Synopses & Reviews
Civil War general William Tecumseh Sherman earned a place in history as the first modern general,” yet behind his reputation as a fierce warrior was a sympathetic man of complex character.
A century and a half after the Civil War, Sherman remains one of its most controversial figuresthe soldier who brought the fight not only to the Confederate Army, but to Confederate civilians as well. Yet Eisenhower, a West Point graduate and a retired brigadier general (Army Reserves), finds in Sherman a man of startling contrasts, not at all defined by the implications of total war.” His scruffy, disheveled appearance belied an unconventional and unyielding intellect. Intensely loyal to superior officers, especially Ulysses S. Grant, he was also a stalwart individualist. Dubbed no soldier” during his years at West Point, Sherman later rose to the rank of General of the Army, and he had great affection for the people of the South despite his commitment to the Union cause.
In this remarkable reassessment of Shermans life and career, Eisenhower takes readers from Shermans Ohio origins and his fledgling first stint in the Army to his years as a businessman in California and his hurried return to uniform at the outbreak of the war. From Bull Run through Shermans epic March to the Sea, Eisenhower offers up a fascinating narrative of a military genius whose influence helped preserve the Union.
Review
Praise for John S. D. Eisenhower:
“A very fine historian. John S. D. Eisenhower can tell a good story…with a sharp eye for character and the telling detail.”—Rick Atkinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Guns at Last Light
“As a career soldier and military historian, John Eisenhower brings impeccable historical credentials to the field of military history.”—Carlo DEste, author of Patton: A Genius for War
Review
Praise for American General
“The blood-and-thunder of the Civil War comes alive in John S. D. Eisenhower's American General, a brilliantly written and researched biography of William Tecumseh Sherman. Eisenhower's delineation on Sherman's Scorched Earth strategy is a must read. Highly recommended!” —Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Rice University, CBS News Historian, and New York Times Bestselling Author of The Wilderness Warrior
“John S. D. Eisenhower, who knows something about generals and soldiering, has written a marvelous biography of a much misunderstood man. Yes, Sherman did say ‘War is Hell and made it so waging ‘Total War against the South. But he was at the same time a shrewd, colorful, brave man, and Eisenhower brings him vividly to life.” —Evan Thomas, New York Times Bestselling Author of Ike's Bluff and Sea of Thunder
“Veteran soldier, former general, acclaimed historian, renowned military biographer, and son of America's preeminent twentieth century general, John S. D. Eisenhower brings William Tecumseh Sherman to life as only he can. The eminently readable American General takes you beyond the standard-issue portrayals of Sherman—avenging angel for the North, devastating demon to the South—and reintroduces you to the man himself. On the 150th anniversary of Sherman's fiery March to the Sea, this book will help you understand the man behind the legend.” —Daniel P. Bolger, Author of Why We Lost: A General's Inside Account of the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars
“Only U.S. Grant could have written a truer portrait of William Tecumseh Sherman. John S. D. Eisenhower had Grant's gifts for lucidity, exactness and concision, as well as keen military insight.” —Sidney Blumenthal, New York Times Bestselling Author of The Political Life of Abraham Lincoln: A Self-Made Man
Review
“Brilliantly written and researched biography…a must read.”—Douglas Brinkley
“John S. D. Eisenhower, who knows something about generals and soldiering, has written a marvelous biography of a much misunderstood man.”—Evan Thomas
“Only U.S. Grant could have written a truer portrait of William Tecumseh Sherman.”—Sidney Blumenthal
About the Author
John S. D. Eisenhower was a brigadier general (Army Reserves), a U.S. ambassador to Belgium during the Nixon administration, and the author of numerous works of military history and biography. The son of Dwight D. Eisenhower, he lived in Maryland.