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book. No one wants to read a one-sided argument, especially when the discussion is history and the conclusions have to be fact.

The somewhat redeeming aspect of this book is the compilation of resources. Williams uses many different kinds of sources to support his arguments. Not only does he incorporate many other books that have been written on the subject, but he also employs first-hand accounts from the people who were there. Letters, dispatches, wires, and personal memoirs are used by Williams in supporting his book.

However, although Williams uses many sources to support his position, many of which are first-person accounts, they are also all Unionist sources. To get an unbiased and complete picture of a time period or person in history, all available sources should be studied including those of the enemy. When Williams begins to describe the action or inaction of General George McClellan he frequently uses sources directly from McClellan. No one should accept the history of a man given by himself as reliable. How can there be a fair representation of events if all of the supporting sources are from the people who have won? The best people to judge the success of a general, or any leader, are the enemies that have fought against him. Would not Robert E. Lee have been a more objective observer in deciding how well McClellan had acted in the Peninsula Campaign? Of course he would have. He was the one that was fighting McClellan. Lee and his army were the ones who either benefited or suffered based on McClellan's decisions. You can not take McClellan's word for it, that the events he took part in happened exactly the way that he describes them. He is going to be the most biased person of all. He always presents himself as the hero or the unfairly chastised subordinate, depending on the situation that he has just experienced. As for what he thought of Lincoln, McClellan will also always show Lincoln based on whatever mood he might be in at the time. If Lincoln has recently given reinforcement to McClellan or agreed to one of McClellan's plans, then McClellan is going to show Lincoln as a cooperative, understanding, and compassionate commander in chief. If Lincoln has recently refused to give any reinforcements or declined to adopt one of McClellan's plans, then McClellan will claim that Lincoln is being detrimental to the Union cause and will undoubtedly be at fault for any failure of the army.

On the other hand, Lincoln had no business judging McClellan from

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