Preview

Compare And Contrast Ulysses S. Grant And Robert E Lee

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1101 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Compare And Contrast Ulysses S. Grant And Robert E Lee
Why Ulysses S. Grant Was a Superior General to Robert E. Lee
Bullets rained down on the men as they trampled over the enemy, battling their way to victory at the command of their beloved general. During the Civil War, Soldiers greatly admired their generals. After the Civil War ended in 1865, Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant emerged as two of the most distinguished generals in American history. Robert E. Lee, a devoted Virginian, fought for the Confederacy. Ulysses S. Grant, a hero of the Mexican War, led the Union. The two generals fought relentlessly for their side to win the war, but the question still stands, a question that historians and the general public have debated over since the civil war era. Who was the superior general? Although both Civil War generals were strong, well-known leaders, and even though …show more content…
Lee was an excellent tactician and an inspiration for many in the South, Ulysses S. Grant was the superior general since he was a brilliant strategist and a determined leader.
As the head of the confederate forces, Robert E. Lee was tactful. At the battle of Mechanicsville, Robert E. Lee realized that he had Union General McClellan on the defensive. Lee decided to chase down McClellan, since he had the advantage, but he was not able to defeat him. Even though Lee was not able to beat McClellan, his quick decision had saved Richmond, ending McClellan’s campaign on the peninsula. (Rice 107) As a tactician, a person who used plans to achieve something in a short amount of time, Robert E. Lee was certainly one of the best. Having little time to decide whether or not to pursue McClellan’s fleeing army, Lee thought over all the possibilities of such and an attack. Lee took the chance to challenge McClellan’s army and as a result, he saved Richmond, ending McClellan’s
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Grant And Lee A Study In Contrasts Summary
    • 177 Words
    • 1 Page

    Grant And Lee A Study In Contrasts Summary

    Bruce Catton focuses on both the differences and similarities between Civil War Generals in "Grant and Lee: A Study in Contrasts". He looks at the fact that both Grant and Lee grew up in America. Lee was from Tidewater, Virginia in the South, and Grant from the Western frontier. He noted that both military leaders had different values.…

    • 177 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ulysses S. Grant, Politician Summary
    • 1258 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Ulysses S. Grant, Politician Summary

    The book Ulysses S. Grant, Politician was written by the author William B. Hesseltine. William B. Hesseltine was born on February 21, 1902 in Brucetown, Virginia and died in 1963. He was remembered mostly for his work on the American Civil war, the Reconstruction Era, the American South, and the mid-19th century United States history. Also, he had recognition for the 1960 President of the Southern Historical Association. He was assisted greatly by his wife Katherine Hesseltine, who gave valuable assistance as amanuensis. William went to Ohio State University and was a member of the faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During his time, he was also an active member of the Socialist Party, where he accepted the nomination for the United…

    • 1258 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Compare And Contrast Mcclellan And General Lee
    • 108 Words
    • 1 Page

    Compare And Contrast Mcclellan And General Lee

    “Through leadership, commanders provide purpose, direction, and motivation to subordinate commanders, their staff, and Soldiers.” Unlike General McClellan, General Lee used his position to create an organization, which encouraged individual initiative. Lee handpicked his subordinate’s whom he trusted and who took initiative. Lee and his generals formed a mutually supportive team, where each had absolute trust in the others. They easily interchanged duties and troops among each other. “This team was responsible for survival at Antietam and major Confederate victories both before and after Antietam. Lee shared and discussed his strategy with his generals. He made the final decisions and granted his generals autonomy in carrying them out.”…

    • 108 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ulysses S. Grant Do More Harm Than Good
    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ulysses S. Grant Do More Harm Than Good

    He was a hero of the Civil war who fought for the Union. He was two presidents after Lincoln which meant he would be president during post-war reconstruction. Grant was also the youngest president at that time to be elected. Grant may have been a war hero but he might not have been the best president. He had some good and bad sides of his term.…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Lincoln and His Generals Book Report
    • 1235 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Lincoln and His Generals Book Report

    Williams gives us insight into Lincoln's thought process. Williams supports this with various examples and numerous interactions that Lincoln had with his Generals. One example of this is Lincoln's selection of General Scott, the first General of the Union forces. When Lincoln interacted with Scott, he showed an admiration for Scott's age and knowledge. This allowed Scott to show his skills, this humility was shared by General McClellan. Lincoln later changes his approach towards McClellan, trying to boost his confidence and courage. Williams continually shows McClellan as an egotist, who eventually replaced Scott as General in chief. McClellan is depicted as unsure, indecisive, self-centered and fearful of declaring war. Lincoln…

    • 1235 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Robert E. Lee Character Analysis
    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page

    Robert E. Lee Character Analysis

    Not any two characters in the novel have the same motivation for fighting. Robert E. Lee is a well-respected soldier who is nearing the end of his career. He uses the Battle at Gettysburg as one of his motivations to keep his faith. He is a heavily religious man and he lets faith play a huge part in his decisions. Lee’s home state is Virginia and becomes involved in the war when Virginia chose to take part in the war. James Longstreet has endured many hardships. His three children have died from illness the winter before the battle. He hopes for success. A lot of his ideas for how the war can be won are not current with his fellow soldiers. Joshua Chamberlain as the main voice for the Union and a significantly lower rank than the other…

    • 203 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Grant Vs Lee Compare And Contrast Essay
    • 263 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Grant Vs Lee Compare And Contrast Essay

    Although Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee were born in the same time period Catton showed how they had very different views from one another. To start of with Catton explained how Lee was an "old age" and did not like change. He wanted the old aristocrat concept to stay in the American culture. He was also born into a wealthy family so he believed it was okay for the upper-class to be more privileged and thought inequality among men made society more advanced. In contrast, Grant was born poor and "came up the hard way" as Catton said, because of this Grant believed every man should be equal. He also believed in change and wanted the future of society to be different than how it was at that current time.…

    • 263 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare And Contrast Lincoln And William Seward
    • 353 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Lincoln And William Seward

    Very outstanding and influential, Abraham Lincoln had a divine gift of leadership, which he adequately exploited in the nation’s politic issues. Like every great leader, Lincoln comprehended people-characters, talents, desires, etc., in a distinct way, so he was able to communicate with people who supported him or even opposed him successfully and let them function in the nation. Elected to be the President of the United States, Lincoln started constructing his cabinet on his election night. Surprised to many people, Lincoln offered William Seward, a strong-minded republican who had been his main political rival, the position of the Secretary of State because Seward was radical on slavery issue and later considered as a centrist, one who supported…

    • 353 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare And Contrast Lee And Catton
    • 255 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Lee And Catton

    When Catton says that Grant “was everything Lee was not” (310) he means that Grant and Lee were two very different people from the way they were raised to their views of American life. Grant was very tough and courageous, raised from in the western frontier. He was a man who held his head up high, looked towards the future, and was determined to follow through with his ideas of a “new” American life. In contrast, Lee was a Virginia man who believed in old aristocracy. “He was one of a body of men who owed reverence and obeisance to no one, who were self-reliant to a fault, who cared hardly anything for the past but who had a sharp eye for the future” (Catton 310). When Catton said this he was trying to let the reader know that Lee had a more…

    • 255 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Ulysses S. Grant Thesis
    • 1917 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Ulysses S. Grant Thesis

    Ulysses S. Grant came from a very early colonial family with strong English and American Military ties. Some of his early ancestors that started the Grant branch of the family in America…

    • 1917 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Compare And Contrast Benjamin Franklin And Booker T Washington
    • 1475 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Benjamin Franklin And Booker T Washington

    Benjamin Franklin and Booker T. Washington were both American personalities that assumed great importance in the history of the United States. Franklin was born in 1706, in Boston, to an English father and an American mother. Washington, on the other hand, having a family history of slaves, did not know his origins or anything about his ancestries. As the author himself says in his autobiography, “My life had its beginning in the midst of the most miserable, desolate, and discouraging surroundings.” (Washington, p.15). He only knew his mother, a brother and a sister and he did not even know the time or the place of his birth. In spite of some significant differences in their early lives and, after, along their trajectories, Benjamin Franklin and…

    • 1475 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare And Contrast Abraham Lincoln And Robert E Lee
    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Abraham Lincoln And Robert E Lee

    Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee wanted to achieve diverse goals during the Civil War. Lincoln was determined to save the Union and help the United States move into a new era. He wanted to settle the issue of slavery in the United States, founded on the principles of liberty and equal rights for all. Robert E. Lee fought the war for the Southern traditions. Lee wanted to defend Southern traditions. He fought the war not only to protect slavery, but also to preserve a whole culture, a way of life. Southerners' wealth and identity belonged to the land they lived on. Lee fought to protect sovereignty, pride, identity, and a decision to secede from the Union. Despite the differences, both men will be heroes for American people.…

    • 483 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Battle at Cold Harbor
    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Battle at Cold Harbor

    For the northern army the main commanders were Lt. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant with the army of the Potomac and Maj. Gen. George G. Meade. Under them they had an army of 108,000 men. The Confederacy only had one major commander which was General Robert E. Lee and the Northern Virginia army. His troops were considerably out numbered only ranging up to 60,000 men.…

    • 762 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Compare And Contrast Lincoln And Johnson
    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Compare And Contrast Lincoln And Johnson

    I will be going through and telling you what happen through the time periods and the months. Through every time period I will tell you every event that goes on during that time period and how long is last. Basically I am giving you a research time lime from event to event. Lincoln and Andrew Johnson were out of sympathy with black suffrage, especially conferred by the federal government. Johnson's interpretations of Lincoln's policies prevailed the Congressional elections of 1866 in the North, which enabled the Radicals to take control of policy, remove former Confederates from power, and enfranchise the freedmen.…

    • 794 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Why the South Lost the Civil War
    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Why the South Lost the Civil War

    When the Confederate Army General Robert E. Lee surrendered to the Union Army General, Ulysses S. Grant at the Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865, many considered the Civil War to be over. The fact that the North was victorious over the South was accepted and the process of reconstruction began in America. It was never openly discussed on why the North defeated the South. However, the question began to slowly arise over time on why the South lost the Civil War. Many historians have become interested in this question and many reasons have been given on why the South lost the Civil War. Lack of manpower, shortages of supplies, and inferior leadership and government were the three main reasons on why the South was defeated in the Civil War.…

    • 1101 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More

Related Topics