Lee and His Generals in War and Memory [Hardcover]

Gary W. Gallagher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1998

In this collection, Civil War historian Gary W. Gallagher examines Robert E. Lee, his principal subordinates, the treatment they have received in the literature on Confederate military history, and the continuing influence of Lost Cause arguments in the late 20th-century United States. 32 halftones. 5 maps.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This volume samples the writings of one of the leading scholars of Confederate military history. Gallagher (American history, Univ. of Virginia) has written extensively about the Army of Northern Virginia and its generals, including its commander, Robert E. Lee. Although properly appreciative of the military skill of the army and its generals, he also offers critical analysis and assessment, and he is well aware of how postwar writings romanticized the Lost Cause and distorted our understanding of events. All but one of these essays have appeared before in print in periodicals, scholarly journals, or as a chapter in a book of essays; the new chapter is a loosely focused discussion of the debate over Confederate symbols and images joined to a defense or battlefield preservation. Readers who enjoy Gallagher's work will welcome the convenience offered by having many of his essays gathered in one place; it is best read in conjunction with the author's compilation Lee the Soldier (LJ 4/15/96).?Brooks D. Simpson, Arizona State Univ., Tempe
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gallagher is as much concerned with historiography as with history in these essays, and those who know a little about the schools of Civil War historians and want to know more may be most pleased by them. Gallagher provides balanced assessments of Lee, Jackson, Jubal Early, Confederate strategy, the cult of the "Lost Cause," and several other topics on which ink is now spilled as industriously as blood once was on the war's battlefields. Of particular interest to more general readers will be the discussion of Ken Burns' magisterial PBS series The Civil War, which Gallagher primarily faults for placing too much emphasis on the war's eastern theater, not for overemphasizing the battles. Indeed, Gallagher is an implacable foe of those who would eliminate battles and soldiers from the history of wars and have gone so far as to support eliminating battlefield historical sites because such places allegedly bespeak pro-Confederate bias. Highly recommended for the advanced Civil War buff. Roland Green

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Louisiana State University Press; illustrated edition edition (August 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807122866
• ISBN-13: 978-0807122860
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,804,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lee and his generals in war and memory, March 13, 2005

By 

K. Freeman (Apple Valley, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lee and His Generals in War and Memory (Paperback)

A collection of essays by Gary Gallagher (not an anthology like many of the other books with his name on them) mostly about Lee, his generals, and Lee's image during and after the war.

Gallagher writes with clear, sensible precision, tending to rationally examine evidence and the arguments of others rather than to leaping to "definite" conclusions or shoehorning the evidence into predetermined pet theories. I found his comments on Ken Burns' The Civil War and on the preservation of battlefields to be interesting, pertinent and something a bit different from the usual historical paper. Other articles here examine Lee and the ideology of the Lost Cause, Confederate leadership at Gettysburg (about which I am in entire agreement with Gallagher's conclusions except that I would be less generous to Hill), the 1862 and 1864 Valley campaigns, and other, often controversial, topics.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A CIVIL APPROACH, March 3, 2004

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V. Harris (NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lee and His Generals in War and Memory (Paperback)

Dr. Gallagher brings Civil War discussion into the modern era by using first rate scholarship and sound reasoning to evaluate many of the lingering controversies. Eschewing many of the ideologically driven, axe to grind efforts that often taint Civil War history, Gallagher has produced a balanced account of such topics as "Lost Cause" Historiography, the Longstreet blame game, and a candid assessment of Lee. Gallagher, a historian from the Univ. of Virginia, has attained one of those rare feats in historical writing by compiling a work that is congenial reading for both the academic and the layman. Seeking neither to glorify or desecrate some of the luminaries of the conflict, the author relies on the evidence, and letting such evidence speak for itself. There is also thoughtful commentary on the current state of historical sites, and the flood of film and print fiction works. The latter is particularly instructive, as it commends the likes of Burns and Shaara for promoting interest, while cautioning about the Eastern Theater biases contained in such productions. Teachers seeking an excellent supplemental reading to Civil War courses can do no better than LEE AND GENERALS. It is a masterful job of separating the fact from the fiction and should remain an enduring contribution to Civil War Historiography.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful Essays on the Confederate War Effort, March 9, 2004

By 

Robin Friedman (Washington, D.C. United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Lee and His Generals in War and Memory (Paperback)

Professor Gary Gallagher is a rarity among writers on the Civil War in his ability to appeal to both scholarly and lay audiences. He shares this ability with Professor James McPherson but with few others. Unlike Professor McPherson, Gallagher's writings concentrate on the Confederate war effort. He brings an obvious sympathy and understanding for his subject without overromanticizing of glorifying it. This is also highly unusual among writers on the Civil War. His essays are informed, through, balanced, and inspiring. They are a pleasure to read.

Professor Gallaher's "Lee and his Generals in War and Memory" (1998) consists of thirteen essays, most of which have been published elsewhere. I think the unifying theme of this collection is Professor Gallagher's attempt to find a middle ground between the "Lost Cause" interpretation of the Confederate war effort and recent, critical and revisionist accounts.

The "Lost Cause" school sees the Southern cause as entirely noble, tends to glorify Robert E. Lee and the valor of the Confederate troops, and attributes the defeat of the Confederacy almost entirely to the Federal's overwhelmingly superior resources and numbers. The revisionist school emphasizes the origins of the Civil War in the institution of slavery, tends to be critical of Lee and his aggressive and costly (in terms of casualties) approach to battle, and emphasizes Union skill and tenacity, among other factors, in finally winning the war.

The first section of Professor Gallagher's book consist of four essays on Lee which both explain the high regard in which he was held in the South while acknowledging mistakes and shortcomings. There is an introductory essay, "Lee and the Southern People" followed by essays on the Seven Days Battles against McClellan, Lee's actions on the second day of Gettysburg, and Lee's role in the Wilderness campaign of May, 1864.

The second part of the book, "Lee's Generals" includes a discussion of Stonewall Jackson's military reputation and how it was in large part deserved but also partly the result of chance and circumstance. In this regard, the section also includes an excellent essay comparing Jackson's 1862 Shenendoah Valley campaign, which was one of Jackson's great successes, with Early's 1864 campaign, generally regarded as a disaster. Professor Gallagher offers some unusual insights. This section also includes a thoughtful essay on A.P. Hill's and Richard Ewell's controversial roles during the first day of Gettysburg, as well as essays on Longstreet and John Magruder.

The third section of this book covers the history of Southern interpretations of the War, particularly the "Lost Cause" school of interpretation. Gallagher presents a well-balanced account of Jubal Early, whose writings became predominant in the "Lost Cause school" and a discussion of the Civil War letters frequently attributed to George Pickett -- of Pickett's charge on the third day of Gettysburg. Gallagher describes the history of these letters and concludes, in common with most scholars today, that they are in fact forgeries written by Pickett's wife.

A final section of the book offers a discussion of Ken Burns' "Civil War" series on public TV, which has much good to say about it, and Professor Gallagher's assessment of the continued importance of Civil War battlfield preservation to help educate the public about our Nation's history and about this seminal conflict.

I learned a great deal about the Civil War and about Confederate leadership from Professor Gallagher's fine collection of essays.