Terrible Swift Sword: The Life of General Philip H. Sheridan

Wheelan has done a commendable job of piecing together the battle accounts. This was a very enjoyable read. When Sheridan takes the Union calvary from a defensive to an offensive role, you can feel the excitement of him and his men. It was a tragic loss for the nation when Sheridan's notes for his autobiography were lost in the great Chicago fire. The narrative suffers a bit when the author expresses confusion over Sheridan's role as conservationist and Indian champion. I also take issue with the notion that Germans learned to wage total war only after being visited by an American tourist. Caesar's commentaries and the conquests of Attila the Hun would seem to indicate a talent for teutonic warfare prior to the turn of the twentieth century. And I would have liked to have read more about Sheridan's wife and family than their account in the epilogue. But these are tiny quibbles for a work that is pleasingly accessible to general readers and buffs alike.

Well written and researched, the book details Little Phil’s war philosophy which unfortunately carried over to the Indian Wars seemingly unaware of the genocide he was perpetrating. Long after the deed was done he ruefully reflected on what had been done. Tunnel vision to the max.

Lively fresh and so well written . A great addition to my Civil war collection

The cover was put on this book upside down