The General: is a continuation of the story begun in War of the Nations. Admiral James Caldwell discovers an unpublished manuscript written by his father in 1895. This ninth book in the Caldwell Series describes in vivid detail what may have occurred in the United States Military during the life time of Hiram Ulysses Grant, better known as Ulysses Simpson Grant. The narration is by his friend, Admiral Jason Caldwell, born in Beaufort, South Carolina. Ulysses Grant will graduate from West Point, serve in the regular army, resign after the Mexican War, and volunteer for service when the war breaks out in 1861. The historical events of 1822 through 1868 are carefully followed. The imagination of the author provides rich characters in powerful settings from the rivers bordering the State of Illinois to the western theater battlefields of the Civil War. The time old love story between a man and a woman is woven throughout the book when the young West Point officer, marries the sister of his West Point room mate. They have four children, their oldest son, Jesse, is named after his grandfather and accompanies his father (General Grant) on many of his campaigns. Scenes are set carefully with attention to accurate research of the towns along the Ohio River, as well as our Nation's Capital circa 1857 - 1868. The People's Standard History of the United States written by Edward S. Ellis and published in 1895 by Western Book Syndicate and copyrighted by the Woolfall Company have provided background materials, maps of the period and needed information on how the federal government was organized and functioned during this period of history.