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Sheridan : The Life and Wars of General Phil Sheridan (Vintage Civil War Library)

Sheridan : The Life and Wars of General Phil Sheridan (Vintage Civil War Library)

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A great story--a passable history
Review: As a story, this book is one of the better written biographies I've read in a while. Morris's style is compelling, and his writing flows in such a way that it is difficult to lose interest in the narrative. As a biography, however, this book is mediocre. The work is well-documented, but the chief problem I see is that the greater part of Morris's quotes and ideas come from secondary sources, making this book, in some respects, a tertiary source. In searching the notes for the source of several quotes made, I was frustrated to find that the only reference given was to another biography of Sheridan. Morris tells the story beautifully, but there seems not to be much which is groundbreaking or revolutionary.

Another flaw in the book, which occupies a disproportionately large amount of space, is the excessive attention it pays to General Rosencrans in the Tennessee era of Sheridan's Civil War career. During this time, Sheridan seems to be left in the background, and the resultant feeling almost left me with the impression that I was reading a biography of Rosencrans rather than of Sheridan. It seems that Morris has an ax to grind, and that ax is to glorify Rosencrans to the fullest extent. He claims that there were three major achievements around the 4th of July 1863: Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Rosencrans's driving of the Rebels out of Tennessee. While it is true that he did indeed command the force opposing the Rebels, the sad truth is that Lincoln and Co. wanted this to happen nearly six months before it did. I have no problem with Morris's high opinion of Rosencrans (though I do not share it myself), but I don't think a biography of Sheridan is the place to extol the virtues of that man.

Overall, this is a good study of a great man. It is thoroughly well-written, and a joy to read. At times, it is even funny, and Morris's dry wit (such as recounting how General AS Johnston "carelessly" bled to death at Shiloh) keeps things entertaining while not straying into the inappropriate. Also a plus is the detail given to the many aspects of Sheridan's campaigns. Morris has a talent for painting the whole picture and not just the scant part Sheridan played in it. Again, this becomes excessive (to me, at least) only when praising Rosencrans. This book is certainly worth the time it takes to read it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: A great story--a passable history
Review: As a story, this book is one of the better written biographies I've read in a while. Morris's style is compelling, and his writing flows in such a way that it is difficult to lose interest in the narrative. As a biography, however, this book is mediocre. The work is well-documented, but the chief problem I see is that the greater part of Morris's quotes and ideas come from secondary sources, making this book, in some respects, a tertiary source. In searching the notes for the source of several quotes made, I was frustrated to find that the only reference given was to another biography of Sheridan. Morris tells the story beautifully, but there seems not to be much which is groundbreaking or revolutionary.

Another flaw in the book, which occupies a disproportionately large amount of space, is the excessive attention it pays to General Rosencrans in the Tennessee era of Sheridan's Civil War career. During this time, Sheridan seems to be left in the background, and the resultant feeling almost left me with the impression that I was reading a biography of Rosencrans rather than of Sheridan. It seems that Morris has an ax to grind, and that ax is to glorify Rosencrans to the fullest extent. He claims that there were three major achievements around the 4th of July 1863: Gettysburg, Vicksburg, and Rosencrans's driving of the Rebels out of Tennessee. While it is true that he did indeed command the force opposing the Rebels, the sad truth is that Lincoln and Co. wanted this to happen nearly six months before it did. I have no problem with Morris's high opinion of Rosencrans (though I do not share it myself), but I don't think a biography of Sheridan is the place to extol the virtues of that man.

Overall, this is a good study of a great man. It is thoroughly well-written, and a joy to read. At times, it is even funny, and Morris's dry wit (such as recounting how General AS Johnston "carelessly" bled to death at Shiloh) keeps things entertaining while not straying into the inappropriate. Also a plus is the detail given to the many aspects of Sheridan's campaigns. Morris has a talent for painting the whole picture and not just the scant part Sheridan played in it. Again, this becomes excessive (to me, at least) only when praising Rosencrans. This book is certainly worth the time it takes to read it.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: As biographies go, about average
Review: I've always found General Phil Sheridan to be a fascinating figure, and "Sheridan: The Life and Wars of General Phil Sheridan" was the first biography about him that I found. It's reasonably well written, chronicling Sheridan's early life, his attendance at West Point, and his meteoric rise to general officer rank in the early days of the Civil War. Author Roy Morris, Jr. also details Sheridan's post-Civil War military career as an unsuccessful military governor of Louisiana, an Indian fighter in the midwest, and ultimately as General-in-Chief of the U.S. Army. Especially interesting was Sheridan's relationship with George Armstrong Custer, which Morris traces from their days fighting together during the Civil War, to the time of Custer's death at Little Big Horn.

I did find a problem with this book, despite its being fairly well written. While it provided some reasonably detailed information on Sheridan's life, times and personality, I didn't feel that it approached depth found in the best biographies of military leaders. When I finished "Sheridan," I felt I hadn't really been introduced to the man; I almost got the feeling Morris left out information in order to keep down the length of the book (which runs only to 393 pages.)

"Sheridan" is a good basic survey of one of the great U.S. Army generals of the 19th century, but it's not a particularly penetrating study of General Philip Sheridan's life and times. In my view, Phil Sheridan deserves better.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The horseman cometh
Review: Phillip Sheridan's importance to the Union effort in the Civil War cannot be overstated. His place as a general in blue ranks behind only Sherman and Grant. His best moments were at Winchester where he stemmed a Union defeat and turned it into a smashing vistory, and at Five Forks where he routed a derelict George Pickett and ended the stalemate around Petersburg. He also led a fascinating life in the military both before and after the war, eventually becomming the army's commanding general late in his life. Morris's book is well written, but it lacks the drama of say the recent biographies of Grant and Sherman. I think this is because the stories of those two generals, who both overcame much adversity in both their personal and professional lives, are much more compelling. Sheridan was a great general, but not a tragic or epic figure. But at least he has a biography that does his memory justice.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The horseman cometh
Review: Phillip Sheridan's importance to the Union effort in the Civil War cannot be overstated. His place as a general in blue ranks behind only Sherman and Grant. His best moments were at Winchester where he stemmed a Union defeat and turned it into a smashing vistory, and at Five Forks where he routed a derelict George Pickett and ended the stalemate around Petersburg. He also led a fascinating life in the military both before and after the war, eventually becomming the army's commanding general late in his life. Morris's book is well written, but it lacks the drama of say the recent biographies of Grant and Sherman. I think this is because the stories of those two generals, who both overcame much adversity in both their personal and professional lives, are much more compelling. Sheridan was a great general, but not a tragic or epic figure. But at least he has a biography that does his memory justice.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Interesting but superficial
Review: Though Roy Morris writes well and illuminates Sheridan's character adequately, there is ultimately something flat about this effort. His attempts to give a definitive analysis of Sheridan are compromised by some factual gaffes and problems in interpreting Sheridan in the context of his times. It must be stressed that being a bigot in the mid-19th century was accepted practice and not odious, as it's viewed today. Morris is sympathetic to Sheridan throughout, even in the midst of his advocating genocide for the Native American.

The lack of personal detail is disquieting. There is insufficient material on Sheridan's mistress from the 1850's and his marriage late in life.

A strong point of the book is Morris' descriptions of little Phil's relationships with Grant and Sherman, two generals infinitely superior and more intelligent that Sheridan. Morris does a good job in explaining this triumvirate that saved the nation during the civil war.

This is a good biography, but scarcely groundbreaking or on the cutting edge of scholarship. The elusive character of Philip Sheridan will have to await a more gifted and grounded biographer.


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