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No tears for the general;: The life of Alfred Sully, 1821-1879
Palo Alto, American West Publishing Co, 1974. 1st Edition, Hardbound, about 9.25 inches tall, 255 pages. Notes, bibliography, index. This is part of the publisher's Western Biography Series. Includes several black and white illustrations; several of these are the work of Alfred Sully.
255 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1974
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
December 2, 2014
Let me explain the 4-star review. This is one of those works that proves invaluable despite the author's intentions, not because of them. The author wrote an apologia for Alfred Sully, who had a long and in some ways distinguished military career in mid-19th Century, but is known on the northern plains mainly for his role as a field commander in the Dakota War during 1863-65. The author's effort fails, in the reckoning of any knowledgeable reader, on account of holes, lapses, and anomalies in the narrative, as well as outright misconstructions of the evidence. On the other hand, in the course of building a poor case, the author reveals all sorts of interesting things contained in family correspondence, things that contribute to a profile of Sully, and not a pretty picture. There are some things that are not so much negative or positive but rather useful--for instance, given Sully's experience in the eastern theater of the Civil war, both his dilatory behavior in 1863 and his resort to total war on the plains make perfect sense. Other things, well, you shake your head. The account of Sully's elopement and family tragedy in California is unintentionally revealing, I think. The work is a must-read for anyone wishing to penetrate Sully's role in the events of 1863-65. I'm still thinking about just what I'm going to think about it.
July 25, 2023
I picked this up because of Alfred Sully's service in the Civil War. I like to read about these Civil War Generals' lives both before, during and after.
This book detailed Alfred Sully's long military career from his service in the Mexican War, where he was at the siege at Vera Cruz and his western pre-Civil War Service and post-Civil War Service. His service in California and the American Northwest is particularly interesting since this is an area of history I knew very little about, except for the 49ers and the Gold Rush.
Then we see his experience with the American Indians in the Florida and the West until Sully was called East for service with General McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign. After this service, and the removal of General McClellan, Sully was sent west again to deal with the American Indian uprising.
This book was an interesting read about a lesser known Civil War general who saw varied service, but it has many slow dry periods that will interest few depending on where their interest lies. Whether it be the California/Northwest, the Indian Wars, or the Civil War, it does touch on many areas of US history. I enjoyed this book for what it was, but it's not one I'll likely revisit.
This book detailed Alfred Sully's long military career from his service in the Mexican War, where he was at the siege at Vera Cruz and his western pre-Civil War Service and post-Civil War Service. His service in California and the American Northwest is particularly interesting since this is an area of history I knew very little about, except for the 49ers and the Gold Rush.
Then we see his experience with the American Indians in the Florida and the West until Sully was called East for service with General McClellan during the Peninsula Campaign. After this service, and the removal of General McClellan, Sully was sent west again to deal with the American Indian uprising.
This book was an interesting read about a lesser known Civil War general who saw varied service, but it has many slow dry periods that will interest few depending on where their interest lies. Whether it be the California/Northwest, the Indian Wars, or the Civil War, it does touch on many areas of US history. I enjoyed this book for what it was, but it's not one I'll likely revisit.
November 1, 2014
"No Tears For The General" The life of Alfred Sully, 1821-1879" is the history of the Union General based on his letters to his family, and published by his grandson Langdon Sully in 1974. The editor, who received a crate of letters of the general from a family member was able to piece together the history of the general from a young cadet at West Point to his final day as an officer in the Union Army during the Indian Wars of the 1870's.
In this great read, the author was able to piece together the history of his grandfather and his military career by putting together in chronological order the letters he wrote mainly to his sister in Philadelphia. He came from an artistic family, his father Thomas was a famous painter at the time, and Alfred himself would send back many drawings and paintings of his life in California, the Great Plains, Native American Tribes, and other landscapes and people throughout his life.
The young officer after graduating from West Point in 1841, saw service in the Mexican War and then was transferred to California before it became a state. While in California, then Lt. Sully made keen observations of life in a Spanish-California town, commenting on both the good and bad of the population that made up California and its customs. Being stationed at various forts in California, his accurate observations of the customs of the Spanish in California, Native Americans, and others in California, are things I never knew before about life in the western U.S. While in California the young officer fell in love with a daughter of a prominent Spanish-California family and eloped with her. She being 15 at the time and he several years older cause quite a stir with her family. Unfortunately, not long after she gave birth to their son, she would die from either food poisoning, or another ailment, and the baby would die a month after his mother.
After the death of his wife and son, Lt. Sully became a changed man, no longer able to look at life and love the same way, the officer devoted his time and thinking of being the best officer in the U.S. Army he could be. Not an easy task, the army before the Civil War was mainly a huge mess, with many officers being promoted due to political influences. Both the enlisted and officers according to Lt. Sully were either drunks, gamblers, scam artists, and other unfavorable behavior. Though Lt. Sully did partake in drink, he never gambled and never became a drunk. For a brief time he was sent to Europe as an envoy to different countries. Once back in the U.S., he went west to the great plains and helped establish and build forts in the Nebraska Territory. This was a hard and miserable endeavor since many of the forts were abandoned and no supplies, hostile climate and land, Indian uprisings, and many other bad circumstances were happening. However, Lt. Sully (promoted to Captain but he didn't know it then), concentrated on re-establishing and rebuilding abandoned forts, and make life easier day-by-day. As part of his duties involved being a supply officer, he did his job honestly and professionally and didn't take any bribes or offer any. This is notable since he would say that pay was terrible and the army was being ignored by the government.
As the Civil War started in 1861, Captain Sully went back east and eventually became the commanding officer of the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment. Due to his connections with General George McClellan, and his ability, Sully quickly rose in ranks and became a Brigadier General. A good general of the regiment he was in many of the early battles of the Civil War up to Fredericksburg. General Sully was very critical of the officers who were not in the army before the war, but were made high ranking officers due to political connections. He had no use for those type of men who had no experience in the military.
He was then transferred back west and became well-known as an Indian fighter whenever the Sioux or other tribes would uprise. He was always sympathetic to the Native-Americans, but was harsh in punishment when he felt they deserved it. Not without controversy, many thought him to be "cold as steel" and "distant" when dealing with both soldiers and Indians. After being reduced in ranks after the war (many promotions were breveted), Sully ultimately became a Colonel again in the post war army and died in 1879.
Langdon Sully did an excellent job in editing his grandfathers letters, sketches and drawings which are plentiful in the book and enhance his grandfathers story. General Sully was an honest man who was devoted to his family and his military career. His grandson doesn't flinch in criticism at times of his grandfathers behavior and attitude, however, the general suffered great tragedies in his life which would alter anyone.
This is an excellent history of the pre-Civil War officers serving in the U.S. Army, an excellent history of Spanish California and their customs and cities, an excellent history of life in the army serving in the Great Plains and observations of Native-American life, and great Civil War and Indian War history.
This is an excellent read and a great tribute to this Civil War General and career officer and is highly recommended!
In this great read, the author was able to piece together the history of his grandfather and his military career by putting together in chronological order the letters he wrote mainly to his sister in Philadelphia. He came from an artistic family, his father Thomas was a famous painter at the time, and Alfred himself would send back many drawings and paintings of his life in California, the Great Plains, Native American Tribes, and other landscapes and people throughout his life.
The young officer after graduating from West Point in 1841, saw service in the Mexican War and then was transferred to California before it became a state. While in California, then Lt. Sully made keen observations of life in a Spanish-California town, commenting on both the good and bad of the population that made up California and its customs. Being stationed at various forts in California, his accurate observations of the customs of the Spanish in California, Native Americans, and others in California, are things I never knew before about life in the western U.S. While in California the young officer fell in love with a daughter of a prominent Spanish-California family and eloped with her. She being 15 at the time and he several years older cause quite a stir with her family. Unfortunately, not long after she gave birth to their son, she would die from either food poisoning, or another ailment, and the baby would die a month after his mother.
After the death of his wife and son, Lt. Sully became a changed man, no longer able to look at life and love the same way, the officer devoted his time and thinking of being the best officer in the U.S. Army he could be. Not an easy task, the army before the Civil War was mainly a huge mess, with many officers being promoted due to political influences. Both the enlisted and officers according to Lt. Sully were either drunks, gamblers, scam artists, and other unfavorable behavior. Though Lt. Sully did partake in drink, he never gambled and never became a drunk. For a brief time he was sent to Europe as an envoy to different countries. Once back in the U.S., he went west to the great plains and helped establish and build forts in the Nebraska Territory. This was a hard and miserable endeavor since many of the forts were abandoned and no supplies, hostile climate and land, Indian uprisings, and many other bad circumstances were happening. However, Lt. Sully (promoted to Captain but he didn't know it then), concentrated on re-establishing and rebuilding abandoned forts, and make life easier day-by-day. As part of his duties involved being a supply officer, he did his job honestly and professionally and didn't take any bribes or offer any. This is notable since he would say that pay was terrible and the army was being ignored by the government.
As the Civil War started in 1861, Captain Sully went back east and eventually became the commanding officer of the 1st Minnesota Infantry Regiment. Due to his connections with General George McClellan, and his ability, Sully quickly rose in ranks and became a Brigadier General. A good general of the regiment he was in many of the early battles of the Civil War up to Fredericksburg. General Sully was very critical of the officers who were not in the army before the war, but were made high ranking officers due to political connections. He had no use for those type of men who had no experience in the military.
He was then transferred back west and became well-known as an Indian fighter whenever the Sioux or other tribes would uprise. He was always sympathetic to the Native-Americans, but was harsh in punishment when he felt they deserved it. Not without controversy, many thought him to be "cold as steel" and "distant" when dealing with both soldiers and Indians. After being reduced in ranks after the war (many promotions were breveted), Sully ultimately became a Colonel again in the post war army and died in 1879.
Langdon Sully did an excellent job in editing his grandfathers letters, sketches and drawings which are plentiful in the book and enhance his grandfathers story. General Sully was an honest man who was devoted to his family and his military career. His grandson doesn't flinch in criticism at times of his grandfathers behavior and attitude, however, the general suffered great tragedies in his life which would alter anyone.
This is an excellent history of the pre-Civil War officers serving in the U.S. Army, an excellent history of Spanish California and their customs and cities, an excellent history of life in the army serving in the Great Plains and observations of Native-American life, and great Civil War and Indian War history.
This is an excellent read and a great tribute to this Civil War General and career officer and is highly recommended!
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