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Robert E. Lee at War: Tragic Secessionist
Building upon his noted work in the award-winning Last Chance for Robert E. Lee and the Gettysburg Campaign, Scott Bowden has now undertaken the most in-depth and exhaustive study of Robert E. Lee's generalship.
Robert E. Lee at War presents a fresh and compelling portrait of the true warrior that is sure to illuminate his legacy for generations to come. By mining fresh sources, and in adhering to a rigorous historical methodology, Bowden's account of General Lee emerges to be as necessary as it is original. The story of Lee's decision-making is laid before the reader, and his relationship with his key lieutenants, along with the complicated and strained relationship with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, appears in fresh, new light.
Never before addressed topics include a complete analysis of Lee's art of war. Also, and for the first time, Bowden explains in great detail Lee's ongoing efforts to craft and reorganize the army he inherited from Joe Johnston-a force unevenly led and inefficiently organized-into a modern and fierce fighting machine known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
Robert E. Lee at War presents a fresh and compelling portrait of the true warrior that is sure to illuminate his legacy for generations to come. By mining fresh sources, and in adhering to a rigorous historical methodology, Bowden's account of General Lee emerges to be as necessary as it is original. The story of Lee's decision-making is laid before the reader, and his relationship with his key lieutenants, along with the complicated and strained relationship with Confederate President Jefferson Davis, appears in fresh, new light.
Never before addressed topics include a complete analysis of Lee's art of war. Also, and for the first time, Bowden explains in great detail Lee's ongoing efforts to craft and reorganize the army he inherited from Joe Johnston-a force unevenly led and inefficiently organized-into a modern and fierce fighting machine known as the Army of Northern Virginia.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2012
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June 23, 2023
Beautifully bound book, with heavy glossy paper, ribbons; lavishly illustrated, somewhat marred by typos and syntax errors. Bowden is an unabashed admirer of Lee (as he should be), but very harsh on Joe Johnston (deservedly so), Jubal Early (for fomenting the Lost Cause mythology, but I think Bowden overlooks Early's critical contribution to Confederate historiography), but especially Jefferson Davis.
This first volume of eight covers the first year of the war and the primary theme is the question of why Davis did not properly utilize Lee in that first year, sending him to West Virginia and South Carolina rather than using his talents in field command. Bowden contradicts historians who presumed a friendship between Davis and Lee at that point. He posits that Davis's refusal to place Lee in meaningful positions was not coincidental but purposeful, based on Davis's military vanity and jealousy of Lee being the protégé of Davis's nemesis Winfield Scott. I would not go so far, but it is a critical question: why was Lee, who had been offered command of the Union army, not better utilized by Davis?
This is a military biography and thus not just another Lee biography. Bowden focuses brilliantly on how Lee practiced the art of war and brings new insights into Lee's method. This is the first volume of a projected eight. The second volume was published in 2017 and covers the Seven Days battles. The other volumes are all titled and referred to in the text, so they must be at least outlined, but I have seen nothing about when they are expected to be published.
This first volume of eight covers the first year of the war and the primary theme is the question of why Davis did not properly utilize Lee in that first year, sending him to West Virginia and South Carolina rather than using his talents in field command. Bowden contradicts historians who presumed a friendship between Davis and Lee at that point. He posits that Davis's refusal to place Lee in meaningful positions was not coincidental but purposeful, based on Davis's military vanity and jealousy of Lee being the protégé of Davis's nemesis Winfield Scott. I would not go so far, but it is a critical question: why was Lee, who had been offered command of the Union army, not better utilized by Davis?
This is a military biography and thus not just another Lee biography. Bowden focuses brilliantly on how Lee practiced the art of war and brings new insights into Lee's method. This is the first volume of a projected eight. The second volume was published in 2017 and covers the Seven Days battles. The other volumes are all titled and referred to in the text, so they must be at least outlined, but I have seen nothing about when they are expected to be published.
Displaying 1 of 1 review