Books like Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson

Ulysses S. Grant’s personal memoirs chronicle his military career from West Point cadet to Union general‑in‑chief, offering clear, direct accounts of the Mexican War and the Civil War.

An in‑depth biography of Ulysses S. Grant, tracing his rise from Ohio roots to leading the Union Army during the Civil War and later serving as President of the United States.

From Google Books: "In Battle Cry Of Freedom, James M. McPherson presented a fascinating, concise general history of the defining American conflict. With What They Fought For, he focuses his considerable talents on what motivated the individual soldier to fight. In an exceptional and highly original Civil War analysis, McPherson draws on the letters and diaries of nearly one thousand Union and Confederate soldiers, giving voice to the very men who risked their lives in the conflict. His conclusion that most of them felt a keen sense of patriotic and ideological commitment counters the prevailing belief that Civil War soldiers had little or no idea of what they were lighting for. In their letters home and their diaries -- neither of which were subject to censorship -- these men were able to comment, in writing, on a wide variety of issues connected with their war experience. Their insights show how deeply felt and strongly held their convictions were and reveal far more careful thought on the ideological issues of the war than has previously been thought to be true."