Not Too Objective

[Alex]

I have enjoyed this book but feel the author is definitely bias when it comes to some of the generals and then generally does not think to highly of others. Why I would agree generals have their faults and strengths he just seems really over the top on where the author stands.

Did not know who else has read this one and if so what is your thoughts?

[Joseph]

Alex, I think that you hit the nail on the head. The author, Steven Woodworth, definitely has his favorites and his enemies. Both here and in his other writings, he hews to the standard version of a great and good Grant and Sherman (he's written a separate biography of Sherman). For his dismissiveness of George Thomas, look back at pgs. 194-96 ("Thomas envied Grant's position and resented being subordinate to him. He also seemed incapable of grasping the concept of Grant's aggressive style of warfare, and it scared him."), although he gave Thomas credit for Chickamauga. Woodworth, far too often, takes the mere assertions in Grant's and Sherman respective memoirs as fact.

[Manray9]

An interesting column from The Washington Post on Longstreet as viewed through history --

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinio...

[happy]

Good column Manray9, thnx for posting!

[Jan C]

Interesting, thanks.

['Aussie Rick']

A very interesting article, thanks for posting the link MR9.

[David]

Thanks from me as well. Very insightful and some excellent ideas espoused.

[Kirk]

Thanks for posting! One wonders at James Longstreet's reaction to the irony of being literally bombed in the North, the USS James Longstreet was used as a navy target ship off the coast of Mass(Cape Cod's Eastham, I had a post card of the Target Ship growing up, my paternal Grandmother/"Step"Grandfather lived in Eastham) (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Jame...), and figuratively in the South(Lost Cause).

[Manray9]

Kirk wrote: "Thanks for posting! One wonders at James Longstreet's reaction to the irony of being literally bombed in the North, the USS James Longstreet was used as a navy target ship off the coast of Mass(Cap..."

I think the days of naval vessels being named for Confederates are behind us. The U.S. Navy had SSBNs named after Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Also there was an ADAMS-class DDG named USS SEMMES after Raphael Semmes.