Customer Reviews

Stonewall of the West: Patrick Cleburne and the Civil War (Modern War Studies)

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Quite simply, one of the finest biographies it has ever been my pleasure to read. Craig Symonds does a magnificent job in re-telling a story that all Civil War followers, particualry those of a Southern persuasion, should read.

After serving a short term in the British Infantry, Patrick Ronayne Cleburne travelled over from his native Ireland (to correct one earlier reviewer's mistake - Cleburne was an Irish Protestant, not Catholic!) to settle in Arkansas and make a successful life for himself. He became a high-ranking member of the local masonic institute and did extremely well in business. When his adopted state seceded and went to war he did the only thing his conscience would allow and volunteered to fight alongside his friends and neighbours.

His talent was quickly recognised and he would eventually reach the rank of Major General. He would (and should ) have gone even higher but his call for the south to free and arm its slaves won him many enemies. In time even Robert E. Lee would come to agree with what Cleburne had earlier advocated but by then it was too late for the Confedracy.

The one thing that comes shining through in this excellent book is Cleburne's practical battleground genius. He inspired confidence in his men and never failed them. His division performed consistently in fight after fight and must be considered to be one of the very best that saw conflict in the entire war. History does not treat bad commanders well and it is a measure of Cleburne's reputation and stature that so many have called him the "Stonewall of the West".

I thoroughly enjoyed Symonds' style of writing. He covers all of the angles and gives all of the necessary information but he never allows the book to become bogged down in needless detail and that allows for a brisk pace to be set, which often leads to you not being able to put the book down for long periods of time. He should be very proud of what he has achieved here. I have four written volumes on the life and military career of Patrick Cleburne and this is, IMHO, the best of all. I shall be checking out other books written by Craig Symonds.

For many years Cleburne was something of a forgotten hero, possibly because he fought for the hard luck Army of Tennessee, and partly because history tends to ignore the Western part of the Civil War and stick to the the better known Eastern theatre. In recent times though there does seem to have been a greater awareness of the fight in the west and therefore it is inevitable that Cleburne's name will come to the fore. He was a remarkable man and a remarkable soldier and this book does justice to his life and achievements.

To conclude this review I will make a small confession. I was so moved by the final chapter, covering Cleburne's futile death in the terrible carnage at the Battle of Franklin, that I almost started to cry. It was a close run thing as the tears welled up in my eyes, but I just managed to keep them back. If we hadn't have had guests in the house at the time I wouldn't have even tried to stop the tears from falling!

This is a terrific bio of Cleburne. It is well-written, informative, and a joy to read. It follows Cleburne from childhood to his death at Franklin. I was very happy to see that Symonds focused on what Cleburne and his troops were doing at each of the various battles they were at rather than writing on what the army as a whole was doing. Also there have been other bios of Civil War generals in which I thought the background info was kind of boring, but in this case that is very different. Symonds' description of Cleburne's days in Ireland, emigrating to the U.S., and his days living in Arkansas before the outbreak of the war were very interesting. To summarize I would just say this is a well-written, interesting, informative read. With this book and Symonds' bio of J.E. Johnston, I think Symonds has cemented himself as one of the best Civil War biography writers today.

Symonds' book is a fine biography of one of the better Confederate generals. It focuses on the life of Cleburne, from his early years to his wasteful death at the battle of Franklin. This is the strength of the book, but also its weakness. This would be a difficult read for someone who does not already have some background in the history of the Army of Tennessee. Symonds, in concentrating on Cleburne and the soldiers fighting under his command at times fails to give sufficient historical perspective in order to provide an understanding of why or how certain events occurred.

At times the failure to give perspective limits the impact of Cleburne's accomplishments. One prime example is the siege at Chattanooga and Cleburne's defense of Missionary Ridge. Cleburne faced what was thought to be the cream of the Union's western forces in Sherman's Corp. While Cleburne was able to soundly defeat these forces while being outnumbered, the rest of the Confederate forces, fighting from what were thought to be impregnable positions, collapsed. Cleburne then acted as the rear guard, inflicted hard blows on the Union Army, and literally saved the Army of Tennessee from destruction.

Cleburne is a fascinating historical character for numerous reasons and Symonds does a fine job of describing who he is. His early life in Ireland and Arkansas is particularly interesting. In describing Cleburne's roots, Symonds helps answer why so many non-slave owners gave their lives for the Confederacy. Given Cleburne's background, he believed that he owed his position in life to those in Arkansas who helped him get there. His loyalty was thus to his state rather than to a nation. It is a hard concept to understand in this century, but it was not unusual in Cleburne's.

This is a good book and a worthwhile read. It is a fine complement to a general history of the Army of Tennessee.

This is a very good book. Patrick Cleburne is my favorite civil war general, and this volume gives a very even-handed discussion of his life, from Ireland to Franklin, Tenn. In particular, it gives considerable space to his growth as a leader. The discussions of Shiloh and Franklin are very good, and understandable. The book gives attention to the General's private life, especially his tragic engagement to Miss Tarleton. In depth but not dry or overwhelming, STONEWALL OF THE WESTis a great introduction to this Commander of the often overlooked western theater!

Had Patrick Cleburne fought in the Army of Northern Virginia instead of the Army of Tennessee, we surely would be overwhelmed with biographies of his greatness as a general. Because he was a general officer in the Army of Tennessee - the army most Southern writers have traditionally ignored and treated as the red headed step child of the Confederacy, there are far fewer books on him than his accomplishments would seem to warrant. Fortunately, Mr. Symonds has written an excellent biography of the general which puts his impressive accomplishments into perspective and begins to give this extraordinary fighting general his due.
The main focus of Symonds' work is on Cleburne the general, but he gives enough background of his youth in Ireland and his migration to and adoption of America as his new home to sketch what shaped his character and what motivated him to fight in the Southern cause. Cleburne emerges as an immigrant eager to assimilate and make the customs and mores of his new home his own; a man grateful for the opportunities and acceptance he received in Arkansas, and genuinely, if uncritically, committed to fighting for the cause of his adopted home.
Symonds also addresses Cleburne's role within the morass of intrigue that plagued the command structure of the Army of Tennessee. He shows Cleburne to have been one of the anti Bragg cartel, not as a primary mover, but because of his loyalty to his friend and mentor General Hardee (a principle Bragg opponent), and perhaps even more so because of his habit of candor that showed little regard for political expediency. This was damaging to his career, and perhaps among the principle reasons why he was never promoted above division commander, despite the fact that he was the brightest shining star in the army. He likewise touches on Cleburne's remarkable plan to enlist slaves in the Confederate army - offering freedom to any man and his family who would fight for the South. While Cleburne's reasoning showed clarity and logic, his judgment in presenting the plan to his fellow Southern officers showed amazing naiveté and foolhardiness, and further damaged his hopes for promotion.
But the reason there is a biography of Cleburne is the battles. Symonds traces them from his first minor engagements, through Shiloh, his first major battle, all the way to the final tragic, futile charge at Franklin. He shows how Cleburne's skills as a general developed; from simply a brave and bold leader without any great military skill at Shiloh, to an outstanding commander of men who creatively defended against overwhelming odds at Chattanooga, and became the armies designated rearguard, repeatedly saving it from destruction..
Symonds biography of Cleburne is well written and engaging. It makes a good beginning in putting General Patrick Cleburne back into his rightful place in the pantheon of Southern heroes. If you are a serious student of the Civil War, you should not consider your library complete without a copy. I highly recommend it.

Theo Logos

This biography of Patrick Cleburne proves to be very readable and insightful. The book appears to be well researched and its obviously that the author favored his subject.

Cleburne appears to be a very controversial even while he was alive. Perhaps because of his foreign birth, he was more sympathic about the conditions of the blacks and made proposals that didn't go well with his fellow southerners. The book revealed that he was a superb leader and intelligent commander. His superiors definitely didn't aid their cause by keeping him just as a divison commander when he could have been an excellent corps commander - in an army where corps commanders were not well regraded.

The author painted a vivid and complete picture of this general whose reputation have grown considerably since the Civil War among all Civil War readers.

For many years the officers and men who made up the Army of Tennessee have played second fiddle to Lee's eastern army. The very title of this book clearly illustrates this point for one never hears a general in Lee's army referred to as the Cleburne of the east. Finally though, thanks in large part to the efforts of historians like Thomas L. Connelly and Shelby Foote and the diaries of Sam Watkins, the brave men of the Army of Tennessee are being given due credit.

Craig Symonds has added his name to the above list with this excellent study of General Patrick Cleburne. No study of the Army of Tennessee would be complete without a study of one of its best generals, and therefore this biography is a very important addition to any Civil War library. Best of all, the author writes in a flowing style that helps make this book a joy to read.

Unfortunately, much of Cleburne's personal correspondence has not survived but Symonds has done an excellent job of digging up what does exist. Fortunately, the Irish general was very precise with his battle reports and the correspondence of many of his close associates does still exist. Working with these sources the author weaves together a fascinating story. He doesn't dwell on the logistics of various battles, which tends to make for dry reading but instead describes very concisely the part Cleburne played in the battle

Symonds also deals in some detail with Cleburne's personal life, from his early life in Ireland to his engagement. There is also a good deal of attention given to Cleburne's close friendships, both before and during the war, and his political beliefs and activities. Of course, Cleburne's proposal to arm and free the slaves is also dealt with in detail. From his own formulation of the plan, to the icy reception it received, to the possibility that his proposal may have been partially responsible for his lack of further promotion, the plan and its ramifications and insights into Cleburne's personality are closely examined.

For any student of the war this would be a worthwhile read, but for anyone with a particular interest in the Army of Tennessee it is an indispensable read.

In my opinion, Symonds' is the best biography of a great Civil War general.

From Cleburne's early childhood to his tragic death at Franklin, Symonds presents a well-rounded picture of what Patrick Cleburne the person was like. For example, while Cleburne was a strong disciplinarian and incessantly drilled his troops, he also let his hair down and participated in a snowball fight with his division while in winter encampment in Georgia. Twice he was captured" twice by his troops, endearing himself to his troops even more. Symonds also presents Cleburne's sensitive nature, as evidenced with his romance and engagement with Sue Tarlton and his proposal to offer slaves freedom if they fought for the South. Ironically, the very men who opposed his proposal eventually approved the opportunity of freedom for slaves who would fight. Unfortunately for the South, the action took place only after its situation was hopeless. Another interesting part of the book was Cleburne's early life (losing both parents at an early age, the potato famine that eventually resulted in him coming to America) and how his life's experiences shaped him into the kind of man he was.

While Symonds' description of the battles were interesting, I would have liked to have seen more detailed maps (for example, Peter Cozzens' title on Chickamauga and Mark Bradley's title on Bentonville are filled with excellent and detailed maps). Personally, I like detailed maps because they make it easier for me to understand the text and specific troop manuevers an author is trying to describe.

While Cleburne is easily one of my favorite generals, I did appreciate Symonds' apparently accurate portrayal of Cleburne being the consummate division commander while perhaps not belonging in the league of corps commanders (see his performance at Jonesboro GA, for example). Nevertheless, Cleburne was one of those rare generals with excellent leadership ability and able to hold the high esteem of superior and subordinate alike.

All in all, an excellent read!

This biography was an enjoyable read on several levels. First of all, if you are a Civil War or Confederate history buff, this book describes the military training, battles and other maneuvers which took place during that conflict. If you are simply someone who enjoys a good work of history or a sensitive, well-crafted biography, then this book is also for you. (I consider myself more in the latter category, at least initially.)

"Stonewall of the West" gives the reader a finely detailed portrait of Patrick Cleyburne, the conditions he fled in 1840s Ireland, the adjustments he had to make on the American frontier, his attempts at assimilation into Southern society and his tragic and ultimately unconsummated romance with a local Southern belle. I found it particularly poignant to learn that at least one of Cleburne's siblings settled "upriver" from him in Union territory and ended up supporting the opposite side during the Civil War. Cleburne's story as a soldier and commander has perhaps been overlooked because, for Southerners, he was not "really one of us" insofar as he was Irish. In addition, Cleburne's moral courage in proposing that the slaves be freed, organized into military units and sent into battle won him many enemies in the South even though some time later Jefferson Davis and other Southern leaders, in a fit of desperation late in the war, would propose precisely them same thing. Cleburne was never really forgiven for "breaking ranks" and making such a brilliant and creative suggestion, I think. My sense from the book is that Southerners ostracized him for his independence as an outspoken commander and strategic thinker. Also, Cleburne's bravery in speaking out against less talented and/or incompetent Confederate generals and commanders when it would have been infinitely more politic for him to remain silent also served to win him political enemies. Alas, Cleburne's fate is too often the fate of all those who "don't play by the r! ules" and toady up to those in power! It is tragic that Cleburne's story has been overlooked by Civil War historians for so long. This book does credit to this fine Irish-Confederate original! The book ends on a sad note as Cleburne is shot down in one of the last battles of the Civil War with Hood's army in Tennessee. (Incidentally, you will not like Hood after reading the final chapters of this book.) Cleburne's fiance marries another and then herself dies in an epidemic not too long after the end of the war. Many of Cleburne's letters are lost and apparently his family in the North entirely forgets him as his grave lies forgotten for many years. My thanks to the author for resurrecting this important personage!

This book really proves that General Patrick Cleburne was the Stonewall of the West! I read it as a library book in Pennsylvania three years ago, got hooked, and the book fell out of sight until just recently when I saw it on amazon and decided to order it as soon as possible! The book arrived in well-kept condition and I'm excited to read it again some more. Cleburne was one of the best soldiers in these campaigns and could've been able to command the Army of Tennessee himself if not for a suggestion to President Davis in 1864 that insisted on emancipating those slaves who would join the Confederate Army. As a result, Cleburne was stuck where he was on division command, and died at the head of his division at Franklin, never having lived to see the remainder of the South crash and burn in flames.
But the main question is...Would he have wanted to live to see the end of the Confederacy?
Cleburne proved himself able of brigade command at Shiloh, but lost over 1000 men of his 2,700-man brigade...a big brigade for a Confederate-sized brigade in 1862! Cleburne was wounded time and again, but it seemed like he was invincible, and he should have been properly rewarded for holding off General Sherman's Yankee troops at Chattanooga and protecting the army's retreat like he did. I give 5 stars in honor of General Cleburne himself and Craig Symonds who was willing to get this research done for such an honorable leader. Cleburne deserves to have his story told and it seems like anything below 5 or even 4 stars is an insult to the man's memory and the men who fought and died under his command.