Customer Reviews

Lee at Gettysburg-- commentary on defeat: The death of a myth

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

 

 

Lee at Gettysburg was a nightmare. He was a Great General, but he met his match with the collective heads of Hancock and Meade. The General made bad decisions, and refused to listen to the common sense of Longstreet. Pickets charge should never have been made - pure murder. He didn't have control of his officers and his orders were vague at best. Lee had a good idea of fighing up north, but everything bad that could have happened did. He could have won Gettysburg, but as Shelby Foote stated - It was the price you paid for having Lee fighting the offensive int the north. This book goes into detail of what all Lee did wrong. When Lee said "it's all my fault" - He wasn't kidding. General Lee was the best the south had (excluding maybe Jackson), and in most battles he delivered the goods, and was very very good, and smart. Only someone like Grant could have defeated him, but anyway this book is about Gettysburg, and his BIG MISTAKES that ultimately cost the south the war. The other reviewers gave this book low ratings (I feel) only because they think anything negative about Lee is an act against a god. If your not willing to open your eyes and mind to the fact that "mistakes were made" at Gettysburg, and fell on the shoulder of the General in charge then skip this book, but if you want the truth and the hard facts this book presents it. I would think anyone that has a great interest in the battle of Gettysburg should get this book. One final note - I'm not sure about the picture shown for this book. My book had a cool picture of Lee on the cover.

Not until I read this "piece" did I realize that the worst R. E. Lee book was this by A. M. Gambone. It is filled with so many false and inaccurate statements about every aspect of Lee's life and generalship, that I believe that the author hasn't the slightest clue about what he writes. As proof, how'bout one such example...let's take the author's last point in the book on page 211. Gambone states that "Lee's fatal managerial talent" can be summed up in these words: "A strong propensity to avoid ugly reality which was coupled with a lack of discipline." No serious historian would pen such nonsense...and it is a perfect example of why this book qualifies as the worst possible history imaginable.

I had not read much about Gettysburg until recently. While visiting Gettysburg, I found this book. Wanting to know more about Gettysburg, I purchased this book. I was quickly disapointed. Gambone first parades across the pages various Lee Defenders. He then compares Lee and those who chose to fight for the South as Benedict Arnolds! At that point, This book lost all interest with me.
He attacks what are called Lee's Victories. Questioning his ability, his tactics etc...It is always easy to critisize a man when you look back. At Gettysburg Lee made mistakes. But he was HUMAN! Gambone should take himself off his altar and come and live with the rest of us who make mistakes!Overall this book I think is a poor treatment of the Battle of Gettysburg. That is why I DO NOT recommend it to anyone! I suggets the book entitled " Last Chance for Victory by Bowden & Ward " as a more eyeopening treatment of the Gettysburg operation.