Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

[LWhite64]

I am currently reading Joseph Glatthaar's General Lee's Army, and have to say that it has been incredibly enlightening. No matter if you are Western Theater or Federal, this book is a must read for getting an understanding of the common soldier. I HIGHLY recommend it. FYI, After 1st Manassas Confederates were camped in such heavy concentrations that they numbered nearly 10,000 men per square mile, which is in contrast to the city of Richmond which in 1860, had 6,000 people living per square mile. Lots of other good information as well.

Lee

[Pat.Lewis]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Lee,

Seconded.

http://bullyforbragg.blogspot.com/2008/03/glatthaar-too-good-to-be-ignored.html

(Shameless Plug) :D

[fire_zouave]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Forged in Battle and March to the Sea and Beyond are both amazing books. After reading the first fifty pages of General Lee's Army, all I can say is, it better win the Bancroft Prize. So I second what the last two gentlemen said. That's all there is to say really.

[Johan Steele]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Glatthaar wrote it, need any more be said? THe man does increadible research and doesn't fall into the by gosh & by golly crowd. A true historian w/ the ability to write in ways that keep the book not only interesting but informative. In short another endorsement.

[elcid01]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Good first hand accounts... at times though it gets a little to political. I understand the reason behind it, as a detail on how/why the average soldier fought and what his motivations were. Historgraphy (history of history) teaches us that one can find endless amounts of research to support his/her opinon.

bottom line useful information, and worth a read.

[Pat.Lewis]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Historgraphy (history of history) teaches us that one can find endless amounts of research to support his/her opinon.

Which is why this book is so completely necessary. The first 100 years of Civil War history are so reconciliationist, American triumphalist, or downright neo-Confederate as to be essentially a wash. This antiquated historiographical legacy remains especially potent in the war's military history, which is little more than the safe retreat of those who don't want to look the real war in the face. They can hide behind the study of tactics and of military material culture from 1861-1865 and ignore what they don't want to own up to their ancestors thinking, saying, and doing from 1850-1876.

No, it is about time that someone has finally taken the step to incorporate not only "political" world of the Civil War into a major military history but also the elements of social and cultural relationships, racial attitudes, understandings of masculinity and femininity, and the role of economics as well. All of these factored in to the person of the Civil War soldier -- no, they made the Civil War soldier. And though these things have been explored well in other histories, they have, sadly, remained unnoticed by many Civil War "buffs" because they were not attached to a breakdown of who-shot-who at Gettysburg.

As Lee has said, Glatthaar has finally written a book that might do reenactors' impressions some positive good, in a format that will not be rejected out of hand by the gear-head crowd for being "just another boring social history." I think that deserves more respect than a casual "use it for the quotes but don't think" analysis.

[hiplainsyank]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Chandra Manning's What This Cruel War Was Over which came out late last year, also fills out the human picture of Civil War era Americans, using their own words. I've read this one, now it seems like I should be picking up General Lee's Army as well.

[Benedict]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

This book really sounds like a must-have. I've read McPherson's For Cause and Comrades, but I feel that he tries (and mabye he acknowledges that in the introduction, if I remember correctly) to incorporate too much (while still lacking evidence for special groups such as African-Americans and immigrants) and therefore only touches the surface of issues that are best described in depth when looking at a certain group.

Thanks for drawing my attention to this book! (Although I'll have to read This Republic of Suffering first ;) .)

[elcid01]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

check and a roger.. thats why i have a copy right here at my desk on my patrol base over looking the Tigris. Very good read.

Point is this. I can make any opinon of any time of history if I find enough supporting primary and secondary sources. Which in my work in college as a SC Historical Society intern I found to be entirely true. Yes the material culture value is beyond comparison. Agreed that the need to see beyond 4 years of the war and expand the limits to the ave life spans of the Veterans is a must. But, as stated there are some facets of the content I agree to dissagree with...

One thing I am pleased to say is that I appreciate how he doesn't spend chapters upon chapters on the tactical aspects of engagements, but more on soldiers issues around the effects of the battle.

Cheers,

[KCLoewe]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Based on what I was hearing on this forum I picked up the book a couple days ago. I've just finished chapter five and already think this book is incredible. The use of census information was really interesting.

[Steve Acker]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

For those near Madison Wisconsin, Mr. Joseph Glatthaar is speaking at the Wisconsin Veterans Museum at 7:00 tonight. I'll let you all know how it is.

Steve Acker

[LWhite64]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Also for those who are interested, you can listen to a talk Glatthar did at the Virginia Historical Society last month on their website. As to the book, for those interested in first person you need to read this book. The census data is great.

Lee

[Benedict]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

This book was a very good read. I liked the combination of census data, personal accounts of the "big names" as well as common soldiers, battle descriptions (although I think he did not write a lot about Fredericksburg except one sentence - which seems odd, given the much more detailed description of the other battles in his book), "behind-the-scenes" information (e.g. when talking about the manufacture of ammunition), ... I can only recommend this book!

[Abrams]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

Bought the book on the recommendations here. Its a very good book, and is a good read.

[Gary of CA]

Re: Must read for your impression...General Lee's Army

I also enjoyed it. If you can only read one book this year, General Lee's Army is it.