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Lee's Lieutenants: A Study In Command
Douglas Southall Freeman. Lee's Lieutenants. 3 Volume Set. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, [1970-1971]. Later editions. Three octavo volumes. Publisher's binding and dust jacket.Folding map at rear of volume 3.
All unquestioned masterpiecc of the historian's art, and a towering landmark in the literature of the American Civil War."Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command" is the most colorful and popular of all of Douglas Southall Freeman's works; it is generally considered the most penetrating study ever written of military personalities and tactics during the American Civil War. A sweeping narrative that presents a multiple biography against the flame-shot background of history, it is the story of the great figures of the Army of Northern Virginia who fought under Robert E. Lee as they came forward on the stage of war.
In this first volume, "Manassas to Malvern Hill," Dr. Freeman describes the rise and fall of General Beauregard, the growing friction between Jefferson Davis and Joseph E. Johnston, the emergence and failure of a number of military charlatans, and the first display of ability on the part of some new men at a time when the organization developed at Manassas collapsed at Seven Pines. The narrative illumines the rise of "Stonewall" Jackson and traces his progress in the Shenandoah Valley campaign and into Richmond amid the acclaim of the South, accompanies him through the failures during the Seven Days, and then leaves him, with the new army entirely organized, in the center of the stage of history.
"Manassas to Malvern Hill" is the first volume of a three-volume work. In the second volume, the men whose reputations were made, or lost, on such fields as Manassas at the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville dominate the narrative; volume three depicts the Gettysburg campaign and the thunder signaling the ruin of the Confederacy.
All unquestioned masterpiecc of the historian's art, and a towering landmark in the literature of the American Civil War."Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command" is the most colorful and popular of all of Douglas Southall Freeman's works; it is generally considered the most penetrating study ever written of military personalities and tactics during the American Civil War. A sweeping narrative that presents a multiple biography against the flame-shot background of history, it is the story of the great figures of the Army of Northern Virginia who fought under Robert E. Lee as they came forward on the stage of war.
In this first volume, "Manassas to Malvern Hill," Dr. Freeman describes the rise and fall of General Beauregard, the growing friction between Jefferson Davis and Joseph E. Johnston, the emergence and failure of a number of military charlatans, and the first display of ability on the part of some new men at a time when the organization developed at Manassas collapsed at Seven Pines. The narrative illumines the rise of "Stonewall" Jackson and traces his progress in the Shenandoah Valley campaign and into Richmond amid the acclaim of the South, accompanies him through the failures during the Seven Days, and then leaves him, with the new army entirely organized, in the center of the stage of history.
"Manassas to Malvern Hill" is the first volume of a three-volume work. In the second volume, the men whose reputations were made, or lost, on such fields as Manassas at the second battle of Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville dominate the narrative; volume three depicts the Gettysburg campaign and the thunder signaling the ruin of the Confederacy.
773 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1942
19 people are currently reading
498 people want to read
About the author
Douglas Southall Freeman
234 books91 followersThe son of a Confederate veteran, Douglas Southall Freeman was long interested in the Civil War. A man of intense work ethic, he earned his PhD at 22, then balanced a journalist's demanding schedule with a historian's, as he churned out Lee's Dispatches (1915), the Pulitzer-Prize-winning four-volume R. E. Lee: A Biography (1934-35), Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command (1942-44), and finally, the multi-volume George Washington (1948-54). A respected historian, renown for his research, he garnered fame in his native Virginia and the friendship of major military figures.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
October 20, 2022
The American Civil War is a period of history that I am heavily fascinated with. I have spent a lot of time on the Second World War and on the ACW, and I have to say that recently I’ve found myself becoming less interested in WW2 and more in the history of the 18th and 19th centuries.
I was a bit nervous about reading this, because I have so many books in my collection on the ACW, and choosing one to focus on can be tough. I am glad that I began reading this.
Overall, the book examines the selected lives of confederate officers in the Virginia theatre of war, starting at First Manassas and ending at the battle of Malvern Hill in July 1862. The book goes through the exploits of Beauregard, Stonewall Jackson, D.H. Hill, Richard Ewell, and several others; we also see the emergence of men like John Bell Hood, A.P. Hill, and John Pegram, who begin to emerge through the pages as bright stars for the confederacy. it covers not just the battles, but the army politics, the intrigue, and it shows the evolution of these men and how Robert E Lee’s famed Army of Northern Virginia eventually took shape.
Being a Civil War aficionado, this was a book I enjoyed. The author provided a nice map of the eastern theatre that was like a poster you can frame, but the maps in the book itself were great. This is part one of a three volume series, and I look forward to reading the whole series.
I was a bit nervous about reading this, because I have so many books in my collection on the ACW, and choosing one to focus on can be tough. I am glad that I began reading this.
Overall, the book examines the selected lives of confederate officers in the Virginia theatre of war, starting at First Manassas and ending at the battle of Malvern Hill in July 1862. The book goes through the exploits of Beauregard, Stonewall Jackson, D.H. Hill, Richard Ewell, and several others; we also see the emergence of men like John Bell Hood, A.P. Hill, and John Pegram, who begin to emerge through the pages as bright stars for the confederacy. it covers not just the battles, but the army politics, the intrigue, and it shows the evolution of these men and how Robert E Lee’s famed Army of Northern Virginia eventually took shape.
Being a Civil War aficionado, this was a book I enjoyed. The author provided a nice map of the eastern theatre that was like a poster you can frame, but the maps in the book itself were great. This is part one of a three volume series, and I look forward to reading the whole series.
November 27, 2013
This is volume one of a three volume series, telling the story of the Eastern Theater of the Civil War through the eyes of the various Confederate commanders engaged. This first volume covers the beginning of the war - through the 7 Days Battles. Freeman has a definite Southern perspective in his writing. He gives examination of the events through the eyes of the various commanders. There are lots of footnotes in the text to help explain situations. It is a very complete account.
I would recommend this book and the remainder of Freeman's series as an excellent study resources for any Civil War lovers' collection.
I would recommend this book and the remainder of Freeman's series as an excellent study resources for any Civil War lovers' collection.
June 14, 2020
The Confederacy is still a hot topic these days, as statues of Robert E. Lee et al are coming down in Richmond and elsewhere. Personally, I don't have a problem with it, because when you put up a statue of anyone in public, you're implicitly honoring what they did, as if to say it's ok. Museums? Absolutely. Personally, I'm proud to say that my own Irish immigrant ancestors wore the Blue and fought for the Union.
So we can (and sometimes should) take statues down, but we can't erase what happened. Nor should we try to deny it. However, we can learn from it. That's why I'm reading Douglas Southall Freeman's 1942-1944 trilogy "Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command." It's still the best study of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, and that's a subject I want to learn more about. It's dense, and it's detailed, and it is in many parts worshipful of the men in Gray. Sometimes we can learn a lot more from the author's point of view than from the actual information contained therein.
I'm a Civil War buff, plain and simple. Not as hardcore as some, but still a Civil War buff. I've been reading about it since I purchased "The Golden Book of the Civil War" in second grade in 1974, and that was 46 years ago. So it's been a while. Freeman's trilogy is one of the landmarks of Civil War writing, and I haven't read it up until now. Looks like I'm in for a couple of weeks of reading. Alia jacta est!
So we can (and sometimes should) take statues down, but we can't erase what happened. Nor should we try to deny it. However, we can learn from it. That's why I'm reading Douglas Southall Freeman's 1942-1944 trilogy "Lee's Lieutenants: A Study in Command." It's still the best study of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, and that's a subject I want to learn more about. It's dense, and it's detailed, and it is in many parts worshipful of the men in Gray. Sometimes we can learn a lot more from the author's point of view than from the actual information contained therein.
I'm a Civil War buff, plain and simple. Not as hardcore as some, but still a Civil War buff. I've been reading about it since I purchased "The Golden Book of the Civil War" in second grade in 1974, and that was 46 years ago. So it's been a while. Freeman's trilogy is one of the landmarks of Civil War writing, and I haven't read it up until now. Looks like I'm in for a couple of weeks of reading. Alia jacta est!
August 17, 2017
This 3 volume series is for the reader with a particular interest in the Civil War and an appreciation for strategic and tactical particulars. I do and I have.
I believe Douglas Freeman is America's foremost historian/biographer and his narrative style is engaging and yet detailed. This work, like his other two massive biographies ( 7 volume work on Washington and 4 volume work on Lee) are exhaustively researched and when the evidence is inconclusive, Freeman so footnotes.
Lee's Lieutenants tells the story of subordinate Confederate commanders from their perspective. It was enlightening to see that the Confederate military suffered from the same issues as did the Federal military which so frustrated Lincoln. ( At least through the first 15 months of the war). Egos, poor communication, jealousy of rank, difficulty in executing complex unit coordinated maneuvers, and prima donnas plagued the Confederacy high command, along with examples of skill, courage, and fortitude.
I am eager to begin the last two volumes.
I believe Douglas Freeman is America's foremost historian/biographer and his narrative style is engaging and yet detailed. This work, like his other two massive biographies ( 7 volume work on Washington and 4 volume work on Lee) are exhaustively researched and when the evidence is inconclusive, Freeman so footnotes.
Lee's Lieutenants tells the story of subordinate Confederate commanders from their perspective. It was enlightening to see that the Confederate military suffered from the same issues as did the Federal military which so frustrated Lincoln. ( At least through the first 15 months of the war). Egos, poor communication, jealousy of rank, difficulty in executing complex unit coordinated maneuvers, and prima donnas plagued the Confederacy high command, along with examples of skill, courage, and fortitude.
I am eager to begin the last two volumes.
February 2, 2015
In 1942, Douglas Freeman published volume 1 of a three volume history of Civil War Confederate field leaders. Volume 1 covers the major battles in 1861-2 from Manassas to Malvern Hill in Virginia. The writing provides valuable insights about war tactics as well as geographical features and organizational challenges affecting battlefield decisions. It contains important references for serious students of Civil War history.
April 2, 2024
The best of Freeman's voluminous writings. His prior four-volume R. E. Lee is excellent. His subsequent seven-volume George Washington is majestic, both of which earned Freeman Pulitzer prizes. Lee's Lieutenants however, is his best work.
The work follows the development of leaders in the Army of Northern Virginia. Beauregard and Joe Johnston were the first leaders of what became the ANV. Johnston's wounding at the Battle of Seven Pines May 31, 1862 brought R. E. Lee to the command. Leaders developed, weaker officers were reassigned, and talented junior officers noticed and promoted. By the summer of 1863, the army was at peak efficiency. The death of Stonewall Jackson started the decline. The horrific losses, particularly in promising mid-grade officers, at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg accelerated the process. The carnage of Grant's Overland Campaign of 1864 took an enormous toll on the leaders. By autumn 1864, Lee's army was in a straight jacket from which it could not extricate itself and which ultimately killed it. Freeman describes in detail that process.
Two critiques stand out. Freeman devotes little space to other theaters. He addresses operations in western Virginia in 1861. He spends some time on Longstreet's campaign in eastern Tennessee in 1863-64. He devotes some attention to operations in eastern North Carolina. Mostly, though, this is the story of the main Confederate army in what Freeman considers the main theater, Virginia. Ever the Virginian, Freeman can be forgiven for this view.
Freeman writes of relatively minor characters as if their names are familiar to every reader. Freeman grew up in an environment in which everyone knew who Henry Wise, John Echols and Maxcy Gregg was. Some readers may need to keep a copy of Boatner's Civil War Dictionary nearby, at least until characters become familiar.
Overall, this three-volume series cannot be praised too highly. It is the greatest work of America's greatest historian.
The work follows the development of leaders in the Army of Northern Virginia. Beauregard and Joe Johnston were the first leaders of what became the ANV. Johnston's wounding at the Battle of Seven Pines May 31, 1862 brought R. E. Lee to the command. Leaders developed, weaker officers were reassigned, and talented junior officers noticed and promoted. By the summer of 1863, the army was at peak efficiency. The death of Stonewall Jackson started the decline. The horrific losses, particularly in promising mid-grade officers, at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg accelerated the process. The carnage of Grant's Overland Campaign of 1864 took an enormous toll on the leaders. By autumn 1864, Lee's army was in a straight jacket from which it could not extricate itself and which ultimately killed it. Freeman describes in detail that process.
Two critiques stand out. Freeman devotes little space to other theaters. He addresses operations in western Virginia in 1861. He spends some time on Longstreet's campaign in eastern Tennessee in 1863-64. He devotes some attention to operations in eastern North Carolina. Mostly, though, this is the story of the main Confederate army in what Freeman considers the main theater, Virginia. Ever the Virginian, Freeman can be forgiven for this view.
Freeman writes of relatively minor characters as if their names are familiar to every reader. Freeman grew up in an environment in which everyone knew who Henry Wise, John Echols and Maxcy Gregg was. Some readers may need to keep a copy of Boatner's Civil War Dictionary nearby, at least until characters become familiar.
Overall, this three-volume series cannot be praised too highly. It is the greatest work of America's greatest historian.
August 21, 2023
Lots of details, all documented. The book describes how and why the early campaigns came off as they did. History buffs, both north and south, would enjoy reading.
August 11, 2016
It's important to understand that the subtitle really defines the subject matter: these volumes are a magisterial treatment of the command structure of the Army of Northern Virginia. While Freeman does an excellent job in recounting battles and other operations, his unique contribution is to recount and evaluate the performance of the Confederate senior officer corps in conducting operations in Virginia during the Civil War.
Command and control of military operations in mid-19th Century was very much different from today, and the talents required for successful generalship were very different as well. For example, one very desirable quality among Civil War generals was the ability to understand and be able to describe how terrain could be used in a military operation.
Command and control of military operations in mid-19th Century was very much different from today, and the talents required for successful generalship were very different as well. For example, one very desirable quality among Civil War generals was the ability to understand and be able to describe how terrain could be used in a military operation.
August 14, 2020
As Grant learned when he came east, Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia were formidable opponents. Shiver to think about Gettysburg if Jackson had been there that first day instead of Early or Hill. If you're not going to read this because you decry the slavery/jim crow/racism in America, I have to ask then - are you not going to read the Bible, the history of Rome, Byzantium, Islam, China, Japan, Africa, the Mongols - shall I go on? This is good history. And well written.
October 4, 2020
The beginning of the organization of the Confederate Army as the Civil War begins. Trying not give spoilers, but you get a taste of the challenges of organization, logistics, communications, and the egos of the men involved. It goes into great detail in the battles over the first year in the Virginia area of operations. I can see already how this first book (two more in the series) is considered a class.
May 11, 2016
Classic work of Civil War history with unusual focus on individual Confederate military officers rather than campaigns or battles. By design, there is little attention to strategic details or political developments. Must read for every serious student of the war but no substitute for works of Catton, McPherson or Foote.
April 25, 2021
Somewhere out there is a one-volume condensed version of this trilogy. Avoid it like smallpox. That's akin to buying a one-volume condensed version of the Lord of The Rings.
Available at the Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/leeslieut...
Available at the Internet Archive:
https://archive.org/details/leeslieut...
February 12, 2014
The best book I've read on the Civil War, or the whole trilogy is. The "hero" of the book is Stonewall Jackson, but it's really a biography of all Lee's subordinates. He writes from the viewpoint of whatever general is engaged in action, and tells the battle as they saw it.
December 8, 2013
Good heavens. This exercise in goodreads takes me way back. I read this set of volumes and R.E. Lee in high school, purchasing the two sets from earnings as a caddy on a golf course. It took years to get over my adulation of R. E. Lee to be able to criticize him.
September 12, 2013
Remarkable detail and clarity.
August 12, 2020
5/12/2020
July 29, 2020
The first of three volumes looking at the South's military leadership during the American Civil War.
February 2, 2022
Great account of the Army of Northern Virginia. Freeman delves into the accomplishments and the mistakes of its leadership.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews