General Braxton Bragg of the Confederate Army is one of the more controversial figures of the Civil War period. Nearly every modern writer on that period of American history has been highly critical of Bragg, both for his incompetence at war and for his failure to win the loyalty of his officers and men. The judgment of Bragg's contemporaries was no less severe; many of Bragg's subordinates were certain something was wrong with their commander. One general swore he would never fight again under Bragg's command; another threatened to resign from the army and to challenge Bragg to a duel. No one doubted Bragg's ability when the Civil War began. Mexican War hero, retired army lieutenant colonel, he was one of the most distinguished soldiers to join the Confederacy, and for a time one of the most impressive. He rose quickly from brigadier to full general, yet by 1863 Bragg was the South's most discredited commander. This is the first of a two-volume biography of Braxton Bragg which traces his career from 1817 to 1863 and emphasizes how and why Bragg, as commander of the Army of Tennessee, contributed to Confederate defeat.

Braxton Bragg and Confederate Defeat: Vol 1: Field Command

History

McWhiney, Grady

Americas

Columbia

Spring, 1864 . . . the Civil War's two greatest generals face each other in the field of battle. Ulysses S. Grant spurs his Army of the Potomac across the Rapidan River as part of a grand offensive plan designed to crush the Confederacy in a single blow. Awaiting Grant and his Federals is the Army of Northern Virginia under the command of Robert E. Lee who, for two years, has repelled every Union attempt to penetrate south of the Rapidan. Again, Lee foils Federal intentions, swiftly striking Grant's army as it struggles through the tangled darkness of Virginia's most impenetrable forest, known as the Wilderness. With dogged determination uncommon to Federal armies fighting in the East, Grant turns to face off with Lee. For two days the great armies wrestle amid the nightmare landscape that would give this bloody battle its name. An absorbing and detailed account of one of the greatest battles between Grant and Lee, vividly depicted by a distinguished historian.

Battle in the Wilderness: Grant Meets Lee (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders Series)

State House Press

Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers

This is Grady McWhiney at his finest. Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers is a collection of seventeen essays on a wide variety of topics relating to Confederate leadership and war-making. The role of culture in the coming of the war is explored in depth as are the differences between Southern "Crackers" and "Cavaliers." Battlefield leadership is also discussed, including pieces on A. P. Hill, P. G. T. Beauregard, Braxton Bragg, and Leonidas Polk. Other important essays include work on why the South fired the first shot of the war, how 1862 was actually the "doom year" of the Confederacy, and a treatment of the tactical revolution that occurred between the beginning of the Mexican War and the end of the Civil War. There are more than a few surprises. One chapter, entitled "Sex and Chivalry," investigates the role of West Point in shaping the deportment of America's class of military gentlemen. Jefferson Davis, though, looms largest in this book. From his days along the banks of the Hudson, to his service in Mexico, to an analysis of his war leadership as president of the Confederacy, McWhiney investigates this tarnished American hero whom, the author claims, has been almost as vilified by Americans as Adolf Hitler. McWhiney is known for his unconventional stances. While his work is sometimes controversial, often hotly debated, and nearly always provocative, it can never be ignored. After a long sabbatical from publishing, this astonishing author and historian is back at work.

State House Pr

For nearly half a century, Grady McWhiney has stood in the foremost ranks of Civil War historians, receiving numerous honors and helping prepare a new generation of historians to carry on the task of understanding and interpreting the Civil War. Here, McWhiney presents a concise narrative that, says fellow historian John C. Waugh, "is comprehensive but still sings." Says Eugene Genovese: "Grady McWhiney provides a responsible, judicious, well-balanced guide to the principal issues and personalities of America's most painful period." McWhiney's book, he suggests, "is a corrective to prevalent textbook biases and deserves wide classroom use." William C. Davis adds, "The Civil War is not designed to be the last word on the experience and the era, but it contains virtually all of the first words needed to give a reader a considerable familiarity in a remarkably short time." The Civil War stands on its own as a supplemental text or a quick read, but it also is a natural companion to 20 Good Reasons to Study the Civil War by John C. Waugh, published last year by McWhiney Foundation Press and available in paperback.

The Civil War: A Concise Account by a Noted Southern Historian

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Books by McWhiney, Grady

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by McWhiney, Grady. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Braxton Bragg and Confederate Defeat: Vol 1: Field Command

Battle in the Wilderness: Grant Meets Lee (Civil War Campaigns and Commanders Series)

Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers

Confederate Crackers and Cavaliers

The Civil War: A Concise Account by a Noted Southern Historian