U.S. Civil War - Confederate Soldiers - Military Biography, Confederate States of America - General & Miscellaneous, Confederate States of America - Armed Forces, Confederate States of America - Biography, Southern Region - History - General & Miscellaneo
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Overview
Lee the Soldier is a unique one-volume source of writing by and about Lee in which readers can explore all facets of the general's military leadership. Combining unpublished manuscript testimony from Lee about his campaigns, six new essays by leading historians in the field, more than a dozen important essays published previously, and an annotated bibliography of two hundred key titles, this book lays out the major debates and enables readers to explore fully Lee's contribution to the Confederate war effort.Editorials
Journal of Military History
“A first rate reader on Lee’s military career . . . Stimulating.”—Journal of Military HistoryAmerica's Civil War Magazine
“A collection that is true to its title. Lee the Soldier tells the story of the man during the four years of bloody war that raised him to such prominence. . . . [Gallagher] has done an excellent job assembling and editing these 26 essays.”—America’s Civil WarTimes Literary Supplement
“A usefully diverse volume on Lee . . . Gallagher is to be congratulated on a varied and important volume that is a major advance in Civil War military studies.”—Times Literary SupplementCivil War History
“Carefully crafted . . . There is more than enough ammunition here for several generations of historians to take plenty of potshots at one another.”—Civil War HistoryAmerican Studies
“Lee the Soldier is . . . designed specifically to be useful, to guide the reader through the development of the Lee legend, from the heroic imagery of the Lost Cause to the more critical assessments of Lee. . . . This collection represents a substantial achievement, and is a valuable addition and guide to the literature on Lee.”—American StudiesBlue & Gray
“The essays in Gallagher’s volume are well chosen, balancing excerpts from published works with original essays written by a number of leading Civil War historians. The six new essays alone are worth the price of the book.”—Blue & GrayLibrary Journal
Since the end of the Civil War, Confederate General Robert E. Lee has generally been revered as a hero. Yet not all of his contemporaries and not all historians have shared that view. Gallagher (history, Pennsylvania State Univ.) has assembled a series of writings on Lee's ability and conduct as a soldier whose sources range from Lee's fellow general, Jubal A. Early, to Douglas Southall Freeman and modern-day historians. The essayists examine Lee's actions in each battle he fought, with special emphasis on Gettysburg and Pickett's charge. They probe Lee's extraordinary ability to evaluate his officers' strengths and weaknesses, his perceptive understanding of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, and his mastery of offensive operations within a defensive strategy, a practice that may have defeated him at Gettysburg. Gallagher edits very little but provides extensive bibliographic citations. As important as the essays is the 200-entry annotated bibliography, an excellent starting point for an in-depth study of Lee. Recommended for academic libraries and public libraries with Civil War collections.-Grant A. Fredericksen, Illinois Prairie Dist. P.L., MetamoraBook Details
Published
June 1, 1996
Publisher
University of Nebraska Press
Pages
648
Format
Paperback
ISBN
9780803270848