While there are flashes of emotion here, the positioning of Catton's view directly over Grant's shoulder doesn't actually add much to the understanding of this portion of the war. As Catton is fond of pointing out, many times Grant is in the room and we don't realize he's there. So, despite his position, he isn't, often, an ideal choice for exciting stories.  Indeed, the best portions are those where he has to assert himself most vigorously, or in his family and non-military professional relations. I think, overall, Catton's centennial trilogy is better than his Grant books. You get very little insight into Grant as a person by the end of this.