Generals in Gray Lives of the Confederate Commander

Book Description

When Generals in Gray was published in 1959, scholars and critics immediately hailed it as one of the few indispensable books on the American Civil War. Historian Stanley Horn, for example, wrote, "It is difficult for a reviewer to restrain his enthusiasm in recommending a monumental book of this high quality and value." Here at last is the paperback edition of Ezra J. Warner's magnum opus with its concise, detailed biographical sketches and—in an amazing feat of research—photographs of all 425 Confederate generals. The only exhaustive guide to the South's command, Generals in Gray belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in the Civil War.

AUTHOR BIO: Ezra J. Warner (1910-1974) was also the author of Generals in Blue. A native of Lake Forest, Illinois, he lived in La Jolla, California and was well known for his work in Civil War biography.

Customer Reviews:

Few books are REALLY essential.................2007-06-30

.....but this one sure is. The Civil War is still a current event for many of us. For four long years, both sides were carried by their armies, and led by their Generals. Now, lots of us know about Lee and Jackson, but there were a total of 425 Confederate Generals over the course of the war, and some even I've never heard of. Of these, 299 were serving as General Officers at the end. A total of 77 were killed in battle; the rest died of natural causes, resigned, got fired, etc., etc.

They're ALL here, at least the ones that we can't argue about whether they were really a General. [There are others about whom we can argue, for various reasons--a separate book has come out in recent years...see "More Generals in Gray"]. While Lee has has more biographies than I can count, and many have at least one, for most of these guys, this is all we've got. Here we get pictures, pre and, where appropriate, post war careers, grave sites, and a study of just what the man accomplished [or didn't]. Robert E. Lee gets three and a half pages, but all get a good write-up.

They were a varied lot: six General Lees, six Jacksons, eight each of Smith and Walker. Professional soldiers, lawyers, politicians, even three preachers [Polk and Pendleton, you know; read this and find the third]. Some were heroic, some were drunks, a few were both. Some brilliant, some inept, one or two both. The post war lots of the survivors were as various as the men; poverty and wealth, glory and apostasy, and all points in between. Trivia: Who was the ONLY Confederate General born in Texas? Who was the last living Conferderate General? ONE man answers BOTH questions. [OK, I'll give it to you...Judge Felix Huston Robertson of Waco died April 20, 1928]. The very first American Indian to wear General's stars AND the last General to surrender...he's here, in all his glory.

I can go on all day. The late Ezra Warner, Illinois native and California investment counsellor, published this in 1959...it needs to stay in print forever. While I've had this, and the companion "Generals in Blue", for years, only recently has a trade paperback made it readily available, and affordable. A "thank you" to the publisher, and a huge, everlasting, "THANK YOU" to Mr. Warner.

The good the bad and the ugly..........2006-02-17

This book is a must for any Civil War buff. Learn the good, bad and the ugly about all general officers of the army of the CSA. I keep this book, and its companion, Generals in Blue, handy when I am reading historical accounts of battles of the Civil War. How often, while you are reading, have you yearned to get additional information on a particular general? These books are perfect to provide more information, when you want it.

Excellent Source of Information on Confederate Generals!.......2004-03-27

I remember first reading Generals in Gray as a teenager and have often referred back to the book over the years.

Warner gives a synopsis of each general , usually containing the following information:

1. Birthplace and birthdate.
2. Pre-Civil War life.
3. Battles served in, promotions, woundings, death (if applicable).
4. Postwar career (if he survived the war).
5. Death and place burial.
6. Brief mention of the general's competency (or lack thereof).
7. Relationships with other generals (superior, subordinate).

I have often found the book to be extremely helpful when reading a book on a particular Civil War battle. Doing so helps me to better understand the general when studying a particular battle.

Whether you have a serious interest in the Civil War or a novice, I highly recommend the book as an excellent reference!

Excellent reference book.......2002-09-23

Warner does an excellent job in giving short biographies on all 425 Confederate generals, including a picture of each general. An excellent reference guide and a must have for your Civil War library.

A must have reference work.......2001-02-13

If you have even an ancillary interest in the American Civil War, this is essential to read and to own. I consult my copy on a weekly basis and I've owned it for twenty years. Warner writes well and succinctly about all of the Confederate Generals. Each biography is accompanied by a single photograph of the subject. The book is like a large biographical dictionary, easy to navigate and peruse at your leisure. If you are interested in in-depth material on any of these Generals, it's best to consult an individual biography of your chosen favorite. But if you have a casual interest or merely want an essential reference tool, this is a "must have."

Book Description

This new edition of two of the greatest works to chronicle the Civil War provides the unique perspective of that great conflict as it appeared to its greatest generals. It is illustrated with over 400 drawings and photographs drawn from historically contemporary sources. The illustrated abridgement of the Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant is contained in this work. Fast-paced, colorful, lucid and laced with flashes of humor, it provides the most authoritative of all contemporary accounts. All the topics that are not covered in the excerpts are summarized by the editor. Historians have always lamented the fact that Lee, who died only five years after his surrender to Grant, was never able to write his personal memoir of his role in the Civil War. The most detailed and revealing view of this great general in action is by General Armistead L. Long in his classic Memoirs of Robert E. Lee. The edition of Long's Memoirs contained in this work is a shortened version of the original. Peripheral matter has been summarized and full texts of official correspondence and extended quotations by other writers have been deleted. What remains is vivid first-hand portraits of Lee just as the author set it down over a century ago.

Customer Reviews:

Grant's "Memoirs" and Memories of Lee in one nice Gift Book.......2002-10-26

This is a lavishly illustrated abridgement of Grant's wonderful "Personal Memoirs" and of Confederate Officer Armistead Long's "Memoirs of Robert E. Lee", two of the major works of the Civil War (Lee never did get around to writing his own memoirs).

Customer Reviews:

an eminently useful reference book..........2004-09-30

and yet also surprisingly entertaining. I find it rather compelling actually. A few years ago this was my preferred reading on nights when I couldn't sleep...the individual bios were gripping and informative, but not too much to bite off. Warner's perspective is kinda old-school; I am a bit leery of his dismissal of the contributions of some of these officers to Reconstruction in the South. But mostly he is fair if a bit acerbic in his assessments. The pictures are entertaining in themselves, as well. The facial hair in that era! Comparing and contrasting the mustaches and beards of Ambrose Burnside, George McClellan, Ulysses Grant, and Egbert G. Brown might require a book in itself, but Warner does an invaluable job bringing so much material together.

Excellent Reference of the Union Generals!.......2004-03-27

Like Generals in Gray, I have often referred to Generals in Blue as an excellent reference over the years.

Warner presents a brief biography of each general usually including the following information:

1. Birthplace and birthdate.
2. Prewar career.
3. Battles served in, promotions, wounding and death (if applicable).
4. Postwar career.
5. Relationships with other generals and officers.
6. Death and place of burial.
7. Mention of the officer's competency (or lack thereof).

Whether you are a serious student of the Civil War or a novice, I highly recommend the book as an excellent reference!

Generals in Blue.......2002-10-07

Like it's companion, Generals in Gray, Ezra has done an excellent job in giving short biographies on all the Union generals, with a picture of each general included. An excellent reference guide for your Civil War library.

Indispensable reference work.......2001-02-13

If you have even an ancillary interest in the American Civil War, this is essential to read and to own. I consult my copy on a weekly basis and I've owned it for twenty years. Warner writes well and succinctly about all of the Union Generals. Each biography is accompanied by a single photograph of the subject. The book is like a large biographical dictionary, easy to navigate and peruse at your leisure. If you are interested in in-depth material on any of these Generals, it's best to consult an individual biography of your chosen favorite. But if you have a casual interest or merely want an essential reference tool, this is a "must have."

Generals In Blue -- Lives of the Union Commanders.......2000-01-14

Generals In Blue -- Ezra J. Warner's companion to Generals in Gray. Generals in Blue have the lives of all 583 men who wore stars in Lincoln's Army. Many were political appointees; less than half were West Pointers. Among the men in this book are: Grant, Sherman and Sheridan. Famous names like Winfield Scott and George A. Custer. Three men whose lives are shown became Presidents. This book is a must in the library of all Civil War buffs.

Intimate Strategies of the Civil War: Military Commanders and Their Wives

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very insightful
very insightful
very insightful
very insightful
Fascinating insights re personal lives of Civil War leaders

Intimate Strategies of the Civil War: Military Commanders and Their Wives
Carol K. Bleser , and Lesley J. Gordon
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0195115090

Book Description

From Robert E. and Mary Lee to Ulysses S. and Julia Grant, Intimate Strategies of the Civil War examines the marriages of twelve prominent military commanders, highlighting the impact wives had on their famous husbands' careers. Carol K. Bleser and Lesley J. Gordon assemble an impressive array of leading scholars to explore the marriages of six Confederate and six Union commanders. Contributors reveal that, for many of these men, the matrimonial bond was the most important relationship in their lives, one that shaped (and was shaped by) their military experience. In some cases, the commanders' spouses proved relentless and skillful promoters of their husbands' careers. Jessie Fremont drew on all of her connections as the daughter of former Senator Thomas Hart Benton to aid her modestly talented husband John. Others bolstered their military spouses in less direct ways. For example, Ulysses S. Grant's relationship with Julia (a Southerner and former slave owner herself) kept him anchored in stormy times. Here, too, are tense and tempestuous pairings, such William Tecumseh Sherman and his wife Ellen--his foster sister before becoming his wife--and Jefferson Davis's fascinatingly complex bond with Varina, further complicated by the hostile rumors about the two in Richmond society. Throughout, these historians paint remarkably intimate portraits of their subjects, ranging from hints of sexual passion, to the wives' fierce protectiveness of their husbands' reputations, to the surprisingly frequent visits of spouses to the front lines and battlefields. Readers will see these famed men in a way that they perhaps never considered: not merely as famous leaders, but as lovers, husbands and fathers. Illuminating a frequently neglected but extremely significant side of military history, Intimate Strategies is a must-read for anyone seeking fresh perspective on some of the war's best known commanders and a landmark contribution to Civil War history.

Customer Reviews:

very insightful.......2003-01-08

Carol Bleser and Lesley Gordon did a wonderful job with this book,delving into the personal lives of several famous civil war figures, along with black and white photographs of the couples.Some of the marriages in the book include the Shermans, Grants, Lee's, Custer's , Stonewall Jacksons, and many others. With so many figures from the civil war this book gives a wonderful overview of some of the more famous marriages and there family life. With so many figures to choose from I think the authors did a suberb job with the couples they featured. This is a book not to be missed.

very insightful.......2003-01-08

Fascinating insights re personal lives of Civil War leaders.......2001-11-22

This collection of twelve essays explores the personal lives of prominent Civil War military commanders and their wives. The writers paint vivid pictures of how family life and the war were interwoven. The most striking thing to me is the great variation between the relationships of the various commanders and their wives, all within the Victorian societal structure. I think this book makes great reading for everyone, regardless of a person's interest in history.

Gettysburg--Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill (Civil War America)

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Experience readers only....
Detailed Account of the Fighting at Culp's and Cemetery Hill
A must for the serious student of Gettysburg
Perhaps Pfanz's best
A splendid historical book

Gettysburg--Culp's Hill and Cemetery Hill (Civil War America)
Harry W. Pfanz
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0807821187

Book Description

In this companion to his celebrated earlier book, Gettysburg—The Second Day, Harry Pfanz provides the first definitive account of the fighting between the Army of the Potomac and Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia at Cemetery Hill and Culp's Hill—two of the most critical engagements fought at Gettysburg on 2 and 3 July 1863.

Pfanz provides detailed tactical accounts of each stage of the contest and explores the interactions between—and decisions made by—generals on both sides. In particular, he illuminates Confederate lieutenant general Richard S. Ewell's controversial decision not to attack Cemetery Hill after the initial southern victory on 1 July. Pfanz also explores other salient features of the fighting, including the Confederate occupation of the town of Gettysburg, the skirmishing in the south end of town and in front of the hills, the use of breastworks on Culp's Hill, and the small but decisive fight between Union cavalry and the Stonewall Brigade.

Customer Reviews:

Experience readers only...........2005-12-13

I found Harry W. Pfanz's book to be well written, well researched and highly informative on the events that took in and around Culp's Hill and Cemetary Hill during the Battle of Gettysburg. Its pretty obvious to anyone who read this book that the author have great deal of understanding and knowledge of this part of Gettysburg and he spared no expense in writing about it.

However, its pretty clear that this book was not written for novice reader on the battle. Its highly detail, at time almost tedious in some areas, so much information that someone who may not be familiar with Gettysburg may have some sort of an information overload. I would recommend that anyone who's starting out on this battle, should skip this book until later on.

But on the other hand, if you're a experience Gettysburg reader, then this book is for you. I think its probably the best book written on the subject matter at hand, which was the actions around Culp's Hill and Cemetary Hill.

The book comes well illstrated with black and white paintings and photos of leaders. The maps are very useful and detail but I agreed with one previous reviewer, we could use more maps. The book is thick and but I would recommended it highly to any experenced Gettysburg reader who wishes to know more about this battle.

Detailed Account of the Fighting at Culp's and Cemetery Hill.......2005-05-27

Pfanz' final book in his trilogy of Gettysburg covers a relatively forgotten area of the Battle of Gettysburg. Granted, while I have visited Culp's and Cemetery Hill during each of my Gettysburg visits, I tended to spend most of my time around the second day's fighting (Little Round Top, Devil's Den, Wheatfield, Rose Farm and Woods, Peach Orchard, Trostle Farm) and Pickett's Charge. Pfanz has done the public a great service by providing a book of the actions around Culp's and Cemetery Hill. Indeed, no one probably knows more about Gettysburg than Pfanz.

As usual, he provides sometimes overwhelming details of the actions. His narrative is interesting and I enjoyed reading anecdotes of the main characters (Greene, Steuart, Howard, Meade, Ewell, Early, etc.). Pfanz describes terrain features, battle participants, battle actions, and other details like only he can.

However, there is one sticking point that I have noticed in other Civil War books and have noted in other reviews - there simply are not enough maps. While the maps provided are of excellent detail and contain helpful summaries of the actions represented in the maps, there could have been at least 10 more. I believe there are about 15 maps in the book - there easily could have been 25. I say this because of Pfanz' attention to detail - having more maps to support the battle actions would have made it easier for me to follow the actions. On more than one occasion I was bug-eyed trying to follow what Pfanz was describing!

I am certainly not a military expert (although I am an ex-Air Force Officer) nor an armchair general. I simply enjoy reading more about the heroic actions of soldiers on both sides during a tragic period of our great nation's history.

Complaint aside, I highly recommend Pfanz' title as the definitive account of Culp's and Cemetery Hill. Read, enjoy, and be prepared to follow the large amount of detail - you will need to put on your thinking cap for this and the other Pfanz titles!

A must for the serious student of Gettysburg.......2004-11-29

This is an outstanding and complete account of the events that occured on the Culp's Hill/Cemetery Hill line during the battle. This is not for the passing reader but a must for those serious about the battle. For best use of the book, read it THEN take a day and actually walk the Hills using the book as a reference. Far to many people visit the battlefield and never know what occured here or even visit this part of the field. Few know of Gen. George Greene and his role but all who read about the battle know of Col.'s Vincent and Chamberlain. Even fewer know that at one point a Confederate brigade was only a few hundred yards from the Baltimore Pike and for an hour the unguarded Federal Artillery Reserve. W. Culp couldn't have died on Culp's Hill if Co. B, 2nd VA was across Rock Creek on the skirmish line with elements of the 1st NC. Careful study of this material and the times will bring out many not so well known facts that occured on this "forgotten" part of the field and prove other myths wrong.

Perhaps Pfanz's best.......2004-04-08

Harry Pfanz likely knows Gettysburg better than any man around. Head historian for the NPS for many years, he has literally made Gettysburg his life's work. His books on the first and second days of the battle are considered must haves but this book on Culps Hill could be his best.

The battle for Culps Hill and especially East Cemetery Hill are today the most forgotten part of Gettysburg. Look around and you will find many books pertaining to Pickett's Charge, Devil's Den and Little Round Top but how many aimed at Culps Hill? Not many. Even at the park the auto tour has Culps Hill simply as an extra add towards the end of the tour.

With this book Pfanz takes a hard look at this forgotten area. We're use to the names of Chamberlain, Hancock and Pickett but here we hear names like Greene, Avery, Geary and Williams.

The advantage of this book is it's not aimed at the casual reader but the serious Civil War buff. The information included is extensive and detailed. While well written, it is not a piece of fluff or a light read. If you seriously want to find out what happened on Culps Hill this is the book for you.

A splendid historical book.......2004-01-07

My master's thesis was on George Sears Greene and his defense of Culps Hill, so as one can guess this was a very valuable source for information.
Pfanz's book is a continuation of his studies on the various areas of the Gettysburg battlefield. Culp's Hill and East Cemetery Hill are not considered "hotspots" of the national park and therefore have not received the same attention as "The Angle" and Little Round Top. Pfanz's book has and will change that outlook.
Pfanz's look at Culps Hill was both well researched and well written. He argues that the battle itself was determined on its flanks, both on Little Round Top and Culps Hill. The fighting on Culps Hill was not as destructive as the other areas of the battlefield, mostly due to the relatively low casualty figures from the breastworks constructed earlier on July 2nd, but its importance in the overall scheme has been unfairly overlooked.
This book boasts an impressive bibliography that includes various primary accounts that were largely unheard of until this book's publication. In short, it opened my eyes to the real story of Gettysburg.

Controversies and Commanders: Dispatches from the Army of the Potomac

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Army of the Potomac McNuggets
Controversies and Commanders
Sears at his very best
Essays on the Army of the Potomac
Fascinating essays on the Civil War

Controversies and Commanders: Dispatches from the Army of the Potomac
Stephen W. Sears
Manufacturer: Mariner Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0618057064

Amazon.com

This collection of feisty essays delivers well-argued and persuasive assessments of Union military leadership during the Civil War. Stephen W. Sears, author of Landscape Turned Red (the best book on Antietam) and perhaps the foremost authority on General George B. McClellan, fits a lifetime of research and thought into 10 pithy chapters. Topics include the historiography of McClellan, the near-criminal conduct of Congress and War Secretary Edwin Stanton in the matter of General Charles P. Stone's arrest (here, Sears breaks new ground by uncovering plotters in Stone's own command), and a spirited defense of General "Fighting Joe" Hooker. One particular highlight is Sears's chapter on Robert E. Lee's so-called Lost Order, which revealed Confederate battle plans before Antietam and helped the Union secure an invaluable advantage. Historians have never agreed on when Lee realized what happened--just prior to the battle or long after; Sears's conclusion is that it took months before Lee understood.

An examination of the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren raid on Richmond is especially provocative, and arrives at conclusions quite different from those found in Duane Schultz's The Dahlgren Affair; Sears argues, in short, that Dahlgren intended not simply to free prisoners of war, but, as Confederate partisans have long alleged, to kidnap Jefferson Davis himself. This opinionated but informed book is a joy to read, and belongs in the library of any serious student of the Civil War. --John J. Miller

Book Description

CONTROVERSIES AND COMMANDERS is a fascinating look at some of the most intriguing generals in the Union's Army of the Potomac and at some of the most extraordinary events of the Civil War, chronicled by one of our leading historians, Stephen W. Sears. Sears investigates the accusations of disloyalty against General Charles Stone; the court-martial of Fitz John Porter; the crisis in army command on the eve of the Antietam battle; the Lost Order of Antietam; the revolt of the Potomac army's high command; the notorious General Dan Sickles, who had shot his wife's lover outside the White House; the murderous Kilpatrick-Dahlgren raid on Richmond; the firing of corps commander Gouverneur Warren on the eve of victory; and the much maligned Generals McClellan (justifiably) and Hooker (not so justifiably). The book follows the Army of the Potomac through the course of the war, from 1861 to 1865, painting a remarkable portrait of key incidents and personalities that influenced the outcome of our nation's greatest cataclysm.

Customer Reviews:

Army of the Potomac McNuggets.......2006-11-15

In "Controversies and Commanders," Stephen Sears offers a number of interesting essays on the leadership of the Army of the Potomac.

In something of a response to Joseph Hersh's classic "McClellan Go Round" essay, Sears offers a sketch of recent scholarship on that controversial general and, just as in his biography "The Young Napoleon," Sears continues to insist that Little Mac had severe psychological problems which undermined his usefulness to the Union. Interestingly, Sears casually dismisses Thomas Rowland's detailed criticisms without actually answering them. That's disapointing to say the least and this may rank as the worst essay in the collection.

Nonetheless, the book bounces back with an excellent look at Ball's Bluff scapegoat Charles Stone and a solid, if rushed, account of the Fitz John Porter Controversy. Sears also provides an intriguing look at the state of the army after Second Bull Run and how McClellan resumed command. Oddly, despite Sears' view on McClellan, the reader is left with a very favorable impression of Little Mac's capacity to organize an army as well as inspire men. The essay on the controversial "Lost Order" before Antietam is interesting though not as gripping a narrative as some of the other pieces in the book.

Once McClellan is off the scene, Sears presents some of his most insightful essays. "Revolt of the Generals" offers an excellent look at the plots and politics that undermined Ambrose Burnside and Jospeh Hooker. An extended essay on Hooker shows a great deal of admiration for that general and corrects some of the myths that have gathered about "Fighting Joe." Looking at Dan Sickles, one of the leading political generals in the Army of the Potomac, Sears offers some insight into the controversies that plagued George Meade after the battle of Gettysburg. An extended essay on the Kilpatrick-Dahlgren raid on Richmond maintains that Edwin Stanton was the mastermind behind that nefarious operation.

The end of the war is barely covered and that remains something of a disapointment. After the essay on the raid on Richmond, the only essay is a look at the feud between Phil Sheridan and G.K.Warren which led to Warren's removal at Five Forks. Warren's tragic struggle for vindication (he died before a court cleared him of some of the more grave accusations) is also covered.

The book is useful certainly and some of the essays are excellent. Nitpickers can find places where Sears contradicted some of his other works. Sears is an excellent writer and a sharp craftsman of words. The chief problem, besides the complete lack of focus on the Overland campaign, is Sears' continued trashing of McClellan. Had Sears simply questioned Little Mac's abilities, there would be no problem. But Sears continues to insist that McClellan was paranoid, delusional and suffered from crippling psycholgical problems. Sears is a historian and not a psychologist. A historian has to be very careful not to throw around terms that he simply can not support and Sears fails to do that, as can be seen in the response to Rowland. By his own logic, it would not be unfair to say that Stephen W. Sears has crippling mental and emotional issues in terms of dealing with George McClellan and that hampers him as a historian. Is that fair ? Of course not which is why Sears needs to be more of an armchair general and less of an armchair shrink.

Controversies and Commanders.......2004-05-31

Stephen Sears' CONTROVERSIES & COMMANDERS "examines ten incidents of war as waged by the Army of the Potomac in which `controversy' and commanders' were spoken in the same breath." In the process he examines the court-martialed and the cashiered, the mad and the mutinous. Not surprisingly for the man who has written the biography and edited the selected papers of that most controversial of Civil War generals, Sears seldom strays far from the aura of George B. McClellan.
Indeed, the book's first essay concerns Little Mac and his treatment by the historians. It arrives at the decidedly uncontroversial conclusion that McClellan was a deeply flawed warrior general and a highly expert executive general.
We pick up a little speed with the second entry on the `Ordeal of General Stone,' who was arrested in 1861 after the debacle at Ball's Bluff. Sears does a masterful job in explaining the political pressures at work behind the scenes in both Gen. Stone's arrest and in the court-martial of McClellan's protege Fitz John Porter, which is the topic of the third essay.
`September Crisis' and `Last Words on the Lost Order' rework very old subjects indeed, and Sears has nothing much new to say about McClellan's reinstatement to his old role as commanding general of the Army of the Potomac or on the discovery of SO191, the famous lost order that would allow McClellan to whip Lee at Antietam.
Jumping ahead a bit, no book about Civil War controversies would be complete without the embodiment of controversy, the political general Dan Sickles. The infamous Dahlgren raid on Richmond and the little discussed removal of General Warren by feisty Phil Sheridan during the war's last battle are also treated.

I found Sears' essays on the revolt of the generals and a defense of Fighting Joe Hooker the most compelling. Sears brings a sense of order to the tangled tale of the knaves and marplots among the officers following Little Mac's final dismissal and the arrival of General George Meade. "It had," Sears writes, "become virtually open rebellion in the high command." The villains included political generals, disgruntled holdovers from the McClellan regime and various ambitious loose cannons. Their first victim was the inadequate innocent Ambrose Burnside, who replaced McClellan against his wishes and his better judgment. The second lamb to fall under their knife was the epitome of conniving generalship, Fighting Joe Hooker.
Sears' defense of Hooker's reputation is poignant. (A little ironic, too, considering the rather harsh verdict he delivers on McClellan in this and other more extended treatments.)
Sears' defense rests on the testimony of Lincoln secretary John Hay and hinges on the interpretation of the Bigelow footnote. The incident in question is Hooker's behavior as commanding general at the battle of Chancellorsville. Hooker, never short of self-confidence or bluster, began the Chancellorsville campaign sure that his brilliant plan would lead him shortly to the gates of Richmond. On the first day the Union army met a terrible reverse (Chancellorsville has been called Lee's greatest battle) and Hooker was seriously injured - a pillar he was standing next to was hit by a cannonball and he was knocked unconscious. Drifting in and out of consciousness Hooker was incapacitated but never ceded command. Later in the day the Union lines stabilized and a majority of his lieutenants recommended resuming the offensive the next day. Going against this advice, and casting a cloud over his career, Hooker ordered a retreat.
Hooker, like Ulysses Grant, had a reputation as an alcoholic that preceded his Civil War career. Again like Grant he had apologists. Lincoln's personal secretary, John Hay, is quoted by Sears as observing that it took very little alcohol to make Hooker seem drunk. This testimony is used to counter the claim of some historians that Hooker, who vowed to abstain from spirits upon his promotion, perhaps needed a shot or two to steel his courage.
The Bigelow footnote speaks to Hooker's irresolution, and Sears refutes its authenticity. The footnote first appears in 1910, and cites as its source an aide to General Abner Doubleday, who asked Hooker what happened to him at Chancellorsville and was reportedly told: "Doubleday, I was not hurt by a shell, and I was not drunk. For once I lost confidence in Joe Hooker, and that is all there is to it." Whether suffering from the d.t.s or, as Sears would have it, a severe concussion, Hooker acted like a man who'd suffered a sudden lack of confidence in himself. The Bigelow footnote fits regardless of its authenticity.

CONTROVERSIES & COMMANDERS may be a little thick for someone new to the topic. For the Civil War buff it's a treat.

Sears at his very best.......2004-04-08

There were a lot of battles during the Civil War but the one battle that often gets over looked is the political battle. This book examines the political battles that raged on inside the Army of the Potomac during the Civil War. Battles that at times that became so bad that they nearly crippled the entire army.

This book isn't really one solid story but a series of short stories written by Stephen Sears that examine specific incidence inside the army. We see the Corp Commanders of the army revolt against more than one commander as both Burnside and Hooker have their Corp commanders go behind their backs to get them relieved. We see General Stone arrested in one of the worst cases of scapegoating during the war and Dan Sickles, the epitome of the political general. And looming over all of this is the shadow of George McClellan.

I was almost surprised by this book. I've liked every book I've read by Sears and expected to enjoy this one but I really found this to be one of his very best. Sears does a great job. His piece on Dan Sickles makes you almost want to stand up and throttle the man.

Essays on the Army of the Potomac.......2003-12-18

Stephen W. Sears is one of the better-known Civil War Historians alive. A former editor of American Heritage, he's been writing books on the Civil War for about 20 years now, and has concentrated almost exclusively on the Army of the Potomac, and its nemesis the Army of Northern Virginia. This volume contains ten essays ostensibly on the Army of the Potomac, though one (the Lost Order essay) is really about Lee's army.

The essays are topical rather than combat-oriented. There are two discussions of a particular character's treatment by historians: in one installment, Sears insists that McClellan deserves the bad reputation he's gotten from historians, in another he carefully dissects Hooker's fall at Chancellorsville, and decides he's been unfairly condemned by his colleagues. Several other essays deal with incidents (the Dahlgren Raid, the crisis between 2nd Manassas and Antietam). Two essays are about generals who were wronged by their superiors: Charles Stone as a result of Ball's Bluff, Gouvernor Warren at Five Forks. One of the essays is a straight mini-biography, of Dan Sickles, the colorful character who shot his wife's lover and went on to be a Civil War hero, at least in the newspapers. One deals with an unsolved mystery, that of the fabled lost order at Antietam.

Most of these essays are valuable and interesting. I only had objection to one: Sears accepts without much discussion that the famed Dahlgren orders (calling for Richmond to be burned and the Confederate leadership to be murdered) are authentic. Without going into details, I've always found this explanation to be improbable in the extreme. Sears seems to dislike Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, and places most of the blame for the plot on his shoulders.

Other than that, the history here is to my mind impeccable, and the writing is clear and readable throughout. I enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to all Civil War buffs.

Fascinating essays on the Civil War.......2003-09-22

"Commanders and Controversies" is a series of essays, some previously published, on issues and personalities that still leave enthusiasts, and some historians, shaking their heads. Dan Sickles, the "General's Revolt", and thoughts on the infamous lost orders 191 are just three of the chapters. As with any collection like this, some of the essays are more interesting to this reader than others. The chapter of the court martial of Fitz-John Porter being one of the latter.
Perhaps the most interesting chapter is "Fighting Joe" Hooker's. Sears thesis is he was/is unjustly condemned after Chancellorsville. His subordinates, who frankly varied widely in simple competence, worked against him and his plan, turning what should have been a battle of annihilation into another defear for the Army of the Potomac. Sears made this point as well in his outstanding "Chancellorsville", but here he adds a little more background and detail. Overall, this is a great read, like all Sears' works and good history as well. Recommended.

Lincoln's War: The Untold Story of America's Greatest President as Commander in Chief

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More Brilliant Civil War History!
Second hand review
Poetic evocation of Lincoln's character as tried by war
An Engaging Popular Biography of Lincoln
A disgrace to the Historical Tradition

Lincoln's War: The Untold Story of America's Greatest President as Commander in Chief
Geoffrey Perret
Manufacturer: Random House
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0375507388
Release Date: 2004-04-20

Book Description

Drawing on newly discovered documents in the National Archives, Lincoln’s War is the only full-length account to date on Abraham Lincoln as Com-mander in Chief. For the first time, readers will see the war unfold as Lincoln saw it.

This wide-ranging account casts new light on Lincoln and his generals, his admirals, his controversial Secretary of War Edwin Stanton, and his outspoken confidant Gideon Welles, Secretary of the Navy. The reader will also learn the true story of Lincoln’s experiences as a soldier and encounter Lincoln as amateur strategist, Lincoln in his relationship with black servicemen, Lincoln in his dealings with the Committee on the Conduct of the War, and Lincoln in his friendship with weapons pioneer Christopher Spencer, the creator of the Spencer repeater. And Lincoln’s War is filled with myriad illuminating anecdotes—including how the President, a frustrated inventor, liked to conduct his own hands-on weapons tests on waste ground near the White House.

It was Lincoln who, over the course of four years, created the role of Commander in Chief as we know it today. In doing so he saved the Union and changed the nation. This was the most important of his duties, and his greatest success. In Lincoln’s War, Geoffrey Perret—the acclaimed biographer of Ulysses S. Grant, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy, and the author of four well-received works of military history, including A Country Made by War—offers an original, vivid portrait of both a great leader and a tumultuous conflict.

Customer Reviews:

More Brilliant Civil War History!.......2007-04-17

Historian and author Geoffrey Perret has succeeded in writing yet another brilliant book!

This work brings together one of my favorite military historians and my favorite President. Perret can always be counted on to write great history. His works are always well written, researched and compelling.

In "Lincoln's War" Perret shows how Lincoln seized war powers, reserved for Congress by the Constituation, and made them his own. By the end of the war, the President evolved into an effective Commander and Chief who controlled all aspects of national strategy - political, economic, military and even informational - in his hands. The President was driven, as no other American politician was, to first preserve the Union and then to abolish Slavery throughout the United States.

Lincoln succeeded in both, due mostly to his talents as Commander and Chief and the backing of the Union Army. As a result, the modern Presidency owes its war powers to Abraham Lincoln.

This is truly a great read!

Second hand review.......2007-01-09

Despite some of the previous reviews. My husband is thoroughly enjoying this book. He is a Civil War buff and says that this book is tying together much of what he has read in the past regarding the Civil War.

Poetic evocation of Lincoln's character as tried by war.......2007-01-08

I found this a very moving account of Lincoln's presidency which focused
on his wartime decisions and his relationships with his cabinet, generals, soldiers in the field, and more. For a longtime reader of books on Lincoln and the Civil War it brought several new insights and anecdotes. The author obviously did a great amount of research into correspondence of the time, newspapers, diaries, etc. He is obviously well read in his subject because he doesn't repeat the accounts offered so often in other works.

I don't understand the many uncharitable reviews here of this book, and the poor rating. It sounds like part professional jealousy from other historians, part just plain churlishness. It may be that the title has attracted statistical students of troop movements, constitutional law analysts, who may well find some factual mistakes. Certainly there are NOT errors on every page, poor man!

A very astute, even astonishing work from a learned writer (who sent me quite often to my dictionary) who has not forgotten how to feel.

An Engaging Popular Biography of Lincoln.......2006-08-05

Geoffrey Perret's _Lincoln's War: The Untold Story of America's Greatest President as Commander in Chief_ tells the story of Lincoln's presidency in a readable, entertaining style. As a prelude to Lincoln's presidency, the early chapters describe Lincoln's formative experiences first as a volunteer soldier during the Black Hawk War, then as a successful country lawyer, and finally as a Illinois Congressman. Establishing this background, the biography develops the following thesis: Lincoln's presidency defined our understanding of the scope of the modern executive branch, extending executive power and, to some extent, inventing the role of Commander in Chief in order to defeat the South's insurrection.

Perret portrays Lincoln's humanity and, in particular, his deep affection for the Union soldiers, who looked upon him with reverence even during the most troubled days in the Civil War. Perret also focuses on Lincoln's day-to-day involvement with the military campaign itself, including battlefield visits when Lincoln placed his own safety in risk. Lincoln's studious, perspicacious interest in the new technologies of warfare is a major theme. Perret argues, for example, that Lincoln's personal requisition of multi-loading carbines for a sharp-shooter brigade may have saved Washington, DC, at Fort Matthews, during a Confederate assault in the middle of the war. Throughout the book, Perret chronicles Lincoln's vexations with the commanding generals in the Army of the Potomac prior to Ullyses Grant's accession.

While concentrating on these themes, Perret conveys a sense of the desperation that Lincoln felt during the war and the precariousness of the Union's preservation, especially in the early years. Far from idealizing Lincoln, as the title of Perret's biography might suggest, we see his flaws as well, which make him an ever more impressive historical figure. For instance, Winfield Scott, the aging Commander of U.S. forces at the outset of the war, argued for a strategy of slowly dividing the Confederacy--cutting off supply and communication lines--rather than the quick capture of Richmond. Scott's plan was, in fact, how the Confederacy was ultimately defeated despite the fact that much of Lincoln's attention, from 1861 onward, remained on the Northern Virginia campaign and rapidly seizing Richmond.

A number of reviewers have pointed out the historical inaccuracies in this account and allude to James McPherson's critical review of the biography. I can imagine how for a reader with a detailed knowledge of the Civil War these errors could be quite distracting and/or exasperating. Because I am not an expert on the Civil War or the specifics of military history, much of the book refreshed my memory of the U.S. history that I learned in high school. This was quite enjoyable. My own belief is that a general reader, like myself, still can profit from this book, despite its faults, and likely will not be seriously mislead about the broad historical picture.

A disgrace to the Historical Tradition .......2005-04-28

As the author or editor of fourteen books on the Civil War and Indian Wars of the American West, I understand that errors of fact inevitably creep into the best of books. But I have never encountered a work of history with so many egregious errors as this one. On nearly every page one finds misstatements and historical lies of the most enormous sort. No, Mr. Perrett, President Lincoln did not dream up the idea one summer day in 1862 to issue paper currency; he merely signed an act of Congress, passed several months earlier, that called for paper currency. No, Mr. Perrett, the Federals did not walk up Marye's Heights "like tourists" during the Chancellorsville campaign; they encountered bitter resistance and lost heavily. No, Mr. Perret, Corinth, Mississippi, is not on the Mississippi River - not even close.

The author may have some intriguing conclusions. But it is impossible to give them the slightest credence when they rest on a foundation so factually shaky.

I could go on, but I heartily recommend the reader to Pulitzer Prize Winning Historian James McPherson's review of this book in The Nation. He properly relegates it to the historical trash can.

If it were possible to give zero stars to a book, I would do so here. I've written dozens of reviews for journals and magazines, and this is the first completely negative one that I have ever felt compelled to put forward.

By the way, I noticed one reviewer offering as an excuse for the scores of errors possible lapses by "administrative staff," or by research assistants. Baloney. And if that is the case, and these erros slipped past him, than Mr. Perret is hopelessly ignorant of the subject matter.

Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders

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Generals in Blue: Lives of the Union Commanders
Ezra J. Warner
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807131490

Book Description

More than forty years after its original publication, Ezra J. Warner's Generals in Blue is now available in paperback for the first time. Warner's classic reference work includes intriguing biographical sketches and a rare collection of photographs of all 583 men who attained the rank of general in the Union Army. Here are the West Point graduates and the political appointees; the gifted, the mediocre, and the inexcusably bad; those of impeccable virtue and those who abused their position; the northern-born, the foreign-born, and the southerners who remained loyal to the Union. Warner's valuable introduction discusses the criteria for appointment and compares the civilian careers of both Union and Confederate generals, revealing striking differences in the two groups. Generals in Blue is that rare book—an essential volume for scholars, a prized item for buffs, and a biographical dictionary that the casual reader will find absorbing.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Antietam Overview .......2006-05-08

I believe that Death In September: The Antietam Campaign is one of the best titles in the McWhiney Foundation Press's outstanding Civil War Campaigns and Commanders series. Mr. Jamieson has taken perhaps the most complex battle ever fought in the Western Hemisphere and told a thrilling narrative that never bogs down in details, but still presents the essential information that all students of the battle should know. This book is a perfect resource for those who wish to learn about the battle but dread to spend their money and time on a six hundred page paperweight. I myself had the honor to tour the battlefield with Mr. Jamieson, and his personal experience with the field is reflected in text-this man knows the subject well.

Coffee table book without the pictures, book and the coffee........2002-08-07

For the beginner, this is an excellent book though it contains as much information as a coffee table book would. Sadly it doesn't have the pictures or quality of a coffee table book and is a paperback. There are some maps to help explain the battle movements but this book about the battle of Antietam is shorter than the biographies written inside about the generals involved. The biographies that are featured are presented well and are chronologically presented as the history of the battle unfolds. This is a great feature though shadows the main content of the book. There were times I wanted to turn the page and continue reading the battle information but had to stop to read a separate biography about a key general in the battle. This book is a very quick read and can probably be read in over an hour as there are roughly 111 pages of material while the rest is for Union and Confederate Order of Battle. The Order of Battle I found useless for this book as it contains major individuals not at all mentioned in the book. I could see and Order of Battle for large, indepth book but this one didn't come close to that.

As previously suggested, this book is great for the beginner learning to understand the major conflicts at Antietam but for the advanced student I wouldn't recommend it as it just doesn't contain much detail. For example, the Rohrbach Bridge/Burnside Bridge battle is covered in 5 pages (1 page contains a map, another a biography).

Death in September: The Antietam Campaign.......2000-03-06

This is an excellent book covering the most bloody day in any American battle. Mr Jamieson writes in a concise, descriptive manner. It is easy to follow due to the many maps the author has included. This book would be interesting to either someone already knowledgeable about the American Civil War or someone just starting an interest in studying thie war. This would be a great book to take while visiting the battlefield. Also of interest are the many biographies that are included of the generals who participated in this battle.

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