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Gone For Soldiers

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Having brought the Civil War to life through his continuation of his father's classic, "The Killer Angels," Jeff Shaara has now ressurected one of America's most forgotten wars, the Mexican War.

In his latest novel, Mr. Shaara introduces us to many of the Civil War's greatest leaders as they learn their craft under fire in Mexico. The book follows the exploits and deeds of one General Winfield Scott as he leads the campaign to defeat Santa Anna's army.

At his side is a young engineer, Capt. Robert E. Lee. Shaara's portrayal of Lee as a young officer, unsure of his untested abilities and his place in the command structure, is truly wonderful. It is a whole different Lee than the polished General of the Civil War. With each new mission Scott assigns him, we can see Lee grow and mature as an officer.

Many of the other men who would later become Generals are also with Lee in Mexico, Grant, Jackson, Meade, Johnston, Pickett, Longstreet, albeit as Lieutenants. They are not given the same in depth treatment as Lee, but already you can see their abilities developing for command.

General Scott and Santa Anna are also portrayed in manners rarely seen. Few modern Americans have heard of Scott, which is a shame since he was one of the best Generals in our early history. Santa Anna is usually mentioned only in conjunction with the Alamo, but here he is given a very fair treatment.

Overall I would say this book is every bit as good as the Shaaras' works on the Civil War. Once again Jeff Shaara has restored life to a long dead period of our nation's history.

Jeff Shaara is a fine craftsman, as is reflected in this account of the Mexican War as seen by men who figured prominently in the Civil War.

This work, while not strictly history, is valuable for the attention it brings to the Mexican-American War. That war is not often discussed and seems to be consistently misunderstood.

My criticism of the book is stylistic, and is admittedly that of one who "criticizes" rather than "does:" the internal monologues of many of the characters have a sameness of tone and orientation. I found that Robert E. Lee sounds a lot like Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain in later Shaara novels. The lack of differentiation in "voice" is the novel's most obvious flaw.

On the plus side is any sort of insight into R.E. Lee before he became a mythic figure in American history. Shaara's view of Lee in his formative combat experience is well thought out, the problem of "voice" notwithstanding. Also appealing is the reminder and image of Lee fighting under the Stars and Stripes.

Well-illustrated with battle maps, this is an easy and enjoyable read.

I first fell in love with The Civil War period when I was a girl reading The Killer Angels. Since then, I have read MANY historical novels of this period, and as a literature teacher, literally thousands of many historical periods and cultures. Jeff Shaara continues in his father's tradition but with more heart. I not only enjoy his books for myself, but have watched as my students have become hooked, as well. One of my students' favorite assignments is contrasting the Shaara view of war with Crane's. Shaara's language is accessible to all readers and his characters believable and sensitive. They are no longer vague names in some history text. They come alive. I see my students really CARING about history. No longer is the North always right and the South always evil. They understand the conflicts people like Lee and Hancock felt. History is not just a series of dates to memorize for a test. It is the story of a real people; OUR people; US. Shaara makes his readers want to delve into the non-fiction to compare and contrast. They want to examine the issues and virtues that define Man. THAT is good literature, and, I would argue, its purpose. Shaara's gracious reader notes make clear that this is fiction, not intended to be taken as gospel. However, his meticulous research, solely of primary sources, lends credence to his interpretations. How wonderful to have a writer so clearly paint these people that the reader is compelled to read the diaries and letters himself!

This latest, Gone for Soldiers,is a fast-paced page-turner examining a war so often overlooked in our history. We not only meet the younger Lees, Grants and Longstreets, but also are confronted with the disturbing similiarities to Viet Nam, as well. We see the idealism and fraternity between those who would become major players in our history. If not for the protests against Manifest Destiny in the Mexican War, would the South have seen it necessary to secede? What if Lee hadn't had the experiences he had in that war? Would the Civil War have gone on as long as it did? What if Scott hadn't been there? What if they hadn't been tested as younger men? Might the South have won? Just what IS the definition of honor? Glory? Patriotism? Manifest Destiny? At what price, freedom?

I cannot recommend this book highly enough, though beware! If you have read his others, you will find yourself wanting to reread them. If this is your first Shaara, you will be beginning a quartet that you will be compelled to complete.

Following the approach of the 3 Civil war books, we take a ride with Robert E. Lee and Winfield Scott through the landings at Vera Cruz with the march to Chapultepec and Mexico City.

The chapter tags are mainly:

Robert E. Lee the old new captain(40 years old) immediatly shows his talent for the battle field as a scout and engineer which is immediatly recognised by Winfield Scott. You watch him perform his functions with skill and daring and yet still have moments of doubt. You watch him grow into the postion and see the makings of the future commander of the South.

Winfield Scott, ol Fuss and Feathers, comes to highly regard Lee and shows it by desiring his company more then his staff. Scott the commanding General deals with goverment politics, glory hunting divisional comanders as he tries to lead the army in a new way of combat versus the outdated principles of Napoleon. The author did a good job at trying to get his feeling for the man across. He a soldier to the core and dispises political people and the glory seekers. He can't stand his son-in-law, his adjunt, and he torments his Sargent to no end. You see him become a diplomat and is actually offered Dictatorship of Mexico. All in all you get a good introduction to one of America's best and probably most unknown generals. Much of his acomplishments were overshadowed by the Civil War. A tribute to the man is the fact that the West Point Uniforms are the uniforms Scott's troops wore in the War of 1812. Also, the Duke of Wellington called him the best soldier of his generation.

Along the way you meet other personalities.

The dark and brooding Thomas Jackson as Lee remarked "This man needs War" You get to a chapter of his famous duel with Mexican Cannons at Chapultepec.

Ulysis S. Grant and his attack at the gates of Mexico City.
Joseph E. Johnston - you see who the friendship was developed with Lee and later lost in the Civil War.

Pete Longstreet
George Picket.
Commadore Mathew Perry.
P.G.T Beuregard

All in all it's a good read and will give you a taste of an ignored war.

Having read Mr. Shaara's previous works about the Civil War ( The Last Full Measure and Gods and Generals) I was drawn to his historical novel about the Mexican American War. His new novel did not let me down. Focusing on the lives of Gen. Winfield Scott, hero of the War of 1812 and his right hand aid Robert E. Lee, it shows the development of Lee into the military man who would dominate the Civil War. It was interesting to see the interaction of many of the young officers who would fight on both sides of the upcoming war. Jackson, Grant, Longstreet and others learned about war in the foreign land of Mexico. In addition, the army of Santa Anna was shown to be a stern rival often taken lightly by historians. In the end it was a great read as a primer for Mr. Shaara's earlier works.

"Gone for Soldiers" focuses almost exclusively on the relationship between and experiences of General Winfield Scott and Captain Robert E. Lee during the Mexican-American War. Readers looking for much more will be disappointed. The war at large and the exploits of many of it's primary figures, including General Zachary Taylor and his major role in the conflict, are virtually ignored. However, when viewed as a prequel to Jeff Shaara's "Gods and Generals" and "The Last Full Measure", as well as his father's "The Killer Angels", this book is a worthy addition to the narrative thread the two men have woven. "Gone for Soldiers", while the least exciting of the narratives, is still an engaging and enjoyable read. Shaara, like his father, breathes life into the sometimes one-dimensional figures of history by using the historical fiction genre to give voice to their unrecorded musings and conversations. For readers looking for a more balanced history of the war, John Eisenhower's "So Far From God" is strongly recommended for it's thorough treatment of the subject. The "Class of 1846" by John Waugh is also an outstanding book for those interested in the pre-Civil War story of that war's participants.

This novel is a refreshing new story with familiar characters. Those familiar with the American Civil War will enjoy reading about the military development of some of its players.

The novel is centered around the relationship between Robert E. Lee and Winfield Scott. It also touches on some of the brief moments Lee had with future Civil War generals. While reading Gone For Soldiers, I couldn't help thinking of the story of Scott offering Lee the Union command written by Shaara in Gods and Generals. The reasons for Scott's disappointment is now much more evident. Many will be impressed with the research Shaara has done on these characters personalities.

I personally would have wanted more on Grant, Longstreet, Picket, etal., but make no mistake. This book is about Robert E. Lee and I applaud Shaara for his portrayal of him.

Author Jeffrey Shaara has picked up the gauntlet left by his father Michael Shaara. The elder Shaara made quite a name for himself with his fictional, but extremely plausible, account of the crucial Battle of Gettysburg in his seminal novel "The Killer Angels". It was fictional only from the standpoint that Michael Shaara assumed the existence of dialogue and minor events in order to personalize and humanize the various historical figures who played a key role in that battle. Much of those minor events and dialogue were derived from journals, historical records, and conjecture. The actual larger events are, in themselves, wholly factual. "Killer Angels" may be as credible an historical record as any `pure' accounts.

Jeffrey Shaara has assumed his father's legacy by continuing this genre of historical fiction. The younger Shaara is probably best known for his novel "Gods and Generals" (recently made into a movie) which deals with the beginnings of the Civil War up until just before Gettysburg. "Gods and Generals" is an excellent novel and I highly recommend it to anyone. However, I would posit that one his lesser known novels, about a lesser known historical event, may be even better. "Gone for Soldiers" is Jeffrey Shaara's account of the largely forgotten Mexican-American War, which ran from 1846-1848. The reason "Gone for Soldiers" is such an excellent read lies not only in Shaara's skilled literary style, but in his ability to uncover the stories behind this war that are truly fascinating.

The Mexican-American War began over boundary disputes between the Mexican government and the newer southwestern states of the United States, most notably Texas (Which had fought Mexico only 12 years earlier to get its own independence). In an attempt to quell the uprising by the Mexican government, the U.S. Government and President James K. Polk made the egregious error of bringing General Santa Anna back from exile (imposed after he surrendered following the war with Texas) with the belief that he would quell the uprising and re-establish friendly relations with the U.S. Of course, Santa Anna immediately assumed control of the Mexican government and army and promptly attacked the U.S. forces. The war then became a quest to get Santa Anna out of power and restore stability to the region.

The war was fought on two fronts, but Shaara largely ignores General Zachary Taylor's stagnant offensive to the north, choosing instead to focus on the more aggressive and successful amphibious landing by General Winfield Scott's troops to the southeast. This choice is important because, not only did Scott's offensive play a much larger role in the U.S.' success in the war, but it also introduces the reader to much younger versions of men (under Scott's command) who play crucial roles in our nation's history less than two decades later. Familiar names like Pickett, Grant, Johnston, Jackson, and Lee first cut their teeth in combat during this conflict. Later, they play significant roles in our nation's most tragic conflict, the Civil War. Shaara does an excellent job of revealing the passions, fears, skills, and courage of each individual man, choosing primarily to focus on the young Robert E. Lee. In following Lee's progress and development from Army engineer to respected combat commander, Shaara enables to see deeper into a man who we only know as the legend he became. In addition, it is through Lee that we also get to know General Winfield Scott, a general whose war record should put him on the same plateau as such war heroes as U.S. Grant, Andrew Jackson, Teddy Roosevelt, John Pershing, Dwight Eisenhower, and Douglas MacArthur. It's a shame that history has seen fit to forget this man. Shaara does a credible job of reminding us that Scott was a truly remarkable leader.

Anyone with a love of history would do well to pick up this novel. "Gone for Soldiers" is a remarkable accomplishment that belongs right alongside "Killer Angels" and "Gods and Generals".

I first came across this book as a set of audiotapes on sale at a discount store. I knew nothing about the Mexican war and decided I want to hear the tapes. What a surprise how interesting and informative the novel was and how well Jonathan Davis narrated the tapes. I wound up getting the book, reading the book at home and listening to the tapes as I drove. There's nothing like well-written historical fiction that presents the facts and adds interest by the fictional characters.

Shaara is probably correct in saying the Mexican war didn't receive the historical attention it deserved because the Civil War followed so quickly. Shaara, writing during the Iraq War and noticing the similarities in media second-guessing and widespread disapproval of both wars, brought those sentiments into his portrayal of the Mexican War. The second-guessing and disapproval during the Mexican War, however, were even more intense than with the Iraq War.

Some wars are difficult to understand and even harder to justify. It takes decades to get a valid historical perspective on them and their consequences. Shaara has the main characters (characters that really existed) wonder about the motives and purpose of the Mexican war. Shaara gives a very well balanced appraisal of both the war and the main characters that fought the war. Many soldiers whose names we know from the civil war also fought in the Mexican war, notably Robert E. Lee.

Lee, along with Major-General Winfield Scott, are the main characters in "Gone for Soldiers." Shaara portrays Lee in a very sympathetic light. I hadn't considered Lee that way because I knew he fought to dissolve the Union. After reading "Gone For Soldiers," I now view Lee differently. He appears to have been a good man, highly dedicated and principled, and certainly a hero in the Mexican War. Shaara, in his last chapter, traces the lifelong careers of his main historical characters. Lee's commander, Major General Winfield Scott, himself a Southerner, felt the Union should be preserved. Lee felt he could not fight against the people of his own state. He resigned from the army. Later he accepted a commission from Jefferson Davis and became the commanding general of the Southern army. Scott, when he realized what Lee had done, told Lee: "You have made the greatest mistake of your life."

I agree with Winfield Scott. This is a prime example of how difficult it is to choose correctly when you don't know the long-term consequences. I think fighting to preserve slavery was a big mistake because slavery is morally wrong. I think the long-term judgment of history is always harsh on those who advocate what is morally wrong. We all have a similar dilemma today with abortion; and all of us, black and white, are caught up in the issue of abortion.

But there were also political ramifications. Had the South prevailed and left the Union, the Northwest States would have made a second succession. The people planning this Northwest Conspiracy were encouraged by France and England. Had the Union not been preserved, Americans today might reside in three small countries, perhaps in conflict with each other as the European nations have been for the past 150 years. I think Lee would turn over in his grave if he felt he had any responsibility for that.

If you like history, you will enjoy this excellent historical novel that dramatizes what really happened during the Mexican War. The most interesting part of the book is the last chapter where Shaara discusses the careers of the real-life characters you got to know so well in the earlier chapters.

For those who have an interest in the American Civil War and in some of the more noted people who became involved in the conflict, will be able to see some of these people at the early stages when all fought on the same side. This "Prequil" to use the term is fitting for this book by Jeff Sharra. Gone For Soilders: A Novel of the Mexican War. Is a very insightful historical fiction. Though the story revolves more around Robert Lee, Jeff Sharra does introduce the reader to an early Sam Grant and James Longstreet.

Like his father before him who's book Killer Angels brought to life again the battle of Gettysbugh as seen through the eyes of some of the people found in Gone For Soilders. The characters are well fleshed out and the story moves along well. It should help bring more people to read up on Pre-Civil War America and some of the men whos names are covered in this fine novel.