What is the theme in Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant?

Grant described the various tactics used by the Union Army as well as some of those used by the Confederates in the battles waged during the Civil War. In many cases, Grant described tactics in detail, going so far as to outline which commander was ordered to a specific section of a battlefield and which was held as a backup to be used to fill gaps that developed as the battle progressed. These details may become somewhat tedious to the casual reader but are evidence of Grant's understanding of military tactics and his ability to use men to their fullest potential. An examples of this is seen when he sends word to General Meade, urging that he advance on the Confederates as soon as possible. When Meade fails to follow the order, Grant readdresses the situation, predicting that the Confederates were about to make a move of their own, and that Meade would then be forced into a "mortifying" situation in which he was the defender rather than the aggressor. Grant's assessment of situations of this sort made him a good commander and allowed him to make the most of some serious situations. Grant learned these skills during the Mexican War. He detailed several specific campaigns during the Mexican War and said that, looking back on them, he could see that the battles were probably unnecessary. His ability to learn from those situations gave him the experience to foresee situations in the Civil War and to create tactical advantages for the Union soldiers on many of those battlefields.