General James Harrison Wilson, said of his subject, "John A. Rawlins, all things considered, was the most remarkable man I met during the Civil War..." That is a remarkable statement from one who served under McClellan and Grant, and was a respected cavalry leader in his own right. Many consider that without Rawlins, Grant would not have climbed to the heights he achieved in the war. John Rawlins wrote, "You know, I believe more in the infallibility of numbers than in the infallibility of generals, no matter how great their reputation." Yet he was devoted to Ulysses S. Grant during the Civil War and to the end of Rawlins' short life. Grant felt he could not do without Rawlins and would not give him a front-line command. A contemporary said of Rawlins: "Lieutenant-Colonel Rawlins, Grant’s assistant adjutant general, is a very industrious, conscientious man, who never loses a moment, and never gives himself any indulgence except swearing and scolding." Rawlins even once lost his temper with Grant and used some pretty salty language, immediately begging the general's pardon. This interesting young man was a key background figure in the American Civil War. He was promoted general and later was Secretary of War under Grant. For the first time, this long out-of-print volume is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE by clicking the cover above or download a sample.

No one succeeds alone, and Ulysses S. Grant was no exception. From the earliest days of the Civil War to the heights of Grant's power in the White House, John A. Rawlins was ever at Grant's side. Yet Rawlins's role in Grant's career is often overlooked, and he barely received mention in Grant's own two-volume Memoirs. General John A. Rawlins: No Ordinary Man by Allen J. Ottens is the first major biography of Rawlins in over a century and traces his rise to assistant adjutant general and ultimately Grant's secretary of war. Ottens presents the portrait of a man who teamed with Grant, who submerged his needs and ambition in the service of Grant, and who at times served as the doubter who questioned whether Grant possessed the background to tackle the great responsibilities of the job. Rawlins played a pivotal role in Grant's relatively small staff, acting as administrator, counselor, and defender of Grant's burgeoning popularity. Rawlins qualifies as a true patriot, a man devoted to the Union and devoted to Grant. His is the story of a man who persevered in wartime and during the tumultuous years of Reconstruction and who, despite a ravaging disease that would cut short his blossoming career, grew to become a proponent of the personal and citizenship rights of those formerly enslaved. General John A. Rawlins will prove to be a fascinating and essential read for all who have an interest in leadership, the Civil War, or Ulysses S. Grant.

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In the tradition of Jay WinikÕs national bestseller April 1865, the dramatic and surprising story of the last 150 days of the Civil War, to be published on the 150th anniversary of the warÕs final months