Vermont Hero: Major General George J. Stannard [Paperback]

George Maharay (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 27, 2001

Major General George J. Stannard was Vermont’s greatest Civil War hero. With the exception of his critical role at Gettysburg, little has been written about him. Vermont Hero: Major General George J. Stannard fills this historical void. George Stannard, a militia colonel, was the first Vermonter to volunteer in the Civil War. He served from June 21, 1861, to June 28, 1866. Some significant highlights of his military career include his position as colonel of the Ninth Vermont; his participation in the events that occurred at Harpers Ferry on September 15, 1862; his role in defeating Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg; and his role in capturing Fort Harrison on September 29, 1864.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Maharay’s book provides us with a better understanding of Vermont’s unsung hero—General Stannard—and the roles he played throughout the entire Civil War.

About the Author

George Maharay is a retired senior federal career executive. He served in the army air force in World War II, worked at West Point and the Pentagon, and headed personnel functions in four major federal agencies. Maharay has authored or coauthored numerous reports on management in the public service for federal, state, and local governments as well as overseas countries. He has helped to restore two Civil War hospitals near Antietam Battlefield, and has been a member of the Hagerstown, Maryland, Civil War Round Table since 1984. He is a longtime summer resident of Orwell, Vermont. He is also the editor of Lights and Shadows of Army Life: From Bull Run to Bentonville.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Ragged Edge Pr (April 27, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572492635
• ISBN-13: 978-1572492639
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,583,542 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Vermont Civil War Hero, August 30, 2001

By 

Elliott Hoffman (Tiverton, RI United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vermont Hero: Major General George J. Stannard (Paperback)

This is a good, solid book about Major General George Stannard, given the fact that the author did not locate any primary sources written by him other than military reports. Although the author did conduct research in Special Collections at the University of Vermont, he did not consult the William Wells Papers; Wells hand a great hand in replacing Stannard as Collector of Customs for Vermont and Wells was very open in his correspondence why Stannard must be replaced. This action tarnished Stannard's reputation and led to his bankruptcy and self-imposed exile from the state.
Stannard is most important for his role as the commander of the Second Vermont Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg and for conducting a flank attack the helped to destroy Pickett's/Pettigrew's assault on the third day of the battle. Stannard's military career climaxed with his capture of Fort Harrison outside Richmond in September 1864. He was there wounded and lost an arm, which ended his military career. Stannard is the highest ranking Vermonter to fight in the Civil War (Baldy Smith was a Regular) and his career is familiar to those people interested in the state's participation in the war and particularly with those interested in Gettysburg. This is a long overdue biography and is capably done, given the dearth of primary sources.