WHY DID LINCOLN CHOSE GRANT?

mizzoureb · Posted: Fri Feb 16, 2007 11:51 pm Post subject: WHY DID LINCOLN CHOSE GRANT?

For the first three years of the war, President Abraham Lincoln could not settle on a general to lead his troops in the field. He first offered overall command of the Union forces to Robert E. Lee.
But, Lee (rather graciously) refused when Virginia decided to allign herself with the Confederacy. After that Lincoln tried a number of alternatives, but none seemed to work. Among them were: Irwin McDowell, George B. McClellan (twice), Henry Halleck, John Pope, Ambrose Burnside, "Fighting Joe" Hooker, George Gordon Meade (although he did continue as commander of the ARMY OF THE POTOMAC for the remainder of the war). Finally, he decided on a hard drinking Ohio native who wasn't even on any active military rolls when the war started. He was working as a clerk in his father's tannery in Galena, Illinois. His name? Ulysses S. Grant. it seemed that everything Grant tried in peacetime - farmer, real estate, etc. - ended in disaster. The only thing he seemed to be good at was soldiering. To back that up, he was winning some key battles in the Western Theater of the war and seemed to be the only general that was getting the results in the field that Lincoln wanted. When asked why he chose grant, Lincoln's reply was simply, "He makes things git." Lincoln's appointment drew harsh criticism because of Grant's drinking. Lincoln's reply to that was, "You tell me what brand of whiskey he drinks and I will order every one of my generals in the field a barrell of it."

ban-one · Corporal Joined: 16 Feb 2007 Posts: 8

grant was a slave owner it wasent till the 13th amenment that he did not own slaves I do not have any reason why lincoln pick him other than there was no one else

charge_of_glory · Captain Joined: 01 Aug 2006 Posts: 136

Grant's wife's family owned slaves. Any he owned were given to him. He did't like the idea of slavery and I believe he paid them for their work.

N.W.15thAR · Captain Joined: 07 Mar 2006 Posts: 167

Lincoln's wife's family owned slaves too. But Grant was a great General in the West. He won the first 3 battles he commanded. The first two battles he was in were only 7 months after Manassas and then somehow he won at Shiloh. But I think Lincoln should have gone with his gut cause he wanted Grant as early at 1862, but since he liked people in his cabinet who disagreed with him, he didnt till he pretty much told them to shove it.

Pvt. Gale
N.W. 15th Arkansas

miltpoly · Corporal Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 4

This man can fight! He was the only gen left no one could beat lee, his plan was to keep after lee no retreat. Abe seen this in him thats why he picked him.At the wilderness Grant kept moving south, when the others had retreated. Even lee know 'if he gets to the south of the James river, it will become a sige then its only a matter of time.Grant knew thats the only way to win. He wasnt going to beat lee and he knew it.

Lawrence63 · Corporal Joined: 26 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

Lincoln chose Grant because unlike the previous generals, especially McClellan, Grant understood that capturing Richmond would only go so far, and that his objective was to destroy LEE. If Richmond was captured, the Confederate government would just move to another city. Richmond was really just another piece of real estate. Even if Grant DID capture Richmond, Lee's army would still be out there. Grant knew that the best way to defeat Lee was to grind at the Army of Northern Virginia bit by bit until Lee surrendered. In the end, it looks like Lincoln made the right choice.

THE5ASPECTS · Sergeant Joined: 07 Feb 2008 Posts: 15

[quote="mizzoureb"]For the first three years of the war, President Abraham Lincoln could not settle on a general to lead his troops in the field. He first offered overall command of the Union forces to Robert E. Lee.
But, Lee (rather graciously) refused when Virginia decided to allign herself with the Confederacy. After that Lincoln tried a number of alternatives, but none seemed to work. Among them were: Irwin McDowell, George B. McClellan (twice), Henry Halleck, John Pope, Ambrose Burnside, "Fighting Joe" Hooker, George Gordon Meade (although he did continue as commander of the ARMY OF THE POTOMAC for the remainder of the war). Finally, he decided on a hard drinking Ohio native who wasn't even on any active military rolls when the war started. He was working as a clerk in his father's tannery in Galena, Illinois. His name? Ulysses S. Grant. it seemed that everything Grant tried in peacetime - farmer, real estate, etc. - ended in disaster. The only thing he seemed to be good at was soldiering. To back that up, he was winning some key battles in the Western Theater of the war and seemed to be the only general that was getting the results in the field that Lincoln wanted. When asked why he chose grant, Lincoln's reply was simply, "He makes things git." Lincoln's appointment drew harsh criticism because of Grant's drinking. Lincoln's reply to that was, "You tell me what brand of whiskey he drinks and I will order every one of my generals in the field a barrell of it."[/quote]

The reason Lee disagreed was he felt ties to his homeland. If he hadn't, Lee would have routed himself. Kinda an interesting concept! Grant was the only one left, i'm assuming.

bmac6446 · Corporal Joined: 10 Apr 2008 Posts: 8 Location: Georgia

Lincoln chose Grant because he handed him the impenetrable Vicksburg and opened up the Mississippi River.
The only General at the time that gave results.

Leon · Sergeant Joined: 12 Apr 2008 Posts: 14 Location: London

I agree with Lawrence63 that Grant was chosen because he understood what Lincoln wanted, and what was necessary for victory. He gave results too eg Vicksburg. However, I don't believe that there was no one else. Sherman, Sheridan, Thomas or even McPherson could have done the job.