Lincoln's Political Generals

Lincoln's most controversial generals--his so-called "e;political generals"e;--were appointed, promoted or kept in service for political purposes without regard for their competence. "e;It seems but little better than murder,"e; the Army's general in chief, Henry Halleck, protested, "e;to give important commands to such men."e; The book shows these seven generals--Butler, Banks, Sigel, Fremont, McClernand, Hurlbut and Wallace--in action, allowing readers to decide for themselves if Halleck was right in his withering assessment of Lincoln's political generals.