Robert E. Lee Civil War Round Table members have a keen interest in the Civil War, and have read many of the thousands of books available on the War. The following are some book reviews that members have prepared:

Ellen Renshaw House was 19 years old when she began keeping a diary during the Civil War in 1863. She lived in Knoxville, Tennessee with her family was ardently pro-Southern in her outlook on the war, referring to herself as "a very violent Rebel". Her journal entries demonstrate her anti-Yankee sentiments. In one entry she comments favorably on the heavy rains they had "More rain. One good thing. The more it rains the worse the roads will be, and the harder for the Yankees to haul over." (p. 24) On another occasion she bluntly comments "I hate the Yankees more every day I live." (p. 37)

This book is a combination of two diaries kept by Miss House. Her journal contains larger daily entries. This was begun in earnest in September, 1863. When she was banished from Knoxville by the Federals in April, 1864 for being considered a Southern spy, she took up a daily pocket diary. It is that pocket diary she kept for the remainder of 1864 as she moved from Knoxville to Georgia during her "exile".

A Very Violent Rebel is an excellent source for learning about the private sector's daily lives behind Federal lines. House provides very descriptive, very informative accounts of life in Knoxville under Northern control. We learn first-hand what citizens thought and how they reacted to the military presence in their city.

Editor Sutherland has chosen to include Miss House's diary entries following the end of the war through the end of 1865. This enables the reader to see how the people attempted to put their lives back together and deal with the cessation of hostilities. Overall this is a worthwhile book that is very useful in providing the reader with a new insight and perspective into the Civil War.

Alexander Neil and the Last Shenandoah Valley Campaign is a collection of letters written by Alexander Neil to his family in 1864. They are edited by Richard Duncan, Associate Professor of History at Georgetown University. Neil was an assistant surgeon with the 12th West Virginia Regiment and was present with his comrades during the Shenandoah Valley Campaign of 1864.

The book is exactly edited, as Duncan provides a brief overview of the military situation in the Shenandoah Valley in 1864. The context of the plight of the Valley is then described in detail through Neil's letters to his family. Those letters are presented with very little editing, for, as the editor tells us "Neil loved to write, and it is obvious that in writing to his family and friends he saw his letters as a journal to be preserved by them for him...[H]is letters form a vivid impression, with a humorous flair, of the Civil War through the eyes of an army surgeon."(p.x).

The book is divided into two chapters. The first chapter deals roughly with the first half of 1864. The doctor's letters recount the problems faced by the Federal forces in the Shenandoah. They also provide a good account of daily camp life and the problems faced by his comrades.

The second chapter of the book deals with the later half of this year. It is in this section that the reader is confronted with excellent first hand accounts of the fighting of Sheridan's forces at Fisher's Hill and Cedar Creek. Neil had an excellent eye for detail and wrote with an engaging style. As an example, we read of fighting on September 14, 1864 "lasting 6 or 7 hours and resulting in the capture of an entire South Carolina Regiment. Sheridan's manages to out general Early about every time" (p.65).

This book is not a substitute for a detailed analysis of the 1864 Valley Campaign. However, it is a good example of a personalized view of the action, which is well written and edited well. As such it is worthwhile and enjoyable reading.

On the late afternoon of July 3, 1863, the 26th North Carolina of Brig. Gen. J.J. Pettigrew's division, Colonel Marshall's brigade, approached the now famous stone wall and the ominous guns of Capt. William A. Arnold's 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, Battery A. Moments later, Sergt. Amos Olney gave the command to pull the lanyard on the one remaining serviceable gun, double shotted with canister, which decimated the men of the 26th North Carolina. Supposedly, all that was left of the Tar Heels were their smoking shoes.

In 1986, a pink granite marker was placed in front of the cannons, designating the position of Arnold's battery, to commemorate the desperate charge of the 26th North Carolina. Many of us have heard this story retold countless times orally and written. But what if history has been recorded incorrectly? What if the evidence places the 16th North Carolina, not the 26th North Carolina, in front of Arnold's battery on July 3, 1863? Herein lies the theme of Bruce Trinque's article Arnold's Battery and the 26th North Carolina.

Mr. Trinque very exhaustively and logically demonstrates, through an examination of Confederate regiments from which battle flags and/or officers are known to have been captured by the 14th Connecticut, that the Confederate regiments in Pettigrew's and Trimble's divisions attacked the Union battleline in a virtual solid block in the Southern attack formation. He further states that the Confederate strike force maintained the basic integrity of its formation and did not randomly strike the Federal position. Therefore, by examining the Confederate order of battle, Mr. Trinque concludes that Marshall's brigade, containing the 26th North Carolina, could not have struck the Federal line in front of Arnold's battery but, instead could be found north of that section of the stone wall between the regiments of the 1st Delaware and the 12th New Jersey. Accordingly, the 16th North Carolina, based upon the battle formation, would have been found in front of Arnold's battery. Mr. Trinque reinforces his conclusion by ascertaining from author/historian Richard Rollins that the battle flag of the 26th North Carolina was captured by the 12th New Jersey several hundred feet north of Arnold's battery. In summation, the 26th North Carolina was, quite simply, not in front of Olney's gun on that fateful day of July 3, 1863.

I would like to thank Mr. Trinque for taking the time to speak with me via telephone to discuss his thought provoking and controversial article. I asked him if he had contacted anyone at the Gettysburg National Military Park regarding his conclusions and he stated that as of yet he has received no correspondence or reaction. Also, he wishes to clarify that his attempts to set the record straight regarding the 26th North Carolina in no way diminishes the record of valor accomplished by the Tar Heel regiment at Gettysburg.

In closing, I would like to say that I immensely enjoyed Mr. Trinque's article. In found his research, through the extensive use of primary sources, to be exhaustive and the conclusion compelling and logical. Mr. Trinque's article challenges all Civil War author/historians to continually challenge and thoroughly examine all written primary source material as to their validity and historical accuracy. One must remember that in the heavy smoke, noise and confusion of battle the participants historical accuracy must be questioned, particularly with the passage of time. Also, as we all know, individuals and fighting units have a tendency to inflate and embellish their own particular role in battle for regimental or corps honor. Mr. Trinque's article challenges the Civil War community to continually search for the truth and not to retell Civil War events simply for their dramatic appeal. After all, the truth in itself will be dramatic enough!

For many Americans the name Custer brings to mind images of merciless slaughter along the banks of a river called Little Big Horn. Few people realize that this legendary leader who was only 37 years old when he met his untimely death, was one of the leading cavalry leaders in the Civil War while becoming one of the youngest generals ever appointed in the United States military history. The well known historian Jeffry Wert has depicted the life of this man in a compelling and objective biography.

One of the strengths of Wert as an historian is his unsparing search for the truth. As he did with his biography of Longstreet the author pulls no punches in his praises as well as his criticisms of George Armstrong Custer. The reader is given a detailed account of Custer's Civil War exploits. From his heroics on the afternoon of July 3, 1863 on the eastern edges of a battlefield called Gettysburg to his participation in the final campaign of the war which led to the surrender of the Army of Virginia, we see Custer emerge as one of the more colorful figures of the War between the States.

Custer is seen as a brash and arrogant man who nonetheless was an inspiring leader who at times could summon the very best of men. He was undoubtedly a born leader who hungered for all the excitement that life had to offer. One of the moving parts of Wert's book is his portrayal of the legendary love affair between Custer and his devoted wife Libbie Bacon Custer. Their romance and marriage is an amazing love story, which is told in part through their personal correspondence. Libbie would remain faithful to Custer's memory until her own death nearly six decades after that fateful day at Little Big Horn.

Wert examines how a man with so much promise could meet up with such a senseless end. Custer was depicted as a man who was fearless. Throughout his career he was always in front of his troops leading the charge. However, as the war ended and the great cause which he fought so hard was no more, life would change drastically for him. No longer would we have troops to lead that were bound together by the cause they believed in. Says Wert of Custer "Without a cause, George Custer traveled toward a sunset".

The sunset that Custer was approaching was the rugged plains of the West. There he would face an enemy who he was unfamiliar with. When he was assigned to the Indian Wars his troubles would begin. Discipline problems in the army were numerous. Custer responded to these difficulties with an iron fist that would eventually alienate many of his subordinates. His inability to deal with this new world would land him in trouble with his superiors ultimately leading to his court martial. Wert then depicts in detail Custer's famous last stand against the Sioux and Cheyenne where every man in his division is massacred.

For anyone who wants a balanced and even account of this extraordinary life, I high recommend Wert's book. His writing style is extremely readable while his research is top notch. The reader is given a portrait of Custer that is insightful and thought provoking. For this reader the most memorable line in the book is as follows: "He preferred not to measure life but to ride it like a spirited thoroughbred." Perhaps this best sums up Custer the soldier and man.

Rowena Reed, author of Combined Operations in the Civil War, has written a comprehensive examination of the Federal combined operations in the Civil War. The book is divided into three parts: Evolution of Combined Strategy, Collapse of Combined Strategy, and Evolution of Combined Tactics.

We learn in the first part of the book of Winfield Scott's grand Anaconda Plan and the initial efforts taken to implement it. We are also introduced to one of Reed's major themes - George McClellan's alleged masterful understanding of combined naval/army operations. The first part of the book also provides us with information on the integral figures in the early war years and their impact on combined operations.

In the second part of her book Reed focuses on the failures met by the Federal war effort in 1862. She tells us that in large part the reason for the failures is the intermeddling by the Lincoln administration into affairs it had little, if any, knowledge.

The third part of Combined Operations in the Civil War focuses on the growing successful arm/navy operations in the later part of the war. We see how the Confederate strongholds at Charleston and Fort Fisher ultimately were taken through the truly combined initiatives of both services, and how the services each favorably impacted on the other.

Although there are other books that deal with the subject matter of this book, none do as comprehensive a job in detailing the evolution and implementation of combined strategy in the Civil War. The author has done a good job in demonstrating how the Federal services ultimately came to prosecute the war. In addition, new light is shed on individuals and military concepts heretofore unchallenged by most historians.

Combined Operations in the Civil War is a well written, well researched book. It provides the reader with an excellent overview of army/navy operations in the Civil War. Reed's analysis of individuals and events is well reasoned and thought provoking.

In spite of Reed's strident pro-McClellan bias I feel that the book is well worth reading and provides the reader with an excellent overview of combined operations.

Samuel Carter, III, wrote The Final Fortress: The Campaign For Vicksburg 1862-1863. At the time this book was published in 1980 Mr. Carter had written fourteen other books, but this was his first in-depth study of naval operations in the Civil War. Mr. Carter's forte as a writer is the personal account, and he does not come from a military background, Nevertheless, he has done a good job in researching his book.

The subject of this book is the Vicksburg campaign. The book begins with an overview of the area surrounding Vicksburg, Mississippi together with an analysis of the importance of Vicksburg to the Confederates, as well as the Federals. After detailing this preliminary information, the author proceeds to describe the efforts to seize the city, beginning in June, 1862.

While the military action is given throughout the book, Carter is also able to weave human interest stories of the citizens of Vicksburg and how they felt during the campaign. For the most part they remained positive, and acted as an inspiration to the soldiers. An example of this attitude is described on page 56 wherein Confederate Brigadier-General Martin Smith, speaking of the morale of the citizens, states that the high morale factor "unquestionably had its influence on the ultimate result. Our course probably needed an example of this kind, and assuredly a brighter one has never been given."

The military actions of the Vicksburg campaign are also dealt with in this book. However, the action is presented in a rather perfunctory manner, and there is no real in-depth analysis of the campaign. Carter does relate how individuals were impacted, and that aspect remains as a strong suit of this book.

Samuel Carter's thesis is to present an account of the Vicksburg campaign through the eyes of hits participants in order to demonstrate how these civilians and military men dealt with the campaign. For the most part the Southerners did in fact cope as well as can be expected, especially during the grueling 47-day siege of the city. Of course, there were individuals who did not handle the stress well, and Carter points that out.

The Final Fortress is not intended to be a definitive work on the Vicksburg campaign, nor does it profess to be a detailed naval history of the campaign. There are other books more capable of relating that type of in-depth information, like Ed Bearss three volume The Vicksburg Campaign and John Milligan's Gunboats Down the Mississippi. What Carter's book attempts to do, and in my estimation succeeds in doing, is to present an easy to read account of the campaign through the eyes of the participants.

Carter used primary and secondary sources in writing his book. He relied heavily upon newspaper accounts, letter, and diaries of the participants. He only used the Official Records sparingly. Through the use of the first hand accounts the author is able to amplify and support his thesis. This book does not break any new ground in our understanding of the Vicksburg campaign, but it does provide us with a solid overview of the action.

Jeffrey D. Stocker, an attorney in Pennsylvania, is the editor of From Huntsville to Appomattox. The book recounts Robert T. Coles' history of the 4th Alabama Infantry Regiment. Stocker's legal training serves him will as his research talents greatly enhance Coles' text.

The 4th Alabama participated in most of the major engagements in the east, including Manassas, Antietam, Fredicksburg and Gettysburg. Attached to James Longstreet's First Corps of the Army of Northern Virginia, the regiment also went west with Longstreet and saw action at Chickamauga and Knoxville. The men from Alabama were also present at Appomattox, having compiled an exemplary record as a veteran fighting unit in the Civil War.

Robert T. Coles was the adjutant of the 4th Alabama. He wrote his memoirs of the activities of his regiment in order to commemorate the valor of his comrades. Serving as adjutant he was privy to the inner workings of the regiment's command, as well as the daily routine of the men. His engaging writing style lets the reader follow the regiment throughout the war. Of particular interest is the accounts of the battle in 1862, which provide excellent narratives on a personal level. We obtain a greater understanding and appreciation of the daily workings of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Stocker has done a marvelous job in editing Coles' text. His well researched end notes provide a wealth of additional information dealing with the 4th Alabama, as well as the various engagements fought in by the regiment. There, too, the editor has supplemented Coles' text with unedited accounts by other members of the regiment. These additional accounts deal with First Manassas, Gettysburg, and the Wilderness and enhance the overall effectiveness and usefulness of the book.

I would highly recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Army of Northern Virginia or action in the East during the Civil War.

When we look at the battle of Gettysburg, images of the 20th Maine's heroic struggle on Little Round Top and Pickett's doomed charged against the Union line on Cemetery Ridge inevitably come to mind. However, what is sometimes lost among these legendary events are the mighty clashes that occurred between the Blue and Gray on the first day of the three day battle - July 1. For those of us who have an unending thirst to learn more about Gettysburg and are not afraid of a book which is filled with details David Martin's work is a must read.

Through a lifetime of study devoted to the battle Martin has written the definitive book on the first day of the conflict. Through the use of primary sources and a host of maps outlining the terrain and troop movements the reader is given an exhaustive study of the initial day's clash in Pennsylvania.

We see many of the facts of the battle both clarified and challenged by Martin. An example of this is the author's view that John Buford's greatest service was not his bravery but his decision to stay and fight on McPherson's Ridge. We also see how the 147th New York made a heroic and unheralded stand on the outskirts of Gettysburg. For many years they were thought to have retreated along with the 76th New York and 56th Pennsylvania.

We are also touched by the human interest stories during the battle, such as a Union gun being pulled from the field by a mortally wounded soldier, or how one of the Union commanders hid in a citizen's culvert for two days in order to avoid capture. And of course, Martin discusses one of the most famous stories from the battle that of 72 year old John Burns picking up a gun to defend his native land. Finally, we see the tragic story of General John Reynolds, one of the Union's most promising leaders, who meets his violent end on the morning of July 1.

While the book is filled with facts and figures, Martin gives his interpretation on the events such as that the collapse of the XI Corp was due to poor leadership coordination not lack of fighting spirit. We see mistakes on both sides of the battlefield lead to devastating consequences such as the Confederate commander O'Neal's poorly coordinated attack which would ultimately lead to the massacre of Iverson's North Carolina Brigade.

Martin also delves into the questions that have been argued for over 130 years such as Ewell's decision not to attack Cemetery Hill in the latter part of the day. Also the author speculates how the battle would have been different had Stonewall Jackson been present. In both of these cases the reader gets an unbiased and logical discussion of these two hotly debated topics.

Overall, Martin has done a masterful job in recreating the opening day of the most critical battle in American history. We are again reminded of the fact that the first day was a battle in its own right with heroes and tragic figures on both sides. Make no mistake about it however, Gettysburg July 1 is not for the casual observer of the battle. It is a work that is only for the serious minded Civil War student.

Early in the evening on July 2, 1863, three battle-hardened regiments of Colonel Samuel Sprigg Carroll's Second Corps Brigade, the Gibraltar Brigade, of the Army of the Potomac, were ordered to East Cemetary Hill to help repel a Confederate assault. The ensuing fight, which "lasted only a short time", resulted in the repulse of Brig. Gen. Hays' Louisiana Brigade and Colonel Avery's North Carolina Brigade. However, in less than eight months after the Battle of Gettysburg, controversy erupted between Carroll's Brigade and the Eleventh Corp units of Maj. Gen. O.O. Howard as to who had saved the Federal batteries on East Cemetary Hill and secured the Union right flank. The description of the battle for East Cemetary Hill comprises the scope of Lash's book. The thesis centers around the "caustic" feud which developed and how soldiers, fighting for the same cause, interpret the same battle in very different ways.

Lash's book begins with Colonel Carroll's Brigade, which was composed of four western regiments (4th and 8th Ohio, 14th Indiana, and 7th West Virginia), collectively known as the Gibraltar Brigade, for their gallant charge on the Sunken Road at Antietam, marching from the vicinity of Fredricksburg, Va., in pursuit of R. E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. After a grueling march, Carroll's Brigade, reached the Gettysburg area at about 8 a.m. on July 2nd and rested near Ziegler's Grove. As the sun began to set over the battlefield, Carroll;'s Brigade, minus the 8th Ohio, which was on picket duty in front of Cemetary Ridge, was ordered toward the sounds of battle on East Cemetary Hill. Immediately, Carroll's three regiments double-quicked to the eastern edge of the Evergreen Cemetary and into a scene "of wildest confusion" whereby the enemy was "up to and some of them in among the front guns of the batteries". Lash vividly describes how the Gibraltar Brigade formed line of battle and swept forward into the "close and deadly conflict". Lash's sweeping battle narrative describes the sudden and ferocious charge of the Westerners into the swirling hand-to-hand melee amongst the Union batteries and the eventual Confederate retreat down the east face of the hill and beyond the stone wall at its base.

The second part of Lash's book involves a different sort of conflict. The battle of the pen as opposed to the sword and musket. Lash recounts, through the correspondence of Carroll's soldiers and the soldiers of O. O. Howards units (Van Gilsa and Ames Brigades) the hot debate which occurred as to the roles each had played in repelling the Confederate assault on East Cemetary Hill. Lash is able to demonstrate, at times tediously, how soldiers fighting on the same side recounted the specifics of the fight for East Cemetary Hill quite differently, either motivated by the preservation of regimental and corp honor or the need to embellish their own particular role in the fighting. In the end, Lash correctly summarizes that it was the timely arrival and charge of Carroll's Brigade, along with the stiffening resistance of the Eleventh Corp units, including the gallant members of the Federal batteries, which resulted in the Confederate repulse.

The Gibraltar Brigade On East Cemetary Hill is a well written microhistory of a particular action which took place during the three day Battle of Gettysburg, along the lines of Stewart's Pickett's Charge and Christ's The Struggle for the Bliss Farm. During a recent visit to this section of the battlefield, I was able to vividly imagine the fight which took place up the steep slopes of East Cemetary Hill and in amongst the Federal batteries in the darkness of July 2nd. Lash uses an impressive array of primary sources to enliven the battle narrative and bring the feud the center stage.

Finally, don't let the thickness of the book (182 pages) or the price ($25.00) dissuade you from buying and reading about the spirited engagement on East Cemetary Hill.

In 1975 Michael Shaara came out with his classic novel of the Battle of Gettysburg, The Killer Angels. Some 21 years later his son Jeff has taken up the torch and given us an equally compelling novel about the years preceding the famous battle called Gods and Generals.

Shaara in a style somewhat similar to his father's takes a look at four major Civil War figures: Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee, Winfield Scott Hancock and Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain. In this book we see the lives, the passions and the careers of these legendary leaders from the first gathering clouds of the War Between the States.

The beauty of Shaara's work is that it combines the human interest stories of these fascinating men with detailed accounts of memorable battles such as Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. The reader gets an intimate portrait of Lee when he is faced with the agonizing decision to resign from the army. We also get inside the mind of Stonewall Jackson as he plans his brilliant flank maneuver against Hooker on that fateful day in May of 1863.

We see Winfield Scott Hancock as he bids farewell to his friend Lewis Armstead as both men answer different calls one for the Union the other for his home state of Virginia. Joshua Chamberlain is depicted as a restless young man who marches off to war to save the Union and fight for the rights of all men and in the process begins a military career which will be filled with glory.

For students of history, Shaara gives a compelling portrait of the battlefield. There are numerous maps to outline the troop movements of the various characters. Obviously, like his father before him the author put in a great deal of time researching the various battles. His details are vivid yet never does the reader feel overwhelmed with military tactics and strategy. The author informs the reader without being tedious.

The art of the historical novel has always been one of this reviewer's favorite types of learning experience. To inform the reader while at the same time weaving together a fascinating story with unforgettable characters is a truly challenging assignment. Shaara in his beautifully written and poignant book has satisfied the requirements of this genre.

John D. Milligan, the author of Gunboats Down the Mississippi, received his Ph.D. in History from the University of Michigan. He did not have a military/naval background from which he relied upon in writing this book. Rather, he was used his educational researching capabilities to put together a well written book. His analysis is well measured, and he does not bring any pre-conceived notions or assertions to his study of the fresh water navy in the West. In addition to this work, Milligan has authored several articles on this subject, including "Charles Ellet and His Naval Steam Ram" (in Civil War History) and "Gunboat War at Vicksburg" (in American Heritage).

The subject of this book is a review of the Federal naval operations along the Mississippi River during the Civil War. Milligan begins by tracing the origin of gunboats in that region. WE learn of the roles played by Commander John Rodgers, John Lenthall (the Chief of Naval Bureau of Construction and Repair), Samuel Pook (designer of an early model of gunboat), and James Eads, the St. Louis engineer who pressed the need for shallow draft gunboats. Having introduced the initial efforts taken to prepare the navy, the author moves on to a description of the early Western naval operations. Here we read of the actions at Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Island No. 10, and Shiloh, and the interaction between the army and the navy in those actions.

During the second year of the Civil War naval actions on the Mississippi River intensified, and a new form of naval vessel, the steam driven ram, began playing a role in those operations. The rams, pet project of Charles Ellet, Jr., gained the support of Edwin Stanton and went into production as Ellet and his family members began operations along the Mississippi in an independent command supported by Henry Halleck.

The majority of the book is devoted to the role of the navy in the effort to capture Vicksburg. After the first attempt to take that city in 1862 failed, the western navy was re-organized, with David Dixon Porter given command of naval operations on the Mississippi River around Vicksburg. Mr. Milligan details the combined efforts of Porter and U.S. Grant in the ultimately successful siege of Vicksburg.

The author's thesis is that the control of the Mississippi River held great strategic importance for the North, and the role of the fresh-water navy in this endeavor was critical. He develops this thesis by following the creation and implementation of that naval force. He sums up the contributions of the navy on page xxvi as follows:

In the twenty-three months between the time the first hastily built gunboats were put into commission and the fall of Vicksburg, three functions or objectives of this fleet can be distinguished: (1) in co-operation with land forces, the securing of river superiority; (2) the tightening of the blockade; and (3) the maintenance of water-based communications. Obviously, the fulfillment of the last two functions could only follow where the first objective was already achieved; that is, where control of navigable rivers had been attained.

This book, with its detailed account of the implementation and operation of the river navy, is one of the finest works in this field. Milligan provides us with a clear, concise analysis of the development of the river navy. In comparison with other books about the subject, such as Bern Anderson's By Sea and by River The Naval History of the Civil War, and Rowena Reed's Combined Operations in the Civil War, Milligan's work stands out. Whereas those other books attempt to provide a broad overview of the Federal Naval operations in the Civil War, including operations on the Mississippi River, they lack the in-depth focus that John Milligan has placed on the origins of the fresh-water navy and subsequent efforts against Vicksburg.

I believe that John Milligan has done an excellent job with his book. His work provides us with a cohesive, single volume account of an area of naval operations in the Civil War which has not received the unbiased attention it deserves. The author ably supports his thesis throughout the book. He does so by supporting his arguments and analysis with primary sources, particularly manuscript material from the participants. In this respect his footnoted sources are a valuable resource to the reader for further research and study.

This book is not a controversial work, nor does it provide any ground breaking assertions on its topic. What it does do is examine an overlooked area of the Civil War in a cogent, easy to read fashion. This book remains, thirty years after its publication, an important work, and is highly recommended.

The very mention of their names are enough to excite the Civil War enthusiast. Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson formed one of the most powerful and brilliant partnerships in the history of modern warfare. In their brief time together between 1861 and 1863 they designed the legendary victories for the Confederacy at places called Manassas, Fredericksburg and the most unforgettable and fateful of all - Chancellorsville. Paul Casdorph has skillfully weaved the life stories of these two warriors in his book Lee and Jackson.

Drawing on a mountain of resources both from eyewitnesses and insights from modern historians, Casdorph has done a fine job in charting the personal and professional lives of these Confederate heros. The reader is given a portrait of two men who grew up very differently but ultimately were both dedicated to the Southern cause. Says the author, "While both were Virginian's born and bred, each descended from a different world." Lee came from a home of privilege and honor, while Jackson's childhood was beset by loss and loneliness. Both had an unbending loyalty and love for their families and homes. The future leaders were also consumed with a desire for success and recognition.

It was this desire for success that bought them to the Mexican War in 1846. Casdorph gives the reader insight into the education and growth of both soldiers. It is here that Jackson would learn of the danger of a frontal attack and the benefits of a flanking movement. Lee's skill at engineering and positioning of troops is first evidenced in the Mexican conflict. The author goes on to say, "Each experienced the grim reality of an adversary who meant to kill him, and each had learned how to handle himself and his command under fire."

As both of their stories progress through the years, we see two men who are poised for greatness. They only need a cause. In April of 1861 that cause came when the irrepressible conflict between North and South finally ignited. Lee and Jackson are portrayed from the early days of the war when both are forced to make the painful choice of raising their sword against the flag they had so nobly defended, to the birth of their partnership which would ultimately become the South's greatest asset.

Jackson makes the first mark with his legendary Valley Campaign. His unpredictable troop movements and daring attacks keep the Union forces confused as to his ultimate plan. One of his lieutenants Ewell originally though Jackson "crazy as a March Hare." This impression would change to one of great respect and admiration as Jackson and Ewell keep a good portion of the Union troops beyond the Blue Ridge Mountains and away from McClellan's forces in front of Richmond.

Lee and Jackson finally join forces in the Seven Days Campaign, when Marse Robert takes over command of the army with the wounding of Joseph Johnston. Casdorph charts out for the reader the remarkable and brief partnership that would bring the Southern causes some of its greatest victories. We see the warriors chart the daring and brilliant flanking movements of Howard's Eleventh Corps at Chancellorsville. Ironically, their finest hours together would be their last.

Overall Casdorph does a competent job at keeping the narrative moving at a comfortable pace. However, there are some problems this reviewer had with the book. Throughout the work the author takes shots at General James Longstreet. One of the most sweeping statements he makes is when he is detailing the change in command after Jackson's death. Says the author, "Since Longstreet's recalcitrance to obey orders at Gettysburg six weeks later probably cost the battle, if not the entire Confederate cause, Lee would have been better served with his "Old War-Horse" elsewhere". This is a broad sweeping statement. Entire books have been written about Longstreet's role in the Gettysburg battle and the war. The author, if he is to make comments such as these should devote more time to defending this theory. Also Casdorph complains of Lee's "lackadaisical handling of the army at Gettysburg." This, in my opinion, is outside the scope of the book which should be about the actual partnership between Lee and Jackson and not how different the war might have been had Jackson survived.

With this criticism aside, this is definitely a worthwhile book for any student of these Confederate warriors. To truly comprehend the success of the South in the early years of the war, one must have an understanding of both Lee and Jackson. To be sure, it was a partnership where the communication was so clear that spoken words were unnecessary. The success of this partnership will be studied and admired for years to come.

Joseph T. Glatthaar is the author of The March to the Sea and Beyond Sherman's Troops in the Savannah and Carolinas Campaigns. The author, a history professor at the University of Houston, has published two other well received books on the Civil War, and this book confirms Professor Glatthaar's position as a very talented historian/author. The March to the Sea and Beyond is the winner of the prestigious Bell Irvin Wiley Award, Fletcher Pratt Award, and the Jefferson Davis Award.

This book is an examination of Sherman's army in order to demonstrate how that army was different from all other Civil War armies. The primary distinction revolves around the fact that Sherman's army was dominated by seasoned veterans. The author tells us that it was his "intention in writing this book to examine the campaigns from the level of the common soldier, both enlisted men and officers, to illuminate that veteran character." (page xii). To achieve this analysis, Glatthaar explores the relationships of Sherman's soldiers and their attitudes and viewpoints toward the people and institutions they were at war with.

The major theme of this book is to show how the success of Sherman's Savannah and Carolina campaigns were successful, in large part, as a result of the makeup of his army. Thus we see how the army, consisting of the XIV, XV, XVII and XX Corps conducted their movements through the South. The support of the soldiers in this army towards the war effort was almost universal. Glatthaar demonstrates this fact by analyzing the returns of the 1864 presidential election and discovering that 86% of the men voted for Abraham Lincoln. Their support did not stop just at the ballot box. The author has thoroughly researched their letters and diaries to see how the soldiers influenced their friends and families back home to support the war effort.

The book constantly reveals ways how the veterans of this army impacted on its successes. More than 50% of the company level troops re-enlisted, and the vast majority of the officer corps had joined the army in 1861-1862. Thus, the veterans knew what was needed in order to be successful, and they imparted this knowledge upon the new recruits. This had a positive effect upon the ability of the army to invade Georgia, South Carolina and orth Carolina and successfully prosecute the war against he South.

Joseph Glatthaar has done a superb job in researching this book. He has relied extensively upon primary sources in his writing, and this greatly enhances the value of the book. The March to the Sea and Beyond is an excellent analysis of Sherman's army in 1864-1865 and is recommended reading for anybody wishing a better understanding of this largely overlooked army.

John C. Bonnell, Jr. a retired Federal Government employee for Virginia, is the author of Sabres in the Shenandoah The 21st New York Cavalry 1863-1866. He is a descendant of the Reverend George Byron Simons, a corporal in the cavalry regiment, and this is Bonnell's first full length book dealing with the Civil War.

This book serves as a history of the 21st New York Cavalry Regiment from its formation in July, 1863 until it was disbanded in the summer of 1866. During its three year existence the regiment fought primarily in the Shenandoah Valley, and the majority of this book focuses on these actions. The regiment was not a famous unit, nor did it engage in any extraordinary combat action. However, it did provide good, solid service which the author demonstrates very well.

The Shenandoah Valley was a vital area for the Confederacy, serving as the country's bread basket. As such, it gained considerable attention from the Federals, especially in 1864, as efforts were made to subjugate the valley. The 21st New York Cavalry began its assaults with the Shenandoah Valley in January of 1864, serving initially with the 1st Division Cavalry Brigade of the Army of Northern Virginia. Originally used for scouting purposes, the regiment would begin to take on a more significant service as the year progressed.

Mr. Bonnell provides very good accounts of the participation of the regiment in the battles of New Market, Stanton and Lynchburg. Rather than focusing on the overall battles themselves he details the role played by the 21st New York in these actions. He also reviews the regiment's efforts in Jubal Early's raid on Washington. At the end of August, 1864 the regiment was sent out of the Valley for two months to refit and remount, thus missing Sheridan's campaign in the Fall of 1864.

Sabres in the Shenandoah is a good, solid regimental history. The author makes good use of primary and secondary sources, and he includes biographical sketches of some of the members, along with a complete roster of the unit. I would recommend this book to anybody interested in regimental histories as well as anybody interested in the Shenandoah Valley Campaign.

Southern Victory: The Civil War is a fictional account of the Civil War written by Richard R. Willett, a captain in the United States Air Force. This short (66 pages) book is divided into two sections. The first section gives an overview of the war up to August, 1862, and the second section ventures into the realm of "what if" to describe an ending of the war with the confederacy intact.

The subject of this book is the author's theory that the South could have won the war by adopting a progressive position. It is the author's intention to create "a plausible course of action..., which, if the Confederate States of America would have followed it, might have brought about a Southern victory." (page 3). That course of action, as described by Willett, is a surprising suggestion which enhances the enjoyment of the book, and which will not be discussed here in order to maintain the suspense of the book.

The first part of the book is not well researched, and there are several factual errors in the narrative. For example, on page 19 we are told that Albert S. Johnston died on the second day of the Battle of Shiloh (he died on the first day), and on page 20 the author mistakenly calls Robert E. Lee's army the Army of the South. Then, too, his figures for strength of armies and battle casualties are too general. These oversights detract from the enjoyment of this book.

The second part of the book is in stark contrast to the first section. The author is no longer constrained by historical fact, and his fictional narrative makes for enjoyable reading. Southern Victory is not a book that I would rush out to purchase. However, it is an entertaining book that is a light read and thought provoking.

The strength's of Desjardin's work are many, such as his highly literary prose which permeates the book. An example would be his description of the 20th Maine as they march their way off into history "For the first time since joining the army they found themselves marching to a fight amid strong reminders of what they were fighting for, like gladiators marching to the coliseum before a cheering crowd."

One of the problems that any historian faces when studying the 20th Maine is the myths that surround this regiment with regards to the events of July 2, 1863 on that rocky slope in Pennsylvania. Undoubtedly, the 20th actions were a key contributing factor to the Union victory in those bloody three days. However, the author points out that many factors contributed to the Confederates inability to take Little Round Top. One of the reasons was the lack of water that the Alabamians had in their canteens as they began their charge up the hill. Weakened by this, the regiment were not as efficient as they could have been.

We do, however, see the decisiveness of Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, the most famous of all the 20th Maine soldiers, when he directed the end of his line to take two steps to the left so that the line stretched to twice its original front. This gave the Union more ground in their successful defense of Little Round Top. Desjardin also gives us interesting human interests stories such as the Alabama soldier who had Chamberlain dead in his sights but could not pull the trigger. Apparently, a "queer notion" came over him that prevented him from ending the life of the now famous Chamberlain. Says the author, "time and again fate toyed with Chamberlain's life, and each time it failed."

The story is told from both the Union and the Confederate side. The reader is given the insights of the Alabama regiment who tried in vain to take Little Round Top. One of the rebels who was captured and ultimately died from the wounds he received at Gettysburg, was John Oates who received remarkably good care from the enemy. Right before his death when it was clear that he would not survive he asked two women who had sung him hymns to, "tell my folks at home that I died among friends."

This work gives the Civil War student a balanced view of the titanic struggle for Little Round Top. As with any popular event in history, there are times when the widely held beliefs of the general public are at odds with the actual events that occurred. While the 20th Maine's charge down the hill was indeed a remarkable event, Desjardin argues that the Alabamians were going to retreat whether or not the charge was made. What was ultimately more significant was the prisoners that were taken during the charge. Prisoners that would no longer be able to contribute to the Confederate cause. Also, the importance of Little Round Top in the author's opinion has been exaggerated. Even if the Confederates were able to take this hill, they would have only been able to get eight artillery guns at most to the top. While this would have been damaging to the Union line, it hardly would have been fatal.

This book is the culmination of years of intense research that began when the author first toured the battlefield as a boy. Desjardin has done a masterful job with his concise history of a remarkable group of men caught up in one of the most decisive periods in American history.

Steele's Retreat From Camden and The Battle of Jenkins' Ferry, written by Edwin C. Bearss, was originally published in 1967. Mr Bearss, former Chief Historian for the National Park Service, is no stranger to anybody with an interest in the Civil War. This book is a recent reprint of one of his earlier works which was written while he served at the Vicksburg National Military Park.

The subject of this book is the Federal withdrawal from Camden, Arkansas to Little Rock, Arkansas by Major General Frederick Steele in April, 1864. Steele's expedition which started from Little Rock in mid-March, 1864, was supposed to push forward to Shreveport, Louisiana. However, a shortage of supplies caused it to stop at Camden, where problems mounted, causing Steele to abandon the original plan and return to Little Rock. Bearss details the ensuing retrograde movement, recounting the various minor skirmishes and battles encountered by the Federals.

It is the author's intention to provide a thorough analysis of Steele's retreat and he succeeds wonderfully. There were three battles fought during the retreat at Poison Springs, Marks' Mills and Jenkins' Ferry. Each of these battles are thoroughly described, as Bearss makes extensive use of the Official Records. His battle narratives are excellent, and the reader quickly develops an appreciation of the problems encountered by Steele's men as they retreated back to Little Rock.

There is a scarcity of material dealing with actions in the western theater of the Civil War. This book helps to fill that void. The actions dealt with in the book did not have a significant impact on overall strategy in the West. Nevertheless, this is an important work for it gives a well deserved, descriptive narrative of Steele's movement and battles, while at the same time providing Civil War enthusiasts with a very readable account of little known action in Arkansas.

He has been called by many one of the true military genius's this country has produced. Stonewall Jackson's short but legendary life has been studied and written about since he uttered his famous last words on May 10, 1863 "Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees." In 1997 a new biography has been published by James Robertson that will undoubtedly become an instant classic and will be one of the most memorable works about this or any other military leader. Through painstaking research (Mr. Robertson spent 9 years researching and writing this book) the reader is given a narrative that breathes life into Jackson and portrays him not just as a compelling military figure but a sensitive and compassionate human being. This book is not strictly devoted to Jackson's brilliant military successes at places such as Bull Run, the Shenendoah Valley and Chancellorsville. We enter into the world of Thomas Jackson from his humble orphan beginnings to his struggles at West Point. We are given a portrait of a humble yet fiercely determined man who credited all of his remarkable success to the glory of God. Since Jackson had a lonely childhood we see him turn to a spiritual life to assist him in dealing with the harsh realities of the world. Robertson paints a portrait of a shy and apprehensive lad who through strength of character and will let nothing stand in the way of success. When he is first at West Point, Jackson is woefully unprepared for the rigors of the military curriculum. However, at an early age we see how his unending devotion to duty and strict discipline ultimately lead to him graduating the Point near the top of his class.

Robertson weaves a fascinating narrative which at no time is weighed down by too much detail. He draws on countless letters and diaries from both Stonewall and most notably his second wife Anna. The author attacks many myths that to this day have surrounded the General's life. For example, many Civil War students have read of Jackson's love of constantly sucking on lemons says Robertson, "the truth of the matter is that the general loved all fruit."

To really have an understanding of Jackson we must first realize how deep his faith was. Robertson states, "Jackson's faith permeated every action of his adult life." We see a man who, through his belief in divine providence, journeyed through life with a quiet but incredibly firm confidence. He believed he was an instrument God put on this earth to do His will. The author states, "Divine love and personal self-discipline combined in Jackson to create absolute fearlessness. He could look forward to the next world because he was so constantly aware of its existence."

Robertson is quick to point out that though many books have been written on Jackson all but a handful of them are superficial studies of the man. Undoubtedly, this work does not fall into that category. The author has devoted an incredible amount of research on the subject. The bibliography and footnotes are in excess of 150 pages. Where many others drew their work from printed material Robertson has drawn on manuscripts previously unused in biographies of the General. The author states, "that the answers to lingering questions about facets of his life and military career have lain for decades in manuscript sources previously overlooked. Valuable collections of papers bearing on the man exist in depositories from Massachusetts to California and from Michigan to Texas." Perhaps the author is unnecessarily critical of what was previously published about Jackson. However, Robertson's work stands as a model of scholarly and painstaking devotion to the truth.

As previously stated the book is a good blend of Jackson the man and Jackson the military leader. One of the more interesting parts of the book is where Robertson vigorously defends Jackson's most criticized performance, The Seven Days. The author states that Jackson, though nearly out of his mind with fatigue, followed Lee's directive to guard the Chickahominy River and not pursue McClellan.

Unquestionably, the most moving part of the book is Robertson's powerful and gripping narrative on the death of Jackson. The author is very poetic when in a few short pages he recounts what Stonewall must have felt as he realized that his brief but extraordinary life was coming to its untimely end. Even as he utters his final words Jackson is seen as a man who has accepted his role on earth and welcomes his journey into the next world.

On April 5 of this year I had the pleasure of talking to Dennis Frye at the Midlantic Civil War Round Table Conference. When I asked this well known historian for his opinion of the Robertson biography he smiled and said "it is Pulitzer Prize material". Says William C. Davis of the work, "surely there will be more biographies of this compelling figure, but all lives of Jackson, whether past or future, must henceforth be judged inevitably by measuring them up against this one." With high praise from historians such as these it is obvious that this book will be one of the definitive biographies of the unforgettable legend known as Stonewall.

In the spring of 1862, the Army of the Potomac, under George McClellan embarked on the largest campaign of the war when it attempted to seize Richmond by approaching the Confederate capital from the east. In what is better known as the Peninsular campaign the Union army's attempt to win the war ended in a bitter stalemate and ultimate retreat. It was also the beginning of the legendary Army of Northern Virginia under the command of General Robert E. Lee. Through the use of many eyewitness accounts, through soldier's letters and diaries and his own renowned writing style, Stephen Sears has written a very readable and powerful account of the battle for Richmond.

The reader is given an insightful portrait of the beginning days of the campaign where says one soldier of the Union army began with "a stride of a giant" which ultimately turned into "a step of a dwarf". McClellan is accurately portrayed as a leader who constantly over estimated the strength of the opposition while underestimating the strength of the army he led. Says Sears of the Union general, "McClellan would confront a phantom rebel army that existed only in the mind of the general commanding."

We are given detailed accounts of the legendary battles of the Seven Days from Mechanicsville, Lee's first battle as the head of the Confederate Army, to the finale at Malvern Hill where the Union guns thwarted Lee's final attempt to destroy the Federal troops. In the conflict of Mechanicsville, though it was a failure in many ways due to Stonewall Jackson's lethargic movements and overall miscommunication, Lee emerges triumphant by his seizing of the initiative.

While Sears documentation and research are first rate, this reviewer did have some differences with regards to his criticisms of Lee. It appears that the author is arguing that had Lee been more forceful as a leader, especially with his supervision of Jackson, than the Union army could have been destroyed especially at the battles of Gaines Mills and Glendale. However, we must remember that this was the first field command of Lee during the Civil War and obviously he had much to learn. My sense is that Sear's criticism might be a bit harsh considering the timing of Lee's command. Had the same miscommunication happened later in the war the criticism would be more justified.

However, this is not to suggest that this book is nothing short of a first rate work. As he did with his classic study of the Battle of Antietam "Landscape Turned Red." Sears gives the reader a thorough study of this important campaign which was in many respects one of the turning points in the war.