Too Much the Lion: A Novel of the Battle of Franklin

by Preston Lewis, Harriet Kocher Lewis (editor)

The soldiers did the fighting; the generals, the Infighting

In the waning months of the American Civil War, a delusional Confederate commander makes a desperate attempt to change the course of the South’s dwindling hopes by invading middle Tennessee. The tragic result of Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood’s misplaced hubris devastates his Army of Tennessee and alters the lives of the citizens of Franklin, Tennessee.

In a historical novel reminiscent of The Killer Angels, Too Much the Lion follows a handful of Confederate generals, infantrymen and local residents through the five days leading up to the horrific Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. The lives of soldiers ranging from Major General Patrick Cleburne to Brigadier General Hiram Granbury and from Sergeant Major Sumner Cunningham to Corporal Sam Watkins will be forever changed by Hood’s decisions and mistakes.

Franklin civilians like apprehensive and loving mother Mary Alice McPhail and teen Hardin Figuers, desperate to serve the Confederacy but too young to enlist, are ensnared in the events that will bring death and devastation to their very doorsteps. Devout Confederate Chaplain Charles T. Quintard must reconcile his religious beliefs with his support of slavery. Slaves like the elder Wiley Howard and the inquisitive young Henry B. Free are trapped on the fault line between what has been and what could be.

Too Much the Lion offers an unvarnished account of the dying days of the Confederacy in a powerful and moving narrative of honor and betrayal, bravery and cowardice, death and survival. Told with poignancy and honesty by an accomplished novelist, Too Much the Lion achieves for the Battle of Franklin what The Killer Angels did for the Battle of Gettysburg, providing a classic fictional account of one of the Civil War’s pivotal encounters.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Civil War, Historical, War, Fiction

328 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2025

About the author

Preston Lewis is the award-winning author of more than 50 novels and nonfiction works. His honors include three Spur Awards from Western Writers of America and ten Will Rogers Gold Medallion Awards (six gold, two silver, two bronze) for traditional westerns, western humor, nonfiction articles and short stories.

In 2025 he was named recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Will Rogers Medallion Awards for his contributions to the literature of the American West. In 2021 Lewis was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters for his literary accomplishments.

His books have been published by both national and regional publishers. In 2021 he and his wife Harriet Kocher Lewis established Bariso Press and have published ten books. Of those ten books, six have been honored with a WWA Spur, a Spur finalist certificate, a Will Rogers Bronze Medallion Award, a Global Literary Book Award (winner) and three Independent Author Awards (one winner and two finalists).

Lewis is a past president of both Western Writers of America and the West Texas Historical Association, which has designated him a fellow and honored him with three Elmer Kelton Awards for best creative work on West Texas.

Lewis holds a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master’s degree from Ohio State University, both in journalism. He earned a second master’s degree in history from Angelo State University. He and his wife reside in San Angelo.

Reviews

[Lisa]

I’ll preface my review by saying I’m not a devoted student of history. That’s my husband’s area of interest and expertise. But I know Preston Lewis to be an excellent writer, I enjoy good historical fiction, and I always like the opportunity to learn about things I’m unfamiliar with. So I gladly picked up his latest book.

Too Much the Lion tells the story of the five days leading up to the Battle of Franklin, fought on November 30, 1864. The battle itself was brutal, bloody, and a devastating blow to the Confederacy. The period shortly before it wasn’t much better, at least not for the Southern forces.

John Bell Hood, the recently appointed commander of the Army of Tennessee, was convinced that only his brilliant tactical maneuvering would drive the Yankees out of Tennessee and turn the tide of war for the Confederacy. But he was pretty much universally disliked by the forces of which he was given command, and so full of himself it’s a wonder he could fit his head inside a doorway.

And bless his heart, he was a legend only in his own mind. He may have had courage (as attested to by the injuries he suffered and his continuing to serve even though those injuries could have easily given him reason to sit on the sidelines), but it was courage at moving his forces on the board of war. He never put himself in harm’s way, but he led from the back. Waaaaaaay back. As the Battle of Franklin raged and the men for whom he was responsible slogged it out in the equivalent of hell on earth, General Hood watched from a mile and a half away, and “consumed two cigars before the dropping temperatures forced him inside to the warmth of the widow’s home and another featherbed for the night.” He slept in comfort and ate at table, taking food from the mouths of women and children, while his soldiers slogged through muck and mud, with inadequate shoes and clothing for the cold weather and almost no provisions, doing their best to win a fight against a better supplied force based on the ever-changing whims of their commander. I wanted to reach inside the story and whap John Bell Hood upside the head. If he made his men as angry as he made me, I’m not sure how no one assassinated him before the battle ever took place.

The impact of Hood’s strategic decisions brought harm to almost everyone but himself, and Lewis gives us an unflinching look at Hood’s hubris and its effect on those in his sphere of influence. I don’t know if these are direct quotes from historical sources or authorial creations, but they clearly reflect the ever-lower opinion people held of Hood:

“I’m not talking about his physical injuries. General Hood’s a mental cripple, stunted by his own pride. ‘When pride cometh, then cometh shame; but with the lowly is wisdom,’ so says Proverbs eleven-two. The lowliest soldier in my brigade marching to do Hood’s bidding possesses more wisdom than our leader.”

“I heard one Georgian describe General Hood as a man with the heart of a lion and the head of a cigar store Indian.”

And my favorite:

“General Hood thinks he’s smarter than a tree full of owls, but we all know he’s dumber than a barn full of jackasses.”

In addition to soldiers of both high and low rank, Preston Lewis draws from varied sources to give us viewpoints of Southern homeowners like Fount Carter and his daughter Mary Alice Carter McPhail, trying to keep some semblance of normality in their lives and sheltering in their home as the battle raged around them; Reverend Charles Quintard, a chaplain with the Confederate forces; and even a teenager like Hardin Fuguers. These different perspectives make it clear that the war was a hardship on everyone in the South, not just the fighting men. General Hood took advantage of both to his benefit.

I’ve seen some reviews commenting about the antebellum speech patterns of Black characters in particular. Is it painful to read from a modern perspective? Absolutely. Henry B. Free, manservant to Reverend Quintard, was clearly intelligent, and his dialect, written out, hurt my heart. He was a character who was so much more than the circumstances into which he was born and in which he remained with no say in the matter. Is it historically accurate? Yes, at least as far as we can know without being there. And Henry had some of the best, most thought-provoking lines in the story. His questions often drove Quintard to contemplate whether the version of Christianity he served was the one Christ intended. When Henry asks Quintard what the Bible says about slaves, he quotes 1 Timothy 6:1: “Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed.” Later, when Henry tells Quintard that he is the top rail, and Henry is the bottom rail, “de one folks steps on first when dey climb de fence,” Quintard is confounded:

“The passage from First Timothy did not ring as true now as when he had first recited it to Henry. The slave youth had a knack for lancing his conscience. Quintard wondered how an unlearned darkie could stump a lettered man such as himself, but then David had beaten Goliath. The clergyman questioned if God was trying to speak to him . . .”

Lewis also includes notes of what happened to the main characters in the aftermath of the battle and the war. Of Hood, it was said, “Throughout his career and even after his death in his posthumous autobiography, he always found reason to blame others for his shortcomings and failures.” Of Captain Samuel T. Foster, it was said, “when his brigade commander was re-buried the final time in Granbury, Foster chose not to attend the ceremony because he did not care to set foot in a county named for John Bell Hood.” That says a lot about the low esteem in which people held him.

I’ve seen some comparisons of Lewis’s work to Michael Shaara’s Killer Angels, with Lewis often coming up short next to Shaara’s masterwork. Never having read Killer Angels myself, I can’t agree or disagree with those statements. I can say that, to my reading, Too Much the Lion is well-researched and well-written, and offered me insight into a part of the Civil War about which I know virtually nothing. It engaged me, enraged me, brought tears to my eyes, and educated me about a part of our nation’s history.

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy of this book from Lone Star Literary Life and the author. I was not required to leave a review. All opinions here are mine, and I don't say nice things about books I don't actually like.

[Maryann]

Another terrific historical novel from Preston Lewis. They just get better and better!

As a history buff, I always look forward to a new book from this author. His research is meticulous, and he clearly delineates between fact and fiction in every story. In Too Much The Lion, Lewis offers the lineup of all the major Confederate Army personnel involved in that infamous and tragic battle at Franklin, TN, showcasing the role each played, while highlighting the short-sightedness of Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood. His failures as a leader are well documented, and Lewis uses all that information to good effect in building his story to it’s inevitable and dramatic end.

Lewis effectively captured the anguish, despair, and fear the Confederate soldiers were experiencing toward the end of the war with this description of Sergeant Major Sumner Cunningham’s feelings as he walked along the shoulder of the Columbia Pike, “Cunningham concentrated on his stride, but the specter of death kept interrupting his thoughts. The muddy soil tugged at his feet, as if trying to pull him into the grave he knew awaited him.”

That sentiment was shared by so many of the foot soldiers who took the brunt of the war, and is a stark reminder of the cost of war that so many people overlook.

All the military history is fascinating, and nicely contrasts with the sections of the story that relate how families in Tennessee, as well as other battle sites, coped with the hardships brought on by war. Civilians suffered from lack of food, even though it was not as severe as the soldiers who too often marched with empty bellies on feet with no shoes. Families also lacked security as soldiers, both in blue and gray, would loot homes and smokehouses for basic necessities, and too often just because they could.

Details in the narrative of how Sunday services were often held in homes rather than people taking the risk of being on the road to go to a church, as well as children being taught at home for similar safety reasons, bring conditions to life, and I admired the plantation women who took off their white gloves to do whatever needed to be done. That highlights the important roles women have played in times of conflict, or any other great challenge, a truth that is important to acknowledge.

Those women are among the characters that I enjoyed reading about the most, but I must say that Henry B. Free, the young boy servant to the Reverend Quintard stole my heart. Henry is an old soul in the body of a seven-year-old, frequently challenging the Reverend on matters of ethics and morals. Regarding the subject of slavery, Henry is presented as the conscience in the narrative as illustrated in this quote. “I’s s’pose I’s knows de answer, Massa Revrund. Youse be’s de top rail, and I’s be de bottom rail, de one folks steps on first when dey climb de fence.”

While using that kind of dialect in contemporary fiction, would be considered an insult and discriminatory, it fits historical pieces. Still, I think just for readability some of it went too far, causing a hesitation in the reading so I could follow the lines of dialogue I understand what the characters, like Henry and Wiley Howard, were saying.

A small quibble for sure and not one that takes away the enjoyment of reading this book.

If historical fiction is high on your “favorite” list, or even if it isn’t, don’t miss this one. You won’t be sorry.

[Bob Greenway]

Too Much the Lion, a new novel by Preston Lewis, plunges the reader into the horrific Battle of Franklin in the dying days of the Confederacy—a hell that one soldier described as a "grand holocaust of death."

The book covers the five days leading up to the battle through the eyes of Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood and a selection of his officers, soldiers, private citizens, and slaves. Except for a few interactions with U.S. soldiers, the novel's viewpoint is Southern.

Lewis uses the template of Michael Shaara's groundbreaking Civil War novel, The Killer Angels, combining historical facts with interpretations of the inner thoughts and motivations of the real-life participants.

Hood hoped to position his forces at Spring Hill between U.S. Maj. Gen. John Schofield in Columbia and Maj. Gen. George Thomas in Nashville. He wanted to force Schofield into attacking the entrenched Confederates, a departure from Hood's usual frontal assault strategy. Hood envisioned defeating Schofield, then rolling through Nashville, Kentucky, and Ohio. He was convinced these victories would end the war.

However, poor communication and confusion caused the plan to collapse, allowing Schofield's army to slip past the Confederates and into Franklin during the night. Humiliated by this failure, Hood ordered a frontal assault, sending 20,000 men against the heavily fortified Union positions. When the battle ended five hours later, Hood had lost six generals and more than 6,000 men. Few Civil War battles were as costly in so short a time.

Through changes in viewpoints, the reader is given a realistic interpretation of how war affected soldiers, citizens, and slaves. Lewis spends just the right amount of time with each character, letting them fill in the details of the five days of fear and terror. Getting familiar with each character takes a while, but it's worth the investment.

Before taking us into battle, Lewis shows us his characters' state of mind. Exhaustion hung over them all. These folks were bone tired. The soldiers suffered the most, but the toll was apparent on all.

"A striking woman of 30 years, Cornelia showed the strain and worry of operating their estate while mothering three boys ages 10 to four, plus a nine-month-old daughter. Her gaunt cheeks, drawn lips, downcast eyes, and slumped shoulders mirrored the exhaustion that all plantation folks felt after three long years of war and Union intrusion upon their land and lives."

This weariness would soon give way to something far worse. No one escapes the battle, and each plays a part. Some die, and others suffer wounds seen and unseen.

Like The Killer Angels, the novel is paced to allow us to learn about the people, the place, and the time. Time is spent examining Hood's leadership and the infighting among his officers. Politics and ego are on display as much as military strategy. To his credit, Lewis also puts the common soldier and civilians on stage, giving them a generous portion of the narrative. It pays off by showing how Hood's decisions and their consequences ripple across the characters' lives, leaving them scarred in ways far beyond the battlefield. Too Much the Lion is a powerful statement about the vainglory of war.

An advanced copy of Too Much the Lion was provided by NetGalley.com.

[Thomas Clagett]

This superb historical novel of the Civil War by multiple award-winning author Preston Lewis tells the story of the tragic and bloody Battle of Franklin in Tennessee.

Set during the five days leading up to the battle on November 30, 1864, it’s seen from the perspective of Southerners who were there, including Confederate commanders Major General Patrick Cleburne, an officer revered by his men, and Lt. General John Bell Hood, a man scorned for his impetuosity, as well as others, like Mary Alice Carter McPhail who huddled with her children in her grandfather’s cellar while the battle raged above them.

As the inevitable battle looms, hopes, hardships, follies and glories are revealed through the actions and words of officers, common soldiers, townspeople and slaves.

The author’s compelling and vivid description of the battle begins in the late afternoon with a haunting stillness shortly before the Confederates advanced. That stillness is broken as bands on both sides began playing regimental tunes. The battle was “a slaughter pen,” “a cauldron of hell,” and Lewis does not shy away from the carnage.

At times harrowing, at times poetic, Lewis explores the virtues and perils of courage and caution with unsparing clarity and force.

There have been other novels about the Civil War, like THE KILLER ANGELS, THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE and ANDERSONVILLE. TOO LATE THE LION joins them as one of the best novels about the Civil War that I have read.

[Spencer Yantis]

Having read a number of Preston Lewis’ works, I am always amazed at his ability to engage the reader in each of his characters.
Having been a young artillery officer in my 20’s I am very familiar with the King of Battle, the Artillery. General Hoods not proper use of artillery in Franklin handicap him.
If you ever have the opportunity to view an Artillery demonstration at Fort Sill you will know why it is a necessary method of softening the enemy position.
Preston shows the reader the problem of hubris overtaking good decision methods and understanding of the tactics needed to go win the battle.
Only if this was a one time failure by the “generals “ of wars. One can see this repeated through out history of warfare. WWI trench warfare, WW II political decisions, Vietnam battle of Que, and so on.
After putting the book down you will have a greater understanding of the words of song from the 60’s …..War “what is war good for, Absolutely nothing.”
One when finishing this book will have a greater understanding of what it is like for ordinary people who end up close and personal in battle takes place right in front of them. From a young boy who climbs a tree to get a bird’s eye view of a battle to a young woman whose home becomes a place for the wounded from both sides.
As a retired person who now lives in Granbury, Hood county I wonder why they choose honor General Hood by naming the county after him.
This is a good read!

[Max Knight]

Most readers are familiar with the unsuccessful Confederate infantry assault at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, known in historical records as Pickett’s Charge. It was immortalized in the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, “The Killer Angels,” written by Michael Shaara, and by the movie adaptation, “Gettysburg.” Now, author Preston Lewis, who dedicated his book “Too Much The Lion” in Michael Shaara’s memory, turns his attention to the Western Theater and the disastrous Confederate charge at Spring Hill-Franklin, Tennessee. Twice the size in terms of the number of infantrymen involved and the length of ground covered during the assault, it was a total disaster and the last major offensive by the Confederacy. The ego and hubris of the Confederate Commander, John Bell Hood, resulted in the needless slaughter of his army and ended any hope of somehow changing the outcome of the Civil War. Largely overlooked in the history books, the horrors of this battle, the conflicting orders and counter-orders that ensured failure, the unwillingness of Hood to care about his own men or anything other than his desire for glory, and his subsequent finger pointing and denial of any blame for the debacle are vividly captured by Preston Lewis in a riveting narrative that anyone interested in historical fiction will find both informative and compelling.

[William Harris]

Preston Lewis new historical novel, "Too Much the Lion: A Novel of the Battle of Franklin," is explicitly being marketed as a kind of homage to Michael Shaara's iconic "Killer Angels," perhaps the finest novel of the American Civil War I have ever read. Unfortunately, it doing so it sets the bar unthinkably high and invites comparisons. I want to thank Bariso Press for providing me with an ARC of this text. The differences between the two books are well captured in the titles. Shaara's work exists on an almost transcendental level with its cast of Civil War generals and brothers in arms while Lewis' work is much more limited in its scope, focusing tightly on the real or imagined shortcomings of the Confederate general John Bell Hood. Both are marked by detailed explorations of the war's effects on the populations engaged, but Lewis' text is far more limited in its scope and its command of the details whereas Shaara's classic study of the Battle of Gettysburg invites comparisons to the very finest works of history on an almost metaphysical level. I am no expert on the Battle of Franklin, but I can tell you that this work fails to capture the pathos of battle half as well as it reveals the kind of political machinations of many of the officers of the time.

[Karen Siddall]

The life and times, as well as the horrors and realities of the Civil War, are encapsulated in this fictional account of the Battle of Franklin, Tennessee.

Too Much the Lion by Preston Lewis is a compelling historical novel of the days leading up to, the results, and aftermath of this tragic battle during the closing days of the American Civil War at Franklin, Tennessee. A battle that shouldn’t have been fought; it cemented the Confederate loss and changed the course of life for thousands.

The novel presents the stories of generals, soldiers, and the residents of the area as they prepare for the fateful clash between an exhausted and undersized Confederate army against an entrenched Union force many times its size. Lewis gives readers an insider’s view into every angle of the tragic events, and it is an emotional and draining vision, with all the inevitability of watching a train wreck unfold. What sets this recounting apart from others of its kind is the portrayal of the participants; the author brings these people to life.

I recommend TOO MUCH THE LION to readers of historical fiction and Civil War stories.

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advance Review Copy from the author through Lone Star Literary Life Book Campaigns.

[Ron Baumer]

A well-done novel of the Civil war from the Southern perspective. The book is fast-paced and full of action. The author does a tremendous job of weaving in many of the generals and soldiers that fought in the South's last attempt to win in Tennessee. The impact on not only the soldiers but some of the civilians was intriguing. The story will grab and hold your interest. My only drawback for the book was I wish there had been some storylines on the Northern troops that were there as well. But that said, it was a great book, and I highly recommend it.

Thank you to #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Gina Stamper]

A historically accurate work of fiction that depicts the unrest within the unrest of the Civil War. This was an entertaining read that really delves deep into the heart of war and the people who make the decisions, yet highlights how everything fell apart.

There were so many elements to this war and I think Preston Lewis did a wonderful job of staying true to the source material while giving characters and a story that were interesting to read about.

It definitely did highlight the bravery of some and the betrayal and cowardice of others. The "little" people have way more heart as always.

[Soscha]

The book is written in the pov of Confederate soldiers, some braver than others. Which is fair enough.

Here's where I have to pull away, the voices of Black people. Of a young Black soldiers assistant. Henry Free Black, his new chosen name accepted by this massa.

Massa, yes, iffens he talk like he talk like speak broken English iffens he we were a darkie, yassur. He' izza, he obligated to, massa revrand. He's a nappy hair darkie.

Okay, no. No no no.

I'm not sure what more I can say.

Would I recommend the book to anyone? Anyone holding a bonfire, perhaps.

[Isabelle Hartwell]

As someone who reads a lot of Civil War literature, I found Too Much the Lion astonishingly accurate and well researched. The generals, the planning, the political tensions it all rings true. But the book’s strength is how it places you inside the minds of men like Cleburne, Granbury, and Watkins.
This isn’t just history it’s an emotional and psychological journey. Highly recommended for military history enthusiasts.

[C. Gonzales]

Great book. Preston Lewis is an exquisite storyteller.

The blend of fiction and history was well executed. The author made this an entertaining and action packed work while also staying true to the history, time, and events.

Well written story based on real events and people. This is great for history buffs who like the attention to detail and history but want to enjoy a work of fiction.

[Samantha Turley]

Travel back in time to the Civil War.

This novel offers a wide sweep of history from the Civil War through the actual fighting.

The story is definitely male-centric, as it deals with the soldiers and war.

The author brings the history to us and manages to bring an entertaining read while staying true to the time period.

[Eira Hawthorn]

I didn’t expect to be so pulled in by a Civil War novel, but wow, this story is impossible to put down. The pacing is perfect, the writing is beautiful, and every character feels meaningful. Even though I knew the tragic ending of the Battle of Franklin, I still found myself holding my breath.
A powerful, moving, and wonderfully written book.

[Eira Hawthorn]

This novel shook me emotionally more than I expected. It doesn’t glorify war it exposes the tragedy, the confusion, the fear, and the human cost on all sides. The portrayal of Mary Alice McPhail was especially moving; her quiet maternal fear carried more weight than any battlefield scene.
By the end, I felt like I had lived through those five days myself. A deeply affecting and important read.

[Mike Glaser]

A solid telling of the battle of Franklin, Tennessee in the manner of the Killer Angels. Franklin unfortunately remains one of the lesser known of the significant battles of the Civil War. A great read for those wanting to know more about this battle.

[CASPER HILEMAN]

The narrative and story of this novel was well paced. Clearly, Mr. Lewis has spent a great deal of time immersing himself in the atmospherics of 1864 and the American Civil War. Mr. Lewis is a very good storyteller, and this was a very good story.

[Gary]

this was an amazing read. this author really knows how to tell a story. i was hooked from the very frist page to the last. i really want to read more from this author.