Compendium of the Confederate Armies: Tennessee

Book Description

This work is intended to be the companion set to Frederick H. Dyer's Compendium of the War of the Rebellion for the Confederacy. Civil War historians and genealogists with ties to Tennessee will want to own this volume that details the activities of Tennessee's units in the Confederacy. Chapters are included for artillery, cavalry and infantry units that are broken down by size: battalions, batteries, companies and regiments, as well as any other special designations such as Militia, State Troops and Volunteers. Entries include (as available) the name of the unit and any nicknames or other mistaken designations; a summary of the unit's organizational details: its date and location of organization, mustering into service, the number of companies for battalion organizations, armament for artillery batteries, surrenders, paroles, exchanges and disbandment or mustering out; the first commanding officer and an alphabetical listing of the other field-grade officers; the brigade and higher-level command assignments of the unit; a listing of the battles and campaigns the unit engaged in; and suggested further reading. A bibliography, a "Battle Index," and a "Name Index" further enhance this excellent resource.

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Great insight from the common solider
A Respectable Piece of Civil War Literature
War is Hell, but it's also awfully bureaucratic
Indespensible for the re-enactor
Great insight to a Private Soldier's Civil War

Company Aytch
Samuel R. Watkins , and M. Thomas Inge
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0452281245

Book Description

"Company Aytch is one of my favorite Civil War books, ever."--Ken Burns

Among the plethora of books about the Civil War Company Aytch stands out for its uniquely personal view of the events as related by a most engaging writer--a man with Twain-like talents who served as a foot soldier for four long years in the Confederate army. Originally published in 1881 as a series of articles in the Columbia, Tennessee, Herald, Sam Watkins's account has long been recognized by historians as one of the most lively and witty accounts of the war. Parallels between this text and The Red Badge of Courage suggest that Stephen Crane was also among Private Watkins's readers.

This edition of Company Aytch also contains six previously uncollected articles by Sam Watkins, plus other valuable supplementary materials, including a map and period illustrations, a glossary of technical and military terms, a chronology of events, a concise history of Watkins's regiment, a biographical directory of individuals mentioned in the narrative, and geographic and topical indexes. This new edition of a Civil War classic is bound to become the edition of choice for students, military buffs, and general readers alike.

Customer Reviews:

Great insight from the common solider.......2007-09-30

While this book is not for the beginner Civil War reader it is a must have for those that want to understand just how it must have been. Along with "All for the Union" "Bayonet's forward" and other Company level collections.

This is an editted version and has cleaned up some of the grammer and errors per the author.

Further the text presumes that the reader knows what is going on and makes scant reference to the common names for the battles he fought in or other forms of reference, hence the not for the casual reader comment earlier.

A Respectable Piece of Civil War Literature.......2007-03-27

This book was written by a Confederate private who served in the Army of Tennessee for nearly the entirety of the Civil War. Published in serial form after the war (one reviewer suggested that his material was written during the war, such as a diary would have been; however, that reviewer is simply incorrect, and the distinction is important enough to warrant mention) and then in book form in 1880, this memoir of civil war experiences from a private's perspective is priceless in terms of primary source material. Watkins is frank and unapologetic, a quality that provides the historian with unique material in terms of dealing with the sentiments that the non-elite confederates often held.

Watkin's candor is probably the most important feature of this work. His hatred of Yankees and often equally strong hatred of some of the Confederate command suggests an individual who probably defies current simple notions of Yankee/Rebel mentality. Watkins is often witty, especially when reflecting upon feelings that we would now understand as being imbedded in "class struggle". Of course, Watkin's frankness extends to his views of blacks and slaves, illuminating an individual who was both racist and yet not in the generally held stereotypical manner.

I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand the Confederate experience from the perspective of the non-elitist point of view. This book would be great for a high school curriculum covering the Civil War era, and would also be a good part of any similar college-level syllabus. This is a relatively quick read (especially when compared to such works as "Mary Chesnut's Civil War" or "The Diary of Edmund Ruffin"), which makes it ideal for those just beginning their exposure to the Civil War or more specifically to the Confederate experience.

War is Hell, but it's also awfully bureaucratic.......2006-03-23

Company Aytch may not be unique in the annals of war books, but it is certainly unusual. Plenty of soldiers have kept journals of their war days, and plenty of historians have quilted together pretty vivid accounts of various wars from such journals. I haven't read Thucydides multi-volume account of the Peloponnesian war, but based on excerpts his works come to mind, perhaps because like Company Aytch it was also written during a horrible civil war. Thucydides was a general, though, and Watkins was a foot soldier, and thus he gives us the terror, tedium, and even humor of war through the eyes of everyman. The sheer horror of "The Elephant" as the southerners called the battle, comes through even though the unblinking eye of the veteran of many campaigns has grown used to it. My uncle once told me you could get used to hanging if you did it long enough, and I suppose that happened a bit to these battle-hardened men, but still the process is fascinating, and for good or ill, we are also spared vivid descriptions of the worst of the horrors, even though at Franklin and other places he encountered them aplenty.
Because it is a ground up view, one rarely gets the big picture, and thus this book alone would not come close to giving you a War Between the States overview. It also somehow feels contemporary, as the intelligence and wit of the author caught up in the machinery and beauracracy of war between governments is something that rings a bell with us in the modern world.
As a supplement I would highly recommend it. In fact I'm not sure that any in depth study of the Civil War would be complete without it.

Indespensible for the re-enactor.......2005-04-26

I was introduced to this masterpiece a few years back when I was a novice to re-enacting and I wanted to know more about the soldier's experience. It is a true treasure-trove of information regarding the frontline experiences of a Confederate soldier.

Watkins gently takes the reader by the hand and leads them through the horrors of day to day life in the Army of Tennessee (and even in the Army of Northern Virginia for a small portion of the book). The nightmare of their day-to-day existence is softened by Watkins' gentle humor, making the journey a wonderful read. True, there are some 'politically incorrect' passages relating to his opinions on slavery, African-Americans in general, and even regarding the Confederate hiearchy (if you're a dyed-in-the-wool Confederate, your feathers may get ruffled a bit), but remember: this is the first person account of a man who was there. There was no Civil Rights March in Waktins' day, only a Civil War.

If you are a re-enactor of the War Between the States, this book is a must for you. IF you're not, this is still one of the best (i.e.: most entertaining) books on the subject of the Army of Tennessee. Enjoy!

Great insight to a Private Soldier's Civil War.......2004-01-19

This is a first-hand account of Civil War life and battles as exprienced by a private in the C.S.A. Army, Sam Watkins. Watkins explains throughout that he is NOT a historian nor should his writings ever be considered history. But, if you want to know what went on in the minds of those young men, then this is a must read. I bought this one after browsing through a friend's book, Company Aytch by Sam Watkins, and I recommend this one as it does contain additional writings (sketches) by Watkins as well as a glossary of definitions, which I found necessary. Thomas Ingle does not edit nor rewite Watkin's writings but simply includes additional material. Also, this edition has been fixed of all previous typos.

Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861-1865

Average customer rating:

A functional Union army. Can you believe it?
Excellent! Not just another retelling of the history of the Army of the Tennessee.
A great history of the Army of the Tennessee as told by the men who served in it.
Heart and Soul of the Union Army
First-Rate Military History From the Ground Up

Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861-1865
Steven E. Woodworth
Manufacturer: Knopf
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

ASIN: 0375412182
Release Date: 2005-10-25

Book Description

In this first full consideration of the remarkable Union army that effectively won the Civil War, historian Steven Woodworth tells the engrossing story of its victory by drawing on letters, diaries, and newspaper accounts of the time.

The Army of the Tennessee operated in the Mississippi River Valley through the first half of the Civil War, winning major victories at the Confederate strongholds of Fort Henry and Fort Donelson, Shiloh, and Vicksburg. The army was created at Cairo, Illinois, in the summer of 1861 and took shape under the firm hand of Ulysses S. Grant, who molded it into a hard-hitting, self-reliant fighting machine. Woodworth takes us to its winter 1863 encampment in the Louisiana swamps, where the soldiers suffered disease, hardship, and thousands of deaths. And we see how the force emerged from that experience even tougher and more aggressive than before. With the decisive victory at Vicksburg, the Army of the Tennessee had taken control of the Mississippi away from the Confederates and could swing east to aid other Union troops in a grand rolling up of Rebel defenses. It did so with a confidence born of repeated success, even against numerical odds, leading one of its soldiers to remark that he and his comrades expected “nothing but victory.”

The Army of the Tennessee contributed to the Union triumph at Chattanooga in the fall of 1863 and then became part of William Tecumseh Sherman’s combined force in the following summer’s march to Atlanta. In the complicated maneuvering of that campaign, Sherman referred to the army as his whiplash and used it whenever fast marching and arduous fighting were especially needed. Just outside Atlanta, it absorbed the Confederacy’s heaviest counterblow and experienced its hardest single day of combat. Thereafter, it continued as part of Sherman’s corps in his March to the Sea and his campaign through the Carolinas.

The story of this army is one of perseverance in the face of difficulty, courage amid severe trials, resolute lessons in fighting taught by equally courageous foes, and the determination of a generation of young men to see a righteous cause all the way through to victory.

Nothing but Victory is an important addition to the literature of the Civil War.

Customer Reviews:

A functional Union army. Can you believe it?.......2007-04-26

Any reading of U.S. Civil war history, especially if approached from the Union perspective, usually casts the casual student of the conflict by default into the ranks of the Army of the Potomac, which had a roster of army and corps commanders that, until Grant took overall command in 1863, ensured dysfunctionality. (See the enlightening volume by Stephen Taaffe, Commanding the Army of the Potomac (Modern War Studies), and my review of it dated 3/2/07.) Thus, it was somewhat refreshing to read NOTHING BUT VICTORY: THE ARMY OF THE TENNESSEE, 1861-1865.

This book is a weighty tome at 641 pages. It begins in April 1861 by sampling the experience of several units as they formed up in the then northwestern states (today's Midwest), including the very first company to rally round the flag, the Springfield Grays, which was to be incorporated into the 7th Illinois. These regiments from Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Missouri, and Minnesota were to ultimately evolve into the Army of the Tennessee (AoT).

The history of the AoT is inseparable from that of Ulysses Grant, who made it the consistently successful fighting machine it became. Indeed, the AoT had the best combat record of any Union army in the war. Brigadier General Grant took control of the military District of Cairo and its embryonic fighting force - not yet designated an "Army" - in December 1861, and soon thereafter achieved his first victories at Forts Henry and Donelson. Promoted to Major General in February 1862, he won the gritty two-day slugfest at Shiloh with an upgraded command, the Army of West Tennessee. Then, as commander of the newly inaugurated Army of Tennessee, Grant won the battles associated with the Vicksburg campaign (Port Gibson, Jackson, and Champion's Hill), as well as taking the surrender of Vicksburg itself, in July 1863.

After Vicksburg, Grant was promoted two rungs, eventually to become the commander of all Federal armies and the first U.S. Lieutenant General since George Washington. In the meantime, Major General William Sherman took over the AoT to assault Missionary Ridge at Chattanooga, TN, and raid Meridian, MS. Then, when Sherman led an army group through Georgia to the Atlantic and north through the Carolinas, the AoT was commanded by Major General James McPherson during its approach to Atlanta, Major General Oliver Howard during the burning of Atlanta and the March to the Sea and northward, and, finally, Major General John Logan from the end of the war to the army's disbandment on August 1, 1865.

The Army of the Tennessee, for all intents and purposes, knew nothing but victory. If the AoT can be considered the hammer to the Army of the Potomac's anvil, President Lincoln was failed by the latter, at least until Grant became head blacksmith. The AoT, however, sustained Union morale with victories in its darkest hours. It can, perhaps, be argued that the AoT won the war.

Steven Woodworth's NOTHING BUT VICTORY is an eminently readable and prodigiously researched summation of the AoT's campaigns that, for the casual student, could rate as many as five stars. It includes two adequate but somewhat haphazard photo sections, primarily of the AoT's general officers. However, there's only one map in the book - that of the AoT's theater of operations (Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina). There are no battlefield maps. Not even the most rudimentary. None. Nada. Zip. In a work of this scope, into which the author apparently put a lot of time and effort, this is an egregious deficiency that almost compelled me to award but three stars instead of four before my sense of fair play prevailed over petulant annoyance. The missing maps aside, NOTHING BUT VICTORY is an engaging and instructive read. (If you want the perfect Civil War, non-fiction battle narrative, obtain Timothy Smith's Champion Hill: Decisive Battle for Vicksburg, and read my review of it dated 6/27/06.)

Why was the AoT so successful compared to its Eastern counterpart, the Army of the Potomac (AoP)? Some might argue that the former never faced General Robert Lee. However, I tend to think that it was the latter's proximity to Washington, D.C. that proved its albatross. Not only were the national government's leaders close enough to easily meddle, but the jockeying for prominence so close to the seat of Federal power encouraged incessant back-biting among the AoP's corps commanders. Moreover, the War Office constantly demanded that the AoP remain positioned between Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and the U.S. capital for the protection of the latter. The importance given to the city as a perceived military objective for the rebel army perhaps conversely made Richmond a greater objective than it should have been to Major General George McClellan when he commanded the AoP and embarked on the Peninsula Campaign. As Grant insisted when arrived on scene to set things aright, Lee's army was the objective, not the Confederate capital. And so it proved to be in 1865. Meanwhile, the Army of the Tennessee remained relatively unfettered by such concerns and got on with the business at hand.

Excellent! Not just another retelling of the history of the Army of the Tennessee. .......2007-01-13

With Nothing but Victory: The Army of the Tennessee, 1861-1865 Dr. Steven E. Woodworth continues showing he is an excellent writer. This is a long book, 641 pages. It took me about thirty two days to read it. Woodworth's writing is a refreshing, narrative style. His goal of giving attention to all levels of the army from private to general was accomplished. The thoughts, actions, and attitudes of the soldier he sought to communicate rang clear in his writing.

My undergraduate degree in history included course work in US Military History, Antebellum History, Civil War and Reconstruction History. I am well read in the area of personal memoirs and definitive biographies of key persons in the US Civil War. My point in sharing my background is this - Dr. Woodworth certainly heavily leaned on the Personal Memoirs of US Grant. I had read that book recently so it was very fresh in my memory. It would have been interesting to see more sources from the southern soldiers who fought the Army of the Tennessee. In some battles I found that some of the other Union Armies' contributions or lack of contribution were not covered in the detail I would have enjoyed. I believe this is a definitive work on the Civil War in the west.

With the above opinion stated, I still strongly recommend the book and will read it again. Steven Woodworth's writing style is so enjoyable that I fear academic historians may be jealous of him as has happened with other best selling historians.

The story of how the army develops is shared with many sources. I was distracted initially by all the footnoting, but after a while ignored most unless I was curious about the statement. It was interesting to learn of the training of the soldiers and the logistical skills of the leadership - Grant and Sherman.

Some may think there is too much focus on General Grant prior to his promotion in March of 1864. Grant was such a key figure that the coverage is merited. At times the author seems like a Grant apologist.

I found the treatment of General Henry Halleck's leadership role over Grant enlightening. I was previously unaware of General John A. McClernand and his never ending politicking and rumor spreading. Seeing the roles of generals like Dodge, Hampton, McPherson and Logan sowed the seeds for further reading on some of these men.

The narrative made feel like I was there with the army as they moved from Cairo to Fort Henry and Fort Donaldson, to Shiloh, to Corinth, to Vicksburg and that whole complex campaign including Port Gibson, Jackson, Champions Hill, Vicksburg and Meridian.

The battles around Chickamauga and Chattanooga were as clearly explained as I have every read. The coverage of the Atlanta campaign and movement through Georgia were excellent. There were had points of view and information I have not encountered. I twice have lived in Georgia (mid 1970's as a new second lieutenant and early 1980's fresh with Master's in hand living in Atlanta). I was always amazed at how Georgia natives acted as if Atlanta fell last week and the foraging was still happening. His narrative on the march across Georgia was enlightening. Woodworth's account of the movement from Savannah through South Carolina is rich in detail that rivals any other resources known. We understand why South Carolina was divested by the Sherman's army. Then the march through North Carolina, the way Logan keeps Raleigh from being burned and then ultimate the movement to Washington, DC and the May 24th pass in review was well done.

I did not find just another retelling of the history of the Army of the Tennessee. I found a fun narrative written by a good story teller. Thank goodness this is not just another lengthy, dry historical paper. History can be well written and interesting. He made it interesting by sharing the soldier's thoughts, emotions, and victories through the liberal use of diaries. We learned the heart of the Army of the Tennessee. We understand why and how it fought and how it developed esprit de corps.

I recommend adding this book to every library of those with an interest in the US Civil War.

Read and reviewed by Jimmie A. Kepler.

A great history of the Army of the Tennessee as told by the men who served in it........2007-01-06

Dr. Woodworth has created a long, but masterful work on the Army of the Tennessee, which is long overdue. His use of primary source documentation, particularly letters, lends credit to his work. While many may be expecting a bland organizational look at the army with a lot of maps, Dr. Woodworth instead uses the writings of soldiers to paint a wonderful history of the men in the army from its formation through the war. While a reader may be expecting a lot of maps, page space is better utilized for telling the story, where maps can be found in good Civil War atlases. Though long, it is easy to read and should be on the shelf of any Civil War historian's library.

Heart and Soul of the Union Army.......2006-12-24

"My goal has been to present a narrative of the army with attention to all levels, from that of commanding general all the way down to the newest recruit. It was the common soldiers that interested me most, and I have endeavored to convey the flavor of their thoughts, attitudes, and actions throughout this account."(P.xi) It is with these words, Dr. Woodworth embarked upon a noble and difficult path to tell the story of one of the American Civil War's most victorious and storied armies. Through exhaustive research and painstaking detail, Woodworth brought the Army of the Tennessee to life. His story begins with the development of the army. In doing so Woodworth drew upon copious sources including letters, diaries, and newspapers especially the National Tribune. By doing so, various recruits, regiments, leaders and even mascots were followed which did much to develop the story. As the Army of the Tennessee came into its own, Woodworth built a case for how important training and military life in general was for its leaders and recruits.

Woodworth demonstrated how the Army of the Tennessee's commanding General Ulysses S. Grant was its driving force and the Army of the Tennessee his mirror image. From Belmont to Vicksburg and Missionary Ridge, the reader moved along with the army through the many battles. Grant is examined as he struggled through each problem with General Henry W. Halleck, his frustrations with political generals such as John A. McClernand, and the never-ending rumors of his supposed drinking. After Missionary Ridge, President Lincoln finally realized that he had the General he needed in Grant. Grant became General-in-Chief and would command from the Eastern Theater. It was at this point that his friend and trusted subordinate, General William T. Sherman, took control of the Army of the Tennessee.

From this point, Woodworth followed the army through the Atlanta Campaign. His detail throughout the constant fighting from the area around Dalton to the last major battle of the campaign at Jonesboro was impeccable giving the reader an excellent account of the Union soldier's viewpoints and thoughts along with Sherman's military strategy. From Atlanta, Woodworth took the reader on a compelling journey through Georgia and the Carolinas for what would be known as the March to the Sea. Although there are numerous secondary sources on this march, Woodworth's vivid account is rich in detail that rivals any other resources known.

Within these 641 pages the reader will not find just another rehash of the history of the Army of the Tennessee. Instead, Woodworth has proven himself to be a master story- teller and Historian. Within these pages the reader is taken into the soldiers thoughts, emotions, and victories, in essence, the very heart of the Army of the Tennessee including why it fought, how it fought and how it forged an invincible attitude. Noteworthy were the vivid accounts of the many battles that were explained in great detail that never got bogged down by rabbit trailing off into other areas. Battles such as Iuka, Atlanta and Champion Hill were just a few that were rich in detail with incredible firsthand accounts that kept the reader's interest and made this a work hard to put down. Woodworth's goals for this work were definitely achieved. For those looking for an exhaustively researched, hard hitting, battle tested narrative on a Union army that reaches deep into the heart and soul of the soldier and the Union itself, you will find that this book lives up to its name.

First-Rate Military History From the Ground Up.......2006-07-15

I always recall how my college Civil War professor argued that the Civil War was really won in the West. Steven E. Woodworth obviously agrees, and his latest book, Nothing But Victory (which cites some of my professor's earlier books) arguably presents the best history yet of the Union army that defeated the Confederacy in the West--the Army of the Tennessee.

Rightfully abandoning an out-dated operational "maps and arrows" approach to military history, in Nothing But Victory Woodworth ambitiously attempts to do for the Army of the Tennessee what Bruce Catton did for the Army of the Potomac. Make no mistake about it---this is a first-rate, military history that will appeal to both experts and laymen alike. Using the same modern "from the ground up" approach to writing military history popularized by Bruce Catton and John Keegan, Woodworth masterfully weaves traditional accounts of the army's battles, excerpts from its officers' biographies, quotes from the army's common soldiers, and little asides about everything from the local weather conditions and officers' political rivalries to the army's mascots, in a fascinating and highly readable narrative.

As with the rest of his books, the writing is superb. A well-established Civil War author and historian, Woodworth has clearly mastered the art of telling a good story, replete with heroes and villains, human shortcomings and conflict, and ultimate moral meaning. He also has an instructor's gift for depicting the most complex battlefield events and geographical information in an entertaining and easy to understand manner. I'm a huge military history buff myself, and I thought the book included some of the most realistic Civil War battlefield accounts I've ever seen in print. Bottom line: this is by far the best volume yet on the Union army that won the war in the West. It should appeal to both experts and laymen alike, and especially those interested in learning more about the decisive but often overlooked battles of the Western Theater.

Army of the Heartland: The Army of Tennessee, 1861-1862

Average customer rating:

Good text, atrocious maps
Definitive book on early war in Tennessee
The best book on the AOT

Army of the Heartland: The Army of Tennessee, 1861-1862
Thomas Lawrence Connelly
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080712737X

Book Description

"Invaluable, a book that every student of the Civil War should own and read carefully."-Grady McWhiney, MILITARY AFFAIRS REVIEW

Customer Reviews:

Good text, atrocious maps.......2004-06-22

Connelly has a low opinion of almost every general in the Army of Tennessee. They can't do much right as far as he's concerned. In this, I think he overdoes it. And I think he's somewhat to hard on Braxton Bragg, and not hard enough on Leonidas Polk.

Still, he's basically correct that the Army of Tennessee went from failure to failure, and that most of that failure was because of the high command. Connelly describes things pretty well here.

But don't expect the maps to be of the least use. I've seldom seen worse. The ones where maps of the same area of Kentucky show roads vanishing and appearing are particularly bad, but none are good.

Still, definitely worth reading.

Definitive book on early war in Tennessee.......2002-12-19

Connelly wrote this excellent account of the first year of the Army of the Tennessee from the viewpoint of the high command and it is a very thorough and pretty damning one. Starting with the Tennessee militia, then on to Forts Henry and Donelson, then on to the surprise counterattacks at Shiloh and Corinth and Bragg's remarkable but pointless invasion of Kentucky in the fall of 1862, Connelly relentlessly describes and criticises the actions or inactions of the generals and shows how most of Tennessee was lost to the Union in a few months at comparitively little cost through the sheer incompetence of the Southern generalship. Polk, Floyd, Pillow, Albert Sidney Johnston, Beauregard, Kirby Smith, Van Dorn, Bragg, and especially Jefferson Davis all receive lashings at the hands of this historian, whose research and conclusions are impeccable and damn near irrefutable.

On the downside, the maps in this book are atrocious (but usable)and sometimes Connelly is rather ignorant about the Union Army. By staying in the command tent, Connelly ignores the story of the common soldier. The biggest flaw is that Connelly is so fierce in his criticisms of the Confederate high command that I found it hard to believe they did ANYTHING right.

The best book on the AOT.......2001-01-08

Although Connelly wrote this book in the 1960s it remains the top book about the Army of Tennessee in 1861 and 1862. Much of this book deals with the formation of the army largely from the state army/militia of Tennessee, characters who helped form the army like Governor Isham Harris, and early leaders of the army such as Polk, A.S. Johnston, Bragg, E.K. Smith, and others. The book also delves into the strategies, policies, and politics of the army and the army's dealings with the Confederate government and President Jefferson Davis. Connelly also discsses topics that deal with the ineptitude of some early AOT leaders. Much of the discussion centers on these topics, but there is also discussion of early battles such as Shiloh, Richmond (KY), and Perrysville. I believe the second volume of Connelly's work on the AOT (Autumn of Glory) is superior to Army of the Heartland, but this is still a well-written, informative, and interesting look at the formation of the Confederacy's largest army in the Western Theater. It is not a surprise this book, and Autumn of Glory, was named one of the 100 essential Civil War titles by Civil War magazine.

Average customer rating:

Dated, but highly readable history of AOT
60+ years Old.
Enjoyable History of the AOT
Nice introductory survey of AOT...
An oldie but goodie for Civil War historical students

The Army of Tennessee
Stanley Fitzgerald Horn
Manufacturer: University of Oklahoma Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0806125659

Customer Reviews:

Dated, but highly readable history of AOT.......2007-05-18

Stanley F. Horn's book was first published in 1941, but it still remains a key tool on learning about the Confederacy's tragic, "other" army. Although Lee's Army of Northern Virginia gets most of the press, the stories involving the Confederacy's other major army are just as compelling. And that is the key feature of Horn's book. His writing style is very compelling in its own right and will keep you turning the pages. And, surprisingly, as another reviewer pointed out, despite being a Nashville native, Horn's book is not full of Lost Cause mythology and excuses like some other books of this time period. What you get from Horn is the facts and certainly his opinion. If you are a fan of Braxton Bragg or John Bell Hood you might want to skip this book because Horn is not afraid on heaping blame on them. To his credit, though, Horn praises Bragg and Hood when he feels it is due (mostly for ideas they had as opposed to their execution of said plans). While Thomas Lawrence Connelly's two volume work on the AOT from the 1970s has surpassed Horn's for an academic, scholarly look at the Army, Horn's book still deserves a place on your shelf for its readability and stories from the command tent down to the privates.

60+ years Old........2004-02-03

I like reading some of the older books written on various aspects of the Civil War. Stan Horn's book is often quoted in many of the bibliographies of more recent vintage. Despite its age, it remains a key work on the Confederacy's war plans in its Central theater of operations. It is remarkably devoid of Confederate excuses.

The book focuses on the performance of the Army of Tennessee and Horn places the blame for its poor performance where it belongs, on the Confederacy's High Command. He does an unusually good job with the bickering that occurred in key command positions, analyzes Jeff Davis' curious support for Braxton Bragg and lays the blame for this Army's ultimate destruction under John Bell Hood where it belongs, at the feet of Jeff Davis.

Well written and researched, it is a book well worth the time.

Enjoyable History of the AOT.......2003-09-24

I decided to read Horn's Army of Tennessee because it is cited repeatedly in the notes of Hattaway and Jones' How the North Won, and I was intrigued that Horn had written it more than 60 years ago. Its leitmotif is one of valorous, dedicated rank-and-file and competent corps-level commanders misled by bickering, indecisive command from on high. Davis, the two Johnstons, Beauregard, Bragg and Hood are held culpable to varying degrees.

The PC crowd may take exception to N.B. Forrest being esteemed by Horn, with no mention of Forrest's action at Fort Pillow.

Get the book. Read and enjoy it. Ignore the fact that it's not written for the academic crowd or war-gamers who need to know where each division, brigade, regiment and company were every second of every battle.

Nice introductory survey of AOT..........2003-04-30

Although written 50+ years ago, this offering by Horn give a nice survey of this unit. A splendid look at actions in Missouri and Arkansas sets the stage for further accounts of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson and the usual litany of the AOT theatres of battle.
I found the text very reader friendly, although a few more maps would have been helpful. This edition's use of large-style print was also a treat. His discourse on some key military personalities is very interesting - especially his take on Sherman. I never "saw" Cump Sherman viewed with these insights before! A new intro/preface brings the reader up-to-speed on the current literature concerning the Army of Tennessee to offer the reader a more modern take on exploits of A. S. Johnston, Bishop Polk, Bragg and Hood. An excellent starting point for future in-depth study.

An oldie but goodie for Civil War historical students.......1998-12-02

I still find this book useful, despite the sources that have been discovered or reinterpreted since Horn wrote his book. He blends anecdotal information with larger views on strategy and poltical conflicts. The story of the Army of Tennessee is still a story that remains largely untold, and Horn tells it very well.

Richard S. Ewell: A Soldier's Life (Civil War America)

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A Complete Look At Ewell: Modest but Dutiful Soldier
Are you sure Robert K. Krick read this?
Ewell gets his turn in the spotlight...
An Excellent Read!
This is a fine biography of confederate Gen. Richard S.Ewell

Richard S. Ewell: A Soldier's Life (Civil War America)
Donald C. Pfanz
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 080785817X

Amazon.com

Confederate general Richard Ewell has never received the attention he deserves, according to his biographer Donald C. Pfanz. Ewell's many impressive military achievements have gone largely unnoticed, and his few failures--among them arguably blowing an opportunity to turn Gettysburg into a Southern victory--have often served as reasons to blame Confederate losses on anybody but its more revered generals, such as Robert E. Lee. Ewell's greatest accomplishment, suggests Pfanz, was leading third-rate troops in defense of Petersburg when Federal soldiers broke through at Fort Harrison. "Had [Stonewall] Jackson been in charge rather than Ewell, historians would have touted the battle as a military masterpiece. But ... the episode was forgotten. Historians have all but ignored it since." Despite such assessments, Richard S. Ewell: A Soldier's Life is no hagiography; Pfanz cites shortcomings in both Ewell's personality (bad temper) and judgment (at Spotsylvania, for instance). Still, this book is mainly a robust defense of a second-tier general who deserves better than what he's received from other historians.

Book Description

General Richard Stoddert Ewell holds a unique place in the history of the Army of Northern Virginia. For four months Ewell was Stonewall Jackson's most trusted subordinate; when Jackson died, Ewell took command of the Second Corps, leading it at Gettysburg, the Wilderness, and Spotsylvania Court House.

In this biography, Donald Pfanz presents the most detailed portrait yet of the man sometimes referred to as Stonewall Jackson's right arm. Drawing on a rich array of previously untapped original source materials, Pfanz concludes that Ewell was a highly competent general, whose successes on the battlefield far outweighed his failures.

Customer Reviews:

A Complete Look At Ewell: Modest but Dutiful Soldier .......2006-07-07

This is a refreshing and informative look at Richard Ewell, before, after and of course during the Civil War. Often described as a failure after succeeding Jackson and becoming leader of the Lee's new 2nd Corp, Ewell has suffered severe criticism for the first day of Gettysburg and for his emotional response to the breach at Spotsylvania. Pfanz provides a fair and colorful look at the dependable soldier that fought the second half of the war with a wooden leg and overall served much better than superficial history would lead you to believe. Pfanz profiles Ewell's early life efficiently noting that Ewell's family as a whole were eccentric and Ewell himself a very thin and balding man who spoke with a lisp. Although lacking in military forbearance, Ewell completes West Point and serves gallantly as a dragoon officer in the west occasionally fighting Indians with high praise. Pfanz provides a full perspective of Ewell as a brave soldier who initially though Jackson crazy and in a rather amusing historical telling, Pfanz describes how at one point several generals in Jackson's command think each other unbalanced. As Pfanz describes, Ewell fights extremely well for Jackson particularly at Cross Keys and at Winchester. Although literally pegged as an officer that follows explicit orders, Pfanz clarifies that Ewell fought extraordinary well particularly in the initial stages of the Gettysburg campaign in capturing Winchester and marching virtually to Harrisonburg. He also fought brilliantly at the Wilderness and for the most part at Spotsylvania. As Pfanz notes, Ewell saved Richmond during Butler's great onslaught attack in the fall of 1864, which is a little appreciated fact. After Butler captured Fort Harrison his attack is stymied by Ewell who masks his small force by using the woods to limit the view of his small defiant band. Richard Sommer's writes of this wonderfully in his book "Richmond Reeemed". Pfanz notes Ewell's one quality that may have not worked in his favor; he frequently asked the opinions of others in contrast to Jubal Early who frequently gave opinions. At Gettysburg, Lee's directives were not precise to Ewell who contended with his July 1 victory with rounding up 5,000 union prisoners, waiting for Johnson's division along with a report of union troops appearing on his left flank. On top of that, Early would not support an attack on Cemetery or Culp's Hill. Nor would Early support shifting Ewell's corps to the right to pull the lines together as Lee wished. Pfanz notes that communication failures appear to be the biggest command problem at Gettysburg along with a lack of forceful leadership from Lee along with the union's will to fight. Ewell also suffers a slight from Gordon, whose self serving personal history make him a questionable source, stung Ewell in Lee's eyes as Gordon relates how Ewell virtually squandered a surprise attack on the union right. Acting judiciously, Ewell orders the attack but may have looked inept to Lee after his brilliant attack and defense in the Wilderness. The almost humorous episode of Ewell trying to stop retreating soldiers at Spotsylvania, cussing at them and slapping them on the back with his sword appears too much for Lee and Ewell's ill advised attack that was suppose to be more reconnaissance in nature virtually keys Lee's decision to replace Ewell with Early when Ewell is momentarily ill. Unfortunately, Ewell's romance with his old flame and new bride caused a huge negative reaction with his staff particularly when she intervened with staff activities and her husband's time raising doubts about his focus. Pfanz provides fascinating detail on the correspondence between Ewell and Lee where Ewell sadly tries to return to command while Lee gently tries to tell him he is not needed at the front. Ewell finishes his confederate career in charge of the Richmond defenses finishing the war on the road to Appomattox at Saylers Creek when he is cut off and alone with Anderson's division. Pretty amazing story after the war that the man missing a leg, with several horses shot out from under him, and two horses roll over him, survives to live a life as a vigorous business man. Ewell was a modest man who, unlike Longstreet, died before Jubal Early rewrote his version of confederate history.

Are you sure Robert K. Krick read this?.......2005-10-31

I disagree with a line written by Mr. Pfanz in his biography of Ewell.
On page 326 of the book he discusses the failure of General Robert Rodes to attack Cemetery Hill the evening of July 2.This has been discussed in every book I have read on Gettysburg. However, Mr Pfanz has decided to put his own spin on an old subject. He states "he(Rodes) tried to deflect his failure onto his subordinate Stephen D. Ramseur." This is the first accusation of disloyalty and pettiness that I have ever read of General Rodes.
I would ask the reader to check Rode's Official Report on the battle and try to discern how Mr. Pfanz could have come to the conclusion that the General was guilty of something so dishonorable.
Too bad Rodes is not here to defend himself. It is easy to malign the dead.

Pleasant reading but nothing really new on Ewell- a kind,brave and generous man who was very good at being a general until he was so severely wounded at Groveton.

Ewell gets his turn in the spotlight..........2002-04-13

Pfanz offers a most credible account of the life and times of one of the "lesser" lights of the Confederate pantheon. While indeed "Baldy Dick" lacks the nobility of Genl Lee or the exciting eccentricity of Thom Jackson, this offering serves the good general well. I found the author pretty balanced in his recitation of Ewell's trials and tribulation, be it in the realm of military action or his personal life. While this text is 500+ pages of small print, those with a particular interest in Confederate military lore will appreciate author Pfanz's efforts to bring Richard Stoddert Ewell to life...

An Excellent Read!.......2001-11-09

Gen. Richard Ewell. A figure from history that has been all but ignored until now. While many blame Ewell for the loss at Gettysburg, One finds a different side of the story. The reading flows smoothly. I have really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know Gen.Richard Ewell. The author expolores his background as a Dragoon, fighting Indians and his faithful service to the Confederacy. Also mentioned is his conversion to Christainity as a result of his rubbing elbows with Stonewall Jackson. I suggest you add this book to your library!

This is a fine biography of confederate Gen. Richard S.Ewell.......1998-07-18

There are three impressive aspects of this work. First, it is quite readable. The battle scenes and other events are as lively as a full color film. The historic characters are full dimensional figures who inhabit the book rather than being referred to. Even minor Ewell family members are brought to life realistically.

Second, the terrain is imaginatively and graphically depicted. The author has a real sense of the places and the climate of the times. This is also supported by good made-to-order maps of important locales.

Third, practically every assertion in the book is backed up by solid primary and secondary historical sources. This is done with no intrusion on the readability of the text. No judgment is made without balancing all extant points of view. A real work of moderm scholarship.

Customer Reviews:

Sam Davis Was Our Boy Hero........2006-07-16

Sometimes you just have to learn to live with paradox. It is indeed a paradox getting reviews left on even after it is posted. Someone is afraid of rebels from the South. They would have been hanged like the real boy spy from Smyrna, Tennessee, Sam Davis (no relation to the President of the Confederacy, Jefferson Davis) was hanged on a hill in Pulaski, Tennessee, where his statue still supervises the courthouse square and a corner of the State Capitol grounds in Nashville.

The usual practice of the Union leaders was to get information from the spies and then hang them anyway. Sam was given the option to tattle on his source. He said, "If I had a million lives, I would give them all up before I revealed the name of my friend." The person who had given him the bit of war news was in the jail cell next to him and lived to tell the story -- after the war.

Tennessee was particularly hit hard by the rascals. One girl in Knoxville had to be sent to relatives in another state to keep her from ending up as Sam Davis did. Since then other books have surfaced of female spies. At the fair, I asked a real photographer if he could make me look like a Confederate spy; he did by dressing me as a Southern matron holding that flag. So, you see, I would have been one had I lived here in Union land (now Republican). No man tells a Southern woman that she is inferior in any way. We fight for our rights. Some years ago, I told a local historian had I loved back them, I might have been hanged as a Confederate spy (Knox. was Union) and he agreed. In one of his recent history lessons, he describes the defeated Jeff Davis as a defeated man with receding hair and a wispy goatee who visited this town in 1871 who was on his way via rail to Memphis. Davis described Grant's administration as wicked and the writer had him and one of his generals, Forrest, as leaders of the klan which was started by a group of Pulaski lawyers and judges. It was not a part of the Confederacy at all, formed to protect Southerners from the Northern Carpetbaggers during reconstruction.

Our Southern lads gave up their lives for a cause. One which was disrupted by the corruption of leaders after the war and since. But, we are not called the Volunteer State for nothing.

Good Americans caught in the war machine.......2006-03-11

this book deals with a little written about subject,a confederate regiment comprised of mainly Catholic Irishmen.It traces their record from Ft. Donelson to Bentonville.the book is notable because of what it doesn't say as well as what it does. Most of theses soldiers seemed to have little to any political views and joined up in defense of their lands and families,not really yankee-haters or sympathetic to southern slavery. when the war machine goes into gear they are caught in the machinery and sign up without much hesitation as southern patriots. Almost none of them own slaves or would even want to.What keeps them going is their loyalty to their country ,their religion,and each other.The book contains alot of anecdotal stories about the individuals in the book,like the heroism of Father Biemel,who ministered to the physical and spiritual needs of the men and paid the ultimate sacrifice.there is also alot of humor in the book,I particularly enjoyed the story of General John Bell Hood,the rebel General in charge of the defenses of Atlanta. Gleeson says of him that Hood became more agreesive on the attack the more body parts he lost.there are alot of human interest stories as well as a "where are they now",section which tracks down some of the alumi of the 10th Tennessee after the war.A wife of one of the commanders who was killed in battle more or less forgot her husband and later became a notorious nag.the drummer boy made it 1938 and some of these ex-confederates were actually able to get state veterans benefits for their widows.The book also deals with the subject of confederate desertion rates throughout the war and this factor definitely cut into the combat ability of the 10th.I was surprised at how many desertions occurred in the earlier part of the war as well as the later.

Six Armies in Tennessee: The Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns (Great Campaigns of the Civil War)

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Much better than I expected
Chicachatta
THIS IS A MUST
Lost in the details
Six Armies in Tennessee

Six Armies in Tennessee: The Chickamauga and Chattanooga Campaigns (Great Campaigns of the Civil War)
Steven E. Woodworth
Manufacturer: Bison Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0803298137

Book Description

When Vicksburg fell to Union forces under General Grant in July 1863, the balance turned against the Confederacy in the trans-Appalachian theater. The Federal success along the river opened the way for advances into central and eastern Tennessee, which culminated in the bloody battle of Chickamauga and then a struggle for Chattanooga. Chickamauga is usually counted as a Confederate victory, albeit a costly one. That battle—indeed the entire campaign—is marked by muddle and blunders occasionally relieved by strokes of brilliant generalship and high courage. The campaign ended significant Confederate presence in Tennessee and left the Union poised to advance upon Atlanta and the Confederacy on the brink of defeat in the western theater.

Customer Reviews:

Much better than I expected.......2006-08-16

When a Civil War historian names his son Nathan you would expect a one sided biased account. However, Woodworth is surprisingly even handed in his treatment of the six armies that fought over Chattanooga. He is at his best in describing the backbiting in the southern leadership and the incompetence of Longstreet. This is a thin book. Perhaps too thin for those who would like a little more detail. We still await an indepth look at the Tennesseans who fought for the north.

Chicachatta.......2006-03-08

Woodworth is a first-rate writer with an impressive command of the material. The campaign is complicated one and he deals with it well, although not in the detail that Peter Cozzens offers in his landmark books. I have two quibbles: There is no map with the Chickamauga chapter, a battle of mind-bending complexity. Also, Woodworth deals very lightly with Gen. John B. Turchin, surely one of the war's most colorful characters

THIS IS A MUST.......2002-10-03

I stumbled upon this title by accident, when I was looking for Civil War books about Tennessee. I am very happy that I did. The book was an easy read, but not so easy that I flew through it without learning anything.
One of the best things about the book was Woodworth's writting style. He wrote it in such away that I felt I was there, living these events with the generals and the soldiers from both sides. Having hiked the regions that the events took place in helped too, but even if you have not the descriptions are very strong. He never writes over your head like he expects you to be a Civil War historian, nor does he dumb it down to a fifth grade level.
The transitions from the North's side to the South's side of the conflict was brilliantly done. Nothing was left out in going from one side to the other. If events were taking place at the same time Woodworth let you know. When he talked of the battles they were well layed out as to who was doing what,where and when.

The thing that I learned most from this book was the internal bickering in the South's upper chain of command. No one was doing what they were suppose to do when they were suppose to do it. It would seem to me,after reading this book, if the generals under Bragg's command would have done as they were told the outcome would have been totally different and maybe even the outcome of the Civil war itself.
If you are from Chattanooga or Knoxville, I highly recommend reading this book. If you just like reading Civil War histories this is a must.

Lost in the details.......2001-07-14

I found the book to be a very good depiction of the characters of the leaders and of the politics that affected their decisions. However, the major events did not stand out from the details, leaving me wondering about the outcome and significance of the individual encounters. The book constantly changes from north to south with very little indications that a change has taken place, making it very difficult to follow the action. The few maps were very helpful, but there were not nearly enough. this book would be enjoyed more by someone who was already familiar with the terrain and the battles.

Six Armies in Tennessee.......2000-05-07

A very good and easy read. This book is written for anyone intrested in the Civil War. A good over view of the thoughts, actions and concepts of each side in this conflict over Tennessee.

Autumn of Glory: The Army of Tennessee, 1862-1865

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Solid, but not spectacular
America's Most Underrated Army!
Excellent study of the Army of Tenessee
The Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to the bitter end
Connelly Covers it all: The Army and Political Intrigue

Autumn of Glory: The Army of Tennessee, 1862-1865
Thomas Lawerence Connelly
Manufacturer: Louisiana State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807127388

Book Description

Winner of the Fletcher Pratt Award and the Jefferson Davis Award

Customer Reviews:

Solid, but not spectacular.......2004-05-31

The merits of this volume are well documented. Connelly's research is excellent, and his judgments are sound. His prose, however, is as dry as a parched north Georgia dirt road during a June draught. This is, to a certain extent, to be expected, as most military history written during the late 1960s and 1970s tends to be dusty and academic. However, Connelly's descriptions of unit movements, particularly before Chickamauga, make for difficult reading, in part due to the volume's lack of good maps. But, again, this is a fault shared with lots of academic military history, and has more to do with publishing concerns and limitations than anything else, one imagines. So read this with a good set of maps at your side. Also, for a different prose style, one may wish to read this volume along with Stanley F. Horn's older book.

Caveats aside, the book is worth four stars for its discussions of Confederate command disputes and problems. But the reader who skips the campaign recaps and unit movements can be forgiven. And remember, the Polks, Braggs and Hoods were just symptoms--the disease was Jeff Davis.

America's Most Underrated Army!.......2004-04-17

The author picks up where he left off in, Army of the Heartland: The Army of Tennessee, 1861-1862. This volume begins in 1862 and closes with the surrender of the army in April, 1865.
If your interested in the War Between the States (Civil War) in the Western Theatre and the primary Confederate army of the West then this is a must read. Both of my great-great grandfathers served in the Army of Tennessee so this was particularly interesting to me.
The book deals primarly with the political issues between army commanders and Richmond. It is unfortunate that there was so much jealousy and grudges between all parties as this servely effected the objectives of the army. The Army of Tennessee didn't have a General Lee.
Campaigns and battles are analyzed. There is not lengthy discussion of the battles as this is not in the scope of the book. I found it very helpful to have the campaigns and battles laid in order. I have read books describing the diffferent battles but a more complete understanding of why and how the battles came about is accomplished in reading this book first. After this book, read accounts of the battles of the army from other sources.
There could more detailed maps included. However, this is informative and excellent historical reading.

Excellent study of the Army of Tenessee.......2004-03-18

This book is not for beginners. You definitely need to have a working knowledge of the battles that the Army of Tennessee was engaged in.

The focus is on the political and ego wranglings between Bragg (later Johnston and Hood) and his staff, and then the wranglings with Richmond and key political figures.

In other words, you don't get a lot of such and such regiment moved here and such and such regiment moved there. It is more a critique of the leadership decisions. There are some battle details, but you're best off having a good understanding before you undertake this book.

The treatment is very fair to Bragg, I felt overly so, but Connely does back up his opinions. He comes down on Johnston and Hood for lack of a clear plan.

This is not a book about the overall war in the west. Just as the title says, it's specifically about the AOT. You hardly ever hear about Vicksburg, Mobile, Iuka, etc. other than to note troop concentrations and shufflings.

In short, an excellent read for the more advanced civil war student. I'll confess I probably read this and Army of the Heartland a little prematurely and much of the information went over my head. I will re-read once I feel up to par with the high quality level of information.

The Army of Tennessee from Murfreesboro to the bitter end.......2002-12-19

Since other reviewers have covered the contexts of this monumental book in detail, I guess I'll have to be content just to list a few of the most important ideas that I learned from reading it. 1) The whole command structure of the Confederate army in the West from Davis down, was ineffective, nearly hopeless, and this book chronicles its sad demise about as well as it can be chronicled. 2)Bragg, who got reasonably high grades for his impressive but ultimately pointless invasion of Kentucky, becomes a pathetic, bitter general in charge of a nearly mutinous army. The fact that Davis could not or would not replace him until after Chattanooga says volumes as to why the South ultimately lost the war. 3)Joe Johnston, who I always rather admired, becomes The General Who Always Ran Away. And Connelly proves it. Talk about a change of attitude. He also gets alot of the blame for failing to relieve Vicksburg. 4) The famous cavalry commanders like Wheeler, Hunt, and Forrest did little to nothing to stop Sherman from marching on Atlanta and are therefore completely overrated, despite their often specacular tactical successes. If you have to read one book on the Confederate effort in West, read this one. It's eye opening.

Connelly Covers it all: The Army and Political Intrigue.......2002-10-27

Connelly was one of the best western Civil War historians and the expert on the Army of Tennesse. This Army with so much promise in the heady days of Perryville and near success at Stone's River experiences a costly but hard won victory at Chickamaugua only to have the master of personal conflict General Bragg throw the lost opportunity away by having volitile arguments with his Generals. Bragg was a very good organizer but had conflicts with his leadership that caused a cabal to build asking for his ouster. Connelly captured all the conflicts that finally require Davis to hold a council with all the generals. Amazing that Davis asked all the leaders of the army to express their feelings about Bragg with him present and then keep Bragg on causing a rupture of command. Several generals are reasigned, Longstreet and Bragg don't get along causing a serious coordination loss while the seige of Chattanoga is in process. As a result Longstreet and 1/3 of the army is sent to east Tennesse while Grant's swollen forces wash away the Army of Tennesse and taking Bragg's command away. Connelly not only covers the poor condition of the confederate soldiers, great detail on the campaigns but also the political manuevering. Joe Johnston replaces Bragg but in turn he is undermineed by Hood's letters to Davis. The cautious Johnson is replaced by Hood outside of Atlanta resulting in frontal assaults that weaken the army severely losing Atlanta in the process. Hood tries to lure Sherman on a wild goose chase which Sherman gives up but then Hood oddly leaves Sherman in Georgia while he marches back to Tennesssee. As Connelly vividly writes, after a lost opportunity at Spring Hill, Hood retaliates against his command by ordering the destructive frointal assualts at Franklin. Connelly covers the weak attempt to capture Nashville, the army's virtual destruction and the story of the sad remnants moving to North Carolina in a valiant but pathetic attempt to stop Sherman. The all star command is made up of many of the lost generals of the Confederacy, Johnson, McLaws and even Bragg. Connelly gives you the full monty, the story of the Army and politics within. What would have been had Davis not been so hung up on Bragg and if Hardee had stepped forward to command.

Two Great Rebel Armies: An Essay in Confederate Military History

Average customer rating:

This is a MUST Civil War Read
Interesting Look at the Two Largest Confederate Armies
Interesting contrast between two armies
Very Well Written and Insightful
One side or another?

Two Great Rebel Armies: An Essay in Confederate Military History
Richard M. McMurry
Manufacturer: The University of North Carolina Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807845698
Release Date: 1996-01-17

Book Description

Richard McMurry compares the two largest Confederate armies, assessing why Lee's Army of Northern Virginia was more successful than the Army of Tennessee. His bold conclusion is that Lee's army was a better army--not just one with a better high command.

Customer Reviews:

This is a MUST Civil War Read.......2007-03-31

To be concise--this is one of the best books on the Civil War. It is accurate, informative and very easy to read.

Interesting Look at the Two Largest Confederate Armies.......2006-07-18

Richard McMurry takes a look at the two largest armies in the Confederacy in what is, as the title indicates, an extended essay. The Army of Northern Virginia, ably led by Robert E. Lee, was able to compile a large number of impressive victories during the war. The Army of Tennessee, led by various men of less than stellar ability, was only able to win at Chickamauga, and even that victory proved barren strategically. The author considers various factors that affected the two, including geography, logistical concerns, leadership on all levels (particularly among lower level officers), pre-war militia systems in Virginia and Tennessee, and even the Federals who faced each army. He concludes that in every case, the Army of Northern Virginia benefited from these factors while the Army of Tennessee was negatively affected. I have seen it stated in several places that McMurry is saying that the men of the Army of Northern Virginia were better than the men of the Army of Tennessee. I did not get this sense from my reading of the book. Instead, McMurry is stressing that the men in leadership positions in each army were very different. The vast majority of the men who had graduated from military schools such as West Point, VMI, and the Citadel were concentrated in the Army of Northern Virginia to that army's immense benefit. The Army of Tennessee started out with many men who were untrained in the art of war, and that army's problems were exacerbated as casualties started to deprive it of even the small number of leaders who had that previous military experience. In other words, McMurry believes the raw material was there to work with, but the Army of Tennessee did not have experienced men available in large enough numbers to work with this raw material.

The last chapter of the book discusses the views of historians Thomas Connelly and Albert Castel on Robert E. Lee and also looks at the ways in which the Confederate government, specifically Jefferson Davis, could have prosecuted the war. McMurry sides with Castel in defending Lee from Connelly's attacks, and stresses that the Confederates were right to try to win the war in the east. With that said, the author believes the war was eventually won in the west by the Federals. I found it somewhat odd that McMurry would quote Connelly's entirely negative opinions on the western generals and agree with them while at the same time defending Lee from the same negative opinions. In a way, this did make sense, as it fits McMurry's own views on the generals of each theater. Perhaps Connelly is just a negative historian in general, however. Reading this book has increased my interest in Connelly's two volume history of the Army of Tennessee, and that set has moved much higher up my reading list as a result.

Overall, I enjoyed McMurry's short work, finishing it over one weekend in just three sittings. It really is startling to see how many trained military men ended up in the Army of Northern Virginia for various reasons at the expense of other Confederate armies. Likewise, it was illuminating to see all of the other advantages, intentional or otherwise, which were routinely provided to the Confederacy's largest army. This particular book is directed at students of these two largest Confederate armies and of Confederate grand strategy during the Civil War. I definitely recommend it to any student of the war.

Interesting contrast between two armies.......2000-06-06

Mr. McMurry's purpose in writing this book was to try and explain why the Army of Northern Virginia was so successful, and why the Army of Tennessee so awful. Although I did not agree with some of his conclusions, he does provide some compelling evidence to support his arguments.

I found this book to be very informative, and an easy read. I recommend it for anyone looking to better understand how the South fought the war, why the two great rebel armies had such different levels of success on the battlefield, and possibly why they did not have the ability to win the war.

Very Well Written and Insightful.......2000-04-20

I'm not a student of the Civil War, so I cannot comment on the merit of McMurry's main points, but as a student of the Old South I thoroughly enjoyed this book. McMurry's analysis of the two armies is very well organized and easy to read. Simply, it's a page turner. This book is at once both highly focused on a single topic and illuminate of larger Civil War issues. I really enjoyed this book and will read it every so often in the years to come. I recommend McMurry's book without reserve.

One side or another?.......2000-02-21

The title definately underscores how masterful Mr. McMurray has been in detailing the main differences between the Army of Northern Virginia and The Army of Tennessee. From the basics of command on through key strategy and deployment, both armies are beautifully dissected by McMurray's research, mirrored with an easy to understand style of writing.

This book not only discusses how important the upper command structures were to both armies but how the various infrastructures such as railroads, food supply, communication and weapons production differed from east to west.

This book can be summed up as an impressive literary study of the two great armies. It sheds light on the many differences as well as similarities and gives the reader new insight into the complex study of military history.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in an intense study of both armies.

Well done Mr. McMurray!

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