A great book on this subject— is British historian B.H. Liddell Hart’s “Sherman: Soldier, Realist, American”.
The last chapter, dealing with Sherman’s negotiations with Gen. Johnston, describes well researched, the actions of Stanton in response to Sherman, who was talking with Johnston and CSA Sec. of War Breckenridge- Davis and Cabinet were still escaping and in Greensboro, NC on the way to GA. This was contemporaneous with Lincoln’s murder—with the political upheaval that brought. Upheaval which Grant’s terms to Lee did not have- as Lincoln was still alive and supported Grant fully- Grant acting on Lincoln’s instructions. Not so with Sherman who communicated with Grant and acted under his direction.Stanton and the Radicals now had Lincoln out of the way and a weak VP (who missed conviction on impeachement by 1 vote btw) Johnson. Stanton was pulling a fast one- along with the nobody Gen. Halleck. Grant’s memoirs register he was appalled as them trying to take over his junior general’s troops. But that is what they tried. All that followed with Reconstruction was the work of these crazy Radicals (who much resemble today’s Leftist demonrats- ironically).
What do you think of Jeff Shaara’s take on Sherman?
I’ve listened to his four-volume work on the western theatre a good number of times, which led me to have much more appreciation for Sherman than I had had before.
Sherman is one of my political hero’s. “ I was always an ally of Southern rights, but and enemy of Southern wrongs.”