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If there was a visionary of modern warfare among the northern generals, then that man was General Sherman, not General Grant. It was he who conceived the idea of the March, which was considered a risky scheme at that time.
People tend to forget that Sherman was a doubter in the early stages of the Vicksburg campaign. He advised Grant against severing his lines of communication and driving toward Jackson. By the end, though, he understood it: “Until this moment I never thought your expedition a success. I could never see the end clearly until now. But this is a campaign. This is a success if we never take the town” (Sherman to Grant on May 18th, 1863). He applied the lessons he learned from Grant there to his march to the sea.
General Sherman was very admiring of Grant, but considered himself superior in knowledge and intellect. He said:
"I'm a darn sight smarter than Grant; I know a great deal more about war, military histories, strategy and grand tactics than he does; I know more about organization, supply, and administration and about everything else than he does...."
Yeah. He was kind of arrogant, wasn’t he?