Battle of Wills: Ulysses S. Grant, Robert E. Lee, and the Last Year of the Civil War

by David Alan Johnson

Overview

Historians have long analyzed the battles and the military strategies that brought the American Civil War to an end. Going beyond tactics and troop maneuvers, this book concentrates on the characters of the two opposing generals—Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant—showing how their different temperaments ultimately determined the course of the war. As author David Alan Johnson explains, Grant's dogged and fearless determination eventually gained the upper hand over Lee's arguably superior military brilliance. Delving into their separate upbringings, the book depicts Grant as a working-class man from Ohio and Lee as a Virginia aristocrat. Both men were strongly influenced by their fathers. Grant learned a lesson in determination as he watched his father overcome economic hardships to make a successful living as a tanner and leather goods dealer. By contrast, Lee did his best to become the polar opposite of his father, a man whose bankruptcy and imprisonment for unpaid debts brought disgrace upon the family. Lee cultivated a manner of unimpeachable respectability and patrician courtesy, which in the field of battle did not always translate into decisive orders. Underscoring the tragedy of this fratricidal conflict, the author recounts episodes from the earlier Mexican war (1846-1848), when Grant and Lee and many other officers who would later oppose each other were comrades in arms. This vivid narrative brings to life a crucial turning point in American history, showing how character and circumstances combined to have a decisive influence on the course of events.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781633882454
Publisher:	Prometheus Books
Publication date:	10/25/2016
Pages:	360
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

David Alan Johnson is a freelance writer and the author of many popular histories, including Yanks in the RAF: The Story of Maverick Pilots and American Volunteers Who Joined Britain's Fight in World War II; Decided on the Battlefield: Grant, Sherman, Lincoln, and the Election of 1864; Betrayal: The True Story of J. Edgar Hoover and the Nazi Saboteurs; Righteous Deception: German Officers against Hitler; Union: The Archives Photographs Series; and seven other books.

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Chapter 1 Roads Beginning 13

Curing a Headache 13

He Was Mortal 19

Captain of Engineers 30

Chapter 2 Preparations 51

Taking All Responsibility 51

…And the War 59

The New Lieutenant General 61

That Man Will Fight Us 65

Chapter 3 No Turning Back 71

Matters of Confidence 71

The Big Skedaddle 80

Trusting on God and General Grant 91

Chapter 4 Advantages and Disadvantages 107

Inspiration by Example 107

Pushing the Enemy 111

Unfortunate Day 135

Chapter 5 Holding on Longer 143

Agonizing Decisions 143

Striking Them a Blow 149

Really Whipped 162

Chapter 6 Striking and Maneuvering 173

Like a Private Soldier 173

At Last Accomplishing Something 174

A Mere Question of Time 189

An Unexpected Ally 200

Chapter 7 Last Campaign 205

A Suitable Meeting Place 205

A General Assault Along the Lines 206

A Meeting with General Grant 238

Chapter 8 A Few Vital Hours on a Sunday Afternoon 259

The Best Possible Effect 259

Changing Attitudes 270

Acknowledgments 277

Notes 279

Select Bibliography 305

Index 311

Editorial Reviews

"Essential reading for anyone who wishes to fully comprehend the road to Appomattox” “David Alan Johnson has once again proven that he is a master storyteller. In this book, he recounts the story of heroism, pathos, and magnanimity that was the final year of the American Civil War in the Eastern Theater, exploring the relationship between the conflict’s two central military characters, Generals Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee. The narrative is compelling and stirring. .. hard to put down.”   —Michael E. Haskew, editor of WWII History magazine and author of Appomattox: The Last Days of Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia “A fluent and thoughtful comparison of these two great protagonists, Grant and Lee. This is an enjoyable book that should attract a wide readership.”   —Brian Holden Reid, author of Robert E. Lee: Icon for a Nation “The story of Lee’s surrender to Grant at Appomattox Court House has been told many times. But David Alan Johnson’s Battle of Wills places this dramatic meeting in the context of the Civil War’s last year. Johnson also demonstrates convincingly that Grant’s keen understanding of Lee’s character and habits, in contrast to Lee’s ignorance of Grant’s war aims and modus operandi, is the key to understanding the Union’s final victory. Battle of Wills is therefore essential reading for anyone who wishes to fully comprehend the road to Appomattox.” —David Contosta, author of Rebel Giants: The Revolutionary Lives of Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin “Extremely readable and well researched. Johnson brings out the vastly different characters of Grant and Lee, his two protagonists, tracing their careers from their early meeting during the Mexican War in 1846 to their climactic meeting at Appomattox in 1865. Johnson brings them alive, both as generals and as people. An excellent book.”   —Peter Hammond, author and British historian PRAISE FOR THE WORK OF DAVID ALAN JOHNSON: “An engaging narrative, solid research, and command of detail all do great credit to the significance of this topic. Highly recommended." —Library Journal (reviewing Decided on the Battlefield) “Historians will appreciate this excellently researched book for its level of insight, while casual readers will enjoy Johnson’s deft narrative management of battles and strategy." —Publishers Weekly (reviewing Decided on the Battlefield) “Highly recommended..." —California Bookwatch (reviewing Yanks in the RAF) “Fascinating and well-researched." —Bristol Evening Post (reviewing The Battle of Britain)

From the Publisher