on Grant and Lee caused little furor in the South.

Wondering if Longstreet could have pulled off the same?

 

[SSVilla]

Interesting on what ACW generals thought about each other. Lee,Grant and Sherman thought highly of NBF and both Lee and Grant considered Hood has a courageous and galleent officer but a bit reckless. Lee surprisingly enough states that the accusations against Sherman during his March through Georgia were highly exaterated and would not tolerate criticism of Grant. Grant thought McCellen was a very capable officer and he faced extraordinary pressures early in the war. Grant stated that has not Jackson been killed at Chanslorsvile Jackson would be defeated by one of the more competent and experienced Union generals.
Leftyhunter

Thanks for sharing that. It was very good. In talking about others Grant says so much more about himself than his subject. For example, he suffered harsh criticism from the press even in the face of his success, so he had empathy for other military men who were roasted by the press constantly but was jealous of the fact that Lee was held up like a demigod.

In consequence he's also sympathetic to McClellan who was too young and inexperienced to be a 2 star general in chief, with huge expectations, unreal in a way considering he wasn't any more prepared than anyone else. It wasn't fair to him, says Grant. Mcclellan is an enigma because maybe in a different situation with less burden and expectation he might have developed to be just as good as any of the best Union generals. Who knows, he still might have turned out to be the McClellan we know, but the situation he was in was difficult to start. I think Grant having borne that huge expectation and burden later, but being more experienced and better prepared for it, he just understood better than anyone else that things for McClellan were incredibly stressful.

He thinks had Stonewall not died he would've met his match in Sheridan or any number of other veteran quality Union generals. I tend to agree, but Grant also acknowledges that Jackson was capable and would have adjusted.

—————-

Frankly the comment that surprised me the most was Jeff Davis' reaction upon finding out Lincoln had been assassinated. It's certainly that kind of comment that makes one wonder…

 

[Saruman]

Buckner had a lot of opinions on fellow officers...

Grant - Interview with General Simon B. Buckner | Famous People of the Late Unpleasantness

This interview with Buckner was reported in the Confederate Veteran magazine of 1909. Although friends with Grant, he didn't seem to have a high opinion of his generalship. The interviewer never asked about Fort Donelson - perhaps a touchy subject... Interviewer: "What kind of a man was Grant...

civilwartalk.com

 

[rbasin]

Hood thought Thomas should have gone with the South. Something to the effect that Thomas would have been appreciated and loved. This was after the two met in Louisville after the war.

 

[SSVilla]

Buckner had a lot of opinions on fellow officers...

Grant - Interview with General Simon B. Buckner | Famous People of the Late Unpleasantness

This interview with Buckner was reported in the Confederate Veteran magazine of 1909. Although friends with Grant, he didn't seem to have a high opinion of his generalship. The interviewer never asked about Fort Donelson - perhaps a touchy subject... Interviewer: "What kind of a man was Grant...

civilwartalk.com

Thanks for sharing that. Buckner was bitter about Grant's success obviously. (Donelson is never even mentioned…)

He praises McClellan for shaping up The Army of the Potomac, when that's a superfluous remark that only shows his bitterness towards Grant further. Grant shaped up the Army of the Tennessee well enough to whip Buckner early and did more with his little army by that point than McClellan did with his legions.

Besides by the time Grant went East the AOP was managed on a daily basis by Meade and Grant had no desire whatsoever to go East to begin with. He resisted being assigned to command the AOP, (there are letters about this) and even after his promotion to Lieutenant General he wanted to remain in the West to conduct the campaign that eventually fell on Sherman. In the West he had a great army with commanders of considerable skill, that he trusted and who had developed with him to great success. Leaving that to go direct the toughest part of the war transplanted into a veteran army with leadership he didn't know (and who had schemed amongst themselves to remove others) was not a desirable assignment for him.

He decided to stay East because he knew the Lieutenant General would be required by Washington to be personally involved and responsible for what was going on East. He wrote cryptically that he knew no one else would be able to resist the pressure to change his designs than the Lieutenant General… Who he meant by that? Stanton? Lincoln? Congress? The Press? It's obvious he had concerns that Meade wouldn't be able to execute his orders without interference and competing demands from someone (or multiple someones) in Washington.

If anything I think Grant doesn't get enough credit for managing the political fire pit that destroyed other commanders. That's a huge part of being a successful commander at that level. If you can't collaborate effectively with your civilian leadership, you aren't going to last. Heck, Sherman git accused by Stanton of being a traitor for the initial terms he offered Johnson. I think Sherman wouldn't have lasted much in Grant's role and he knew it. Sherman wanted no piece of a Washington assignment. Whereas I think Grant would have managed the West campaign in 1864 just fine. Buckner says Grant was just lucky, hah!

Some of the other biases he shows are expected like the enshrinement of Lee. Buckner ends up saying more about his own bitterness with his comments, his own sore spots, which is still interesting.

Cheers.

 

[SSVilla]

Hood thought Thomas should have gone with the South. Something to the effect that Thomas would have been appreciated and loved. This was after the two met in Louisville after the war.

Thomas was a patriot. Much respect to him.

Hood was disrespectful to suggest he should have betrayed his country IMO. What did he say back? From what I know of Thomas he was a proper gentleman. I doubt he would have been rude, but that was an improper comment to make to a Union General who had sacrificed so much (his sisters hadn't talked to him since the secession).

 

[Pollaco]

We all know what Sturgis thought of Pope.

 

[Kathy the history sleuth]

Being a library person, you know I'll go with a book: Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals - In Their Own Words by Robert I. Girardi. In the interest of full disclosure, I do know Rob through the Round Table.

Book Review - Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals - In Their Own Words | Defense Media Network

A review of author Robert I. Girardi's book, Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals - In Their Own Words.

www.defensemedianetwork.com

Book Review: The Civil War Generals

The Civil War Generals: Comrades, Peers, Rivals in Their Own Words Robert I. Girardi, Zenith Press Drawing from memoirs, diaries, letters and

www.historynet.com

I went to a presentation by this author about this book. It was very funny and enjoyable. He is a retired police detective.

 

[rbasin]

Thomas was a patriot. Much respect to him.

Hood was disrespectful to suggest he should have betrayed his country IMO. What did he say back? From what I know of Thomas he was a proper gentleman. I doubt he would have been rude, but that was an improper comment to make to a Union General who had sacrificed so much (his sisters hadn't talked to him since the secession).

No idea.. Hood said it after the meeting.

But I get the point.

Yeah, Thomas was, as Hood said, "a grand man". I think Hood simply meant that as a compliment.

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

I am reasonably certain John Pope did not think excessively highly of fellow general Fitz-John Porter.

 

[rbasin]

I am reasonably certain John Pope did not think excessively highly of fellow general Fitz-John Porter.

I think that relationship is interesting. Porter was definitely scapegoated, but I think that was an administrative decision

 

[35th MA InfRegt]

I think that relationship is interesting. Porter was definitely scapegoated, but I think that was an administrative decision

Administrative? Do you mean that the scapegoating of Porter was engineered by the Lincoln administration? If that is your meaning, I basically agree, but Pope was rather complicit in the whole debacle. He set it in motion by having one of his flunkies prefer charges against Porter, and the administration was more than happy to run with it.

 

[Pollaco]

A. P. Hill must have been thought of highly, both Lee and Jackson deliriously uttered his name on their death beds.

 

[JeffBrooks]

A. P. Hill must have been thought of highly, both Lee and Jackson deliriously uttered his name on their death beds.

I think Jackson respected Hill as a fighter, but they obviously didn't get along very well. How many times did Jackson place Hill under arrest?

 

[Bentonville]

I think Jackson respected Hill as a fighter, but they obviously didn't get along very well. How many times did Jackson place Hill under arrest?

He had a gripe with Garnet too, no? Anyone else?

 

[Pollaco]

Daniel H. Hill , Jackson's brother-in-law, said "Jackson's genius never shone when he was under the command of another."