Who is your favorite military figure past or present?

Besides Lincoln, there was one other true genius in the Civil War (although you might argue for Lee as well). Nathan Bedford Forrest. I love his quote:

Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest had 30 horses shot from under him and personally killed 31 men in hand-to-hand combat. "I was a horse ahead at the end," he said.

SFC Gilley!

That guy is awesome! LOL

General Patton didnt take lip off of anyone and he handled his business no matter what the circumstances were. He was a true hero.

FM Irwin R. Rommel. Prior to his fame in North Africa revolutionized small unit tactics in World War I on the Italian front.

Mine would have to be General Thomas " Stonewall Jackson. C.S.A, because of his courage and his Trust in God , I however do not believe in the dissolution of The Union. He always Led from the front with his soldiers..True bravery!

One clarification to GEN Pershing. His rank was "General of the Armies" which he and GEN Washington were both given (GEN Washington posthumously). This is a five star rank with gold stars which is different from "General of the Army" which is considered a lesser rank of five stars with silver stars. Only five Army officers have achieved this rank (all WWII: Marshall, MacArthur, Eisenhower, Arnold, Bradley). We then get into the four star general rank of which several officers have achieved throughout US history.

Number 1: George Washington, Continental(US) Army; Not generally considered a brilliant tactician or strategist, but knew what he and his countrymen were fighting for and was able to convey it to the soldiers under his command. Part militarist, part statesman, this was his brilliance. Strategically, knew when to press the attack and when to retreat, always keeping in mind the overall goal of his army as well as the goal of his enemy. By all accounts, outstanding officer of the British Army during the French and Indian Wars. Also, the first President of the U.S.

Number 2: Napoleon Bonapart: How did you see what you saw when so many others didn't? Why did you let your ambition get the best of you? Goes without saying. Master of warfare of the age. Lack of long term strategic thinking was his undoing. 1st Emperor of France.

Number 3: Field Marshal Graf Helmut von Moltke(Prussia). Brilliant tactical and strategic thinker. Chief of Staff of the Prussian Army during the Franco-Prussian War. He is the one who devised the modern military staff system and came up with the Blue/Red strategy for wargaming/keeping track of forces. Pushed idea of Tactical, Operational, and Strategic formations. Far more than that, he codified into the military modern advancements of the age. Battle on multiple fronts during the Silesian Wars and Austro-Prussian Wars.

Number 4: GEN(later FM) Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington; Masterful coalition builder and identifier of Napoleon's weaknesses. Understood the long term consequences of Napoleon's power shift in Europe and the danger it posed to the British Empire. Realized the strategy of the "soft underbelly of Europe"(during the peninsular wars) that would be replicated many times over during the World Wars.

Number 5: LTG U.S. Grant; Commander, Army of the Tennessee(US) and eventual General in Chief of the US Army. Many of the same reasons as Moltke. Understanding of the changes to warfare and a grasp of the strategic importance of the battlefield. By all accounts a practical and forgivable human being as well. A view that would change American military leadership for generations to come.

Number 6: FM Erich von Mannstein, Germany; brilliant tactician and strategist who greately prolonged the war on the eastern front, defied Hitler(both in Military and Humanist ambitions), builder of the (formerly)W. German Bundeswehr.

Number 7: FM Erwin Rommel, Germany; A superb tactician, strategist, and (unfortunately) example of complete and unquestioning devotion to his countries civil leadership, for a while anyway. Rommel was no dedicated Nazi, but had the opinion that "politics are for the politician" and didn't think much of his countries "elected" civil leadership; like Mannstein, he was pushed by the ideal of his country in general and skilled in the art of war. Walked the fine line of military vs. civilian leadership. Rather than resigning; he opted to believe that the civilian leadership of Germany(Nazi party) had the best interest of the nation and it's people in mind. Finally, came to terms and was a minor conspirator to remove Hitler from power. Conflicted man, who ceded his opinion to "elected" civilian leadership, much like von Mannstein.

Number 8: John Churchill; 1st Duke of Marlboro(American English spelling); like Wellington, masterful coalition builder; challenged the crown in a time before Parliament dominance. identified as the first great English/then British military leader post Cromwell.

Two different people for two different reasons - U.S. Grant because I love his style. Nothing pretty, just getting the job done. This guy traveled with a barrel of his own whiskey, yet was still 100% sober when it came time to fight. And GEN McClellan, because I'm fascinated by the insane logic behind most of his decisions during the civil war.

General Custard.  I just saw him, again, in the movie and he cracks me up.  Talk about an ego.  Do you think that the movie in any way depicted him as he really was?  "Little Big Man" I think.