Civil War Generalship: The Art Of Command |
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Civil War Generalship: The Art Of Command
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by W.j. Wood
Sales Rank: 353335
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List Price: $18.00
$16.20
At Amazon
on 6-23-2008.
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Features
Cover Type: Paperback with 288 pages
Published by: Da Capo Press June 20, 2000
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 0306809737
ISBN 13 Number: 978-0306809736
Book Dimensions:
8.9 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
Weighs: 14.6 ounces
Product Description
In this unique examination of Civil War leadership, W. J. Wood looks at the tactical and strategic problems that threatened to overwhelm untried Civil War generals and the pragmatic strategies, born of necessity, that they developed to solve them. Focusing on three decisive battles involving six generals, Wood provides the background necessary to understand the problems confronting commanders on both sides of the war, then looks at the campaign of Cedar Mountain, directed by Stonewall Jackson and Nathaniel Banks; the battle of Chickamauga, where Confederate Army leader Braxton Bragg and Union General William Rosecrans faced each other; the battle of Nashville, where Jon Bell Hood led his Southern troops against George H. Thomas and his Union army. Deftly describing the art of war these men developed, an art that provides paradigms for military leaders to this day, Wood demonstrate why Civil War remains a topic of never-diminishing interest.
About The Author
W. J. Wood (19171501997), was a retired Army lieutenant colonel whose background included not only professional authorship but also combat experience in World War II and the Korean war, a decade spent in professional war gaming for weapons systems analysis at the Army Material Command, and a lifetime studying military history. His books include Battles of the Revolutionary War and Leaders and Battles.
Reader Reviews
This is an interesting work on, as per the subtitle, "The Art of Command." The Civil War had armies and corps of a magnitude that had not previously existed in the United States. General officers had to learn how to handle such large masses--with no prior experience in this art. As the author notes (page 6): ". . .the generals that we have observed, like their officers and soldiers, had to learn their trade in the hard school of war." Three case studies follow, in which the commanding generals on each side competed with one another. Based on the outcomes, lessons can be learned, according to Wood. The pairings: Stonewall Jackson and Nathaniel Banks at Cedar Mountain (prelude to Second Manassas), William Rosecrans and the irascible Braxton Bragg at Chickamauga, and John Bell Hood against George Thomas at Nashville. In each instance, we can see failures and successes by each general and how well they exercised their art of command. Cedar Mountain: This was part of the run up to Second Manassas. Jackson was ordered by Robert E. Lee to "suppress" John Pope's Union forces. At an early stage in the pr4ocess, Jackson faced off against Banks, an amateur political general, with lots of bravery and doubtful skills in military command. Chickamauga: The unpleasant Bragg, who never quite mastered the art of war despite his undisputed bravery and training (e.g., not his performance at Stone's River), against the clever and masterful, but excitable, William Rosecrans. Nashville: The rash Hood against the stolid, capable Thomas, who slowly learned the art of command to become one of the best general officers on either side by the end of the Civil War. One-sided to begin with at the level of the two commanders; this was followed up by one of the most complete victories by one side over the other during the course of the war. At the conclusion of the book, Wood draws a number of lessons from his three case studies of command in the Civil War. Inevitable questions come up: How could a Hood or Banks (later on in the war) have been entrusted with full armies under their command? What sets a Thomas apart from others, in that he continued to learn and grow as an officer throughout the war? This is not a great book, by any means, but it is a nice study in leadership during the Civil War.
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Civil War Generalship: The Art Of Command
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Price: $16.20
Updated on 6-23-2008.
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