Book Review: Partners in Command by Joseph Glatthaar

Partners in Command: The Relationships Between Leaders in the Civil War
copyright 1994.

The Free Press

Partners in Command,  by Joseph Glatthaar, the author of fine works such as Forged in Battle and The March to the Sea and Beyond is the latest book I have read, and it is a good one. 

This book is both enjoyable and informative. Glatthaar has a nice writing style and his analysis throughout the book is impressive. The book details how various personalities and egos worked well or poorly with each other and also demonstrates how the military philosophies of the individuals did or did not mesh. Often these were clashes or accords of both personalities and military styles. Glatthaar's understandable way of telling and analyzing these stories makes this a pleasant book to read.

The relationships he chose to discuss in this book, giving each its own chapter, were those between Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson; Abraham Lincoln and George McClellan; Jefferson Davis and Joseph Johnston; Ulysses S. Grant and Wiliam Sherman; Grant, Sherman and David Dixon Porter; and Lincoln and Grant.

All were fine choices and made for entertaining and insightful reading, but I wish he had found room for even more. To his credit, the author mentioned in the preface that he also wished he had additional

 space and he suggested partnerships between Davis and Lee, Davis and Braxton Bragg and Grant and Henry Halleck among others worth discussing. Each one he mentioned would have been a great addition to this book, though I think analysis involving Bragg would have been especially fascinating.

Of the relationships he examined, I especially enjoyed the chapter on Davis and Johnston. His description of the difference between each one's preferred military strategies (Davis the politician wanted to protect as much territory as possible while Johnston the soldier preferred concentrating forces even if it meant leaving territory undefended) while showing how they shared similar personality flaws, especially their struggles to handle criticism, was excellent. It was not just a "personality clash" between these two. I also thought the chapter concerning Grant, Sherman and Porter stood out, explaining how the army generals cooperated with the admiral and how all three benefitted from and contributed to the effectiveness of their relationships, with Grant and Porter being business-like  professionals while Sherman and Porter had a more personal relationship.

This last point was one of this book's strengths, as the author pointed out that not all of these relationships were the same - some, like the one between Lee and Jackson were pure military partnerships existing only because of and for their military positions while others became more personal friendships, such as the one between Grant and Sherman.

Another part of this book was the appendix discussing McClellan and modern psychology, describing a couple of possible diagnoseses of Liitle Mac to try to explain the general's failure to be a more effective leader.

Overall, even though this book is now more than twenty years old, I enjoyed it and found it to be a good approach to an interesting topic. I would very much enjoy a "part 2" with explorations of even more such partnerships and I do recommend this book to anyone interested in the Civil War.

Brief 1862 Commentary on U.S. Grant

The Covington Journal of March 1, 1862 prints this brief commentary on a man who was just emerging on the national scene. This report certainly is in contrast to the laurels Grant had started to receive nationally after the victories at Forts Henry and Donelson

The Cincinnati Commercial assails Gen. U.S. Grant with considerable bitterness. It says he was "inexcusably absent" during a part of the fight at Donelson, during which time the Federal forces were being slaughtered.
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Grant did spend time on the morning of February 14 discussing matters with naval officers and the Confederate attack did start off very effectively before Union forces held strong. Grant returned and ordered a counterattack that returned momentum to the forces under his command and in the next two days, Fort Donelson surrendered and Grant became known as "Unconditional Surrender" Grant thanks to the response to the Confederate request for terms.

This article shows that not all attention paid to the new national hero was in the form of praise.

A War Romance

This story appeared in the Covington Journal of December 14, 1861. It is obviously not serious war news, but I found it to be kind of a fun story. It is also interesting that the writer assumed the Union soldier was an "Abolitionist" even several months before the Emancipation Proclamation.Many Union soldiers opposed abolitionism and did not want to fight for the slaves.

A correspondent of the Clarksville Jeffersonian, writing from Columbus, Ky., says: 


Quite a romantic little incident "developed" itself yesterday. A skiff from Cairo, with a flag of truce, made a landing in front of Gen. Pillow's headquarters. It contained a young gentleman and a young lady. The young lady is a native of Port Gibson, Miss., and has been going to school at Columbus, Ohio. When the war commenced she found she could not get home, and has been waiting several months for an opportunity to see her native soil. Finally a gallant young Lincolnite (who was probably an ardent lover, also), proffered his services to conduct her to this place. At Caiuo he procured passes from Gen. Grant and the couple started out in a skiff, and made the trip down in four hours and a half. Gen. Pillow gave the young man  a pass to return. The affair created some little excitement, and furnished the boys some food for conversation. The young man was the nicest looking Abolitionist I have seen for a long time.

courtesy petpeoplesplace.com 

Youth's Companion: The End of the Rebellion

Here's a report from the Youth's Companion from April 20, 1865.  It certainly makes no pretense to be objective or provide both sides of the story, but this was a common reporting style of the time period, as papers often supported one political party or position through thick and thin. The Companion clearly supported the Union cause and the words it uses to describe Union soldiers and efforts clearly show that support.Perhaps even "propaganda" might



The End of the Rebellion
Our young readers have seen the joyful faces and heard the happy voices of thousands of people, within the last few days. We all now know what it is for. We have learned that Richmond has fallen, no more to lift up her head, and that the rebel Gen. Lee and all his army have finally been compelled to surrender. Th so-called Southern Confederacy is trampled in the dust, and its leaders, who tried to destroy our fair Union, will soon be like Cain of old, wanderers and outcasts upon the face of the earth. We may well lift up our heads and feel proud of what our brave soldiers have done. We have passed through a fiery trial that would, without doubt, have destroyed any other government, and have come out unscathed. Henceforth we can respect ourselves, and other nations will respect and fear us. For this we can devoutly thank that kind Providence, who has give us strength to suffer and be strong. 

"O God, Thy arm was here, 
And not to us, but to Thy arm alone
Ascribe we will"


At eight o'clock in the morning of April 3d Richmond was taken, and the long and courageous labors  of Gen. Grant were crowned with success. The first of our troops to enter were those under command of Gen.Weitzel. These are colored troops, and this fact added tenfold to the ignominy of its surrender. For several days before this there had been terrible fighting all along our lines. Our men fought manfully, and as one fell wounded or dying,, his comrade stepped forward unflinchingly to fill his place. Sunday, April 2d, was a fearful day. The rebels fought with the fury of desperation. It was a beautiful spring morning, the grass was green and the birds far away were singing blithely, as Gen. Grant ordered a grand charge in four columns. For three hours previous there had been a furious cannonade extending along the front for nearly five miles. At daybreak came the grand onset, and our men bore down upon the enemy with a fury that was impossible for them to resist. The rebel lines were broken here and there throughout their whole length. In vain their officers rushed forward to encourage their men, who at length threw down their arms and fled in terror.

Meanwhile the gallant Sheridan with his cavalry had been fiercely making his way against the rebel right wing. He had flanked it, and was pressing resistlessly on. Nothing could stand before his men, and Gen. Lee now saw that is was all over with him and his army. The heaviest fighting took place near Petersburg, and here Gen. Lee commanded in person. As the afternoon  of Sunday drew nigh, he withdrew his shattered and dispirited forces from the fortifications around the city and prepared to leave it. He sent an orderly to Jeff. Davis informing him that Petersburg must be evacuated and also that Richmond could  no longer be held. The arch-rebel was attending church. The officer walked up the broad aisle amidst the wonder of the congregation, and handed the dispatch to Jeff. Davis. The latter turned pale, and left the house. Preparations were at once made to leave the city, and as the people passed on their way home the saw soldier burning the papers of the rebel government in front of the Capitol. The rebels determined to destroy all they could not carry away with them, and leave the city a heap of smoking ruins. They said it should be a l Moscow to the invading and victorious army. They fired the public buildings, and from them the ruin spread far and wide. When our soldiers entered they found over five hundred buildings on fire. Lee and Davis and all their rebel rout had fled, and in their rags had left havoc and desolation behind them.

The horrors of war are fearful, but they are not so much to be dreaded as the miseries of slavery. Lee had fled, and Grant was soon on his track. The retreating rebels had left everything scattered along their path.Guns, ammunition, muskets, coats, blankets, had all been thrown away in the hurry of their fearful and demoralized panic. Soon the rebel leader found Sheridan, the Murst of our army, pressing closely upon him. Warren's corp was with him, and Grant was not far off. Soon his left wing was surrounded, and obliged to surrender, with ten rebel generals and all their equipage. On the ninth of April Lee saw that all was over, and sent a despatch (sic) to Gen. Grant stating that he was ready to give himself up with all his army. Thus was the rebel finally crushed, and the death-blow given to the most cruel, unnecessary an gigantic rebellion that the world ever saw. 

It is an old maxim that "to the victors belong the spoils." In our case they certainly deserve it. What reward can be too great for Grant, Sherman, Sheridan and the host of brave men that have fought and bled for their country? Their blood has not been shed in vain. Their constant patriotism, their heroic endurance, their long-suffering will now receive the reward they merit. We will not forget them in the day of our rejoicing, nor refuse them the love and admiration that are always due to brave deeds. Nor will we forget those who have fallen in our long contest, and who have not lived to see the glory of our renewed youth. Let our young readers ever think of those who thus sacrificed themselves for their country. When we see any of their weeping, sorrowing relatives, mothers, widows, brothers, sisters of these martyrs of liberty, let us try to comfort their sadness, assuage their hearts, that they may feel that their dearly loved ones have not died in vain. Our country must now become happy and prosperous. Our course will be on and on to renewed vigor and power. Let us all devoutly thank that kind Providence which has brought us successfully through our great struggle, and resolve anew to do all that we can in future for His glory. So shall our country feel that we are worthy of her; so shall we contribute each one his mite to her undying prosperity.