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by David W. Manly (Author)
Who was the superior General of the U.S. Civil War? Was it Robert E. Lee or Ulysses S. Grant? This is an age-old question military experts and armchair historians continue to debate 150 years after the war. There are numerous books comparing Lee and Grant but most are laborious to get thru and frankly a bit biased by the authors based on their personal loyalty to either the Union or Confederate causes.
In Lee or Grant: Who Was the Superior General of the Civil War? readers get a new inciteful and analytical approach to the question. Rather than relying on reputation or traditional narratives, the book breaks down key battles and campaigns, evaluating each commander with clear, consistent criteria covering Strategy, Tactics and Casualty statistics. From early engagements to decisive turning points, each chapter offers a focused analysis of leadership decisions, strengths and missteps-providing readers with a deeper understanding of how these two iconic figures approached war.
Written for both history enthusiasts and general readers, the book offers a balanced, accessible, and thought-provoking comparison that invites the you to form your own conclusions.
The book provides a brief synopsis of the battles each General led followed by casualty comparisons for both the Union and Confederate forces. Each battle section then ends with a rating of the General's performance on a five-point scale regarding Strategy, Tactics, and Casualties. The result strives to be an objective "scoring" of Lee and Grant's performances that readers can easily understand-and agree or disagree with thus making them participants in the analysis. At the end of the book the scores/rankings of each General are tabulated and summarized to determine who in fact was the Superior General.
Lee or Grant also includes brief biographies of both Generals and includes an Epilogue sharing what Lee thought of Grant and vice versa-as well as describing the four in person meetings they had before, during, and after the war.
The author of Lee or Grant is a retired business executive-not a scholar-whose hobby is studying the Civil War. He is used to making data-driven decisions based on available facts. Thus his entirely unique approach.
Who was the superior general? The answer may not be what you expect.
