The Little Jeff: The Jeff Davis Legion, Cavalry Army of Northern Virginia

Book Description

The Jeff Davis Legion, Cavalry Army of Northern Virginia

Customer Reviews:

Finally a book on the Jeff Davis Legion.......2000-03-04

The author expended a tremendous effort in researching the Jeff Davis Legion. He has created an interesting history of this unusual cavalry unit. Any one who is interested in the Confederate Cavalry will enjoy the detail information the author has dug out of the archives.

Correction.......2000-01-07

Amazon says book has 40 pages. It has 325

Great.......1999-12-01

The author obviously performed a great deal of research in order to extract such detailed and little known facts about the "Little Jeff". Truly a gem for all interested in the Civil War. Highly recommended.

As author I consider this a unique C.S.A. Regimental History.......1999-10-19

This is the first complete history of The Jeff Davis Legion, initially designated the 2nd Mississippi Cavalry Battalion. Fighting under Jeb Stuart and Wade Hampton it later followed Hampton to Georgia and the Carolinas. Though companies from Georgia and Alabama joined the regiment, it remained officially a "Mississippi" cavalry unit. They were the only Mississippi cavalry to fight as part of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia.

Among the men of the "Little Jeff" were educated elite from Natchez and Savannah and rustic farmers and country tradesmen from Kemper County, Mississippi and Sumpter and Barbour Counties, Alabama. Through first hand accounts we follow these soldiers from their early enthusiasm until camp life and sickness brought war into perspective. They fought their first engagement in late 1861 and from then on fought in most of Lee's campaigns. They were at Williamsburg, Seven Pines, Seven days, Antietam, Trevilian Station, Brandy Station, Gettysburg and countless smaller engagements They sustained some of their greatest losses at lesser known places like Upperville, Funkstown, Stony Creek, and Bentonville.

Readers of this history should come away not only with an accurate characterization of the Confederate cavalryman, but also with an understanding of their place in the overall strategy of Lee's army. The related book, published simultaneously, "Horsemen of the Jeff Davis Legion" gives information taken from the individual cavalryman's service record from the National Archives as well as a wealth of information from other sources about each man. This should be useful as a geneological reference. Also contains statistics related to the Jeff Davis Legion and brief biographies of senior officers associated with it.

Book Description

In a groundbreaking, comprehensive history of the Army of Northern Virginia's retreat from Gettysburg in July 1863, Kent Masterson Brown draws on previously unused materials to chronicle the massive effort of General Robert E. Lee and his command as they sought to move people, equipment, and scavenged supplies through hostile territory and plan the army's next moves.

More than fifty-seven miles of wagon and ambulance trains and tens of thousands of livestock accompanied the army back to Virginia. The movement of supplies and troops over the challenging terrain of mountain passes and in the adverse conditions of driving rain and muddy quagmires is described in depth, as are General George G. Meade's attempts to attack the trains along the South Mountain range and at Hagerstown and Williamsport, Maryland. Lee's deliberate pace, skillful use of terrain, and constant positioning of the army behind defenses so as to invite attack caused Union forces to delay their own movements at critical times.

Brown concludes that even though the battle of Gettysburg was a defeat for the Army of Northern Virginia, Lee's successful retreat maintained the balance of power in the eastern theater and left his army with enough forage, stores, and fresh meat to ensure its continued existence as an effective force.

Customer Reviews:

Great book on the aftermath of Gettysgurg.......2007-06-08

This book has far more detail on the events of Lee's retreat and Meade's pursuit after the Gettysburg battle than any other book I have read. It gives a lot of reasons why Meade was not able to quickly pursue and re-engage Lee before Lee crossed the Potomac. There is also a lot of insight into what Lee hoped to accomplish with his invasion of the North, and why Lee considered it worthwhile, even with his defeat at Gettysburg.

Lee's Highest Achievement.......2007-02-20

Like many of the other reviewers here, I am in awe of the detail here regarding Lee's retreat from Gettysburg. More than any other campaign of Lee's, this movement revealed his true abilities. The most difficult operation for any military organization is retreat. Lee conducted a masterful retreat. Mr. Brown illuminates this in painful detail, right down to the placing of skirmish lines and Lee's minute orders to his commanders.

Unlike some of the other reviewers, I do take exception to the idea of the entire ANV operation in Pennsylvania being a great raid as novel. This has been advanced by several other historians for some time. What is done here in this book, however is to detail just how much it was a foraging raid done on an army scale. He actually lists the CS regimental seizures down to individual horses and curry combs. He then notes Federal messages regarding the clothing, toys, etc found in captured or broken down CS wagons. All of this provides plentiful evidence that the ANV's primary mission was foraging with a major battle being secondary at best.

The maps and illustrations are good, the prose is readable, and though the detail at times can be mind numbing, the book remains a fast read. Mr. Brown has taken a subject covered almost to overkill and written something fresh and thought provoking. As noted above, anyone (like myself) who had been a critic of Meade's for failure to bring Lee to battle on advantage will likely change their mind after reading this evidence. Meade's people were in worse straits than the retreating CS forces due to logistical failures. His cavalry was worn and poorly supplied, it actually can be considered a minor miracle they were as successful as they were in their pursuit. The pursuing Federals had to follow through areas repeatedly stripped of food and supplies by the retreating CS forces. Conversely, the CS forces as they contracted became stronger (relatively) while the Federals became more strung out. Mr. Brown's illustrations of the strength of CS defenses at Falling Waters and Williamsport highlight the correctness of Meade's decision not to attack with his strung out forces before it was too late.

This book does a great service to a largely ignored aspect of the Gettysburg campaign. I do agree that Gettysburg was not the decisive point in the East and also that in a logistical/strategic sense Gettysburg was a victory for the CS. The ANV survived and despite the irreplaceable manpower loss, gained enough materially wise to last until homegrown resources could sustain it further.

This book is well worth the price. It is an eye opener and knocks some traditional historical concepts on their butts. Mr. Brown has done history a great service with this book.

Gettysburg - The Rest of the Story.......2006-10-07

Most accounts on the Battle of Gettysburg give limited coverage to R.E. Lee's retreat from Gettysburg.. The text notes "The idea for the Pennsylvania campaign arose many months before. It was born in a desperation caused by the looming collapse of the Army of Northern Virginia if it remained in war-ravages central Virginia without adequate food and supplies for its men and fodder for its horses and mules." Consequently, from the moment that Lee reached the Maryland side of the Potomac River the countryside was scoured by Confederate quartermasters and commissaries of subsistence for food, fodder and supply. Interestingly, "The effort to obtain food, fodder, and equipment would never stop; even the three days of battle at Gettysburg did not interfere with it." The author, Kent Masterson Brown, addresses in detail the acute logistical problems attendant to Lee's army's retreat from Gettysburg with the critical supplies that had been foraged.

The text is broadly arranged into three sections: 1st disengagement at Gettysburg and crossing the South Mountain range; 2nd travel to Harrisburg and Williamsport; 3rd defense of Williamsport and Falling Waters, Virginia then travel to Staunton Virginia. "A slow, fighting retreat sounds simple in theory, but it is extraordinarily difficult in practice, particularly with a large army burdened by enormous trains." The trains were more than fifty-seven miles of wagon and ambulance trains plus ten of thousands of livestock. The text gives excellent, brief narratives of Lee's army's travels to the Potomac River, the cavalry attacks on the trains plus the engagements of the rear guard troops as Meade attacked.

Most interesting is Brown's accounts of attending to the sick and wounded. Those that could walk accompanied the trains while other wounded rode in ambulance wagons if available. However, for those seriously ill or wounded or who lacked transportation, surgical teams were ordered to stay with them. For example, of the 1,300 wounded in Johnson's Division, 446 were left behind. Ever effort was made to care for the sick and wounded whether they could travel or had to be left behind. Protecting the trains was exceedingly difficult; the escorts suffered along with the helpless wounded.

The entire army was in Hagerstown by the morning of 7 July. The author notes that"The movement of Lee's army from the morning of 5 July until the afternoon of 6 July was one of the most critical episodes of the retreat from Gettysburg, although it was far from being filled with battle action." "Lee's slow march and bold rear guard on 5 July had a profound effect on Meade and his lieutenants." Next Lee had to set up strong defenses until he could make arrangements for crossing the Potomac River. Using the ferries at Williamsport was exceptionally slow so that Lee's defenses must hold until he could build a pontoon bridge at Falling Waters. By 10 July the Williamsport defense line was almost ready, but Lee had limited time to cross the Potomac. The last person crossed the pontoon bridge on 14 July. The text narrates Meade's attempts to engage Lee and prevent his army from crossing the Potomac. However, the text concludes that "....there was nothing Meade could have done to prevent Lee from winning the race to the Williamsburg defense line or holding it."

Once across the Potomac River, The Shenandoah Valley served as the corridor for Lee's army's evacuation. The problem now was to take care of the sick and wounded and get them to the General and Receiving Hospital at Staunton, Virginia. Staunton was soon overrun with sick and wounded soldiers. The text provides a brief but excellent account of this phase of the retreat.

President Lincoln blamed Lee's escape on Meade's slow response. While Meade undoubtedly could have done better, Brown notes Meade's army "was in a desperate condition, many artillery batteries could not accompany their corps while his horses and mules pulling many of the guns and caissons were so exhausted and weakened by excessive campaigning and lack of forage that they collapsed...." Throughout Lee's retreat, Meade had critical supply problems that limited his response.

The author concludes "Although the battle of Gettysburg was indeed a Confederate loss, the invasion of Pennsylvania may not have been. In fact, Lee successfully brought his army and all its trains across the Potomac River. In the process, he managed to get out of Pennsylvania and Maryland more than forty-five miles of quartermaster and substance trains filled with impressed stores." One can only speculate on how, or if, the Army of Northern Virginia would have survived without these supplies. Lee's very successful retreat maintained the balance of power in his theatre of operations.

This is an excellently researched work; Kent Brown uses much previously untapped source material. This book is the major source of information on the retreat from Gettysburg and will be of interest to all serious students of Civil War History.

Retreat from Gettysbury: Lee, Logistics, and the Pennsylvania Campaign.......2006-08-06

A must read for anyone how has intrest in the Gettysbury Campaign. The Author Mr. Kent Masterson Brown has capture every detail of General Lee's Retreat. He capture many details that other authors have never mention such as how General Lee went about evaucation of the many field hospitals. The again is a must read for everyone with a Logistics background.

a compelling lookat a neglected aspect of the Gettysburg campaign.......2006-06-13

Kent Masterson Brown's treatment of the Army of Northern Virginia's retreat of the after the bloody battle at Gettysburg is meticulously researched, and fills a notable gap in the literature on the campaign. The story focuses on the retreat of the ANV, and the strategic decisions made by the Southern leaders, rather than that of their adversary the Army of the Potomac. To some degree this is as it should be; Lee arranged the retreat masterfully and restored the balance of power between the armies in a matter of days, while Meade, commanding the Union AoP, was content to cede the initiative, and eventually allow his enemies to escape.

Meade was unable to capitalize on the tactical victory at Gettysburg in a way that more thoroughly relentless, risk taking generals such as Grant or Sherman would have. Brown speaks to both the skill of Lee's command in arranging the retreat as an aggressive rear-guard action (keeping Meade uncertain of his intentions), but also the hesitancy and trepidation with which Meade pursued him. One of the great what-ifs of the war imagines a more aggressive Union commander attempting a counter-punch to break the retreating ANV decisively.

Brown argues that Lee's ability to manage the logistics of the retreat, namely to return to Virginia with enormous stores of livestock and supplies foraged from Pennsylvania, turned the Gettysburg campaign from a tactical defeat into a minor victory. But this argument I believe entirely overstates the importance of logistics and supply. Although it's true as Brown argues that the escape of the ANV with its supply trains full allowed the army to continue the war re-sustained, the loss of such a large part its the manpower and the officer corps at Gettysburg would eventually prove decisive. But the argument that the logistical aspect of the campaign turned a strategic disaster into a strategic success is certainly provocative, at the very least demonstrates fresh thinking about the campaign.

A masterful, compelling book.

Average customer rating:

Great book
Fills a Void
A thoroughly researched addition to established history of the Army of Northern Virginia.
Excellent work
The other side of the coin

Shock Troops of the Confederacy
Fred L. Ray
Manufacturer: CFS Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0964958554

Product Description

Shock Troops of the Confederacy is a comprehensive history of the elite troops of the Confederacy, as well as an essential reference for historians, enthusiasts, and reenactors. Although little has been written about them, the sharpshooters of the Army of Northern Virginia played an important and sometimes pivotal role in many battles and campaigns in 1864 and 1865. Confederate general Robert Rodes organized the first battalion of sharpshooters in his brigade in early 1863, and later in each brigade of his division. In early 1864 General Lee adopted the concept for the entire Army of Northern Virginia, mandating that each infantry brigade field a sharpshooter battalion. These units found ready employment in the Overland campaign, and later in the trenches of Petersburg and in the fast-moving Shenandoah campaign of 1864. The term sharpshooter had a more general meaning in the mid-19th Century than it does today. Then it could mean either a roving precision shooter like the modern sniper (a term that did not come into use until late in the century) or a light infantryman who specialized in the petite guerre: scouting, picketing, and skirmishing. The book covers the history of the Confederate sharpshooters; the development of light infantry from 1700-1918; and the human story of the sharpshooters themselves -- in battle, on the skirmish line, and at their lonely picket posts.

Customer Reviews:

Great book.......2007-02-07

CAN'T WAIT to use the information from the book to actually trace JEB's steps.

Fills a Void.......2007-01-05

In this thought provoking book, the author starts out with a brief history of light troops followed by the history of the skirmishers of the Army of North Virginia. Although the Union side began the war with more and better light troops, they allowed them atrophy while the Confederates who faced them, learned from them. Innovation in the ANV tended to originate in Ewell's old division, commanded by Rodes. When the war began, the standard system was for each regiment to have one or two light companies sent forward as skirmishers. This had flaws. It was difficult to coordinate between all the companies, with Rodes' bad experience at South Mountain clearly showing the potential result. Soon, he formed for his brigade a special sharpshooter battalion to cover the front, and by the beginning of 1864 this was standard in every brigade in Lee's army. Because Lee's army was decentralized, innovation of this sort was encouraged and could spread. To enter a sharpshooter battalion, high standards of bravery and marksmanship had to be met so that the units did not become a collection of misfits. The men fought as light infantry, not as snipers in the modern sense, and used the best weapons available, including captured repeating rifles. The psychological effect on enemy infantry could be great, knowing that someone who was aimed at would likely be hit. The author's battle descriptions are quite useful. He shows how at Gettysburg Iverson's sharpshooter battalion got diverted into the low ground to face the Union XI Corps, which was threatening the division's flank, but with Iverson's brigade not protected properly, disaster resulted. At North Anna Confederate sharpshooters successfully screened the entrenchments, hiding them from view and allowing the Union army to unknowingly enter a trap. Most of the book covers the Overland Campaign and the '64 Valley and Petersburg campaigns, by which time new assault tactics were being developed to capture enemy pickets or assault earthworks. This, the author argues, shows a link to later infantry tactics developed by the German stormtroopers in World War I.. Unlike many other Civil War historians, the author is broad minded in looking at the broader tactical context - looking to events abroad both before and after the Civil War. The Franco-Prussian War, however, is given little attention. The author's interpretation of the use of Prussian columns differs with Nosworthy's, who believes that skirmishers were the main effort, with the company columns merely supporting them. So the author may over-emphasize the Boer War as a result. This is a minor flaw only; the book gives a good discussion of weapons and their accuracy and flaws as well as a good treatment of range estimation training. The book fills a void and should be a treasured volume to anyone interested in Civil War tactics.

A thoroughly researched addition to established history of the Army of Northern Virginia........2006-11-17

Fred Ray has seized upon a little known aspect of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and through extensive research has, incredible for 2006, developed his research to add a new wrinkle to its accepted history. My own research centers on only one of these battalions and my scope is therefore somewhat narrower, but I know that these sharpshooter units existed and that they were in reality utilized to their fullest. I would therefore probably be considered a pretty tough critic. Fred has independently discovered many of my own more focused sources and added many more to satisfy his premise.
His in-depth narrative incorporates proof ranging from mere mentions to laudatory thanks for the actions of the sharpshooter battalions in virtually every action from summer of 1862 through the end. Although the narrative is obviously meant to demonstrate the value of the sharpshooter battalions to the army, it presents a well-written, accurate military chronology of the war. His endnotes are rigidly supportive of the narrative and his maps are excellent and precise, again always supported by endnotes.
Fred Ray goes further than just the ANV, exploring weapons, opponents' sharpshooter organizations and similar tactics in the western Confederate Army of Tennessee.
I would highly recommend this book to any serious student of Confederate military actions during the War Between the States, particularly those who want to understand everything about the Army of Northern Virginia.

Excellent work.......2006-11-01

In his book, Shock Troops of the Confederacy, Fred Ray covers a little known aspect of the Civil War. Napoleanic warfare was still the primary means of conducting battle during the American Civl War however, the sharpshooter units on both sides did remarkable work. These men received little mention but by all accounts were deadly adversaries and prized by their commanders. They were also the predecessors to the modern day snipers, currently at the forefront of the war on terror. The tactics and method of warfare used in Civil War skirmishes by the sharpshooter units are still applicable in the modern military.

Mr. Ray's work is an excellent reference for modern day students of the art of sniping, whether law enforcement or military.

Brian K. Sain
AmericanSnipers.org

The other side of the coin.......2006-07-30

For years, the work of the sharpshooters of the Army of the Confederacy has been largely ignored in favour of the more glamorous Berdan's Sharpshooters of the Federal army. They have been the subject of several books and countless articles but finally Fred Ray's book has redressed the balance. Because of their infantry organisation and lack of post-war records, the southern regiments of sharpshooters have been difficult and in some cases near impossible to document. Shock Troops has managed to provide a balanced and very well researched account of their use, organisation and training from 1861-1865. Much of the text uses first-hand accounts from hitherto little known accounts and it is a credit to Fred Ray that he has managed to gather so much material from such a paucity of sources. For anyone who wants to know more about the Confederate use of sharpshooters and the tools of their trade, this book could not come more highly reccommended.
Martin Pegler
Author of Out Of Nowhere, A History of Military Sniping.

Brigades of Gettysburg: The Union and Confederate Brigades at the Battle of Gettysburg

Average customer rating:

Hard to keep in the book case
Brigades of Gettysburg: The Union and Confereate Brigades at the Battle of Gettysburg
Useful Brigade Level Analysis of Gettysburg
A fresh and compelling look at Gettysburg
Da Capo Civil War

Brigades of Gettysburg: The Union and Confederate Brigades at the Battle of Gettysburg
Bradley M. Gottfried
Manufacturer: Da Capo Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0306811758
Release Date: 2002-12-24

Book Description

The first comprehensive chronicle of every Union and Confederate brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg--where they fought, how they fought, and who led them.

While the battle of Gettysburg is certainly the most-studied battle in American history, a comprehensive treatment of the part played by each unit has been ignored. Brigades of Gettysburg fills this void by presenting a complete account of every brigade unit at Gettysburg and providing a fresh perspective of the battle.

Using the words of enlisted men and officers, the author-well-known Civil War historian Bradley Gottfried-weaves a fascinating narrative of the role played by every brigade at the famous three-day battle, as well as a detailed description of each brigade unit. Organized by order of battle, each brigade is covered in complete and exhaustive detail: where it fought, who commanded, what constituted the unit, and how it performed in battle. Innovative in its approach and comprehensive in its coverage, Brigades of Gettysburg is certain to be a classic and indispensable reference for the battle of Gettysburg for years to come.

Customer Reviews:

Hard to keep in the book case.......2007-06-07

My library contains a number of Gettysburg books but this is the one most used. In very clear writing, each brigade's history including losses is summarized. Summarized is not the best word for this concise brigade history. The book is organized by army, corps, division and brigade. This groups units together and allows us to easily follow the higher-level unit too.

An excellent book that while very useful as a reference is an enjoyable read too. Well worth having but be prepared for requests to loan it out.

Brigades of Gettysburg: The Union and Confereate Brigades at the Battle of Gettysburg.......2007-01-19

Maybe one of the best accounts of tactical and unit action available on this important epic American battle. I recently used it to visit Gettysburg and walked the terrain that Kershaw's brigade charged across. With the book the terrain came alive and accounts clear. A must buy for the very serious American Civil War reader.

Useful Brigade Level Analysis of Gettysburg.......2006-11-05

Bradley Gottfried's book, Brigades of Gettysburg, would be a nice addition to a person's Civil War Library. This would be especially interesting for those who want to know about key battles in more detail than one would get in a standard rendering of the battle. This book is kin to Larry Tagg's The Generals of Gettysburg, a volume that discusses the role of general officers at Gettysburg, including Army leaders down to generals/colonels heading the Brigade level. As a result, there is much brigade level information.

However, Gottfried's book provides more detail (it is almost twice as long as Tagg's useful volume). While some brigade level histories exist and spell out actions of units at Gettysburg in some detail (e.g., Wert's A Brotherhood of Valor, Nolan's The Iron Brigade, Parsons' Put the Vermonters Ahead), coverage of many brigades is very brief in the standard works on Gettysburg (Coddington, Sears, Trudeau, for example).

Thus, this volume provides useful coverage of the various brigades involved at the battle, even those not heavily engaged. For instance, Sedgwick's large VIth Corps was much less hotly engaged than the other Union Corps. Nonetheless, this volume lays out what the components of this Corps actually did during the battle.

The coverage of both Confederate and Union units is nicely done and the interested reader will be well rewarded for perusing this book.

A fresh and compelling look at Gettysburg.......2006-02-21

At first glance, one might get the impression that the focus of this book and the immense amount of detail that's gone into it would make it more of interest to the historian or researcher than to the casual reader. That's not the case, however. Bradley Gottfried has written such compelling accounts of each of the brigades present at Gettysburg that anyone with any sort of interest in the battle will find the book not only informative but fascinating reading as well. In fact, the more I read, the more engrossed I became. The book is not just about logistics and tactics but very much about the soldiers doing the fighting; the human element is strongly felt throughout the book. Not only are the official records consulted, but newspaper reports, letters, memoirs, and diaries are also cited. Nearly 20 maps are also included depicting all aspects of the 3-day battle. So many books have been written about Gettysburg, but this one is so fresh yet authoritative and comprehensive that it ranks among the very best among them all. Highly recommended. (Hopefully a paperback edition is published, too.)

Da Capo Civil War.......2005-06-17

The last half dozen books on Civil War subjects that I've bought have been published by Da Capo press, and I'm impressed with their work. From a company who used to specialize in reprints only, they have come along nicely.

This particular book is an amazing piece of work. When you page through this one in a bookstore as I did recently, the feeling of "I've got to have this one" comes quickly through your mind.

Of recent time, I've been reading more and more on the battle of Gettysburg, and when a chance arises to have a book that lists and discusses both Union and Confederate Brigades at the battle of Gettysburg it is amazing.

Dr. Gottfried has apparently spent much of his learned life dwelling on this battle, and this book comes on the heels of a couple others of his concerning this battle.

I would posit that anyone having more than just a passing interest in Gettysburg must have this book. By buying this one you move from a position of mere interest to one of in depth knowledge.

Several members of my family fought and died for the Union in Ohio Volunteer (OVI) units, and with this book I can track down their action with ease.

Recommended.

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If this whets your desire to know more........
A Great Read for the Civil War History Buff!
Nothing Else Compares
Why not go for the real thing?
The Classic Study of the Confederate War Effort

Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command
Douglas Southall Freeman
Manufacturer: Konecky & Konecky
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1568525095
Release Date: 2005-05-15

Amazon.com

When Douglas Southall Freeman's original three-volume version of Lee's Lieutenants appeared in the 1940s, it marked a high point in Civil War history, and the books were lauded not only for their scholarship but for their elegant writing. This monument of Civil War literature has been skillfully abridged by one of the most noted present-day Civil War historians, Stephen W. Sears. The new one-volume abridgement retains the core material of the original and makes Freeman's fine writing available in a much more accessible format.

Product Description

Douglas Southall Freeman set the gold standard in historical writing on the American Civil War. Twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize, he spent eight years on the completion of Lees Lieutenants in three volumes. That work has now been edited into one volume by Stephen Sears another distinguished Civil War Historian and author of such works as Gettysburg and Landscape Turned Red. Lees Lieutenants has long been considered one of the great masterpieces of military history. And as James McPherson notes in his introduction: Stephen W. Searshas performed a service of inestimable valueIt is a lean, muscular narrative. Freeman would surely have approved. Lees Lieutenants stands as a defining work, a towering landmark in Civil War literature. Accessible at last in a one-volume edition, Lees Lieutenants is essential reading for all Civil War buffs, students of war, and admirers of the historians art practiced at its very highest level.

Download Description

In this sweeping, colorful history, Douglas Southall Freeman chronicles the fates of the great figures of the Army of Northern Virginia who fought under Robert E. Lee. Lee's Lieutenants brings to life resounding victories and bitter defeats and reveals the tremendous costs of the Confederate military campaign -- from the earliest battles and the precipitous decline of the South's military might to Lee's formal surrender in 1865. Freeman describes the rise and fall of General Beauregard, the friction between Jefferson Davis and Joseph E. Johnston, and the triumphs of unlikely heroes at crucial times. His unparalleled descriptions of men and operations are enriched by insightful analyses of the lessons learned and their bearing on the future military development of the nation. The brilliance, bravery, foibles, and follies of Confederate commanders has always intrigued students of the Civil War. This single-volume edition of Freeman's monumental work provides a fascinating, authoritative perspective on their strengths and failures.

Customer Reviews:

If this whets your desire to know more...............2007-08-20

.....your time, and money, will be well used. Stephen Sears has done a one volume abridgment of one of the greatest works in the English language, and done it quite well. When this book came out in 1998, it filled a gap; Richard Harwell had written one volume versions of Dr. Freeman's other two masterworks back in the 1960's.

For the uninitiated, "Lee's Lieutenants" is the history of The Army of Northern Virginia told from the viewpoint of those who served under the command of General Robert E. Lee. Douglas Southall Freeman's magnum opus "R.E. Lee" had been published in the late 1930's; Dr. Freeman was afraid that the "other generals" would be forgotten [and some would have been], so he published the three volumes of "Lee's Lieutenant's" during WWII. It quickly became a standard work for historians, and for students at every military academy on Earth. It was required reading at West Point for years, and may still be.

The first two thirds of the volume focus on Stonewall Jackson, and the last one third on James Longstreet; that is proper. The others are not forgotten, which was the idea in the first place; John Bell Hood, A.P. Hill, D.H. Hill, JEB Stuart, Jubal Early, Dick Ewell, Billy Mahone, "Maryland" Steuart, Wade Hampton, Fitzhugh Lee, John Brown Gordon, etc., etc., etc. Dr. Freeman made the point that not every Confederate General was a hero, and that many mistakes were poured out of a bottle. Alas, he was right, BUT, there were far more good than there were bad and indifferent....

Following Mr. Harwell's model, Sears had cut out all the footnotes and appendices, most of the bibliography, and much of the dialog. For 99+% of readers, this book is all you will need, or want. It will give you an excellent overview in a well written manner. I own three copies. Still...But... The full three volumes are absolutely definitive. They are not difficult to find at a decent price ["R.E. Lee" is difficult, and "George Washington" impossible]; I own two sets. While I heartily recommend the full version, I have to recognize that most people don't need to go that far. Read this; it may make you want more, and the full story will make more sense if you've read this first.

A Great Read for the Civil War History Buff!.......2007-06-19

The abridged volume of Lee's Lieutenants is an excellent title for anyone interested in Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. I have looked at the original 3-volume series and the only difference as one earlier reviewer points out is that the footnotes have been taken out. Given that Douglas Freeman was the editor of a Richmond, Virginia newspaper, one would expect several pages of footnotes. However, the book's essence is still retained.

Freeman covers the army's life from the Seven Days' Campaign in early 1862 to the bitter end at Appamattox in April 1865. He mentions just enough detail of the battles for the reader to comprehend the importance and result of each engagement. The deeper focus is on the main officers in Lee's army and their relationship with Lee and each other.

The narrative is free flowing and is easy to read without being simplistic. Indeed, while the book is just over 800 pages, I found myself reading several pages on many occasions.

If you are looking for a book about the Confederate side of the Civil War's Eastern Theater, then this is your read! The only gripe I had was the few maps - there could have been more and could have been more detailed. However, there are plenty of books out there on specific engagements that can make up for the difference.

Read and enjoy. Highly recommended!

Nothing Else Compares.......2007-02-02

If this abridgement serves one purpose it will inspire a future historian to seek more knowledge on the subject. The three volume edition was and is read by all who have become the great Civil War writers of today. Here is the story (without the footnotes) of the famous Army of Northern Virginia and it's commander General Robert E. Lee. The story begins a year before Lee would take command and name the army that would take on so much of his character. Each page is filled with the story of a famous campaign, and the battles that resulted. Filtered throughout is each stage of the war in the east and the Confederate commanders that served under "Marse Robert." Jackson, Longstreet, Ewell, Hill (both), Early Alexander, Gordon. They are all here and so many more. You get to read how each leader developes and succeeds or fails and is usured off the stage. In and of it's self this book could be studied as a work on management and leadership. Every aspect of Lee's brillance and his flaws are covered. It is a bitter sweet story. So many of these men die as the story unfolds, and so does the Confederacy in the end. An added plus is you get to read the words written by one of the great authors and historinas in American literary history. Reading Freeman is a must if one is to have an understanding of the eastern theater, and the Army of Northern Virginia. Read the one-volume edition if you must, but a word of warning, you may get hooked and then there is no letting go

Why not go for the real thing?.......2005-09-19

Abridgements of great works in and of themselves are not a bad thing. As I read through this volume I could not but help noticing how poorly it reflected upon Freeman's original three volume work.

Douglas Southall Freeman's Magnum Opus is distorted quite significantly in this abridgement. If you have not read his original work I suppose this volume will suffice. But why settle? I frequently come across the original volumes at used bookstores for around $50-$60.

Mr. Freeman's writing is good literature apart from being great history. Though the original work is dated it still is a magnificient example of historical writing. Mr. Freeman's work is what got me interested in Civil War history.

The Classic Study of the Confederate War Effort.......2004-08-10

Douglas S. Freeman's (1886-1953) "Lee's Lieutenant's: A Study in Command, vol. 3 (first published in 1944 but available in an excellent new edition) is the final volume of his great study of the Army of Northern Virginia. It covers the Army from the Gettysburg Campaign, (June -- July, 1863) through the surrender at Appomatox in April, 1865.

This book is lengthy, (over 700 pages plus appendices) and I initially planned to read only the opening material on Gettysburg (about the first 200 pages) in which I have a special interest. I became fascinated with Freeman's writing and with his approach to the subject and had to finish the volume.

This book complements Freeman's earlier biography of Robert E. Lee, but its focus is on Lee's subordinates. Thus the long section on Gettysburg which opens the book considers in detail the actions and motivations of "Jeb" Stuart, Richard Ewell, and James Longstreet, three of Lee's chief Lieutenants. (A.P. Hill at Gettysburg gets less attention.) I had read materials critical of Freeman's account of Gettysburg before turning to his own writing. Even accepting much of the criticism, I was moved by Freeman's account of the Battle and I think I learned a great deal. Freeman is indeed critical of Longstreet but, in this late work, is much more measured and balanced than I had anticipated.

The book continues with excellent treatments of the War in the Eaastern theater following Gettysburg. Freeman offers eloquent and judicious comments on the importance of this Battle to the Confederate cause. He treats well the Mine Run campaign in the winter of 1863 and the campaign from the Wilderness to Appomatox under General Grant which doomed the Confederacy. Freeman also examines the detachment of James Longstreet's Corps from the Army of Northern Virgina following Gettysburg, and he is critical of Longstreet's leadership while serving in Tennessee.

One of the most important sections of this book is the introduction. In it Freeman gives a statement of his conclusions about the War and about the lessons he believes should be drawn from his study. There is also an excellent biographical prelude covering briefly each of the chief actors in Freeman's story. I found it useful to read the introduction first and return to it upon completing the book to focus on points Freeman was trying to make.

In addition to the treatment of Gettysburg, I found Freeman's treatment of the death of "Jeb" Stuart and his story of the final retreat to Appomatox particularly moving and well done.

Throughout the book, Freeman emphasises the toll combat took on the officer Corps of the Army. Stonewall Jackson's death at Chancellorsville was only the most severe blow to the leadership pool available to the Army. At Gettysburg and throughout the Wilderness Campaign beginning in 1864, the Confederacy lost heavily in gifted and able leaders that it could not adequately replace. The loss of command material, Freeman maintains, was a critical factor in the Confederate defeat.

The book is told almost entirely from the Confederate side of the line with little detailed consideration of the actions of the Union Army. Freeman obviously had a deep devotion to the South and to its cause in the Civil War. His book is still much more a work of history than of apologetics. His judgments of commanders and battles are fair and well stated. Freeman's study remains an indespensable source for understanding our country's greatest conflict.

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.

Shoemaker's Battery: Stuart Horse Artillery, Pelham's Battalion, afterwards commanded by Col. R.P. Chew, Army of Northern Virginia

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Shoemaker's Battery: Stuart Horse Artillery, Pelham's Battalion, afterwards commanded by Col. R.P. Chew, Army of Northern Virginia
John J Shoemaker
Manufacturer: Butternut Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0006Y8MMI

Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861-1865

Average customer rating:

Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in Army of No VA
Nice account of soldier's life...
Great History You Won't Get Anywhere Else!
"Good"

Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861-1865
Eugene McCarthy
Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0803281978

Book Description

This Civil War classic of soldiering in the ranks debunks all the romantic notions of war. Like his Northern counterpart, the Confederate soldier fought against bullets, starvation, miserable weather, disease, and mental strain. But the experience was perhaps even worse for Johnny Reb because of the odds against him. Never as well equipped and provisioned as the Yankee, he nevertheless performed heroically.

Carlton McCarthy, a private in the Army of Northern Virginia, describes the not-always-regular rations, various improvisations in clothing and weaponry, campfire entertainments, the jaunty spirits and the endless maneuvering of the men in gray. Real but forgotten faces are glimpsed momentarily in famous battles, and the tramp of feet on the way to Appomattox is heard. Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life does for the Confederate side what John Billings’s Hardtack and Coffee, also a Bison Book, does for the Northern. David Donald wrote in the New York Herald Tribune that McCarthy’s book, too, was "as fresh, as amusing, and as revealing" as the day it was first published in 1882.

In a new introduction Brian S. Wills considers the book’s niche in Civil War literature.

Customer Reviews:

Detailed Minutiae of Soldier Life in Army of No VA.......2002-06-07

I found the book an easy read. It was informative to find out the day to day life of an average soldier in the Confederacy during the last part of the Civil War. In many ways though I wish the author would have been more specific with details, but I had to remember of the time (1882) in which he wrote. He was really a product of the time, the flowery language shows and I accept this. Still some of the descriptions seemed intentionally vague, as if he was scared at offending some one, or worse yet stirring up old emotions. I would however, recommend it to a person studying the day to day life of a soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia.

Nice account of soldier's life..........2002-02-11

Nicely paced, reader-friendly account of the "minutiae" involved in the life of a Confederate soldier - more specifically, as a member of the Army of Northern Virginia. Along with Billings' Northern perspective as seen in Hardtack and Coffee, these two books tell just about all the "ins and outs" of the tedium and horror of war.

Great History You Won't Get Anywhere Else!.......2000-10-26

A quick, really great read on the everyday life of the Confederate soldier in the War for Southern Independence. The Whats, Whens, Hows, and Whys of the survival of the common man in the Army of Northern Virginia told in a very readable manner. Anyone interested in "the War" shouldn't go without reading this one! Too bad there isn't a hardback!

"Good".......1999-11-10

Worth the time and the money (affordable price) to read about some of the everyday life of a regular Confederate soldier. It's a fairly quick read, and quite interesting.

Lee's Cavalrymen: A History of the Mounted Forces of the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861-1865

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Well researched, in depth look at the cavalry
Story of JEB Stuart's cavalry
Letters, diaries, memoirs of cavalrymen, and more
Lee's Cavalrymen

Lee's Cavalrymen: A History of the Mounted Forces of the Army of Northern Virginia, 1861-1865
Edward G. Longacre
Manufacturer: Stackpole Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0811708985

Book Description

A companion to his previous work, Lincoln's Cavalrymen, this volume focuses on the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia its leadership, the military life of its officers and men as revealed in their diaries and letters, the development of its tactics as the war evolved, and the influence of government policies on its operational abilities. All the major players and battles are involved, including Joseph E. Johnston, P. G. T Beauregard, and J. E. B. Stuart. As evidenced in his previous books, Longacre's painstakingly thorough research will make this volume as indispensable a reference as its predecessor.

Customer Reviews:

Well researched, in depth look at the cavalry.......2006-07-03

I found this book to be very informative and probably essential for anyone interested in understanding the cavalry arm of the ANV.

Story of JEB Stuart's cavalry.......2004-08-28

This book read more like the military biography of JEB Stuart's Civil War career then an actual military history of Confederate cavalry under Robert E. Lee. Most of the book seem to be centered around Stuart's activities. Despite of what the other reviewers wrote, the author appears to be pretty sympathetic toward Stuart, running interference for him during Stuart's less then stellar performance during the Gettysburg campaign for example. In most all cases, the author tries to present JEB Stuart in the best of light. Once Stuart died at Yellow Traven in May 1864, the book come to a rather quick end as the remaining 47 pages dealt with what happened after Stuart's death and surrender of the Army of the Northern Virginia. This entire section get rather a short oversight even although it covers 11 months of the war.

The book I thought was well written and nicely researched. Its readable but I thought its not really for first time reader material. Some background reading should be required before reading this book. But as a military history book on Confederate cavalry of Army of Northern Virginia, I don't think this book rank very highly.

Letters, diaries, memoirs of cavalrymen, and more.......2003-01-11

Lee's Cavalrymen: A History Of The Mounted Forces Of The Army Of Northern Virginia is an exhaustively researched, superbly presented, "reader friendly" study of the southern calvary troops active in the American Civil War, as well as a welcome and complementary volume to Lincoln's Cavalrymen which presented an intense scrutiny of the cavalry units of the North. Drawing upon the results of an extensive study of newspaper archives, calvary-specific dispatches, letters, diaries, and memoirs of cavalrymen, and more, civil war historian Edward G. Longacre effectively utilizes these core source materials to produce his erudite and fascinating discourse, which is very highly recommended reading for Civil War buffs, students, and researchers.

Lee's Cavalrymen.......2002-12-11

An excellent overall study of the cavalry of the Army of Northern Virginia. Told generally in a narrative style, the book provides a solid discussion of and evidence for Confederate cavalry dominance in the earlier part of the war. Specific actions are covered--just about all of them, in fact, which means there isn't necessarily room for a lot of detail about every event. Longacre also includes material on the training and daily life of the cavalry. Disadvantages in weaponry and materiel, as compared to the Federals, also get plenty of time.

Longacre gives a balanced picture of Stuart; it's hard to see how a historian of ANV cavalry could avoid writing about their commander for most of their existence, and Longacre offers both praise and criticism, as well as a couple of insightful points. He's not at all a Stuart partisan; in fact, one gets the feeling he would probably rank Hampton first in tactics.

This book offers a sensible account of the Confederate cavalry at (and not at) Gettysburg, and represents a modification of Longacre's view in his earlier book on the subject. In the earlier book Longacre seemed to accept the viewpoint that Stuart "should have" been present, whereas now, perhaps influenced by *Saber and Scapegoat* (which appears in his bibliography), he takes a more positive view.

Longacre is more original, and perhaps more questionable, when he analyzes the tactics of mounted charges. He claims that ANV troopers wanted to fight mounted, but with revolvers and other firearms rather than sabers, and I wish he had provided more supporting quotes, because I've read plenty of primary sources (Gilmor) where sabers are used with glee. His assertion that sabers were really more effective than firearms at close quarters is interesting, and he goes on to state that mounted charges really were of little use, being more or less outdated and causing high casualties. But did mounted fighting, which took place until the end of the war, actually result in more casualties than attrition, disease among horses and men, or the kind of dismounted fighting cavalrymen sometimes did in the West, where they were ordered to charge breastworks? (history of the 7th TN Cav). I wanted to see more analysis, more numbers and more quotes.

Book Description

This indispensable Civil War reference profiles some 2,300 staff officers in Robert E. Lee's famous Army of Northern Virginia. These men--ordnance officers, engineers, aides-de-camp, and quartermasters, among others--worked at the side of many of the Confederacy's greatest figures, helping to feed and clothe the army, maintain its discipline, and operate its military machinery.

A typical entry includes the officer's full name, the date and place of his birth and death, details of his education and occupation, and a synopsis of his military record. An introduction discusses the role of staff officers in the Confederate army, describes the evolution and importance of individual staff positions, and makes some broad generalizations about the officers' common characteristics. Two appendixes provide a list of more than 3,000 staff officers who served in other armies of the Confederacy and complete rosters of known staff officers of each general in the Army of Northern Virginia.

Synthesizing the contents of thousands of unpublished official documents, Staff Officers in Gray will be of interest to anyone studying the battles, personnel, and organization of the Army of Northern Virginia.

Customer Reviews:

Serious Research.......2003-10-15

The older I get. the more I realize that the only history that really counts is "useable history". Readers want to know how history touches them. They want to know the people, places and ideas close to them. That is a start. Krick gives us a genealogical smorgasbord of the best and brightest young men of the southern states during the Civil War. Do you want to understand the Confederacy? Flip through this book and see that excellent minds served the South as well as the North. This is a deeply researched, unbiased presentation of facts that will help both genealogists and Civil War historians for decades to come.

The Krick family tradition lives on!.......2003-07-03

Bob Krick--the son, not the father--has proven himself a worthy successor to his father. In this extraordinarily useful work, Bob Krick has given us a volume every bit as useful as his father's earlier landmark work, _Lee's Colonels_. In this work, Krick provides us with informative capsule biographies of the many staff officers who played an important role in the Civil War, and photos of many are also provided.

I wish someone would do the Union equivalent to this book.

A New Standard Reference.......2003-06-26

A product of a decade of dedicated research, "Staff Officers in Gray" is an essential reference for historians, genealogists and the "just plain curious" concerning themselves with the Confederate Army. It is not limited to the Army of Northern Virginia, but includes Krick's gleanings from records dealing with other Confederate armies and other generals, as well as several rare illustrations. Excellent introductory essay is itself worth the price of admission. Super.

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