Winning the West

*Weaves together each general's life and career into one chronological and entertaining narrative. 

*Includes pictures of the generals and important people, places, and events in their lives.

*Includes an original introduction for each general.

*Includes maps of some of the generals' most important battles.

*Includes an analysis of each general's legacy.

*Includes bibliographies on each general for further reading.


Despite the fact that the Civil War began over 150 years ago, Americans continue to be fascinated by the Civil War icons who made the difference between victory and defeat in the war's great battles. Although much attention has been fixed on the East, the Civil War was essentially won in the West, where the Union was primarily led by Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman and George H. Thomas.


While all eyes were fixed on the Eastern theater at places like Manassas, Richmond, the Shenandoah Valley and Antietam, Grant went about a steady rise up the ranks through a series of successes in the West. His victory at Fort Donelson, in which his terms to the doomed Confederate garrison earned him the nickname “Unconditional Surrender” Grant, could be considered the first major Union victory of the war, and Grant’s fame and rank only grew after that at battlefields like Shiloh and Vicksburg. Along the way, Grant nearly fell prey to military politics and the belief that he was at fault for the near defeat at Shiloh, but President Lincoln famously defended him, remarking, “I can’t spare this man. He fights.” Lincoln’s steadfastness ensured that Grant’s victories out West continued to pile up, and after Vicksburg and Chattanooga, Grant had effectively ensured Union control of the states of Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as the entire Mississippi River. 


William Tecumseh Sherman (February 8, 1820 – February 14, 1891) holds a unique position in American history. Synonymous with barbarity in the South, Sherman is lauded as a war hero in the North, and modern historians consider him the harbinger of total war. As a General in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861–65), Sherman was recognized for his outstanding command of military strategy but criticized for the harshness of the "scorched earth" policies that he implemented in conducting total war against the Confederate States, especially in 1864 and 1865. Military historian B. H. Liddell Hart famously declared that Sherman was "the first modern general."


One of the most unique and effective generals of the Civil War also happens to be one of the most overlooked. While there is a never ending stream of acclaim going to generals like Grant, Lee, and Sherman, General George H. Thomas has managed to fly under the radar, despite having an unusual background as a Southerner fighting for the Union and scoring almost inconceivable successes at Missionary Ridge, Franklin, and Nashville. Thomas also skillfully fought at Perryville, Stones River, and in Sherman’s Atlanta Campaign, but he's best remembered as “The Rock of Chickamauga”. On September 19, 1863, after a Confederate attack drove a third of the Union army from the field, including commanding general William Rosecrans, Thomas rallied the remaining parts of the army and formed an impromptu defensive stand on Horseshoe Ridge, holding off a series of well-executed (albeit costly) assaults until nightfall. Thomas’s heroics prevented the destruction of the Union army and allowed it to successfully retreat to Chattanooga. 


Winning the West chronicles the lives of the three men primarily responsible for the Union's success in that theater during the Civil War. With pictures, maps, and more, you will learn about Grant, Sherman, and Thomas like you never have before.