Customer Reviews

Lee's Tigers: The Louisiana Infantry in the Army of Northern Virginia (Civil War (Louisana State University Press))

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Louisiana gave two full brigades of infantry to the Army of Northern Virginia. These fierce warriors were known as the Tigers. The fighting prowess of the Louisiana Tigers was unsurpassed by any infantry on either side.

At First Manassas, The Louisiana Fighting Tiger Rifles made first contact with the Union Army and fought an heroic delaying action on the extreme left flank of General Beauregard's army, thus giving time for the Confederate Army to react to having its left flank suddenly and unexpectedly turned. At Second Manassas, the Tigers repulsed a Union assault with rocks after the ammo ran out. At Gettysburg, the Tigers actually captured Cemetery Hill on July 2d. At Petersburg, the Tigers were hand picked to lead a last-ditch effort to break the siege. The Fighting Tigers rewarded Lee's confidence by capturing Fort Stedman. No other Confederate infantry achieved greater Glory. This book sheds much needed light on a topic that has never previously been dealt with in a book: The Louisiana Fighting Tigers.

I am a Civil war reenactor in a unit that portrays Co. b of the 1st Special Btn. (the original Tigers)- and when I first got started in the unit 2 years ago it proved most helpful in the factt hat it brought all of the 'little sources' together that i otherwise probably owuld have never found. It includes all of the Louisiana units that served in the ANV and if you portray a Louisiana soldier i would highly suggest reading this. It is not only full of info that is highly valuable to the historian/reenactor of Louisiana troops but the stories of these guys are entertaining as well- They weren't called Tigers only for their striped pants... The tales of their shenanigans are endless!

Very interesting account of the battles and travels of Lee's Tigers. The book put a personal account of the battles that made the stories more realistic and personal. The only thing that could have helped would have been more maps of where the Louisiana companies were during the many battles.

I loved this book. I think it should be required reading in all our high schools.

This book is reasonably well focused on the Louisiana regiments that fought in Virginia including lots statistics, excerpts of letters etc... The book is less successful portraying the big battles in the eastern theater but that is a small gripe. These elite units saved the ANV on numerous occasions. It is tragic that the brigades were often misused and lives wasted. Perhaps if these troops had remained in the West the outcome at Shiloh and other battles may have been different.

I wish that I would have read this book before I visited all the sites that the Tigers fought. Thank God my memory is decent and that the book was well written. It is a must for any civil war history lover. It not only gives a very good account of the Louisiana troops, but also a pretty good overview of what took place during the War of Northern Aggression.

Good general study of the Louisiana units in the ANV. To learn more about the original Tigers, the unit in which the 1st LA Bde adopted their moniker, try:The First Louisiana Special Battalion: Wheat's Tigers in the Civil War.

Great book on the Activities Louisiana Units serving with the Army of Northern Virginia . Entertaining , southern patriotism at its best . Does show the warts of Tigers as well as their fierce fighting abilities . Where it is common for soldiers to have a death rate of 2 sickness one battle related . The Tigers had an astonishing 2 battle deaths for every sickness death . A testimony to their give it all on the battle field for the whole four years of fighting . They earned and re earned their nick name "Tigers" which extended to all of Lee's Louisiana units not just Wheat's Tigers . Often used as shock troops for the Army of Northern Virgina .