Description
By John Esten Cooke
A new edition of the classic biographical study of the commander in chief of the military forces of the Confederate States Army, Robert Edward Lee. Meticulously researched and prepared with access to official documents and the subject’s personal notes, the author-himself a senior ranking officer in the Confederate Army-provides a full account of the life of General Lee from the time of his birth through to his death in 1870.
Lee’s background in the service of the United States Army, his participation in the Mexican War and other events are detailed before the main body of the book focuses on the American Civil War era. After turning down an offer to head up the Union Army, Lee resigned his commission and offered his services to his home state of Virginia-and the Confederate States of America.
From there, his meteoric rise to commander in chief and personal leader of the Army of Northern Virginia-the Confederacy’s most powerful army-is told in gripping detail. Each event unfolds in the narrative as its subject would have experienced it himself, providing a continually fresh perception of the terrible events of 1861 to 1865.
At first serving as a senior military adviser to Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Lee was appointed commander of the Army of Northern Virginia in June 1862 after his predecessor was wounded. Lee’s first great victory-warding off an attack on the Confederate capital of Richmond, cemented his tenure, and thereafter followed four years of ebb and flow of great and bloody events, including the second Battle of Bull Run, the invasion of Maryland, the Battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, and the Siege of Petersburg.
Finally, overcome by superior numbers, nearly out of supplies, and his great army reduced to just 26,000 men, Lee was finally forced to surrender in April 1865, effectively ending the war.
The value of this work lies not in the description of the battles themselves, but rather in the personal perception provided by seeing them through Lee’s eyes. In this vein, the final section of the book provides an overview of the last five years of the General’s life, including a highly elucidating interview on the topics of the day.
Completely reset, contains all 25 original illustrations (digitally restored to better than original) and a short biography of the author.
Contents
About the Author
Part I: Lee’s Early Life
I. Introduction
II. The Lees of Virginia
III. General “Light-Horse Harry” Lee
IV. Stratford
V. Lee’s Early Manhood and Career in the United States Army
VI. Lee and Scott
VII. Lee Resigns
VIII. His Reception at Richmond
IX. Lee in 1861
X. The War Begins
XI. Lee’s Advance into Western Virginia
XII. Lee’s Last Interview with Bishop Meade
Part II. In Front of Richmond
I. Plan of the Federal Campaign
II. Johnston is Wounded
III. Lee Assigned to the Command-His Family at the White House
IV. Lee Resolves to Attack
V. Stuart’s “Ride Around Mcclellan”
Part III: On the Chickahominy
I. The Two Armies
II. Lee’s Plan of Assault
III. The Battle of the Chickahominy
IV. The Retreat
V. Richmond in Danger-Lee’s Views
VI. Lee and Mcclellan-Their Identity of Opinion
Part IV. The War Advances Northward
I. Lee’s Protest
II. Lee’s Manoeuvres
III. Lee Advances from the Rapidan
IV. Jackson Flanks General Pope
V. Lee Follows
VI. The Second Battle of Manassas
Part V: Lee Invades Maryland
I. His Designs
II. Lee in Maryland
III. Movements of the Two Armies
IV. The Prelude to Sharpsburg
V. The Battle of Sharpsburg
VI. Lee and Mcclellan-Their Merits in the Maryland Campaign
VII. Lee and His Men
VIII. Lee Passes the Blue Ridge
IX. Lee Concentrates at Fredericksburg
X. The Battle of Fredericksburg
XI. Final Movements of 1862
XII. The Year of Battles
XIII. Lee in December, 1862
Part VI: Chancellorsville and Gettysburg
I. Advance of General Hooker
II. The Wilderness
III. Lee’s Determination
IV. Jackson’s Attack and Fall
V. The Battle of Chancellorsville
VI. Flank Movement of General Sedgwick
VII. Lee’s Generalship and Personal Demeanor During the Campaign
VIII. Personal Relations of Lee and Jackson
IX. Circumstances Leading to the Invasion of Pennsylvania
X. Lee’s Plans and Objects
XI. The Cavalry-Fight at Fleetwood
XII. The March to Gettysburg
XIII. Lee in Pennsylvania
XIV. Concentration at Gettysburg
XV. The First Day’s Fight at Gettysburg
XVI. The Two Armies in Position
XVII. The Second Day
XVIII. The Last Charge at Gettysburg
XIX. Lee After the Charge
XX. Lee’s Retreat across the Potomac
XXI. Across the Blue Ridge Again
Part VII: Last Campaigns of the Year 1863
I. The Cavalry of Lee’s Army
II. Lee Flanks General Meade
III. A Race Between Two Armies
IV. The Fight at Buckland
V. The Advance to Mine Run
VI. Lee in the Autumn and Winter of 1863
Part VIII: Lee’s Last Campaigns and Last Days
I. General Grant Crosses the Rapidan
II. The First Collision in the Wilderness
III. The Battle of the 6th of May
IV. The 12th of May
V. From Spottsylvania to the Chickahominy
VI. First Battles at Petersburg
VII. The Siege of Richmond Begun
VIII. Lee Threatens Washington
IX. The Mine Explosion
X. End of the Campaign of 1864
XI. Lee in the Winter of 1864-’65
XII. The Situation at the Beginning of 1865
XIII. Lee Attacks the Federal Centre
XIV. The Southern Lines Broken
XV. The Southern Lines Broken
XVI. Lee Evacuates Petersburg
XVII. The Retreat and Surrender
XVIII. Lee Returns to Richmond
XIX. General Lee After the War
XX. General Lee’s Last Years and Death
Appendix
I. The Funeral of General Lee
II. Tributes to General Lee
516 pages
ISBN Softcover
9781915645012
ISBN Hardcover
9781915645029
