General Lee: His Campaigns in Virginia, 1861-1865

by Walter H. Taylor, Gary W. Gallagher (Introduction)

The crucial Civil War battles in the East—from First Manassas to Antietam to Gettysburg—are described from the point of view of General Robert E. Lee’s staff officer, Walter Taylor. Originally published in 1906, General Lee: His Campaigns in Virginia, 1861–1865 is rich in reminiscences. Working closely with Lee, Taylor prepared reports, delivered messages, and saw the general every day. As postwar controversies swirled, he was often called on to set the record straight. This book is important not only for Taylor’s military knowledge but also for his perception of the character of Lee. Others shown under the stress of fire are Stonewall Jackson, James Longstreet, Jeb Stuart, and A. P. Hill. But the true heroes are the Confederate soldiers who fought doggedly, though outnumbered and often poorly provisioned. Well documented and carrying valuable maps of major battlefields, Taylor’s book reveals how participants in the Lost Cause chose to remember it.

Genres: History, Civil War, American Civil War

314 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1906

Reviews

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Taylor, General Lee. His campaigns in Virginia.

If you look beyond the ubiquitous adoration of Lee and all that's Southern, as well as the occasional though blatant racism, this is a very good book. The information is often skewed (it seems like the Confederate army was unable to lose; all they did was win battle and capture prisoners), and Taylor even goes so far as to suggest that firing on Fort Sumter was inconsequential, save for the over-reaction of war-hungry Northerners; and Gettysburg wasn't really a victory at all but merely a successful holding of the ground by the federals; but his presence as adjutant to Robert E Lee throughout much of the war, makes Taylor a valuable insider into the goings-on at the Southern Headquarters, during the campaigns in the East. Moreover, the prose makes for a very pleasant read and the book could serve as a low threshold to get acquainted with the Civil War, weren't it so soaked in Lost Cause mythology.

Consider this gem: “To me it is as if He who controls the destinies of men and of nations had said: ‘You people of the South, shall be sorely tried, but the blame is not yours, and therefore you shall fall the honors---genius, skill, courage, fortitude, endurance, readiness for self-sacrifice, prowess in battle, and victory against great odds; but this great experiment to demonstrate man’s capacity for self-government, with its corner-stone of universal freedom, must continue with undivided front, and therefore I decree to the other side determination, persistence, numbers, unlimited resources, and ultimate success.’” (125)

It was obvious to Taylor why Jefferson Davis was never tried for treason: "Mr Davis welcomed a trial, for he well knew that the argument was all on the side of the South, and a recognition of this fact deterred those in power who were best acquainted with the constitutional questions involved from any real attempt to prove treason." (299) Near the end Taylor sighs: "attrition had done its work---the career of the Army of Northern Virginia was closed and its banners furled; but the record of its achievements glows with undiminished splendor and constrains the admiration of the world." (292) Yes, Davis and the Southern states were in the right, and they would be admired for it by the rest of the world: they fought valiantly and bravely, but were beaten down by a brute force.

Welcome to the Lost Cause.

[Kyri Freeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very similar to Taylor's other memoir, this is a history of the Army of Northern Virginia's war, with here and there a brief, stiff and cold personal reminiscence. Taylor's work does not exude the winning personality of a Porter Alexander or a Sam Watkins. Especially as Taylor paid considerable attention to the numerical strengths of the respective armies, this is an important primary source, but it's hard to imagine it capturing nonspecialist readers' attention.

Taylor owed his career to Lee both before and after the war and clearly felt an admiration amounting to worship for his chief; like all personal accounts, this one should be read with the author's perspectives and biases in mind.

[Melody]

I was excited to find out that Taylor was General Lee's own aide when I saw this book listed on Abigail's site bibliphilesniche.blogspot.com, so I snatched it up! I'm only in the introduction so far, but it's already quite an interesting bit of history.