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General Lee's Army: From Victory to Collapse
A painstakingly researched history of the Confederate troops under Robert E. Lee presents vivid portraits of soldiers from all walks of life, offers insight into how the Confederacy conducted key operations, and reveals how closely the South came to winning the war. 50,000 first printing.
624 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
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396 people want to read
About the author
Joseph T. Glatthaar
26 books14 followersMilitary historian, specializing in the American Civil War and American military history
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 22, 2014
A very good, as well as through account of the history of the Army of Northern Virginia. From its beginnings to its surrender. This book has a wide range of chapters about everything that made up the army. From battles, to supplies, munitions, religion, medical care, almost anything you could learn about the army is covered. The narrative is made really interesting by the words of the soldiers and officers. The words of these individuals make up the heart of the stories and really make the book so good. I learned a lot of things about the army, the men, the Confederate nation and the conditions during the time of the war. Anyone with an interest in the American Civil War would enjoy this book.
November 18, 2017
Much more than a battle/campaign book (it contains some of that, but it is relatively light on the details), Glatthaar's work is a study of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and how it reflected both the strengths of weaknesses of the Southern society from which it was recruited. While Lee's army was magnificent on the tactical offensive, it endured horrific casualties as a result. That practice also nearly bled the army to death by the spring of 1865. Lee's army also had a serious problem with looting which limited some of its successes and cost it victory in other battles altogether. Glatthaar's research contains the best statistical analysis I have seen in any study of Lee's army, and his findings will doubtless surprise even those who possess some expertise on the most famous - and most successful - Confederate field army. This book is the best study of its kind on the subject!
May 2, 2008
One of the best books I have ever read on the life and times of the Confederate soldier.
Over the past 40 + years I have read hundreds of books on the American Civil War. This book presented a well rounded picture of what it was like to be a soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia.
Big, big plus - the author's use of thousands of letters and dairies from the actual soldiers along with extensive use of official records.
You read what the soldiers thought, how they felt, their hopes and fears - in their own words.
To the causal reader I imagine this would be a very boring book. To a student of the Civil War this book presented a vivid account of like for a Confederate soldier in Virginia between 1861 and 1865.
Wonderful book
Over the past 40 + years I have read hundreds of books on the American Civil War. This book presented a well rounded picture of what it was like to be a soldier in the Army of Northern Virginia.
Big, big plus - the author's use of thousands of letters and dairies from the actual soldiers along with extensive use of official records.
You read what the soldiers thought, how they felt, their hopes and fears - in their own words.
To the causal reader I imagine this would be a very boring book. To a student of the Civil War this book presented a vivid account of like for a Confederate soldier in Virginia between 1861 and 1865.
Wonderful book
October 3, 2014
If you want to know A LOT about the Army of Northern Virginia, the major campaigns of the main theater of the Civil War, and the culture/lifestyle of Confederate soldiers, read this book. It's certainly not for the casual Civil War buff, but if you really want to dispel myths and have a solidly grounded understanding of a key part of the Civil War, read it. Drawn from a rich set of qualitative and quantitative sources, Glatthaar provide copious amounts of evidence for his argument and creates a rich portrait of this famous army. Virtually every angle of the army is covered: campaigns, battles, sanitation, disease, culture, attitudes towards slavery and authority, social backgrounds, connections to home, desertion, food, logistics, and the major personalities of the Army of Northern Virginia.
My favorite part of the book was the descriptions of the social backgrounds and attitudes of the soldiers. First, they were mostly people who either owned slaves, lived in households that owned slaves, benefitted from the leasing of slaves, or expected to own slaves someday. Glatthaar demonstrates pretty clearly that protecting slavery was not just the main political motivation for the rebellion, but a key motivator for individual soldiers. The irony was that the Civil War ended up destroying slavery even before the Emancipation Proclamation as it tore up the fabric of Southern society, and as Union troops offered a chance for freedom. Second, Glatthaar shows how all classes of southern society served equally during the war, dispelling the myth that it was a rich man's war but a poor man's fight. In fact, officers became casualties at a far higher rate than normal soldiers. Third, Glatthaar shows how different cultural beliefs fit into military service, although not always seamlessly. Southern men were expected to protect their homes and families, which led to high morale early on and high rates of enlistment. However, this attachment to home backfired later in the war as Union troops rampaged throughout the South. Now these men felt they needed to return home to support their families, leading to low morale and high rates of desertion.
Because he covers the Army of Northern Virginia from top to bottom, Glatthaar provides great insight as to why the Confederacy failed. The first few years of the ANV were brilliant, but they failed to crack Northern willingness to pay the price to save the Union. After Gettysburg, Glatthaar shows in thorough detail how the Union, especially under Grant, pummeled the Confederates into submission with relentless attritional warfare. The Confederacy couldn't produce enough material, couldn't transport that material effectively, and ultimately couldn't put enough troops in the field to withstand the Union Army. The descriptions of near-starvation, disintegrating clothing, exposure, shoddy living conditions, and exhaustion will make it very clear that the Union won not by winning battles, but by wearing down the Confederacy in a total war.
My one criticism of the book relates to the pacing and occasional repetition. By the last 100 pages, you've read a lot about the cycle of low morale, dwindling resources, and desertion to get the point. I know Glatthaar is trying to systematically document the status of the ANV at different time periods, but it just got a bit old and dense.
Ultimately, Glatthaar paints these soldiers' lives and deaths with respect, but without myth-making or romanticizing. The Army of Northern Virginia was one of the great armies in history. Led by a truly honorable man in Robert E. Lee, it fought well against overwhelming odds for 4 years. In retrospect, it had little chance of winning. These soldiers were tough and dutiful, but imperfect human beings who often complained, shirked, misbehaved, and even deserted. They were not superhuman patriots, but common men who did their best. Hopefully, our society can continue to move beyond the mythologizing and worship of soldiers past and present to a state of respect and understanding. 472 pages.
My favorite part of the book was the descriptions of the social backgrounds and attitudes of the soldiers. First, they were mostly people who either owned slaves, lived in households that owned slaves, benefitted from the leasing of slaves, or expected to own slaves someday. Glatthaar demonstrates pretty clearly that protecting slavery was not just the main political motivation for the rebellion, but a key motivator for individual soldiers. The irony was that the Civil War ended up destroying slavery even before the Emancipation Proclamation as it tore up the fabric of Southern society, and as Union troops offered a chance for freedom. Second, Glatthaar shows how all classes of southern society served equally during the war, dispelling the myth that it was a rich man's war but a poor man's fight. In fact, officers became casualties at a far higher rate than normal soldiers. Third, Glatthaar shows how different cultural beliefs fit into military service, although not always seamlessly. Southern men were expected to protect their homes and families, which led to high morale early on and high rates of enlistment. However, this attachment to home backfired later in the war as Union troops rampaged throughout the South. Now these men felt they needed to return home to support their families, leading to low morale and high rates of desertion.
Because he covers the Army of Northern Virginia from top to bottom, Glatthaar provides great insight as to why the Confederacy failed. The first few years of the ANV were brilliant, but they failed to crack Northern willingness to pay the price to save the Union. After Gettysburg, Glatthaar shows in thorough detail how the Union, especially under Grant, pummeled the Confederates into submission with relentless attritional warfare. The Confederacy couldn't produce enough material, couldn't transport that material effectively, and ultimately couldn't put enough troops in the field to withstand the Union Army. The descriptions of near-starvation, disintegrating clothing, exposure, shoddy living conditions, and exhaustion will make it very clear that the Union won not by winning battles, but by wearing down the Confederacy in a total war.
My one criticism of the book relates to the pacing and occasional repetition. By the last 100 pages, you've read a lot about the cycle of low morale, dwindling resources, and desertion to get the point. I know Glatthaar is trying to systematically document the status of the ANV at different time periods, but it just got a bit old and dense.
Ultimately, Glatthaar paints these soldiers' lives and deaths with respect, but without myth-making or romanticizing. The Army of Northern Virginia was one of the great armies in history. Led by a truly honorable man in Robert E. Lee, it fought well against overwhelming odds for 4 years. In retrospect, it had little chance of winning. These soldiers were tough and dutiful, but imperfect human beings who often complained, shirked, misbehaved, and even deserted. They were not superhuman patriots, but common men who did their best. Hopefully, our society can continue to move beyond the mythologizing and worship of soldiers past and present to a state of respect and understanding. 472 pages.
August 4, 2009
Just when you think you’ve exhausted the well of information on the Civil War (ok, I guess one could never actually do that), Glatthaar comes along and throws 600+ pages of facts, statistics, and stories from the letters of soldiers at us to present a detailed discussion and analysis of the Army of Northern Virginia. He does a great job of keeping the narrative lively and presenting meaningful analyses. He offers information, not just data, about topics not often considered, such as deserters, Yankee stereotypes, methods of officer appointment, in-fighting, how morale evolved over time, provisioning, artillery problems, etc.--a lot of important information necessary to a more complete and detailed understanding for the advanced student of Civil War history (or someone who might write historical novels of the period). Beginners might be overwhelmed.
September 20, 2017
Going into this book my fear was that it would wander into Lost Cause mythology and/or turn out to be one of those detailed battlefield histories ("at 12:57 pm General Blopp's Fifth Mississippi Regiment was next to Dirt Creek, armed with 7 cannon, 42 horses, and 237 on the sick list; then it turned seven degrees to face down the Eighth Minnesotan Brigade, which had just marched three miles in the previous hour and 22 minutes..."), neither of which genre I am a fan of. To my delight, it was a sober and even-handed account of the Army of Northern Virginia, a subject that the author is clearly passionate about but never rhapsodizes. It offers just enough detail while never losing focus of the big picture. Easily one of the best books about the Civil War that I have read.
October 6, 2011
Took me quite a while to finish this because it is a long book, and admittedly not my favorite topic, but my husband loved it so I decided to read it. What makes it so affecting is the excerpts from the letters of real soldiers, some of them very tough to read, but the parts of the book that resonate the most. War is so stupid, so tragic for everyone involved, that this was a depressing book, but well researched and very well written.
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August 2, 2011A thorough history of the Army of Northern Virginia, beginning with the (Confederate) Army of the Potomac at 1st Bull Run. The author did a statistical analysis of the Army of Northern Virginia and found some surprising results. Some people have called the Civil War a rich man's war but a poor man's fight but the statistics for the volunteers of 1861 & 1862 don't support that assertion. When you consider the families of single men in their twenties who lived with their parents, the percentages of those who owned slaves or whose families owned slaves were much higher than is sometimes reported.
From start to finish, Lee's army was plagued by shortages of food & clothing. Weapon shortages were an early problem until they captured arms from the Union armies. Even then, units having weapons of several different calibers created problems. But poor discipline was one of their greatest problems. The author attributes that to the Southern culture.
The book has separate chapters on desertion, medical care, Blacks and the army, arms & ammunition (poor quality control in shell fuses contributed to artillery problems prior to Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg), religion & morality and the home front.
This book is a detailed, multi-facted study of Lee's army. I recommend it.
From start to finish, Lee's army was plagued by shortages of food & clothing. Weapon shortages were an early problem until they captured arms from the Union armies. Even then, units having weapons of several different calibers created problems. But poor discipline was one of their greatest problems. The author attributes that to the Southern culture.
The book has separate chapters on desertion, medical care, Blacks and the army, arms & ammunition (poor quality control in shell fuses contributed to artillery problems prior to Pickett's Charge at Gettysburg), religion & morality and the home front.
This book is a detailed, multi-facted study of Lee's army. I recommend it.
December 26, 2020
Joseph T. Glatthaar tells the story of the Army of Northern Virginia from the perspective of the soldiers who fought under General P.G.T. Beauregard, General Joseph E. Johnston and General Robert E. Lee.
Glatthaar covers the minutia of the individual battles fought during the American Civial War, but is mostly concerned with the individual men comprising the Army. Glatthaar portrays the men of the army through the details of how they came to the service (volunteering or conscription); how they left the service (death, discharge, desertion, defection, or capture); what their social status was; how many slaves they owned; how much wealth they had accumulated; what they ate; whether they were religious; whether they had families. The war provided occasion for them to discover themselves on the march and on the battlefield, and write to their spouses and their kin about their aspirations and concerns. Even after capture, prisoners of war could write to their families, so the myriad personal experiences of the war were well-documented.
The narrative is roughly chronological, driven by a few major themese that Glatthaar periodically re-traces periodically. One major theme is the general morale. The early soldiers volunteered for what they believed would be the first two years of a short war. They spoke of their cause in lofty terms of defending their own civil rights. Indeed, their early letters are reflective of a liberal education, and their strength in the written word would shame many professional politicians in the current era. If they were late to a fight, it was typically because they were unaccustomed to the physical demands of military service. If they ran from a fight, it was often the case that they had gotten bored with it, or because they were carrying wounded friends and relatives from the front of the battle to the rear. By war's end, their letters included more of the Southern Vernacular that is often portrayed derisively in the movies. The Army relied more and more on conscripts, and instituted harsh punishments for being absent without leave. Soldiers often tried to sneak away from their units in order to protect their families at home, or defected to the Union because the Army couldn't afford to keep them properly fed and clothed.
Glatthaar takes care to assert, up front, that the Confederate States fought mostly to secure the institution of slavery. Although the soldiers asserted they were defending their civil rights, secured for them by the Constitution, the particular right that they were defending was the right to own black slaves. After John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, slave states came to the belief that the Federal Government could not or would not secure that right for them. Ironically, it became clear early in the war that slavery would not be feasible in the states that bordered the Union after secession; even if they had secured independence, states like Virginia would have a hard time coping with slaves escaping across the border. Eventually, the situation for the Confederacy was so dire, they in fact started to conscript free blacks into the Army. Even though the soldiers expressed explicitly racist views, they recognized that the institution of slavery was basically over, and their motivation for continuing to fight latched on to simple independence.
As we all know, they were eventually overmatched by the Union Army, which was numerically superior, carried better weapons (including more reliable ammunition and more repeating rifles), and was better able to feed and clothe its troops.
As is my custom, I will now offer some thoughts on the context in which this book was read.
It is no accident that I chose to read this book now, in the United States of 2020. Casual talk of secession has arisen among both conservatives and liberals, with some Californians talking about seceding if Donald Trump remains president in 2021, and some Texans raising the possibility of "law-abiding" states seceding in the other case. There is a renewed national interest in Confederate symobology. The top inside corner of the Mississippi state flag and the statue of Robert E. Lee at the US Capitol have recently been removed.
Glatthaar's description of the Army of Northern Virginia shows the past to be possessed of both the alien and the deeply familiar. The prosaic letters from combatants in 1861 are as dissimilar to the Twitter flame-wars of 2020 as night is to day. The rebel lifestyle of 1861 defies the stereotypes associated with the secessionist movement today; the soldiers in Lee's Army were educated and worldly; more than a few were quite wealthy; unlike their top leadership, most were not particularly religious; having grown up in rural areas, they were especially susceptible to disease, but at the same time, due to their reliance on slave labor, they were not particularly skilled at doing things that would make them suited to their surroundings. At the same time, the Confederates regarded George Washington as the founder of their country. They held democracy and the Constitution in high regard. They were highly individualistic, bad at following orders, and good at drinking whiskey. Their military leaders studied alongside Union generals at West Point. In many ways, they were and are quintessentially American.
There is a danger, at this fractious moment in our national history, in re-habilitating or re-humanizing General Lee and his soldiers. There is danger, too, in denying their humanity or their American-ness. Just because we have hidden a few old statues away in a warehouse, somewhere, does not mean we are beyond the reach of the Civil War. San Jose, California in 2020 is not so far removed from Richmond, Virginia in 1860, in time or space, that it might be regarded as beyond the reach of strife or suffering of that bygone era. Neither is Houston, Texas, or any city one cares to name. History is either taught or repeated. Modern secessionists might do well to read about the time that tens of thousands of Americans were cut down by common diseases, and many perished for want of shoes on their feet or canvas over their head.
Glatthaar covers the minutia of the individual battles fought during the American Civial War, but is mostly concerned with the individual men comprising the Army. Glatthaar portrays the men of the army through the details of how they came to the service (volunteering or conscription); how they left the service (death, discharge, desertion, defection, or capture); what their social status was; how many slaves they owned; how much wealth they had accumulated; what they ate; whether they were religious; whether they had families. The war provided occasion for them to discover themselves on the march and on the battlefield, and write to their spouses and their kin about their aspirations and concerns. Even after capture, prisoners of war could write to their families, so the myriad personal experiences of the war were well-documented.
The narrative is roughly chronological, driven by a few major themese that Glatthaar periodically re-traces periodically. One major theme is the general morale. The early soldiers volunteered for what they believed would be the first two years of a short war. They spoke of their cause in lofty terms of defending their own civil rights. Indeed, their early letters are reflective of a liberal education, and their strength in the written word would shame many professional politicians in the current era. If they were late to a fight, it was typically because they were unaccustomed to the physical demands of military service. If they ran from a fight, it was often the case that they had gotten bored with it, or because they were carrying wounded friends and relatives from the front of the battle to the rear. By war's end, their letters included more of the Southern Vernacular that is often portrayed derisively in the movies. The Army relied more and more on conscripts, and instituted harsh punishments for being absent without leave. Soldiers often tried to sneak away from their units in order to protect their families at home, or defected to the Union because the Army couldn't afford to keep them properly fed and clothed.
Glatthaar takes care to assert, up front, that the Confederate States fought mostly to secure the institution of slavery. Although the soldiers asserted they were defending their civil rights, secured for them by the Constitution, the particular right that they were defending was the right to own black slaves. After John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry, slave states came to the belief that the Federal Government could not or would not secure that right for them. Ironically, it became clear early in the war that slavery would not be feasible in the states that bordered the Union after secession; even if they had secured independence, states like Virginia would have a hard time coping with slaves escaping across the border. Eventually, the situation for the Confederacy was so dire, they in fact started to conscript free blacks into the Army. Even though the soldiers expressed explicitly racist views, they recognized that the institution of slavery was basically over, and their motivation for continuing to fight latched on to simple independence.
As we all know, they were eventually overmatched by the Union Army, which was numerically superior, carried better weapons (including more reliable ammunition and more repeating rifles), and was better able to feed and clothe its troops.
As is my custom, I will now offer some thoughts on the context in which this book was read.
It is no accident that I chose to read this book now, in the United States of 2020. Casual talk of secession has arisen among both conservatives and liberals, with some Californians talking about seceding if Donald Trump remains president in 2021, and some Texans raising the possibility of "law-abiding" states seceding in the other case. There is a renewed national interest in Confederate symobology. The top inside corner of the Mississippi state flag and the statue of Robert E. Lee at the US Capitol have recently been removed.
Glatthaar's description of the Army of Northern Virginia shows the past to be possessed of both the alien and the deeply familiar. The prosaic letters from combatants in 1861 are as dissimilar to the Twitter flame-wars of 2020 as night is to day. The rebel lifestyle of 1861 defies the stereotypes associated with the secessionist movement today; the soldiers in Lee's Army were educated and worldly; more than a few were quite wealthy; unlike their top leadership, most were not particularly religious; having grown up in rural areas, they were especially susceptible to disease, but at the same time, due to their reliance on slave labor, they were not particularly skilled at doing things that would make them suited to their surroundings. At the same time, the Confederates regarded George Washington as the founder of their country. They held democracy and the Constitution in high regard. They were highly individualistic, bad at following orders, and good at drinking whiskey. Their military leaders studied alongside Union generals at West Point. In many ways, they were and are quintessentially American.
There is a danger, at this fractious moment in our national history, in re-habilitating or re-humanizing General Lee and his soldiers. There is danger, too, in denying their humanity or their American-ness. Just because we have hidden a few old statues away in a warehouse, somewhere, does not mean we are beyond the reach of the Civil War. San Jose, California in 2020 is not so far removed from Richmond, Virginia in 1860, in time or space, that it might be regarded as beyond the reach of strife or suffering of that bygone era. Neither is Houston, Texas, or any city one cares to name. History is either taught or repeated. Modern secessionists might do well to read about the time that tens of thousands of Americans were cut down by common diseases, and many perished for want of shoes on their feet or canvas over their head.
Read
February 9, 2014Great insight into an American legend
this book looks at the culture an and make up of the Army of Northern Virginia. It tries to shed light on the realities behind the mythology and show the south's lead army for what it really was in all it's glory but also with all it very real flaws. the author also tries to explain Lee's logic in fighting in the aggressive manner that he did. The book also includes a good profile and assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the Army's high command and General Officers. Supply and logistics are give due consideration and coverage as is the medical corps and interaction with civilians. of particular importance is the complicated relationship of the Army to slavery and to the slave population.
this book looks at the culture an and make up of the Army of Northern Virginia. It tries to shed light on the realities behind the mythology and show the south's lead army for what it really was in all it's glory but also with all it very real flaws. the author also tries to explain Lee's logic in fighting in the aggressive manner that he did. The book also includes a good profile and assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the Army's high command and General Officers. Supply and logistics are give due consideration and coverage as is the medical corps and interaction with civilians. of particular importance is the complicated relationship of the Army to slavery and to the slave population.
February 6, 2014
Probably the most definitive book about the Army of Northern Virginia I have ever come across. The book goes into not just details on the battles and campaigns of the army, but more of the day-to-day life of soldiers in the army. Primary sources are plentiful and offer a glimpse into what it was like to fight under Robert E Lee for the Confederacy. Only drawback was not a lot of maps, but with the focus more on life of the soldiers, this was understandable.
March 2, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. A very detailed account of the challenges that faced Lee's army, it documents the experiences of its soldiers in their own words, set in a context of the broader strategic and operational situations. Highly recommended.
January 19, 2011
This was a good read. The research on how many Confederates had slaves and were of means surprised me. I thought there would be very little new here but I was surprised.
May 29, 2015
Superb social and historical study of a modern army with a premodern attitude. Bought it in Gettysburg last month together with some other Civil War books, but this one I enjoyed most.
December 27, 2023
A unique work of Civil War history that blends campaigns and battles with logistics, command, and politics. There's some analysis of strategy, which many books that focus on the purely military aspect sometimes overlook.
As for the sequence of campaigns, we're given excellent maps, which show nearly all of the terrain features mentioned--a significant aid in following the text, even for readers experienced in Civil War battle history. Likewise, the notes, photographs, and index give handy support and elaboration.
The detail in some of the subjects is incredible: I never realized that there were four kinds of artillery ordnance, and that the fuses were a variable as well. The largely ineffective Confederate bombardment of Cemetery Ridge on the 3rd day at Gettysburg is therefore explained: the gunners didn't intend to overshoot their targets, they instead had unfamiliar fuses that burned longer.
Also, the discussion of the varied calibers of muskets was intriguing; some balls would fit more than one caliber, but with complications. Due to the fragile nature of the Confederate supply system, it's no wonder that the guys pillaged fallen soldiers' for ammo, not to mention other necessities.
One chapter towards the end--Lee and the High Command--is probably the most interesting. The peculiar nature of the the Confederate situation: that they said they just wanted to be left alone, but had to fight to achieve that, made their strategic thinking difficult. To gain foreign recognition, and therefore achieve independence, they had to threaten to defeat the North in battle, and possibly occupy Washington or another major city.
But that strategy was far from just being left alone; that is, they felt they had to move North to win a battle that they claimed was unnecessary. Lee seemed to have bad luck, and possibly muddled his thinking, in both the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns.
The book is most engaging in these thoughtful chapters, but the campaigns themselves are given rather quick overviews. The author gives an insightful look at Jackson, whom was less than spectacular in the Seven Days battles, primarily because he was used to being on his own. But the coverage of Second Manassas skips the question of Jackson's corp not joining with Longstreet in the successful counterattack the second day.
There's a lot of great history here, though the breadth and depth of the story of the Army of Northern Virginia is uneven. Had the book covered the campaigns in the same detail as the logistical aspect, however, it would have to be twice as long.
A good read with rare information.
As for the sequence of campaigns, we're given excellent maps, which show nearly all of the terrain features mentioned--a significant aid in following the text, even for readers experienced in Civil War battle history. Likewise, the notes, photographs, and index give handy support and elaboration.
The detail in some of the subjects is incredible: I never realized that there were four kinds of artillery ordnance, and that the fuses were a variable as well. The largely ineffective Confederate bombardment of Cemetery Ridge on the 3rd day at Gettysburg is therefore explained: the gunners didn't intend to overshoot their targets, they instead had unfamiliar fuses that burned longer.
Also, the discussion of the varied calibers of muskets was intriguing; some balls would fit more than one caliber, but with complications. Due to the fragile nature of the Confederate supply system, it's no wonder that the guys pillaged fallen soldiers' for ammo, not to mention other necessities.
One chapter towards the end--Lee and the High Command--is probably the most interesting. The peculiar nature of the the Confederate situation: that they said they just wanted to be left alone, but had to fight to achieve that, made their strategic thinking difficult. To gain foreign recognition, and therefore achieve independence, they had to threaten to defeat the North in battle, and possibly occupy Washington or another major city.
But that strategy was far from just being left alone; that is, they felt they had to move North to win a battle that they claimed was unnecessary. Lee seemed to have bad luck, and possibly muddled his thinking, in both the Antietam and Gettysburg campaigns.
The book is most engaging in these thoughtful chapters, but the campaigns themselves are given rather quick overviews. The author gives an insightful look at Jackson, whom was less than spectacular in the Seven Days battles, primarily because he was used to being on his own. But the coverage of Second Manassas skips the question of Jackson's corp not joining with Longstreet in the successful counterattack the second day.
There's a lot of great history here, though the breadth and depth of the story of the Army of Northern Virginia is uneven. Had the book covered the campaigns in the same detail as the logistical aspect, however, it would have to be twice as long.
A good read with rare information.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
May 9, 2021The book only follows Lee's army, the Army of Northern Virginia. I've never read a book that focuses solely on one army like that, usually its more of a historical recap of a war. It was an interesting change.
The book is pretty well written, and is a good way of understanding a bit about the soldiers w/in the army. The research is mostly from their letters and journals, in any case, from the words of those who fought. The author believes the main reason southern soldiers went to war was to protect slavery, and I have to agree, though the majority of the soldiers did not own any. And it was interesting to see some of the thoughts when they invaded PA (leading to Gettysburg battle), and they felt there was a lot of wealth, and most people and farms seemed in better shape than in the south. Though they had always believed slavery was needed in order to make a good living, what they saw raised some doubts.
They also believed, pretty wholeheartedly, that slavery was good for the African, in fact, they enjoyed it, and thought it was a good life. It was another shock to see thousands escape to Union lines, and there were a few slave insurrections. They thought the slaves were fools for escaping, that life would be worse in the north.
The amazing thing is that the whole idea of protecting slavery was for liberty, and personal rights. They felt if slavery was taken away, they were no better than slaves, yet they also thought their own slaves were happy w/the situation. Amazing how blind people can be. And, they were convinced God was on their side, and that He would give them victory. After any loss in battle, many soldiers felt they needed to repent of sins and get right w/Him in order to defeat the Union. Another example of blindness, throughout the ages so many people believing, knowing, they were fighting for God. Won't we be surprised...
The book is pretty well written, and is a good way of understanding a bit about the soldiers w/in the army. The research is mostly from their letters and journals, in any case, from the words of those who fought. The author believes the main reason southern soldiers went to war was to protect slavery, and I have to agree, though the majority of the soldiers did not own any. And it was interesting to see some of the thoughts when they invaded PA (leading to Gettysburg battle), and they felt there was a lot of wealth, and most people and farms seemed in better shape than in the south. Though they had always believed slavery was needed in order to make a good living, what they saw raised some doubts.
They also believed, pretty wholeheartedly, that slavery was good for the African, in fact, they enjoyed it, and thought it was a good life. It was another shock to see thousands escape to Union lines, and there were a few slave insurrections. They thought the slaves were fools for escaping, that life would be worse in the north.
The amazing thing is that the whole idea of protecting slavery was for liberty, and personal rights. They felt if slavery was taken away, they were no better than slaves, yet they also thought their own slaves were happy w/the situation. Amazing how blind people can be. And, they were convinced God was on their side, and that He would give them victory. After any loss in battle, many soldiers felt they needed to repent of sins and get right w/Him in order to defeat the Union. Another example of blindness, throughout the ages so many people believing, knowing, they were fighting for God. Won't we be surprised...
October 8, 2023
This is, as the title suggests, a history of the Army of Northern Virginia. It is partly based on socioeconomic data analysis, so Glatthaar can, based on his sample of 600 soldiers, talk about what percentage of soldiers were slaveholders, how much wealth they had (which ranged dramatically from $0 to over $10,000), etc. He does a good job of explaining why the South thought the war started without falling into the error of defending their point of view. This is a history, not an apologia.
Talking about the Army of Northern Virginia is difficult because the soldiers suffered dreadfully---from lack of basic equipment like shoes and pants, from disease, from the awful meat grinder that was a Civil War battlefield---and they sincerely and passionately believed that they were fighting for liberty. And could not see that fighting for the liberty to own other people is the cruelest of paradoxes, just as they could not understand why their slaves fled to the Northern lines by the thousands. Maybe it's that disjunct that fascinates me.
Considered as an army, the Army of Northern Virginia accomplished amazing things, and Glaatthaar does a great job of describing what battles looked like from the South's point of view, which I found an interesting..."corrective" is not the word I want, but it's like reading about the Civil War backwards.
Four and a half stars, round up to five.
Talking about the Army of Northern Virginia is difficult because the soldiers suffered dreadfully---from lack of basic equipment like shoes and pants, from disease, from the awful meat grinder that was a Civil War battlefield---and they sincerely and passionately believed that they were fighting for liberty. And could not see that fighting for the liberty to own other people is the cruelest of paradoxes, just as they could not understand why their slaves fled to the Northern lines by the thousands. Maybe it's that disjunct that fascinates me.
Considered as an army, the Army of Northern Virginia accomplished amazing things, and Glaatthaar does a great job of describing what battles looked like from the South's point of view, which I found an interesting..."corrective" is not the word I want, but it's like reading about the Civil War backwards.
Four and a half stars, round up to five.
Want to read
December 8, 2019In my history class, we learned about the Civil War. After finishing the lesson, I was still confused about all the battles and I only knew the gist, so I decided to read General Lee’s Army: From Victory to Collapse, by Joseph Glatthaar. This book is all about the history of the military of Northern Virginia. The author does a good job of portraying both the good and evil of the Confederates. In my history class, we mainly talk about the north and their attempt to end the Confederates, but never really focused on the South and their strategy to try and defeat the Union. The book begins to talk about the basics of how the army was structured, to how the Confederates were defeated. My only complaint about the book is that it only talked about Northern Virginia, not all of Lee’s army.
This book did not meet my expectations. I thought that the book was going to be all about the Civil War in the confederate’s perspective, but it was not. It was all about the life of a soldier in Northern Virginia. Also, the book was quite long, which lead me to almost stop reading it a couple of times. If you are looking for a book covering all of the Civil War, and not just one specific section of the Confederate side, as I did, then I suggest finding another book.
This book did not meet my expectations. I thought that the book was going to be all about the Civil War in the confederate’s perspective, but it was not. It was all about the life of a soldier in Northern Virginia. Also, the book was quite long, which lead me to almost stop reading it a couple of times. If you are looking for a book covering all of the Civil War, and not just one specific section of the Confederate side, as I did, then I suggest finding another book.
October 28, 2021
All in all, though the book is repetitive at times with facts/figures and, given current historiography, not convincing in arguing that a particular army “created”southern nationalism or nationhood; it was a fantastic read in that it highlighted so much that I had never grasped about military service in the Army of Northern VA and the degree to which it was simultaneously professional in the modern sense while also always being on the edge of chaos because of cultural beliefs and individuals preoccupation with war spoils and personal honor. By the end of the war, there is little doubt that Lee’s starving, partially clothed troops, missing basic and essential gear and horses, escaping home or to Union captivity in droves, was beaten and incapable of sustained resistance. Sherman’s March to the Sea is heralded as a final nail in the CSA’s coffin. Highly recommended, especially since the author leads and ends with the centrality of slavery to the CSA cause.
July 3, 2022
This is a LONG, detailed, heavy read - but with a very interesting perspective. Far from another list of battles, there's a tremendous number of personal quotes from individuals fighting in the Army of Northern Virginia. Heavily annotated (a think section of notes after the read itself ends) this author might have gone overboard with the detail, but it does weave a deep understanding of solider's thoughts well beyond the normal Civil War read.
(also have to note how much of their statements are echoed by today's far right - the belief that God is on their side and that they would win because of the righteousness of their cause)
(also have to note how much of their statements are echoed by today's far right - the belief that God is on their side and that they would win because of the righteousness of their cause)
September 28, 2021
Tehehehe they lost
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 23, 2025
At times engaging but very repetitive and poorly organized. The same information could have been conveyed in two-thirds of the space.
July 9, 2009
This is a fascinating book. On the one hand, its depiction of the Army of Northern Virginia (ANV) is well known. On the other, it goes into considerable detail on the everyday lives of Lee's (and, earlier, Johnston's and Beauregard's) army. As such, it does add considerably to our grasp of what the ANV went through. The focus? In the author's own words (Page xv): ". . .scholars and enthusiasts have written thousands of books on various aspects of Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia, but no one has embarked upon a major investigation of the army throughout the entire war." Joseph Glatthaar also develops a statistical data base (See Appendix I for more details) to provide greater information about the ANV. He worked with political scientist Kent Tedin to get a representative sample of soldiers from the army, 600 in all. For each, the author searched records to get personal information, unit information, and so on. Included as well are graphic comments from letters and other documentation. It makes for a fascinating look at Lee's army.
All in all, almost 200,000 troops, in all, fought in the ANV. A horrifying number were killed or wounded. The army bled a great deal during the Civil War.
This book covers a huge territory: Why the troops joined the army and fought (slavery, by the way, appears to have been one major motivator), the early battle experience and how poorly prepared soldiers were for the conflict, the early history of the army (under Johnston and Beauregard, before the latter was transferred west and the former injured at Seven Pines), Lee's accession to command, the Seven Days' Campaign (where Union General George McClellan, in essence, caved in), the second battle at Bull Run (or Manassas), and so on.
Some of the high points. . . The ups and downs of soldiers' morale. Religious revivals sometimes surged through the troops, as one way of helping deal with the horrors of the conflict. The book addresses the odd juxtaposition of independent, individualistic southern troops with the need for discipline among them. There is nice discussion of the uneven quality of commanders and Lee's predilection of moving his (perceived) less competent high officers to other commands (e.g., transferring Magruder from the ANV to Texas).
If you wish a great amount of detail on actual battles, from First Bull Run through the retreat to Appomattox Court House, this book will not satisfy. But that is not its focus. If you want a sense of the day-to-day lives of soldiers, the challenges in managing an army, Lee's key role in keeping citizens and soldiers motivated to continue, the decline in morale among citizens and soldiers as Sherman's advance after Atlanta continued, and so on, then this book will be of interest.
Anyhow, this strikes me as an important volume, giving readers a detailed perspective on the Army of Northern Virginia.
All in all, almost 200,000 troops, in all, fought in the ANV. A horrifying number were killed or wounded. The army bled a great deal during the Civil War.
This book covers a huge territory: Why the troops joined the army and fought (slavery, by the way, appears to have been one major motivator), the early battle experience and how poorly prepared soldiers were for the conflict, the early history of the army (under Johnston and Beauregard, before the latter was transferred west and the former injured at Seven Pines), Lee's accession to command, the Seven Days' Campaign (where Union General George McClellan, in essence, caved in), the second battle at Bull Run (or Manassas), and so on.
Some of the high points. . . The ups and downs of soldiers' morale. Religious revivals sometimes surged through the troops, as one way of helping deal with the horrors of the conflict. The book addresses the odd juxtaposition of independent, individualistic southern troops with the need for discipline among them. There is nice discussion of the uneven quality of commanders and Lee's predilection of moving his (perceived) less competent high officers to other commands (e.g., transferring Magruder from the ANV to Texas).
If you wish a great amount of detail on actual battles, from First Bull Run through the retreat to Appomattox Court House, this book will not satisfy. But that is not its focus. If you want a sense of the day-to-day lives of soldiers, the challenges in managing an army, Lee's key role in keeping citizens and soldiers motivated to continue, the decline in morale among citizens and soldiers as Sherman's advance after Atlanta continued, and so on, then this book will be of interest.
Anyhow, this strikes me as an important volume, giving readers a detailed perspective on the Army of Northern Virginia.
January 12, 2015
Glathaar's got a unique approach and structure for the book, arranging chapters by general topics, but at the same time keeping it chronologically depicting how the Army of Northern Virginia evolved, morphed, and then crumbled as an organization. Each topic is presented in the overall timeline, when that subject matter became most critical, or most influential on the Army's status. I also really liked how it was pretty obvious that he tapped into MANY brand new original sources. The man must have hunted down and read letters from soldiers like a man obsessed. A nice fresh take on a subject already very scrutinized and covered in the past, from many accounts.
December 18, 2025
This was an interesting book on the Army of Northern Virginia. I found the chapters on desertion, why men deserted and the consequences/attempts to stop it to be the most fascinating part of the book interestingly enough. I think the title could have been better. Lee is of course the most famous commander of this army, but he doesn't appear in the book until you are roughly a quarter of the way into it.
Overall it was interesting. I am more interested in the various Union Armies and their histories, but this book was engaging enough to hold my attention and I even learned a thing or two.
Overall it was interesting. I am more interested in the various Union Armies and their histories, but this book was engaging enough to hold my attention and I even learned a thing or two.
September 13, 2008
This book had a lot of interesting information about the civil war from a different perspective than I have ever heard.
I felt that it sometimes was a little slow because it went into so much detail.
I felt that it sometimes was a little slow because it went into so much detail.
August 22, 2010
Very readable account of the men who made up the Army of Northern Virginia. I gave it three stars because I was never wholly comfortable with Glatthaar's statistical sample and the pronouncements he made based on those samples. Very enjoyable book, though.
April 16, 2012
A basic summary of Lee's army of Northern Virginia, from formation to surrender. Although it does cover the battles and leaders, it's distinguishing feature is the common men. Although I think I disagree with some assessments, it's still a good book.
August 26, 2012
Listened to 8 discs of the audiobook on the drive out to Virginia; great fun to listen to descriptions of activities around the region where I'm now living!
Want to read
April 28, 2009Just could not get through it during the merry (but busy) springtime months. I'm looking forward to this heavy volume sometime during the more sedate summertime days.
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