The Civil War Generals offers an unvarnished and largely unknown window into what military generals wrote and said about each other during the Civil War era. Drawing on more than 170 sources—including the letters, diaries, and memoirs of the general officers of the Union and Confederate armies, as well as their staff officers and other prominent figures—Civil War historian Robert Girardi has compiled a valuable record of who these generals were and how they were perceived by their peers. The quotations within paint revealing pictures of the private subjects at hand and, just as often, the people writing about them—a fascinating look at the many diverse personalities of Civil War leadership.
More than just a collection of quotations,
The Civil War Generals is also a valuable research tool, moving beyond the best-known figures to provide contemporary character descriptions of more than 400 Civil War generals. The quotes range in nature from praise to indictment, and differing opinions of each individual give a balanced view, making the book both entertaining and informative. A truly one-of-a-kind compilation illustrated with approximately 100 historical photographs,
The Civil War Generals will find a home not only with the casual reader and history buff, but also with the serious historian and researcher.
Tentang Penulis
Robert I. Girardi (Chicago, IL) has been fascinated with the Civil War his entire life. He has studied the war from all sides and has tramped over many of the battlefields and related sites. He has collected artifacts and memorabilia, read through thousands of documents and letters written by participants, and spoken to historical societies and Civil War groups all over the United States. Robert earned his master’s degree in public history at Loyola University of Chicago in 1991. He is a past president of the Civil War Round Table of Chicago, a fellow of the Company of Military Historians, and an associate member of the Sons of Union Veterans. He is on the board of directors of the Illinois State Historical Society, as well as the editorial review board of its journal, and has consulted for the Chicago Historical Society on its Civil War exhibits. He was the 2010 recipient of the Chicago CWRT’s Nevins-Freeman Award. Robert is the author or editor of eight books: Gettysburg in Art and Artifacts; The Civil War Art of Keith Rocco; Campaigning with Uncle Billy: The Civil War Memoirs of Sgt. Lyman S. Widney, 34th Illinois Volunteer Infantry; The Soldier’s View: The Civil War Art of Keith Rocco; The New Annals of the Civil War; The Memoirs of Brigadier General William Passmore Carlin, U.S.A.; The Military Memoirs of General John Pope;and Captain H. W. Chester’s Recollections of the War of the Rebellion.