Lee and Grant

Today there's no sun, no wind, no rain, just plain; a good day to spend reading a book.

A few days ago I was given a book, titled Lee and Grant. Those two names are immediately recognized by Americans and probably by many people around the world, at least those who study military matters.

The book was written by Gene Smith, published by Promontory Press by arrangement with McGraw-Hill in 1991. The comment by Major General J.F.C. Fuller, British Army, on the fly leaf before the introduction, encapsulates the flavor of the book, promising not to be just another rehash of the Civil War.

Having read five chapters to date, I am thoroughly engrossed in this history that reads like a novel. My childhood education included studying the Civil War, dates, causes and aftermaths. My family genealogy includes kin on both Union and Confederate sides. Mom's family fought for the North; Dad's family fought for the South. Consequently it has been a life long interest and I've read many books on the subject.

This book is a comparison of Lee and Grant's characters and personalities. It contrasts their births, parentage, education, marriages and events that brought them together on the field of battle. Their joined histories are stranger than fiction and if the facts were not so well known, I might believe the author used “creative license”.

Lee and Grant Virginia Historical Society