Thomas F. (hardtack) -
I had find hopes for this book, anticipating that it would incorporate some of the latest research that counters numerous historical inaccuracies about many of the generals discussed here. I was disappointed.
The book was very inconsistent. Often the author began his introduction with statements about how important or unimportant the general was. Then he would list a series of facts from that general's career that sometimes contradicted what the author had just written.
There were numerous misleading incorrect statements in the book that lead me to believe the author had either not done his homework or was just repeating false statements that have long since been proven wrong. For example, the author states that most of the officers in the U.S. Army before the war were from the South, and that most of these resigned their commissions when their states left the Union. This is just popular myth. The fact is about only half the officers were from the South and only about half of these resigned their commissions. Good historians have known this for quite some time. Since he used this 'fact' in the chapter about southern-born George Thomas, I would have expected him to have done some reading on how many southerners really left the Army instead on relying on popular mythology.
As the books was published in 2011, I was amazed that the author repeated so many 'facts' that have long since been proven wrong. Either the author rushed the book to print or he has a superficial knowledge of the Civil War.
Since the title of the book includes "Commanders of the Civil War Reconsidered," you would expect the author to be up-to-date on the latest research.
Lastly, I lost count of the number of times the author related the story of the Union soldier finding General Lee's 'lost orders' wrapped around some cigars before the Battle of Antietam. The complete story should have been told once and then just alluded to in all the following chapters.
This volume will not be taking up room in my Civil War library.
The book was very inconsistent. Often the author began his introduction with statements about how important or unimportant the general was. Then he would list a series of facts from that general's career that sometimes contradicted what the author had just written.
There were numerous misleading incorrect statements in the book that lead me to believe the author had either not done his homework or was just repeating false statements that have long since been proven wrong. For example, the author states that most of the officers in the U.S. Army before the war were from the South, and that most of these resigned their commissions when their states left the Union. This is just popular myth. The fact is about only half the officers were from the South and only about half of these resigned their commissions. Good historians have known this for quite some time. Since he used this 'fact' in the chapter about southern-born George Thomas, I would have expected him to have done some reading on how many southerners really left the Army instead on relying on popular mythology.
As the books was published in 2011, I was amazed that the author repeated so many 'facts' that have long since been proven wrong. Either the author rushed the book to print or he has a superficial knowledge of the Civil War.
Since the title of the book includes "Commanders of the Civil War Reconsidered," you would expect the author to be up-to-date on the latest research.
Lastly, I lost count of the number of times the author related the story of the Union soldier finding General Lee's 'lost orders' wrapped around some cigars before the Battle of Antietam. The complete story should have been told once and then just alluded to in all the following chapters.
This volume will not be taking up room in my Civil War library.
