Grant Moves South: 1861-1863

In "Grant Moves South" Bruce Catton picks up the story of Ulysses S. Grant as he returns to the U.S. Army at the start of the Civil War. This is the second volume of a trilogy on Grant begun by Lloyd Lewis and completed by Catton. Catton, one of the two best narrative historians of the Civil War (with Shelby Foote), is in excellent form in this extremely well-written biography of Grant's progression from Colonel of Illinois volunteers to victor at Vicksburg. As General William Sherman acknowledged, Grant was something of a mystery to everyone, perhaps even himself. This man, a failure at virtually everything but his marriage and working as a clerk in his father's tannery in 1861, leverages his West Point education and some political connections into a commission as a regimental commander and never looks back. The Grant portrayed in these pages by Catton is like many officers at the beginning of the Civil War in that he is learning his trade as he went along. But Grant is different from most of his contemporaries, many of whom had far better reputations in the peacetime army. First, Grant had a remarkable ability to make sound common sense judgements under stress. Second, Grant married his ability to make decisions to an utter determination to see a project through. Third, Grant was a man seemingly without illusions; his ability to correctly characterize the task in front of him in order to attack it is rare among his contemporaries. These characteristics carried Grant through his apprenticeship as a regimental commander of volunteers, his successful campaign to secure middle Tennesee through victories at Forts Henry and Donelson, and finally his tenacious campaign to reduce the Confederate stronghold at Vicksburg. Grant's ability to understand and lead volunteers was a key underpinning of his success throughout the war. Catton does not sugarcoat Grant's record. Grant was not above politicking for jobs or assignments. He was badly surprised by the Confederates at Shiloh and avoided being beaten to some degree by refusing to admit defeat and retreat. His pre-war problems with alcohol pursued him into the service, including an apparently memorable bender during the Siege of Vicksburg that Catton unflinchingly documents. The Vicksburg campaign was marked by costly trial and error, as Grant tried and discarded several unsuccessful approaches to the city. Grant, to his credit, persisted, finally rolling the dice by crossing the Mississippi and boldly placing his army between two Confederate forces while temporarily cut loose from his lines of communication. This book was first published in 1960. Details and interpretations of events have evolved, but Catton's superb prose stands the test of time as a wonderful reading experience. This book is highly recommended to the general reader with some knowledge of the Civil War and to the student of the Civil War looking for the broad sweep of history not found in highly specialized studies.

Bruce Catton's eloquent and enjoyable book summarizes Ulysses S. Grant early on: "[H]is deepest instinct as a soldier was to keep a beaten foe off balance. Unfortunately, he seemed to be the only Union officer . . . who possessed that instinct." Sherman and Sheridan notwithstanding, justly said. The volume of Civil War books these days is staggering. They range from reconsiderations of great battles to studies of events once thought inconsequential. Contemporary historians have done a great service for all in picking apart and analyzing those four crucial years in America's history. Given the bumper crop of Civil War titles, what place does Bruce Catton occupy? The answer: at a prominent place on your bookshelf. Catton's literary skill, balanced judgment, and appreciation of the anecdote have not diminished over the 45 years since "Grant Moves South" was first published. This book remains the classic account of Grant's life starting from his re-entry into the U.S. Army at the outbreak of war in 1861, through his first campaigns, and ending with Lincoln's congratulatory letter after the victory at Vicksburg. Catton places Grant in the all-important context of his army of volunteer soldiers. This cannot be emphasized enough. Grant, like Lincoln, had a cooly disinterested understanding of how the North must win the war. But Grant had also mustered in his men as raw recruits; he knew what they were capable of, and what they wouldn't do. And so, like the expert horseman he was, Grant spurred on, reigned in, and allowed rest time in the corral -- all the while keeping the goal of a reunified United States fixed resolutely in his mind. Catton has a magical ability to make the reader feel as if he standing alongside Grant as events unfold. Thus, the reader is a witness to Grant's struggles with bureaucracy, encounters with colorful characters of both the Union and Confederate variety, and considerations of tactics and strategy. In this reader's opinion, Catton understood Grant better than anyone before or since, with the exception of Julia Dent Grant and John Rawlins. Josiah Bunting, in his excellent one-volume biography just published by Times Books, is a close second. At any rate, perhaps it is a shared Midwestern heritage that makes Catton the first-rate biographer of the Union's greatest commander.

It is often difficult to find good reference books on topics that are greatly controversial. This one is a classic among classics: a deeply researched book, based on excellent factual sources, that is written with talent and reads like excellent fiction.Catton's writing is based on impeccable research. In many ways he takes advantage of living at the right time, when many of the sources he draws on are now available after having been either difficult to access or simply unknown. He definitely makes the best of it, and combines a tight and interesting writing style with a density of information that simply was not available to those that came before him. The result is an indispensable book, a reference that must be read by those interested in General Grant and in the Civil War.Grant has been the source of much discussion, during his life and afterwards: his resignation, the painful years in Galena, the war, the two presidencies, his last years and death in poverty. Catton depicts him in his entirety, warts and all. He makes him greatly sympathetic, yet clearly discusses his weaknesses. He succeeds in doing so largely indirectly, as a character of the book rather than its study. As a result, the impressions he conveys are much more impressive, since they are largely derived by the reader from the facts exposed rather than being delivered as opinions by the author. His style is largely narrative, and one ends up reading this book as a fascinating adventure story, whose plot is progressively revealed, yet keeps surprises till the conclusion - however well we know what comes. This book is a jewel: authentic, well researched, full of facts, yet revealing of a deep humanity and of frailties in the man it follows. It is not often that we can at the same time enjoy the writer, admire the historian, and be fascinated by the topic. If you want to read only one book on Grant (I should say two, because the previous volume, "Grant Takes Command", is equally necessary), let it be this one. If you want to read many, make this one the first.

Although Bruce Catton was an accomplished historian in his own right, one cannot help but notice the influence of the great Sherman biographer Lloyd Lewis. Anyone who has read Lewis' _Sherman: Fighting Profit_ will recognize similarities; the heavy reliance on primary sources and the uncanny ability to allow the reader to draw his or her own conclusions without explicitly stating the writer's intentions. Catton imitates Lewis' sinuous narrative style that captivates and draws the reader deeper into the manuscript. Unfortunately, however, Lewis only lived to publish the first of a multi-volume biography Ulysses S. Grant titled Captain Sam Grant . Lewis' widow commissioned Catton to finish the project utilizing much of the notes Lewis had gathered in the course of his research. The results are the two subsequent biographies authored by Catton: Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command Catton begins his duel biography in June 1861 when Grant, appointed Colonel, takes command of the 21st Illinois Volunteer Infantry. Catton portrays Grant as a man of few words, yet possessing an ability to quickly earn the respect of his men. Grant stresses discipline and training particularly of his company grade officers. About half of the book is devoted to Grants participation at the battles of Belmont, Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and the near disaster at Shiloh. The remainder of the text focuses on the Vicksburg Campaign. Catton prefers a loosely structured chronological approach and provides his readers with a commanding view from headquarters. Catton relies upon letters, cables, and other communiques between officers, which tends to keep the focus on Grant and other high level players. Besides handwritten orders and other official documentation, Catton allows Grant to speak for himself through the only vestige we have: his memoirs. In contrast, Catton listens to what other observers have to say about Grant in their memoirs, particularly William T. Sherman and the unpublished memoir of Grant's wife, Julia Dent Grant. Juxtaposing this top-down approach is Catton's ability to portray the human frailties of Grant's personality. Grant's drinking is a recurring theme in which Catton bestows an admirable defense. Catton devotes considerable space to the Grant's uneasy relationship with General Henry Wager Halleck. To Halleck's charge that Grant disobeyed orders and failed to communicate his intentions at Fort Donelson, Catton counters by stating the Union communication system, as a whole was substandard. He suggests Confederate sympathizers manned telegraph offices squelching vital communiques.   Catton credits Halleck for saving Grant's command during the controversial political maneuvering of General John A. McClernand. Overall, Catton concludes that Grant certainly had his hands full during his early campaigns. On the one hand, Grant had the Vicksburg Campaign to plan and orchestrate; On the other hand, Grant was the target of dubious machinations from jealous staff

Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command are fine narrative history. With insight into human nature and a dead lock on military strategy, Catton strikes deep into the myth to rescue the man. Mission accomplished.