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So Grant and Lee were in complete contrast, representing two diametrically opposed elements in American life. Grant was the modern man emerging; beyond him, ready to come on the stage, was the great age of steel and machinery, of crowded cities and a restless, burgeoning vitality. Lee might have ridden down from the old age of chivalry, lance in hand, silken banner fluttering over his head. Each man was the perfect champion of his cause, drawing both his strengths and his weaknesses from the people he led.
因此，格蘭特和李是完全不同的，他們代表美國歷史上截然不同的兩派。格蘭特是正在崛起的現代人，繼他之后，準備要登上歷史舞臺的便是偉大的鋼鐵和機器時代、擁擠的城市、騷動不安又生機勃勃的活力。而李則好像是從古老的騎士時代騎馬而來，手握長槍，絲綢旗在頭上飄揚。他們兩個都是各自事業的完美捍衛者，從他們所領導的人民那里獲取他們的強勢與弱點。
Yet it was not all contrast, after all. Different as they were—in background, in personality, in underlying aspiration—these two great soldiers had much in common. Under everything else, they were marvelous fighters. Furthermore, their fighting qualities were really very much alike.
然而兩人并非完全不同。盡管有背景、性格以及志向方面的不同，這兩個偉大的軍人卻也有很多的共同點。除去其他的，他們都是偉大的戰士。而且他們的戰斗品質都非常相似。
Each man had, to begin with, the great virtue of utter tenacity and fidelity. Grant fought his way down the Mississippi Valley in spite of acute personal discouragement and profound military handicaps. Lee hung on in the trenches at Petersburg after hope itself had died. In each man there was an indomitable quality... the born fighter's refusal to give up as long as he can still remain on his feet and lift his two fists.
首先，這兩個人都具有堅強的意志和忠誠的品質。格蘭特在個人受挫和軍事上處于嚴重不利的局面時，仍率軍沿密西西比河挺進。李則在希望全無之后仍堅持在彼得斯堡的戰壕里作戰。兩個人都具有百折不撓的品質……兩個生就的斗士，只要沒有倒下，還能揮拳，就不會放棄戰斗。
