william sherman, who had a similar experience. >> my god. sherman. how long has it been? >> [ laughs ] >> it was tough to be an army officer between wars, and there they were. and these were two guys who, it turned out, would be very talented at war, but they made a mess of peace. >> what are you doing, sam? >> solving the problem of poverty. >> that's a problem i've become quite aware of myself. >> oh, soldiering is about all we're good for. >> well, good luck, sam. >> he's a brilliant general. he's an insightful general. but when he's not leading an army, the man's just a train wreck. ♪ [ birds chirping ] >> so, tell me -- how does a failure become a general in the u.s. army? >> well, after fort sumter, men all over illinois were volunteering. the state needed officers with experience to train.