Customer Reviews

Captain Sam Grant

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It's a great pity in Grant scholarship that the author of this book, Lloyd Lewis, died prematurely and was not able to continue his trilogy of Grant. Though the able Bruce Catton continued the project, he was never the writer or researcher that was Lloyd Lewis. This book is a remarkably accurate and clear portrayal of Ulysses Grant as a young man. The book ends on the eve of the Civil War, when Grant was stuck in his father's leather shop, bored and aching for something meaningful to do with his life. At 39, the civil war found Grant (or Grant found the war, take your pick) and history was never the same.

Lewis was known for his punctilious and dilligent research and it is a pleasure to read a book devoid of errors and rich in interpretation. He illuminates Grant as he *really* was: a decent, engaging, modest and clear-headed young man, destined for greatness but not quite knowing what to do with his considerable talents. This is one of the most outstanding Grant biographies and a must-read for anyone interested in the life and times of our greatest general.

Understanding U.S. Grant is probably a worthwhile undertaking for those interested in the history of the United States. Certainly most Grant books are about his time as Commander in Chief of the Union armies during the Civil War and are worth reading. This book is merely a companion to those, it discusses the early years when he is growing up and attending West Point as well as the early service in the Mexican War. It's well researched and well written, and an engaging story. Grant's early experiences certainly shape his future actions in the Civil War, but this is more of an interesting biography rather than a book that attempts to build understanding of his later motives and actions. Overall, an interesting read and a worthwhile addition to your library if you enjoy history.

I was moved to read this after finishing Grant's Memoirs, which are themselves well worth the effort. It is an excellent book on Grant's early years and the American "West" before the Civil War. Lewis does a remarkable job. Even his language and phrasing creates a sense of the time and place. He also identifies and explores many of Grant's characteristics that manifested themselves early in his life and stood him in good stead (more or less) thereafter--his early assumption of responsibility, his dogged determination not to retrace his steps but to continue on and somehow find his way to his goal, his humility, courage, and humor. The book also is an interesting and solid introduction to the War with Mexico, in which Grant served with distinction, but which he felt an evil war. It also does a good job with Grant's many "failures" after the Mexican War, his discouragement, his resoluteness, his ultimate sense of responsibility to serve the country that had educated and employed him. A really fine book.
By the way, I read the Bruce Catton sequels a number of years ago. They are not fresh enough in my mind to compare to this, but I would certainly encourage anyone who enjoys this book to follow up with Grant Moves South and Grant Takes Command. Catton was a marvelous writer in his own right and, even if he doesn't quite measure up to Lloyd Lewis, well, that is setting the bar pretty high.

We got "Captain Sam Grant" out of the library. My husband and I liked the book enough to purchase our own copy. It adds depth to his Civil War Collection. Only sorry that Lloyd Lewis did not write a big box of books. "Sam Grant" is so well written that you do not want to stop reading for supper!!!

This is a part of a trilogy. The first work, "Captain Sam Grant," was authored by Lloyd Lewis. Unfortunately, he died before he was able to complete the full biography (indeed, he died before this volume was actually published). As the publisher notes, though, Lewis had amassed a great deal of information. Finally, well-known historian Bruce Catton agreed to complete the trilogy (His two works are "Grant Moves South" and "Grant Takes Command"). The three works together provide a good biography of U. S. Grant.

However, Lewis' book is nicely wrought. It traces his life in some detail from birth to his sojourn in Galena, Illinois, after a checkered military career (his valor in the assault on Mexico City during the Mexican War was a high point of his early career) and failed business efforts in Missouri.

It provides an interesting view of Grant the person. As portrayed here, he is a modest, decent human being who sometimes made bad decisions, who experienced some poor luck, but who was dogged enough to continue. The book ends with his taking command of an Illinois regiment.

The next two volumes continue the story of Grant, with the end coming at the Grand Review of the Union armies in Washington, D. C. in 1865. But the first volume lays the groundwork, sets the stage for the older, more successful Grant.

Lewis' book is well worth reading for those interested in Grant.

What a wonderful book that Lewis wrote! It is very tragic that he died before finishing this awesome work. While Bruce Catton was a wonderful writer himself Lewis was almost in a league of his own. I think Lewis would have wrote two more volumes at least: one on Grant in the Civil War and one on Grant's post Civil War career. I can only imagine how moving his accounts of Appomattox and description of the writing of Grant's memoirs would have been.

Which brings me back to 'Captain Sam Grant'. It is a absolute American treasure. Lewis writes very compellingly of Grant's forebears and his rascal of a father Jesse Grant. I also love the chapter titles that Lewis uses too. He has just a great writing style and uses many interesting anecdotes to show the youth of Grant. Grant's West Point years are also expertly described in much detail. The highlight of the book is the great description of the Mexican War. This is the stuff legends were made of in the name of 'Manifest Destiny'. Grant shows his mettle and with Lewis' writing you are right in the thick of it.

After the high of Grant's experiences in the Mexican War it is on to more domestic matters for Grant and the reader. Lewis paints a charming picture of the love match between Grant and his wife Julia. The resignation of Grant from the army is also treated in a very fair manner and then you see Grant in the 1850s struggling and struggling but always trying to provide for his wife and children. And then like magic Grant's life and career is saved by the coming of the Civil War. Lewis describes how he came to command a bunch of unruly farm boys in the 21st Illinois and the book ends with a wonderful scene of the men asking Grant for a speech. You will have to read to the end of the book to see Grant's great reply.

This is history writing at its finest!

Highly,highly recommended!

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