Author: Did you know this Civil War general couldn't hold his alcohol?

Guns were a key part of the Civil War – but so was whiskey. Author Mark Will-Weber joined Tuesday’s “The Morning Blaze with Doc Thompson” to talk about his latest book on alcohol and U.S. history: “Muskets and Applejack: Spirits, Soldiers, and the Civil War.” He chatted with Doc Thompson, Kari Malinak and Allie Stuckey about famous leaders’ interest in alcohol as well as the difference between “wanted” and “required” amounts of liquor.

Did you know that U.S. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant liked liquor even though he couldn't drink? Will-Weber, who also wrote “Mint Juleps with Teddy Roosevelt: The Complete History of Presidential Drinking,” talked about Grant and his alcohol problem. The general tended to get bored in between battles and would turn to liquor; he even had a close friend whose main job was to keep Grant away from alcohol.

While Grant looked as if he could handle his liquor, he was actually a lightweight, Will-Weber asserted.

“He’s this burly-looking guy, and he looks like he could handle a lot of alcohol,” Will-Weber described. “Grant was a bad drinker. He was one of those guys that had one little glass of whiskey and his face would be flushed already.”

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