Lincoln as Commander in Chief

[JMadonna]

(03-03-2013 08:43 PM)LincolnMan Wrote:  One has to be amazed at the thought of Lincoln-Commander in Chief-checking out books on military tactics from the Library of Congress to "study up" on the subject-during the nations greatest hour of peril.

Lincoln was humble enough to admit what he didn't know. What I find amazing is that successors like Wilson and FDR didn't follow the example. FDR in particular wasted hundreds[/i] of thousands of lives insisting on unconditional surrender.

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(03-04-2013 01:11 AM)Thomas Thorne Wrote:  Scott was the designer of the "Anaconda Plan";a much more offensive variant of which became the Union grand strategy. His expedition to Mexico City in 1847 produced a tribute from the Duke of Wellington who deemed him the greatest soldier of the age.

Scott resigned his post due to the infirmities of age in late 1861 and retired to West Point where Pres Lincoln more than once traveled to solicit his advice. Too bad we do not have transcripts or recordings of their conversations.
Tom

No doubt that had Scott not stayed loyal we'd have had a different history.
He's the only one who never believed it would be a short war. His "Anaconda Plan" became the Union's grand strategy only after the "on to Richmond" plan failed.