Mr Ulysses S. Grant ,Mr Robert E. Lee - Essay Example

Comparing General Grand and Lee The U.S. Civil War was a critical moment in the history of the United s. The war was significant in the sense that it ended the slavery in the southern states following the victory of the Union forces over the Confederate forces. Additionally, the Civil War was significant since it defined the course of U.S. history by helping bring Americans together (Bonekemper 232). Whenever the phrase “Civil War” is mentioned, two prominent people usually come to mind; Ulysses S.

Grant and Robert E. Lee. The two were arguably the most prominent figures during the Civil War. This document will compare and contrast the two personalities in light of their roles during the Civil War.Ulysses S. Grant was one of the personalities that played a critical role during the Civil war. Bonekemper (233) notes that although people did not know him at the beginning of the war, he was later to emerge as a leading and important commander of the Union forces at the last stages of the war.

In fact, Grant was not a soldier at the beginning of the Civil War. His attempt to join the army in 1861 was met with strong resistance from some quarters before being allowed to join the army. He was later to join the Union forces where Grant was elevated to become the Union Commanding General at the last stages of the war. As the commanding general for the Union forces, Grant used military tactics and strategies that helped the Union forces triumph over the confederate forces at the south. By contrast, Lee was a prominent soldier right from the beginning of the Civil War (Bonekemper 233).

Unlike Grant, who became a soldier when the war had begun, Lee was the confederate Commanding General right from the beginning of the war, a position, which he held until the end of the Civil War. Secondly, Grant was a very ruthless commander who showed no compassion and mercy to either the confederate soldiers or the civilians. For instance, upon taking command in the last stages of the Civil War, the first thing he did was to order General William Tecumseh Sherman to harass the civilians who were defenseless.

Sherman went ahead to implement the direction by ruthlessly taking whatever they wanted from civilians without paying for them. This resulted in the looting of the properties of the local residences even as crops were destroyed, houses torched, and livestock killed (Bonekemper 232). Grants inhumane style of leadership also came to the limelight after ordering a stoppage to the exchange of prisoners of war. Before Grant took command, there was a system in place which provided for the exchange of prisoners of war who are critically ill to be allowed to go back home and receive medical care.

Grant, however, stopped this humane initiative, which jeopardized the lives of many prisoners of war. By contrast, Lee was a very sympathetic leader who showed compassion to everyone, including prisoners of war. For instance, when confederate troops invaded Pennsylvania, Lee ordered the confederate soldiers to honor the rules of war by treating all civilians regardless of their stand with respect and compensating them for anything destroyed by mistake (Bonekemper 234). In fact, the confederate soldiers under Lees command avoided causing harm or destroying private property belonging to the local population.

Additionally, unlike Grant, General Lee was a very principled man who would not accept to engage in barbaric acts as Grant did. Despite Grants barbaric style of leadership, his success in the Civil War earned him popularity, which helped him win the presidency in 1869. In contrast, General Lee did not become president after the surrender but was offered a job of being the Commanding General of the Union Army. The two commanders, however, share certain things in common. Firstly, both Grant and Lee were graduates of West Point Military Academy.

Secondly, both Grant and Lee fought in the Mexican war, where Lee emerged as a hero (Bonekemper 235). In conclusion, Grant and Lee are certainly the most prominent figures behind the Civil War. Grant and Lee played a key role in the war since they were the Commanding Generals for the Union and Confederate soldiers respectively in the last years of the Civil War. They had different leadership styles which contributed somehow to their popularity. Work CitedBonekemper, Edward H. Grant and Lee: Victorious American and Vanquished Virginian.

New York, NY: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2008. Print.