Final answer:
Bruce Catton contrasts Ulysses S. Grant's and Robert E. Lee's values and visions of America in the aftermath of the Civil War, highlighting the shift from the old South to a new unified nation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The point that Bruce Catton makes in the comparison at the end of "Grant and Lee" is related to the leadership qualities and the legacy of both Ulysses S. Grant, a Union general, and Robert E. Lee, a Confederate general, during the American Civil War. Catton highlights the contrasting perspectives and values of Grant and Lee, which represented the larger conflict between the North and the South.
Grant's vision was more in line with modern America, a society based on merit and progress, while Lee's represented the traditional honor and hierarchical social order of the South. Grant's terms of surrender were generous, aiming to mend the nation, and Lee, in his own farewell, emphasized that the Confederate defeat was due to overwhelming numbers and resources, not a lack of honor or courage among his men.
These final comparisons illustrate the profound differences in the visions of these two leaders for post-war America. Through his writings, Catton suggests that these differences not only defined their characters but also the future path that America would take following the Civil War.
The comparison demonstrates the shift from an old order, represented by Lee, to a new era of American unity and democracy embodied by Grant. Catton's analysis allows readers to understand the historical significance of the character and leadership styles of both Grant and Lee, which in turn helps to explain how and why the country evolved in the way it did after the war.