The Art Of War Is Simple

This statement is attributed to a conversation between Grant and army surgeon John Hill Brinton during the Tennessee River campaign of early 1862, and is sometimes paraphrased in slightly different forms across the historical record. Grant's approach to offensive warfare — relentless pressure, rapid movement, and hard striking — stood in sharp contrast to the cautious generalship that had characterized Union strategy in the East. His Personal Memoirs (1885), written in the final months of his life as he raced against throat cancer, confirm this philosophy of aggressive simplicity. Abraham Lincoln valued Grant precisely because he acted on this instinct when other generals hesitated.