Linda Robinson's Reviews > Grant and Sherman: The Friendship That Won the Civil War

Engaging writing and good information on the politics behind how the Civil War was waged. The Union was on its way to bungling the whole thing with generals minus military experience appointed by cronies; all with mighty career agendas. Grant was in the right place at the right time, after the tin soldiers who couldn't bring themselves to attack anything were removed; and Sherman was fortunate to be right there with Grant. Egos are evident and loud. Sherman would make a good psychological study - the sum of his maneuvers to get and hold his position would make a passive/aggressive expert twitch. Halleck, too. And the womenfolk and children traveling to be with their husbands at headquarters. Astonishing stuff. Ellen Ewing Sherman had 3 brothers who made general. Was that all about their military skill set? I don't think so. I believe the soldiers won the Civil War, in spite of the generals, and the Cabinet. In the end, it was Lincoln's ability to find a fighting general and let him do the fighting that held the Union together.