HSE-5 Ulysses S. Grant's campaign against the Confederate army
Abstract
Often when discussing the greatness of American Civil War generals, and tactics in the American Civil War, strategy and brilliance is held only for discussion of Confederate states, with mere mention of numbers and resources being given to the Unionists. The role of strategy is seldom mentioned in the campaign of Ulysses S. Grant, with a focus on his near failures in the Virginia campaign, while generals like Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee are held in near mythic light. However, examining the war effort more carefully reveals that the planning between Lincoln and Ulysses saved thousands of soldiers’ lives, as well as shortened the war potentially by years. Ulysses’ strategy of cutting off Confederate supply, campaigning against Confederate guerillas, and aside from the Virginia campaign, being very careful with taking losses of supplies and soldiers during his time as general in chief, made a close war turn in Union favor.
Keywords
Ulysses S. Grant, Confederate, Union, military campaign
HSE-5 Ulysses S. Grant's campaign against the Confederate army
University Readiness Center Greatroom
Often when discussing the greatness of American Civil War generals, and tactics in the American Civil War, strategy and brilliance is held only for discussion of Confederate states, with mere mention of numbers and resources being given to the Unionists. The role of strategy is seldom mentioned in the campaign of Ulysses S. Grant, with a focus on his near failures in the Virginia campaign, while generals like Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee are held in near mythic light. However, examining the war effort more carefully reveals that the planning between Lincoln and Ulysses saved thousands of soldiers’ lives, as well as shortened the war potentially by years. Ulysses’ strategy of cutting off Confederate supply, campaigning against Confederate guerillas, and aside from the Virginia campaign, being very careful with taking losses of supplies and soldiers during his time as general in chief, made a close war turn in Union favor.