"That we are BEATEN is a self-evident fact, and any further resistance on our part would justly be regarded as the very height of folly and rashness."

Name the author.


When you're beaten and you know it raise your flag

“I know he's a good general, but is he lucky?” - Napoleon

I've read it often in histories of Napoleon (and referenced other places) but can't recall which general he was referring to. Might be a good question for our NWC friends

Ernie? Scott L?

I think your historian is giving Halleck a lot of undue credit there.

Credit for the creation of "the modern concept of staff officer" must surely go to Prussia very early in the 19th century in response to their massive loss to Napoleon at Jena (although Prussia had staff officers for over a century before that). Particular credit for that creation should go to Scharnhorst and his compatriot Gneisenau [interestingly, both had WWII battleships named after them].

As for "Halleck invented the role of chief of staff": that's complete rubbish. Gneisenau was appointed as Blucher's Chief of Staff in 1815 and that was very much in the modern concept of staff officers that he and Scharnhorst had invented and developed after Jena.

Totally concur Paul! Both of them with Clausewitz are still a pinnacle part in the Bundeswehr principles.

Concerned that the author probably thinks Wellington won Waterloo. [Start the bar room brawls now! ]

William Sherman

A doctrinal and strategic visionary, William Sherman was also a charismatic leader of troops, but he did suffer tactical lapses that on occasion proved costly, as at the Battle of Kennesaw Mountain (June 27, 1864). His profound understanding of the essential brutality of war may have contributed to mental collapse early in the Civil War, but it also drove his strategic and tactical thinking, which were unhampered by illusions of martial glory. Although there is no evidence that Sherman was influenced by the work of the European military theorist Carl von Clausewitz (1780 - 1831), he may be regarded as the first important American practitioner of what Clausewitz called "total war," combat practices directed against the enemy civilian population as well as enemy military formations. With Winfield Scott and Ulysses S. Grant on the Union side and Confederate Robert E. Lee, Sherman was one of the key shapers of Civil War combat.

HISTORIANS RATING: THREE STARS


I was expecting a higher rating for Sherman. But the more I thought about it... Sherman really stumbled in a number of battles (Shiloh, Chickasaw Bluffs, Kennesaw Mountain). But his ability to keep driving forward and to maintain the fighting served him well.

Now I wait for Paul Swanson to tell us all about the evil and horror that is Sherman

Wellingtons won Waterloo? Thats silly Scott, everyone knows that a pair of boots cant win a battle, sheesh. I guess they cant lose one either…. I will get back to you on this. Science.

Surely that is not necessary. As you point out, when he had battles against military forces of comparable strength to his he didn't fair so well. Making war on civilians with military might is hardly deserving of any combat stars (certainly not "3 Stars = A winning commander"). [Those who honour Sherman should also be praising the current excellence of the Russian army in waging war on the Ukrainian civilians but are not faring so well against the, vastly outnumbered, Ukrainian military force.]