Book Description
"Rebels from West Point" tells the story of the 306 officers who, after receiving a West Point education and swearing to uphold the values of the Union, defected to serve the Confederacy. The author examines this fascinating group of officers, describing the heart-wrenching choice they made and how, even after they "went South," they remained connected to the brotherhood of their former West Point cadets. Among the more famous personalities included in this group are Gen. Robert E. Lee, Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, Gen. J. E. B. Stuart, Gen. A. P. Hill, Gen. James Longstreet, and Gen. John B. Hood.
Customer Reviews:
Small volume without much detail.......2007-07-30
Apparently the author spent as much time thinking up a catchy title as writing the book which is very narrow and provides only tiny summaries of many of the commanders. It holds some interest as a reference.
Nice addition to any Civil War library.......2006-06-02
Any Civil War buff would want to add this book to their collection. Patterson mainly follows the West Point grads who served with Lee in the Army of Northern Virginia. In doing so, that kind of makes the title misleading since this only covers less than half of the 306. At any rate, though, the book is valuable in discussing the rifts that grew up between the West Point grads and the non-professinal soldiers. Further, it discusses how pre-war friendships and animosities carried over into the war years. Possibly the most interesting chapter, though, is the final chapter about the fighting amongst each other that occurred, espeically over the Gettysburg Campaign, and how non-professional soldiers actually fared better socially and economically after the war than the West Pointers. Another interesting facet of the final chapter is how some non-professional soldiers blamed the West Pointers for the Confederacy's loss, saying that the professional soldiers were too interested in their image and not the cause. Most Civil War buffs probably won't learn a whole lot of new stuff because of the book being so short, but a fast paced, interesting, well written read just the same.
Politics, war and friendships.......2003-08-16
In Rebels from West Point, Gerard A. Patterson has compiled information on some of the more intersting figures, as well as careers, in the War Between the States. Some mention has been made in larger works, including the movie Gettysburg, about the relationships between men from both sides of the conflict, but this work covers them all, albeit in small bits sometimes.
In this work, however, the conflict between West Pointers and non-professional officers is more clearly covered. From the beginning, the "newcomers" felt looked down upon by their more rigorously trained compatriots. Here, we find this attitude contributing to one of the least known aspects of the war: the professional competition among officers in both armies, and in all grades. Sometimes these attitudes took precedence over conducting the war in a professional manner.
There is also some coverage of the conflicts that rose up after the war -- and particularly after the death of R.E. Lee -- over who was to blame for losing the war. James Longstreet was particularly vilified over his conduct at Gettysburg and later over his friendship with U.S. Grant and membership in the Republican Party. Such things provided fuel for men who were still trying to promote themselves, sometimes beyond their capabilities.
This book is a nice addition to any collection on the Civil War and would be particularly complementary to the biographies and autobiographies which are available in abundance.
Book Description
In the summer of 1861, Americans were preoccupied by the question of which states would join the secession movement and which would remain loyal to the Union. This question was most fractious in the border states of Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri. In Missouri, it was largely settled at Wilson's Creek on August 10, 1861, in a contest that is rightly considered the second major battle of the Civil War.
In providing the first in-depth narrative and analysis of this important but largely overlooked battle, William Piston and Richard Hatcher combine a traditional military study of the fighting at Wilson's Creek with an innovative social analysis of the soldiers who participated and the communities that supported them. In particular, they highlight the importance of the soldiers' sense of corporate honor—the desire to uphold the reputation of their hometowns—as a powerful motivator for enlistment, a source of sustenance during the campaign, and a lens through which soldiers evaluated their performance in battle.
Customer Reviews:
great book.......2005-12-06
I can honestly say that i was suprised at the quality of this book. It is the most well written & accurate account of the events leading up to and including the battle of Wilsons Creek that i have ever read.
FULFILLING SOCIAL CONTRACTS with their COMMUNITIES.......2005-01-18
The preface notes "....Wilson's Creek, occurring twenty days after the fighting at Manassas, was the second battle of the Civil War." Nevertheless, as the text observes "Wilson's Creek remains perhaps the least studied major battle of the war."
At the beginning of the Civil War, Missouri was a divided state with a largely pro-Union population; however, there was a significant minority favoring secession also the Governor was pro-secession. The first third of the text covers how both Northern and Southern factions in Missouri and neighboring states recruited and built military units. While Northerners and Southerners had differing motivations for going to war, they were remarkably similar in their commitments as "community pride ran high" and the army volunteer's reputations would become the home folks reputations as well. The volunteers made an unwritten social contract with their communities. These military units had strong community identification so that in their home-towns companies were known by their local designations, for example as Pelican Rifles, in preference to regimental designations such as 3rd Louisiana Company C.
A well researched text covers the efforts of the Northerners and Southerners in Missouri and adjacent states to recruit, equip and train volunteer armies after Fort Sumter was fired on. When Union Captain Nathaniel Lyon was transferred to St. Louis, he began a crusade to rid the state of secessionists thereby further polarizing the state. When Lyon was promoted to brigadier general in sole control of Federal fortunes in Missouri, he began organizing a Federal, but unauthorized, volunteer army. Lyon's attitude and prior experiences directly shaped his conduct in St. Louis, setting in motion a train of events that led to Wilson's Creek. Encouraged by the Governor, the secessionists redoubled their efforts to raise resisting units. The book gives considerable information on the composition of these military units, both Northern and Southern, with brief biographical notes on several of their officers and men.
When Southern General Ben McCulloch learned that Union General Lyon had essentially declared war on Missouri, he immediately began shifting as many troops as possible to southwest Missouri. General Lyon moved to secure northern and central Missouri for the Union and then moved to confront the secessionist armies moving into southwest Missouri. "By mid-July the forces that would fight the second battle of the Civil War were largely in place." The Southern army under McCulloch planned to attack Springfield on August 10, 1861 but rain delayed their departure from the Wilson Creek area. Early on August 10, before McCulloch attacked Springfield, Union General Lyon launched an attack, the final phase of Lyon's "punitive crusade," against Confederate General McCulloch. Lyon thought of himself as anointed to punish the secessionists. Rather than attacking down the road leading to the Southern army, he accepted Union General Sigel proposal that the army be divided with Sigel attacking the Southerners from the rear while Lyon attacked their left flank.
General Lyon attacked shortly after 05:00 A.M. on August 10 in an area later known as Bloody Hill while at 05:30 A.M. Sigel launched what "for its modest size, one of the most effective long range bombardments of the Civil War." The text provides a concise and interesting narrative of the fierce fighting on Bloody Hill and of Sigel's action south of the Southerners. After Sigel was routed, he returned to Springfield. General Lyon was killed during the fighting on Bloody Hill and became one of the war's first martyrs. Command of the Union Army then devolved upon the senior Regular army officer Captain Samuel D. Sturgis. With Union General Sigel routed, ammunition running low, heavy causalities, and the Southerners massing for yet another bloody assault the only logical recourse was to retreat. Therefore, Sturgis and his troops after seven hours of combat, retreated and returned to Springfield arriving around 05:00 P.M.
The book gives an interesting narrative about the level of medical care available to the combatants with graphic descriptions of the conditions in Springfield when the defeated army returned. The authors note "Compared to later Civil War battles, the number of men engaged at Wilson's Creek and the casualties suffered there were modest." However, "....both in total numbers and as a percentage of the force engaged, Lyon's losses were greater than those of any battle in the Mexican War."
As to be expected, early reports of the battle's results were misleading indicating a Northern victory; however, as later information was received a Southern victory was shown. For the combatants on both sides, it was clear that the men had fulfilled their social contract with their communities. Hometown newspapers were quick to proclaim that their community's honor had been upheld and the men were given a heroes welcome upon their return. The authors wrote "All of the men who fought at Wilson's Creek received accolades from their home communities...." In addition, "almost two dozen veterans of Wilson's Creek achieved the rank of general in either the Southern or Northern army."
The book ends noting "The surviving participants of the war shared a heritage of honor regardless of whether they had served in the Federal or Confederate armies." However, for those who had deserted "Having broken the social contract between the community and its soldiers, having disgraced their town, their sins could never be forgotten."
In part, the text does not flow smoothly and in places it is jumbled and run together. However, this book will be of interest to both the serious and occasional reader of Civil War history.
Clash of Communities.......2001-05-02
Piston and Hatcher have produced an excellently detailed overview of the events and participants in the battle and over the surrounding region during the summer of 1861. By beginning with unit histories of the various units engaged, the reader gains a sense of identity with the men who fought and died there. The method itself is excellent, but would be difficult to apply to later engagements in the war. The central argument, that Civil War soldiers were motivated by strong allegiances to their home communities, is well substantiated, but may also be useful only for engagements at the outset of the war. Other authors have successfully shown that this motivation waned, and that national ideology and identity with the adopted community, the unit, sustained men later in the war. The book's major fault is an unbalanced interpretation of events, especially when the leaders of both forces are concerned. Lyon is labeled a madman and Sigel is portrayed as grossly incompetent, while southern commanders are lionized and noticeably escape criticism. The author's assertion that the Missouri State Guard somehow represents a lawful military force evaporates when that same force, guaranteed under the Constitution, raises arms against federal authorities charged with protection of that same Constitution. Overall, the work is excellently researched, especially from local sources, and improved my comprehension of the tragic confrontation.
much a do about little.......2000-10-05
i found this book to be a struggle to read.It is painfully obvious that the authors have attempted to build a minor engagement into something just short of Bull Run and/orGettysburg. They try hard but in my opinion they do noy carry it off.
Wilson's Creek brought to Life.......2000-06-16
I love a book that can pull you into it. This ones certainly does. It's been several years since I toured the battlefield at Wilson's Creek, but Piston and Hatcher do an excellent job in bringing out map details and troop movements that it felt like I was on the battlefield again but this time feeling the intense battle struggle between the two sides. The details on each regiment that fought at Wilson's Creek, North and South, was excellent.
Average customer rating:
- A CIVIL WAR CLASSIC
- A CIVIL WAR CLASSIC
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Frock Coats and Epaulets: The Men Who Led the Confederacy
Alf Mapp
Manufacturer: Madison Books
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ASIN: 156833060X |
Book Description
A highly regarded psychological analysis of Confederate military and political leaders.
Customer Reviews:
A CIVIL WAR CLASSIC.......2001-05-09
First published in 1963, Dr. Mapp's concise little book has become a Civil War classic. There are six compact biographies-four epaulets: Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson, Joseph E. Johnston and Jeb Stuart; along with two frock coats:Jefferson Davis and Judah P, Benjamin. A qualifying phrase is used,for example,Davis is introduced with the heading "The Missing Grandfather"explain the parvenu as opposed to the aristocrats of Virginia. This book will not please everyone. Southron haters, defenders of Joseph E. Johnston, critics of Jefferson Davis are among the many that will disagree with Dr. Mapp. But is this not what classics are supposed to do? This psycological study is meant to be controversial and keep Civil War Round Tables buzzing for years. Most of the basic facts are well known to any student of he Confederacy; it is the way each individual is defined that is in debate. The amazing thing to this reviewer is how prescient Dr. Mapp was in his evaluations, revealing interpretations that have only recently been accepted. Jefferson Davis, for example, has fared rather better in the last few years than when Dr. Mapp was researching his book. Not mentioned in his updated biography but essential in understanding Jefferson Davis are the current volumes of his papers edited by the brilliant Lynda Lasswell Crist. Yet,Dr. Mapp anticipated Jefferson Davis' strengths (as well as weaknesses) that have been confirmed by such authors as Frank Vandiver and his recent biographers. More surprising perhaps is his evaluation of Robert E. Lee. Although indebted to Douglas Freeman (as indeed who is not) he anticipates Thomas Connelly (THE MARBLE MAN...)discussing Lee's struggle to master his volatile emotions and does not hesitate to criticise. I find the section on "Stonewall" Jackson good but wish James I Robertson Jr. had been used to explain the general's eccentricities. I was priviledged to see Dr. Robertson on the television and believe he was able to fathom the elusive personality better than anyone. The very fact that Jackson was not loved, did not even know what love was, surely contributed to a behaviour distinctly his own. I was pleased to find Eli N. Evans' book in the section on Judah P. Benjamin, but it does not seem Dr. Mapp used it in his book. Benjamin, in my opinion, is the weakest of the sections-almost a caricature. On the otherhand, the Joseph E. Johnston is easily the most controversial and will arouse heated and lively debates for a long time. I wonder why Craig Symonds biography was not listed but I am,like most critics,prone to push my favorites.The Jeb Stuart section is long on antedote but rather thin on interpretation. Perhaps a twice-told tale, but colourful and dramatic all the same, especially when a master paints word pictures. The bibliography is short but a dream. I own , and have read 90% of it,most of the classics are listed: Bruce Catton, Henry S. Commager, Frank Vandiver, Clifford Dowdey, T. Harry Williams, Emory Thomas etc. Old friends to most of us. Still, I miss Bell Wiley, Allan Nevins, Thomas Connelly's two volumes on the army of Tennessee, and most of all Richard Beringer's (and others) WHY THE SOUTH LOST THE CIVIL WAR, especially "the Big Man" thesis and the crisis in religious faith. There is much to admire, criticise and debate but I want to apologize to Dr. Mapp for not purchasing his book when it first came out. Perhaps the title was rather off-putting, or the fact I owned the major biographies and thought the book superficial. Short it is, superficial it most assuredly is not.
A CIVIL WAR CLASSIC.......2001-05-09
First published in 1963, Dr. Mapp's compact little book has become a Civil War classic. There are six compact biographies-four epaulets: Robert E. Lee, "Stonewall" Jackson, Joseph E. Johnston and Jeb Stuart, along with two frock coats: Jefferson Davis and Judah P. Benjamin. A qualifying phrase introduces the personality of each: for example, Jefferson Davis is introduced as "The Missing Grandfather" to explain the parvenu opposed to the established Virginia aristocracy. This book will not please everyone. Southron haters, defenders of Joseph E. Johnston and critics of Jefferson Davis are among the many who will disagree with Dr. Mapp. But is this not what a classic is supposed to do? The psycological study of the leaders of the Lost Cause is meant to be debated, to keep Civil War Round Tables buzzing for years. Most of the basic facts are well known to any student of the Confederacy; it is the way each individual is defined that is in dispute. The amazing thing to this reviewer is how prescient Dr. Mapp was in his evaluations, revealing interpretations that have only been recently accepted. Jefferson Davis, for example, has fared rather better in the last ten years than when Dr. Mapp was researching this book. Not mentioned in his updated bibliography but essential are the current volumes of the Davis papers edited by the brilliant Lynda Lasswell Crist. Yet, Dr. Mapp anticipated Jefferson Davis' strengths (as well as weaknesses) that have later been affirmed by Frank Vandiver and his recent biographers. More surprising perhaps is his evaluation of Robert E. Lee. Although indebted to Douglas Freeman (as indeed who is not) he anticipates Thomas L. Connelly (in THE MARBLE MAN) by his discussion of Lee's stuggle to master his volatile emotions and does not hesitate to criticise him. I find the section on "Stonewall" Jackson good but wish James I.Robertson had been used to explain some of the general's eccentricities. I was priviledged to see Dr. Robertson on televison and believe he was able to fathom the elusive personality better than anyone. The very fact that Jackson was not loved, did not even know what love was, surely contributed to a behaviour that was distinctly his own. I was pleased to discover Eli N. Evans' Judah P. Benjamin in his bibliography but it does not seem that Dr. Mapp used it in his book. The section on Benjamin, in my opinion is the weakest in the book-almost a caricature. On the otherhand, the section on Joseph E. Johnston is easily the most controversial and will inspire lively, heated debates. I wonder why Craig L. Symonds excellent biography was not quoted, but like most critics I admit to being prone to push my favorites. The Jeb Stuart section is long on antedote but thin on interpretation. Perhaps a twice-told tale, but colourful and dramatic all the same, especially when a master paints word pictures The bibliography is short but a dream. I own,and have read 90% of it and most of the classics are listed: Bruce Catton, Frank Vandiver, Henry S. Commager, Clifford Dowdey, T. Harry Williams, Emory Thomas etc. Old friends to most of us. Still I miss Bell Wiley,Thomas Connelly's two volumes on the army of Tennessee, and most of all Richard E. Beringer (and others) WHY THE SOUTH LOST THE CIVIL WAR, especially "The big Man" thesis and the crisis in religious faith. There is much to comment, argue and admire, but I want to apologize to Dr. Mapp for not buying his book when it first came out.Perhaps the title was rather off-putting, or the fact I owned most of the major biographies and thought the book superficial. Short it is, superficial it most assuredly is not
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Who Was Who in the Confederacy
Stewart Sifakis
Manufacturer: Facts on File
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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Who Was Who in the Union
ASIN: 0816022046 |
Book Description
In a memorable address given at the International Congress of Mathematicians in Paris in 1900, David Hilbert, perhaps the most respected mathematician of his time, developed a blueprint for mathematical research in the new century.
The collections of problems he presented in that address has become a guiding inspiration to many mathematicians, and those who have succeeded in solving or advancing their solutions form an Honors Class among research mathematicians.
With the support of many of the major players in the field, the author has written an engaging account of the achievements of this Honors Class, covering mathematical substance and biographical aspects.
Customer Reviews:
too much chat, not enough math.......2007-09-24
I was hoping for something more like The Millennium Problems: The Seven Greatest Unsolved Mathematical Puzzles of Our Time, an explanation of the problems and how they were solved, at a reasonably accessible level. This book appears to be just chat about the funny people who become math professors. Sort of interesting, but not what I wanted.
A wonderful book!.......2005-09-16
As a career scientist for over 50 years, I am versed in mathematics but not exactly a mathematician. I bought it to become familiar with Hilbert's problems. I quickly realized that Yandell's book was more about the attempters and solvers than about the problems. Yet the problems are described too, in considerable and certainly sufficient detail.
What was ultimately fascinating was the web Yandell weaves throughout the book. Those famous mathematicians and their colleagues, their personal lives, those famous problems, and all integrated so cohesively.
When I started reading I knew I was in for a long adventure. In fact, it took me over a year to read - of course, only an hour or so every few days. What extended it was the temptation to go back and reread, again and again. Finally, a week ago, I turned the last page. With great reluctance I put it on my bookshelf. I had a strong urge to start all over again from the very beginning, and I knew if I succumbed I was in for another year with it.
As I reflect, partly it was the subject - those difficult problems in such vastly different fields. Partly it was those mathematicians - many of them already heroes of mine. But mostly it was Yandell's skill in putting together this riveting accounting. His love of and fascination with mathematics, and his desire to share his romanticism with others, comes through so clearly. It is sad that he died, at the young age of 53, a scant two years after writing this book. Of a heart attack and multiple sclerosis. What a tragic loss. He was a gem.
Even if you are only mildly interested in mathematics, its history and personalities, you will absolutely love this accounting of it.
Feels like a dutiful summary.......2005-05-21
First, my background: I am not a mathematician, but an academic with fair knowledge of college math and even some advanced materials. I do greatly enjoy reading books about mathematics and mathematicians.
This book is obviously a work of great effort by the author. My difficulty probably came from the work's ambitious premise: offering mathematical and biographical history of Hilbert's problems. There are simply too many ideas and persons (some well known, others a bit obscure to lay reader like myself) to cover in one book. The author dutifully and honestly gives references to his sources. My impression is that the author collected as much material as he could about each problem and solvers, and tried to squeeze the information as compactly as possible into the pages.
The result: the narrative is very methodically told - explanation of the problem, some necessary ideas introduced, who the major solvers were, then a short biography of each solver, when and where they were born, who their parents were, where they went to school, who they married and so on; then another cycle begins. Halfway into the book, I began to get bored.
I can imagine mathematicians enjoying a quick review of and glimpses into their discipline and heroes, but lay readers much beware. I recommend lay readers to check out a few pages carefully online or at your local library to see whether you like it. I certainly didn't hate it but did not like it as much as I expected.
A great work.......2004-01-24
Due to rapid development of mathemtics in the last century, now one cannot master all subfects of mathematics. This is also true for those historians. Most of the boods of " History of Mathematics " end in the beginning of 20th century. So we know very little about the conteporary mathematicians. This book can be described as a gap for it. After readiming this book, not only you have a knowledge about the life of the great mathemaitcians, you also get the period in World War II how Nazis forced those mathematicians out of Germany and the reason why U. S. A. is now the leading centre of mathematics.
Useful and insightful.......2003-10-11
The book is well written with the right mix of anecdote and theory. What I do like about it is the fact that we find out a little more about the lives of mathematicians, and they are portrayed as people rather than idols.
Where the book falls down is that it goes into a little too much detail of the theorems, something which the non-mathematician will undoubtedly find hard to follow.
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The Problem Solvers (Inside Business Series)
Nathan Aaseng
Manufacturer: Lerner Pub Group (L)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding
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ASIN: 0822506750 |
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Problem Solvers Biographies
Betty Lou Kratoville
Manufacturer: High Noon Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Reference & Collections
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General
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ASIN: 1571281479 |
Books:
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- Scientific Charge-Coupled Devices (SPIE Press Monograph Vol. PM83)
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- Seven Arrows
- Soul Surfer: A True Story of Faith, Family, and Fighting to Get Back on the Board
- State of a Union: Inside the Complex Marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton
- The Clinton Crack-Up: The Boy President's Life After the White House
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