Uncertain Glory
Subtitle: Lee's Generalship Re-Examined
Publisher: Hippocrene Books
Published: November 1996
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 384
ISBN-13: 9780781805025
Subjects: American history; Military life & institutions; Military History - U.S. Civil War; History - Military / War; Strategy; History; Military - Other; History: American; USA; Military - General; United States - Civil War; Lee, Robert E; United States; 19th century; Military leadership; (Robert Edward),; 1807-1870; Campaigns; Civil War, 1861-1865; Lee, Robert E
Description: Robert E. Lee emerged as the most renowned military commander of the American Civil War. Rarely has a leader been so revered by both his supporters and his opponents. Unlike many of his contemporaries who became embroiled in endless controversies, Lee died soon after the war, which served to enhance his legendary status. As a veritable icon, Lee's actual strengths and weaknesses came to be above serious discussion, not only in the South, but frequently in the North as well.

Specialists have occasionally challenged Robert E. Lee's military reputation, but John D. McKenzie, in this well-written, well-researched and provocative book, seriously opens the question of Lee's generalship to a broader audience for the first time.

The author is unsparing in his critique of Lee's battlefield tactics, strategic vision, command system, staff organization and logistic planning. Lee's own shortcomings are put in the context of restrictions placed on him by Confederate government interference and weaknesses in the senior levels of Confederate command. While most senior Southern leaders are strongly criticized, the author makes a solid case that Stonewall Jackson was Lee's ablest lieutenant and the Confederacy's most irreplaceable loss.

. While the personal traits and individual experiences of Lee and his contemporaries are given due consideration, the author supports his fascinating narrative with strong statistical evidence: comparing military reputations with hard facts and figures about the troop strengths and casualties that made some Civil War results almost inevitable.
Table of contents: title: The Second Battle of Manassas : Lee's lost opportunity; title: Second Battle of Manassas : second day; title: McClellan's lost opportunity at Antietam; title: McClellan's last offensive plan; title: Jackson's plan to trap Burnside; title: The Battle of Fredericksburg; title: Jackson's objectives at Chancellorsville; title: Hooker's possibilities at Chancellorsville; title: Cashtown and Little Pipe Creek; title: Lost opportunities at Gettysburg; title: Pickett's charge; title: Lee's Williamsport defenses; title: The Mine Run Campaign; title: Strategy in the wilderness; title: The Battle of the Wilderness; title: The Hog's Snout position at Spotsylvania; title: Union attacks at Spotsylvania; title: Maneuvers along the North Anna River; title: Grant crosses the James River; title: Battles in front of Petersburg; title: Sherman's campaign to Atlanta; title: Sheridan's annihilation plan at Winchester; title: The Battle of Winchester III; title: The Battle of Fishers Hill; title: Confederate surprise attack at Cedar Creek; title: Sheridan's counter-attack at Cedar Creek; title: Lee's escape plan from Petersburg; title: Petersburg : Grant's plan to surround Lee; title: The Battle of Five Forks --The Battle of Saylor's Creek; title: The race to Appomattox Station