To me, the mythology surrounding the Civil War and the figures around it really is history in itself. It’s why I really disagree with the idea that the winners write history. We had the South’s perspective on Reconstruction dominate our classrooms for decades to the point where I fell for the myth that Grant was a bad President. I wouldn’t put Grant in my top 10 but U.S. Grant did combat the KKK, he did try to help the freedmen, etc.