In Every Battle There Comes A

This maxim, attributed to Grant in Civil War era sources, captures the psychological theory of battle that defined his generalship. Grant believed that the commander who maintains offensive pressure at the moment both sides believe themselves beaten will break the opponent's will before his own breaks. The idea is close to Clausewitz's analysis of moral forces in war, though Grant arrived at it empirically rather than theoretically. His conduct at Shiloh (April 1862), where he held steady despite enormous losses on the first day and launched a counterattack on the second, is the clearest illustration of the principle in his own career.