Customer Reviews

General Lee: His Campaigns in Virginia, 1861-1865

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Walter Taylor offers a great perspective into the charater of General Lee, the ability of his subordinates, and the fighting courage of the army itself. Taylor's book should be read by any Civil War buff since Taylor was actually there as Lee's adjutant general. While those critical of Lee may find Taylor to be too defensive and loyal to Lee, one can only continue to admire the Greatest General of the Civil War. I like to take in both sides of the issue concerning Lee, but I have found that Lee was an able, moral, and intelligent leader with weaknesses like every human. The only reason I didn't give this book a five is because of Taylor's subtle criticism of General Longstreet, while he does give him deserved credit.

A memoir by Lee's aide Walter Herron Taylor.

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.

I am a bit new to the Civil War history ranks, but I have read several books over the last few years. I just completed Grant's memoirs, and decided I needed more information about Lee, hence this book. I could not rate it higher, due to the apparent inaccuracies (too many to detail, primarily with regard to numbers in the ranks and casualties), and the racist attitude that prevails. Taylor was clearly a loyal soldier, and true to his cause, but his mis-guided attack on General Longstreet became tiresome.