A well-crafted study of "two failed men with great potential" without whom the Civil War might have ended differently. Flood (Hitler, 1989) opens with a dispiriting account of Ulysses S. Grant, the Mexican War hero and former Army captain who, in 1860 at the age of 38, found himself a clerk in a leather-goods store in northwestern Illinois; it would take a cataclysmic war for him to have a chance to redeem himself. As for Sherman, the beginning of the conflict found him heading a military school in Louisiana; after fighting at Bull Run, he was assigned to head a force on the Kentucky-Tennessee frontier, where he seems to have struggled with a few personal demons that for a time debilitated him. Sherman was relieved of command, the local papers reporting that he was insane; later, thanks to the efforts of Gen. Henry Halleck, Sherman was rehabilitated and eventually allowed to raise a division of his own. Assigned to the western campaign under Grant, Sherman got his first taste of his commander's ways at Shiloh, where Sherman was prepared to counsel retreat but held himself from doing so when Grant replied to his remark, "We've had the devil's own day of it, haven't we," with, "Yes. . . . Lick 'em tomorrow, though." What was to have been Beauregard's victory turned out to be a great Southern defeat, and the beginning of the end for the South. Flood's overarching theme of Grant and Sherman's friendship, born in fire, is sometimes swept under by a surfeit of Big Picture historical detail, but in those instances, the book becomes a careful survey of the Civil War in the West. Of interest to students of early modern warfare, in particular, is Flood's account of how Sherman, always in close contact with Grant, conducted his scorched-earth campaigns in Georgia and South Carolina--and how both generals detested the press, a theme that resounds in our own time. A worthy contribution to the Civil War literature. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Flood (Lee: The Last Years) presents the extraordinary friendship between two Union generals that changed the course of the Civil War. Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman, both West Point graduates, were unlikely candidates to become heroes during this turbulent period in American history. Both men failed miserably in business ventures before the outbreak of the conflict, but their partnership on and off the battlefield enabled the North to achieve victory. The author provides an analysis of a friendship that endured despite personal, military, and political struggles. Grant's "total war" strategy, to maintain pressure on Lee's army and damage the economic resources of the enemy to wage war, found its perfect counterpart in Sherman's March to the Sea campaign. For further study of key military figures, readers should consult T. Harry Williams's McClellan, Sherman, and Grant and his Lee, Grant, and Sherman: A Study in Leadership in the 1864-65 Campaign. This work includes an extensive bibliography of secondary sources and published primary sources, but it could have been improved by more research in archival manuscript collections. However, Flood's fluid prose style makes this a very enjoyable read. Highly recommended for academic libraries that serve undergraduate programs. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/05.]-Gayla Koerting, Univ. of South Dakota Libs., Vermillion (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Nodding acquaintances at West Point, Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman met again in 1862 and liked each other immediately. The author of this engaging dual biography doesn't claim this friendship "won the Civil War," but it made Union leadership remarkably friction free. Sherman, returning from a four-month sick leave he took to combat nerves, arrived on the battlefield of Shiloh with reinforcements for Grant; he served Grant loyally during the Vicksburg campaign, then accompanied him east to share in the victory at Chattanooga in November 1863. When Lincoln appointed Grant leader of all Union forces, Grant gave Sherman the Army of the Tennessee, an independent command. He captured Atlanta and marched brutally across Georgia while Grant fought to a bloody stalemate with Lee near Richmond. The surrender at Appomattox restored Grant's pre-eminence, and he and Sherman remained close after the war. The key, Flood writes, is that Sherman was the ideal subordinate, brilliant but insecure. In Grant he found a leader whose poise was contagious and who convinced Sherman he could do whatever job he was assigned. Better biographies of both exist, but Flood (Lee: The Last Years) has written a solid book that illuminates their productive relationship. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

The story seems like a fairy tale: two men who were remarkable failures as civilians use their West Point backgrounds to rejoin the army during the American Civil War. They steadily rise to the highest ranks and lead the North to victory over the secessionist South, becoming friends in the process. But that's exactly what happened. In his winning book, Flood underscores the powerful bond formed between Ulysses S. Grant and William Tecumseh Sherman and tells the story of a friendship that would influence both the politics and the military operations of the Civil War. In 1860, Grant was working as a clerk in his father's general store. Sherman was a failed banker. Flood shows how--when war broke out--each man found the help he so desperately needed in the other. He describes how Grant discovered in Sherman a gifted and fearless subordinate whose support was unfailing. And in Grant, his superior, Sherman found someone who saw beyond his reputation for being crazy and recognized his brilliance. As the war raged on, the two men worked out the winning military strategy together, and their mutual admiration deepened. Flood reminds us how important their bond was in shaping the outcome of the bloodiest conflict this country has ever seen, as well as the republic that stands in its wake. One of the big-profile history books of the season and highly recommended for all history-minded readers --Jerry Eberle Copyright 2005 Booklist

A decade ago, joint biographies of individuals on parallel life paths came into fashion. Flood offers an interesting addition to this genre for those deeply interested in the US Civil War. The author provides a contrasting portrait of Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman, though he adds little original insight into these two complicated personalities. Flood's work focuses on the crucial wartime command friendship that ultimately achieved Union victory. He has little to say about how the prewar years shaped these key figures, and even less to say about why they drifted apart after the war. The book catalogs the two men's commonalities: both graduated from West Point and left the army in the 1850s; neither had successful civilian careers and both were devoted to their families. Militarily, each was willing to take enormous risks and both profited from military mistakes. Grant had dogged determination and brilliant strategic insights, while Sherman had the more conventional military mind. War drove their friendship, and postwar politics drove them apart. More analysis on both ends of this story would have strengthened the work. This said, general readers should enjoy the book. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. Public and general collections. D. L. Wilson Southern Illinois University Carbondale