[Im Your Huckleberry]

I also recommend "North & South" magazine, last month's issue, Volume 6 Number 4. Read the "Top Ten Generals" article. They interview six well known historians, and ask them to list their "top ten" generals of the war.

Guess who comes out number one for all of them?

(though one of them must have been smoking something that day because he includes "Butler" on the list...)

[Pharmboy]

I'll wait 'til the magazine "South and North" comes out with THEIR deconstruction...I guess the next thing you're gonna tell me is that Lincoln was tall.

From aspirenow.com:

"When Lincoln appointed Ulysses Grant as General of the Army in March of 1864, the selection bypassed over 200 senior generals. For the North, the Civil War was not going as well as Lincoln thought it should – Grant was winning battles, the other generals were not."

"When one of the President’s aides pointed out that he had picked a man who was well known for his alcohol consumption, the President said “Find out what brand he drinks and send a barrel to all our other generals.” "

"Lincoln chose Grant because of his strengths. A general’s job is to decide which battles to fight, best organize his resources to fight them, and win. Grant passed this test."

"Lincoln ignored Grant’s drinking, and perhaps-other shortcomings as well. The President knew that whoever he selected would have his own shortcomings. So Lincoln made his decision based on Grant's strengths. "