Then I guess Genghis Khan and Alexander weren't great commanders, either.
I think Sherman's rampage was exactly the right thing to do under the circumstances. It demoralized the enemy army, cut the lines of communication and attrited the enemy of its southern armies. It brought about the end of the war, which is the point of command. The South complaining about Sherman is like Zarqawi complaining about the Fallujah campaign. They brought it on themselves in a war that claimed half a million lives.
I am complaining about Sherman and I'm not a Southerner.
I think it was an egregious moral lapse.
I really think greatest general of all time is between Alexander, Jenghis Khan, and Hannibal. Only reason so much Civil War stuff is being discussed is because we're closer to it and know a lot more about it.
Probably the greatest pre-gunpowder army of all time was the Mongols. I'm fairly certain 30,000 Mongols would defeat 30,000 Macedonians under Alexander or 30,000 under Hannibal, or 30,000 Romans under Caesar, etc.
That is absolutely one of the most ignorant statements I have read on FR. Damn.