Sparrowhawk wrote:
Let's talk about the Geneal Grant in the U.S. Civil War. He was also know as the butcher. His attaitude was I have superior troops and resources. I will just keep throwing soldiers at the Confederates until the Capitulate. Was he a good general or did he overhelm his opponent with superior forces?
Just to keep the pot stirred … Grant was inaccurately known as "The Butcher". His negative reputation, too often repeated by historians until more modern times, was created by political opponents, military rivals, and uninformed troops, rather than from any factual basic. His western campaigns were relatively low in casualties, something which is regularly overlooked by his detractors. In the east casualties were high, but not out of reason considering that he was constantly campaigning, almost always forced to engaged entrenched positions, supported by often "less than brilliant" subordinates, and facing Lee, an excellent defensive commander. The battle typically cited as "proof" of his lack of care for his troops is Cold Harbor. Too many historians ignore the good tactical reasons for the costly charges, and concentrate instead on the losses. Grant himself later admitted to making one serious mistake during the war; and that was ordering the last charge at Cold Harbor. |