What a disappointing past week for Liberty basketball and football. The transfer portal ruined college football. Liberty only scored seven points against Buffalo in the Bahamas Bowl. There needs to be some regulation regarding a player's transfer. Liberty had a new team playing on the field unprepared for a bowl game. Liberty also lost its first conference game this season in basketball. There needs to be a big turnaround if they want to win the conference and go to the NCAA tournament. Even the Chiefs had a poor showing of their second-string players against the Denver Broncos. I can only hope Liberty's season improves alongside the Chiefs.
Dr. Richard Sommer, a titan in the field of Civil War history, has left an indelible mark with his book, Richmond Redeemed. His meticulous study of the Fifth Offensive during the blockade of Richmond and Petersburg is a cornerstone of military history, a work that should be a part of every graduate program teaching military history. His exceptional work at the U.S. Army Heritage and Education Center is a testament to his dedication. His passing in 2019 has left a void, but his impressive research and books remain as a testament to his legacy.
If I could speak with Dr. Sommers, I would ask him about what he said regarding Ulysses Grant and the coup d'oeil. As a reminder, the coup d'oeil is a military term whose literal meaning is "at a glance or with the stroke of the eye." Its definition varies from author to author, but Liddell Hart defined it as "a gift of God and cannot be acquired; but if professional knowledge does not perfect it, one can only see things imperfectly and in a fog, which is not enough in these matters where it is important to have a clear eye...To look over a battlefield, to take in at the first instance the advantages and disadvantages is the great quality of a general."
Dr. Sommers talked about Grant's generalship in 2014, claiming that Grant did not possess the coup d'oeil. He even mentioned this in one of the last books he published, Challenges of Command in the Civil War. Sommers defined coup d'oeil as someone who could discern solutions in an instant. He argued that Grant could learn from his mistakes. Sommers used the Vicksburg Campaign as an example of this attribute. Yet, it is essential to look at some other comments by Sommers about Grant's generalship, "he displayed great flexibility of methods, he was one of the greatest generals in U.S. history, confidence gave him insight, Where others saw calamity, Grant saw opportunity." Sommers used Jubal Early's Shenandoah Valley Campaign as an example for the last quote about Grant. Grant quickly saw the opportunity to cut off and destroy Early's command in the Shenandoah, which was virtually accomplished under Phil Sheridan.
I do not blame Sommers for the example of Vicksburg as a way to justify Grant's lacking the coup d'oeil, but it is a common misperception. Secondly, Sommers was an expert on the blockade of Richmond and Petersburg. Grant chose various routes to get to Vicksburg because running the ships past Vicksburg's guns was the obvious choice that seemed foolhardy. Grant was trying to avoid the loss of manpower, so he tried to outmaneuver Vicksburg before the simple approach. This is a rare example of Grant avoiding "common sense" to prevent unneeded casualties. Ironically enough, Grant lost fewer men running the guns than in all his attempts to outmaneuver the city, but it certainly did not seem that way. There are many examples in which Grant found a solution immediately upon looking at the terrain or military environment, such as Grant taking Fort Donelson upon the Confederate attack against the Union right.
My slight divergence from Dr. Sommers' views does not diminish the profound impact of his research and work. It's a matter of interpretation, and I regret not having the opportunity to discuss it with him. His insights could have swayed my opinion. Nevertheless, his work is a cornerstone for any military historian delving into the Civil War and the traits of its officers.
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