Customer Reviews

Lee the Soldier

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You can't hope to understand the U.S. Civil War without coming to some kind of an understanding of Robert E. Lee. The South's preeminent commander was a larger-than-life figure in his own time, and continues to occupy a very prominent place in the American imagination. He is seen as the personification of the Southern aristocrat, the Christian gentleman, and the brilliant military commander. To some extent, all those characterizations are true; but they hardly tell the full story. The essays in this volume serve as a fine introduction to the ongoing debate about the true meaning of Robert E. Lee to us as Americans. Contributors like Douglas S. Freeman portray him as a godlike, awesome figure; revisionists like Alan T. Nolan brilliantly reexamine the traditional view, suggesting that Lee had flaws, both as a man and a commander. The most recent essays, such as Gary Gallagher's contribution, suggest that although the revisionists are to some extent correct, Lee was nevertheless a source of strength, not weakness, to the Confederacy. The debate will doubtless continue to rage, and if you want to get brought up to speed, this is the place to start.

It took my a long time to make it through this book, but it is well worth the time and effort. Gary Gallagher has consolidated several essays (to include his own) that describe Lee's abililty as a military commander. This approach really provides the reader with a comprehensive view of Lee on the battlefield.

Two interesting things about the book. First, the authors vary greatly and include subordinates of Lee, noted Civil War historians, and modern Civil War scholars. Secondly, and not surprisingly, the opinions of these distinguished authors about Lee also vary greatly. Some view him as the true hero of the South, while others argue that he is the main reason the Confederacy lost. The result is that the reader can analyze the positions and decide for himself whether or not Lee was a good, bad, or mediocre General.

If you are interested in gaining insight into Lee's role in the Civil War, then I highly recommend this book. It is worth noting that it helps if you have a fundamental understanding of the War and the sequence of battles in the East before tackling this book. Otherwise, some of the articles may be hard to follow.