2023 Summer Recommended Reading with Brigadier General Chad T. Manske, USAF (Ret.) Continues with a focus on Military History. Brigadier General Manske was the former Commandant of National War College, is a prolific reader, author and publisher of dozens of book reviews and articles, and is the Special Advisor to the NDU Foundation CEO (https://ndufoundation.org/bio/staff/manske_chad).
Having read a fair amount of bios and history of the Civil War, I had never come across a dual biography such as this featuring Grant and Lee. Author William Davis created this comprehensive tome that compares and contrasts the upbringing and rise of both Civil War military commanders—which I would go out on a limb to say has never been done before. In his thoroughly researched book we see the character, ethics, morals, fears and failures of both—in time of peace and war and the peace following the war. Though they would only meet 4 times ever, their love of country was never in question in pursuit what they thought was best. Lee could have gone either way but his siding with the Confederate cause came down to the Union soldiers coming through his beloved Virginia. Grant was gracious in the post-war treatment of Lee, who went on to lead a university and a railroad before passing away at 62. Grant would have a successful political career, by most measures, but fell destitute after leaving public life. And only with the assistance of Mark Twain to help publish and sell his memoirs, which are still read widely today, there would have been nothing for his family. He would also pass at age 62. Interestingly, Lee had a negative foreboding before the war, while Grant, in the midst of his handful of failures, often saw silver-lining optimism. Civil War buffs who’ve read this volume will want to add it to their reading list!
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Brigadier General, USAF (Retired) Chad Manske was the former Commandant of National War College, is a prolific reader, author and publisher of dozens of book reviews and articles, and is the Special Advisor to the NDU Foundation CEO (https://ndufoundation.org/bio/staff/manske_chad).