The Man Who Saved the Union: A Q&A with Author H.W. Brands

Pulitzer Prize nominee H.W. Brands’ latest book, The Man Who Saved the Union: Ulysses Grant in War and Peace, is a masterful biography of the Civil War general and two-term president who saved the Union twice, on the battlefield and in the White House, holding the country together at two critical turning points in our history. Brands is also the author of Traitor to His Class: The Privileged Life and Radical Presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and The First American: The Life and Times of Benjamin Franklin.

Thanks Mr. Brands for taking time from your busy schedule to answer a few questions.

 

Q. Why did you write The Man Who Saved the Union?

A. I wanted to tell the story of how the Union almost fell apart in the early 1860s and how it was put back together after the Civil War. I also wanted to tell the story of an important American who came to fame for being a soldier. Grant fit my needs on both scores.

Q. I thought it was very interesting how you showed parallels in the careers of both Sherman and Grant prior to the Civil War and how the bond between them grew. I think most readers will be surprised to learn that Grant almost left the Army after his victory at Shiloh. How close was Grant to leaving the Army and how much influence did Sherman have in Grant’s ultimate decision to not leave the Army?

A. Grant was frustrated by his treatment by Henry Halleck. His threat to leave reflected that frustration. I don't believe he really would have followed through, or if he had, that he would have stayed out of the army long. He had discovered his gifts as a soldier, and with a war on, he had to be in the fight.

Q. Simultaneous to the Union victory at Gettysburg, Grant secured a major, but relatively forgotten victory at Vicksburg. Can you describe why Vicksburg was a major strategic victory for the north and why you think it is overshadowed by the battle at Gettysburg?

A. Grant's victory at Vicksburg cut the Confederacy in two, depriving the eastern theater of beef and other supplies from Texas. Lincoln, a Westerner, knew how important the Mississippi was, but many in the East thought Gettysburg, the big battle in the East, which occurred simultaneously with Vicksburg, was the more important since it was closer to their homes.

Q. What was the most surprising finding about Grant that you discovered as part of writing The Man Who Saved the Union?

A. That Grant knew as much about finance and monetary policy as he showed in the wake of the Panic of 1873, when he carefully weighed the pros and cons of deliberate inflation, before deciding against it and vetoing the Inflation Bill.

Q. Given all of his battlefield successes and scandals while he was president, how do you think Grant should be remembered by Americans today?

A. Grant saved the Union on the battlefield during the Civil War. He saved the Union in politics after the war by becoming a unifying symbol for North and South even as he smashed the Ku Klux Klan and stood strongly for the rights of African Americans. He couldn't prevent the ultimate disfranchisement of Southern blacks, but he upheld the principles of equality and fair play on which this nation has been built. He was the only president between Lincoln and Lyndon Johnson to make a big issue of civil rights; for this alone he deserves our attention and respect.

Q. How can readers learn more about your research and The Man Who Saved the Union book?

A. Just read the book, and pay attention to the source notes, if they like.

Q. Finally, last year you published the gripping tale of Jim Fisk under the American Portraits series. Can you share any plans for upcoming additions to that series?

A. I have some thoughts but none I can share at the moment.