Search

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

Not from Carl Schaefer.

National Endowment for the Humanities Survey reveals that only 406 of 700 college seniors were able to answer correctly in which half-century the Civil War took place. This distressing statistic is not only an indictment of the nation's educational system, it also points an accusing finger at the textbooks & histories which line the shelves of libraries & bookstores. This book will not reform our school program. It will, however, present a different concept of the way that historical biographies may be written. In this book, the author, a retired Air Force colonel & former Director of Military History at The National War College, encapsulates the dominant personalities of the Civil War & many of the events into just 245 easily read pages. Despite its conciseness, the author analyzes Grant's attributes & failings & leads the reader through the legendary minefield of Grant myths to a clear understanding of this much maligned man. Thoroughly dissected are subjects as Grant's reputation as an alcoholic, his meteoric rise from despondent store clerk to Commanding General & the dark cloud of failure which hovered over him in civilian life. Blended with Grant's story are graphic descriptions of the bloody battles as well as his relations with Lincoln, Lee & others.