Oh yeah, I've read Grants Memoirs. I've read A LOT of Civil War books, I particularly like the books from the 19th century and early 20th century written by the participants
themselves. Grant had such a direct, clear writing style. Shermans 2 volume Memoirs were OK, I also liked Porter Alexanders, 'Fighting For The Confederacy'. Alexander had very high praise for Grant in that book.
Jefferson Davis's autobiography was fairly dull I thought. Col. Chamberlains book was pretty good.---- Horace Porters book on Grant is very good, it tells you a lot about Grant, the man. In that book, Porter says it is an absolute lie that Grant broke down and wept after a failed attack in the Wilderness campaign in 1864. He said that he was with Grant the entire time when the incident supposedly took place, and it never happened. Ken Burns used it in his 'Civil War' series so that is one story Grant will never live down.
Grant, just the summer before had launched vicious frontal attacks on the works at Vicksburg, taking very heavy casualities. So the idea he would break down and weep is laughable to me. |
