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Title: Lincoln and His Generals by T. Harry Williams ISBN: 0-7567-6655-9 Publisher: DIANE Publishing Co Pub. Date: January, 2001 Format: Hardcover List Price(USD): $25.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.8 (5 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Well Researched and Comprehensive
Comment: Williams notes in the preface of my 1952 edition that it is not about the Generals of the Union, but rather about Lincoln and his problems with the Union military commanders. While much of the text is dry details about this letter or that between Lincoln and his generals, the Williams does interject some bits of interesting facts and educated theories on why Lincoln often acted as he did. This is a well researched book, with most pages having between about 3 footnotes, and it is very helpful in understanding the political climate of the American Civil War.
Rating: 4
Summary: Great book that nearly misses five stars
Comment: This book is a wonderful look at Lincoln and his relationship with his generals and why he went through so many prior to finally appointing Grant, he just couldn't find one that would not when under pressure find all the reason they could not to attack.
The book also does an excellent job of detailing Lincoln's involvement in strategic policy for the Union armies. Surprisingly for a man who'd never held a high military rank, Lincoln displayed an incredible grasp of strategy and frequently understood things generals such as Meade did not. Williams also expands into how upon the appointment of Grant to general in chief, the Union high command evolved into a modern military command, the first of its kind in the world, even more advanced than anything seen in Europe until Moltke the Elder, with the Union army high command consisiting of Commander in Cheif, General in Chief, and a new office designed for Halleck and to keep Grant from having to be in Washington, Chief of Staff. Williams also makes clear the different military culture of the 19th century, in stark contrast to most instances today, a general who disagreed with Lincoln or thought his plan to have dissatisfied the president or simply disliked somone they were told to collaborate with in a battle, instead of trying to work out differences, asked to be relieved of command.
The one major drawback to this book is its lack of maps. There are no maps to follow the action along, so its advisable to have a Civil War atlas at hand in order to be able to place some of the places the battles take place. Also, if you're looking for a detailed "what happend" in the many battles, in most cases you won't get it with this book. This book is purely about the command and control structure of the Union army and how the players interacted with each other. My one final and biggest grip with Williams is that he at many points assumes too much in my opinion. There are many instances where the documentary record when he wrote the book did not state what happend, so Williams assumes that things "must have" or "certainly happend" a certain way without in some cases anything approaching a clear reason why he draws this conclusion.
Other than these few gripes, this is a wonderful book and should be read by anyone wishing to understand why Lincoln went through so many generals.
Rating: 3
Summary: a good authors opinion
Comment: While I enjoyed this book, I felt the title was deceptive. The author, T. Harry Williams, trys to convince us, that Lincoln was a master strategist, and it basically was his strategy that helped win the war. ( I HAD thought this book would be about Union Generals, as Douglass Freemans- Lee's Lt's was about his. That may have been my fault, for misunderstanding)
I read this book with an open mind, yet with a good knowledge of the Civil War, and of McClellen, Meade, Grant, Hooker, Burnside, Pope and McDowell. McClellen stated many times, that Lincoln could not hold on to a secret, and that was his reason for not keeping him informed. Also, many of the plans McClellen devised, were later used by Grant. Hooker built the Union Military up, and did a fantastic job of organization, from the bottom ranks up. Meade, did much of the work, that we give Grant credit for, ( though Meade did make the newspapers mad at him, and refused to name him)
Lincoln is a very interesting man, but I feel it is a stretch to call him a master military strategist.
If you enjoy reading someone elses view, or opinion of the Civil War, this is a really nice book. But, that is why I can only give it three stars, it is good, but too much of the authors opinion.
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Title: Two Great Rebel Armies: An Essay in Confederate Military History by Richard M. McMurry ISBN: 0807845698 Publisher: Univ of North Carolina Pr Pub. Date: February, 1996 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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Title: Civil War Command and Strategy: The Process of Victory and Defeat by Archer Jones ISBN: 0029166357 Publisher: Free Press Pub. Date: March, 1992 List Price(USD): $32.95 |
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Title: LINCOLN by David Herbert Donald ISBN: 068482535X Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 05 November, 1996 List Price(USD): $18.00 |
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Title: LEE'S LIEUTENANTS: A STUDY IN COMMAND by Douglas Southall Freeman ISBN: 0684859793 Publisher: Scribner Pub. Date: 03 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $35.00 |
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Title: Taken at the Flood: Robert E. Lee and Confederate Strategy in the Maryland Campaign of 1862 by Joseph L. Harsh ISBN: 0873386310 Publisher: Kent State Univ Pr Pub. Date: 10 September, 1999 List Price(USD): $45.00 |
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