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General William J. Hardee: Old Reliable
In 1861, William J. Hardee left the United States Army after twenty-five years of service and became a colonel in the army of the southern confederacy. Like Stonewall Jackson and James Longstreet, he was to become one of the outstanding corps commanders of the South.
This well-researched volume on Hardee's life leads from his birth on the Georgia-Florida frontier in 1815, through his time in the Seminole and Mexican Wars, to West Point, where in 1860 he became commandant of cadets. During these years he earned a reputation as an energetic and imaginative officer. His book, Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, was the standard infantry officer's guide for both sides in the Civil War.
During the war Hardee rose in rank rapidly and emerged as a key figure in the Army of Tennessee, establishing an impressive combat record. He broke the Union's lines at Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, and Atlanta, and saved the army from destruction at Missionary Ridge. A professional soldier of the Napoleonic school, his performance was less effective when trench warfare emerged in the war's later stages.
This biography, first published in 1965, fills a pronounced gap in the history of prominent officers of Civil War fame.
This well-researched volume on Hardee's life leads from his birth on the Georgia-Florida frontier in 1815, through his time in the Seminole and Mexican Wars, to West Point, where in 1860 he became commandant of cadets. During these years he earned a reputation as an energetic and imaginative officer. His book, Rifle and Light Infantry Tactics, was the standard infantry officer's guide for both sides in the Civil War.
During the war Hardee rose in rank rapidly and emerged as a key figure in the Army of Tennessee, establishing an impressive combat record. He broke the Union's lines at Shiloh, Perryville, Murfreesboro, and Atlanta, and saved the army from destruction at Missionary Ridge. A professional soldier of the Napoleonic school, his performance was less effective when trench warfare emerged in the war's later stages.
This biography, first published in 1965, fills a pronounced gap in the history of prominent officers of Civil War fame.
329 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
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January 27, 2024
This was a very good, concise, biography of one of the South's unsung commanders during the War Between the States. William J. Hardee was a well known, and almost universally well liked, and admired, officer in the Antebellum United States Army. He traveled, and studied, in France cavalry, and skirmishing tactics, and used his knowledge gained in Napoleon III's Second Imperium to aid in reform efforts of the small US Army.
Part of Hardee's efforts included a small, but somewhat influential work, on light infantry tactics, a manual that would be adopted and used by both sides when the long regional cultural cold war between New England and the South exploded into a hot war.
Hardee spent most of his time in the pre-war Army not in combat on the frontier, or against Mexico, but in training and teaching others. This greatly aided him in his evolution as a commander, as events would prove that inspiring leadership came naturally, and seemingly easy, to him (I can't imagine using the term easy is just, not when doing so involves people actively trying to kill you). He also developed a somewhat endearing, and humorous, quality as a mildly aggressive, yet always chaste, ladies man.
This was because tragedy seemed to follow him throughout his life. His first wife died early in their marriage to an illness, and Hardee spent most of the rest of his life as an uncontent bachelor. He would remarry during the war, to a significantly younger, but fiercely devoted, and doting, adoring young women named Marie, who reminded me very much of the relationship between Napoleonic Marshal Nicola Oudinot, and his much younger, but equally devoted and adoring second wife.
Tragedy would find this happy couple, however, as a sudden illness would take Hardee a few years after the war, and his young wife would die, at 35, of a similar illness, and a broken heart...in the same town as his first wife died.
That's an eerie coincidence.
Despite the time spent on Hardee's personal life, the meat of the book is his war time career as a Confederate General. Hardee would prove to be near the top of the second tier of Generals in the Civil War. While he lacked the abilities for a major solo command, though he did perform ably as an independent commander later in the war, he was, however, one of the outstanding Corps Commanders in American military history.
His Corps in the Army of Tennessee was one of the hardest hitting outfits of the War, what with Divisional commanders like Benjamin F. Cheatham, and Irish born Patrick Ronayne Cleburne under him. His Federal opponents all respected, and somewhat feared, Hardee's Corps, knowing that when they saw the distinctive white moon flags on the blue field, that at the very least, they were in for the fight of their lives.
At Shiloh, Perryville, and Murfreesboro, Hardee and his Corps earned well reputations for wrecking any unit they faced, and always giving a little better than they themselves got. Sometimes, quite a bit better.
Hardee, due to an unfortunate clash of personalities with Braxton Bragg, saw him transferred to Mississippi after the Murfreesboro Campaign, where he had his first taste of independent command. He proved a very able administrator, logistician, and trainer, and his personal charm and charisma won him new recruits, and admirers, both male, and female. During the Chattanooga Campaign he was back with the AoT where his Corps performed the best, holding their positions against Sherman's Army of the Tennessee, and soundly defeating them during the main fighting, and defeating Hooker at the rear guard Battle of Ringold Gap which halted Grant's brief pursuit following Thomas' dramatic victory with the Army of the Cumberland at Missionary Ridge.
During the Atlanta Campaign, however, Hardee's limitations came to the fore. The nearly constant pace of campaigning, which wore both sides down, especially in the oppressive heat, and humidity, of a Georgia summer, weighed heavily on Hardee, as did his adaptation to more modern methodologies of warfare like trench warfare. Much of the Atlanta Campaign was fought in a manner more similar to the current Ukraine War than the Napoleonic fashion War had been waged in North America up to that time.
Hardee, while an exceptional General, found it difficult to adjust to this evolving way of warfare, what with his lifelong education in all things Napoleon. Still, his Corps maintained their high reputation, and Hardee would adapt, mostly, to the newer ways of waging warfare, though a bit more slowly than others.
As he had clashed with Bragg, so too would he clash with John Bell Hood following the fall of Atlanta, where Hood did attempt to place much of the blame on Hardee for its loss. As the author pointed out, that was highly unfair, but to Hardee's credit, he handled the affair with gentlemanly reserve, and Christian charity. It helped that he already had a good relationship with President Jefferson Davis, and some friends in the Confederate Congress.
However, much like after Murfreesboro, he was sidelined by Hood after Atlanta, where he took command of the defenses of Savanah, and South Carolina. In this, his second independent posting, he performed very ably.
Utilizing the most of his vastly outnumbered forces (almost a 7-1 advantage for the Federals) he successfully delayed Sherman's advance, giving his forward detachments several bloody noses, and showcased a very remarkable ability to comprehend combined arms, and combined services, warfare by working closely with the Confederate Navy during his operations.
Hardee could be made to learn more modern war fighting, unfortunate that it took much pain, and blood for the lessons to seep in.
His delaying actions around Savanah and in South Carolina were the South's last gasps in the Western Theater of Operations, however. With the Confederacy crumbling, and bled white, Hardee still soldiered on, wedded to his duty, and his honor. His actions in North Carolina, especially his very adept handling of mostly green troops and militia at the Battle of Averasboro, a tactical success of note against Sherman, showcased just how able a commander he really was.
Despite Hardee's brilliant efforts, and personally inspiring leadership, leading his shrunken Corps on foot at the Battle of Bentonville, where his presence inspired green, and veteran troops, alike, the South ultimately lost her bid for Independence, and Hardee surrendered with the rest of the AoT to Sherman at Bennet House.
It is a testament to Hardee the man that he was looked up to by former foes Sherman, Schofield, and Meade to help in keeping order in the occupied South, and his old pre-war relationships were all reestablished. Well, those where both members survived, that was.
As I said earlier, though, tragedy seemed to follow this genuinely honorable, affable, imminently likeable, romantic, and brilliant man. His young son, 16 years of age, against his fathers wishes, had joined the Confederate Cavalry in the final Campaign around Averasboro and Bentonville...and was mortaly wounded in his first action.
They really don't make men often like Hardee anymore, for despite his obvious grief, and that of his new wife who had instantly been accepted by his son, and daughters from his first marriage, he soldiered on, never letting his son's death affect his leadership duties. I personally found it so heartbreaking that he, repeatedly, tried his utmost to keep his very exuberant son away from the war...only to lose him at the very end.
After the war, as previously mentioned, he reformed close ties with his former Yankee foes, and became a bridge for reconciliation throughout the rough years of the 70's. Hardee also had a hand in starting the Southern Historical Society, as alongside being a lifelong soldier, he was a lifelong teacher, and a lover of books. One of his favorite activities was forming a family book club, and spending long hours discussing reading with his wife and daughters. This might explain why he was an advocate for better education for girls, as well.
This book, to my knowledge, is the only one ever written on Hardee in the modern era, and its 60+ years old. A bit sad that most of the great, and not so great, figures of that awful war are largely forgotten while a selct few still see volumes churned out almost annually. Hardee, alongside those like Hooker, Meade, Richard Taylor, D.H. Hill, Rosecrans, Benjamin Cheatham, and Many others are slowly being resigned to the abyss of forgotten history.
Very good biography, though it's concise so it doesn't go into great depth on any topic, but for it being the only one available, at present, it does William J. Hardee justice. Hopefully more bios and studies of the lesser known men of that war will be forthcoming in the future.
Highly recommended.
Part of Hardee's efforts included a small, but somewhat influential work, on light infantry tactics, a manual that would be adopted and used by both sides when the long regional cultural cold war between New England and the South exploded into a hot war.
Hardee spent most of his time in the pre-war Army not in combat on the frontier, or against Mexico, but in training and teaching others. This greatly aided him in his evolution as a commander, as events would prove that inspiring leadership came naturally, and seemingly easy, to him (I can't imagine using the term easy is just, not when doing so involves people actively trying to kill you). He also developed a somewhat endearing, and humorous, quality as a mildly aggressive, yet always chaste, ladies man.
This was because tragedy seemed to follow him throughout his life. His first wife died early in their marriage to an illness, and Hardee spent most of the rest of his life as an uncontent bachelor. He would remarry during the war, to a significantly younger, but fiercely devoted, and doting, adoring young women named Marie, who reminded me very much of the relationship between Napoleonic Marshal Nicola Oudinot, and his much younger, but equally devoted and adoring second wife.
Tragedy would find this happy couple, however, as a sudden illness would take Hardee a few years after the war, and his young wife would die, at 35, of a similar illness, and a broken heart...in the same town as his first wife died.
That's an eerie coincidence.
Despite the time spent on Hardee's personal life, the meat of the book is his war time career as a Confederate General. Hardee would prove to be near the top of the second tier of Generals in the Civil War. While he lacked the abilities for a major solo command, though he did perform ably as an independent commander later in the war, he was, however, one of the outstanding Corps Commanders in American military history.
His Corps in the Army of Tennessee was one of the hardest hitting outfits of the War, what with Divisional commanders like Benjamin F. Cheatham, and Irish born Patrick Ronayne Cleburne under him. His Federal opponents all respected, and somewhat feared, Hardee's Corps, knowing that when they saw the distinctive white moon flags on the blue field, that at the very least, they were in for the fight of their lives.
At Shiloh, Perryville, and Murfreesboro, Hardee and his Corps earned well reputations for wrecking any unit they faced, and always giving a little better than they themselves got. Sometimes, quite a bit better.
Hardee, due to an unfortunate clash of personalities with Braxton Bragg, saw him transferred to Mississippi after the Murfreesboro Campaign, where he had his first taste of independent command. He proved a very able administrator, logistician, and trainer, and his personal charm and charisma won him new recruits, and admirers, both male, and female. During the Chattanooga Campaign he was back with the AoT where his Corps performed the best, holding their positions against Sherman's Army of the Tennessee, and soundly defeating them during the main fighting, and defeating Hooker at the rear guard Battle of Ringold Gap which halted Grant's brief pursuit following Thomas' dramatic victory with the Army of the Cumberland at Missionary Ridge.
During the Atlanta Campaign, however, Hardee's limitations came to the fore. The nearly constant pace of campaigning, which wore both sides down, especially in the oppressive heat, and humidity, of a Georgia summer, weighed heavily on Hardee, as did his adaptation to more modern methodologies of warfare like trench warfare. Much of the Atlanta Campaign was fought in a manner more similar to the current Ukraine War than the Napoleonic fashion War had been waged in North America up to that time.
Hardee, while an exceptional General, found it difficult to adjust to this evolving way of warfare, what with his lifelong education in all things Napoleon. Still, his Corps maintained their high reputation, and Hardee would adapt, mostly, to the newer ways of waging warfare, though a bit more slowly than others.
As he had clashed with Bragg, so too would he clash with John Bell Hood following the fall of Atlanta, where Hood did attempt to place much of the blame on Hardee for its loss. As the author pointed out, that was highly unfair, but to Hardee's credit, he handled the affair with gentlemanly reserve, and Christian charity. It helped that he already had a good relationship with President Jefferson Davis, and some friends in the Confederate Congress.
However, much like after Murfreesboro, he was sidelined by Hood after Atlanta, where he took command of the defenses of Savanah, and South Carolina. In this, his second independent posting, he performed very ably.
Utilizing the most of his vastly outnumbered forces (almost a 7-1 advantage for the Federals) he successfully delayed Sherman's advance, giving his forward detachments several bloody noses, and showcased a very remarkable ability to comprehend combined arms, and combined services, warfare by working closely with the Confederate Navy during his operations.
Hardee could be made to learn more modern war fighting, unfortunate that it took much pain, and blood for the lessons to seep in.
His delaying actions around Savanah and in South Carolina were the South's last gasps in the Western Theater of Operations, however. With the Confederacy crumbling, and bled white, Hardee still soldiered on, wedded to his duty, and his honor. His actions in North Carolina, especially his very adept handling of mostly green troops and militia at the Battle of Averasboro, a tactical success of note against Sherman, showcased just how able a commander he really was.
Despite Hardee's brilliant efforts, and personally inspiring leadership, leading his shrunken Corps on foot at the Battle of Bentonville, where his presence inspired green, and veteran troops, alike, the South ultimately lost her bid for Independence, and Hardee surrendered with the rest of the AoT to Sherman at Bennet House.
It is a testament to Hardee the man that he was looked up to by former foes Sherman, Schofield, and Meade to help in keeping order in the occupied South, and his old pre-war relationships were all reestablished. Well, those where both members survived, that was.
As I said earlier, though, tragedy seemed to follow this genuinely honorable, affable, imminently likeable, romantic, and brilliant man. His young son, 16 years of age, against his fathers wishes, had joined the Confederate Cavalry in the final Campaign around Averasboro and Bentonville...and was mortaly wounded in his first action.
They really don't make men often like Hardee anymore, for despite his obvious grief, and that of his new wife who had instantly been accepted by his son, and daughters from his first marriage, he soldiered on, never letting his son's death affect his leadership duties. I personally found it so heartbreaking that he, repeatedly, tried his utmost to keep his very exuberant son away from the war...only to lose him at the very end.
After the war, as previously mentioned, he reformed close ties with his former Yankee foes, and became a bridge for reconciliation throughout the rough years of the 70's. Hardee also had a hand in starting the Southern Historical Society, as alongside being a lifelong soldier, he was a lifelong teacher, and a lover of books. One of his favorite activities was forming a family book club, and spending long hours discussing reading with his wife and daughters. This might explain why he was an advocate for better education for girls, as well.
This book, to my knowledge, is the only one ever written on Hardee in the modern era, and its 60+ years old. A bit sad that most of the great, and not so great, figures of that awful war are largely forgotten while a selct few still see volumes churned out almost annually. Hardee, alongside those like Hooker, Meade, Richard Taylor, D.H. Hill, Rosecrans, Benjamin Cheatham, and Many others are slowly being resigned to the abyss of forgotten history.
Very good biography, though it's concise so it doesn't go into great depth on any topic, but for it being the only one available, at present, it does William J. Hardee justice. Hopefully more bios and studies of the lesser known men of that war will be forthcoming in the future.
Highly recommended.
September 27, 2018
Fine, detailed biography, especially with Hardee's Civil War career. The maps tended to be good; however, there were no maps for Hardee's pre-Civil War career, nor for the December 1864 Savannah operations and the Battle of Bentonville.
August 9, 2012
The Army of Tennessee's best corps commander. Wrote the book on tactics.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews