I've been reading Stephen Sears abridged version of the famous "Lee's Lieutenants", by Douglas Southall Freeman, which I can thoroughly recommend.
Still a hefty 816 pages even when reduced down from the original three volumes written in the early 1940's. I understand that the reduction was made primarily around the background and pre-war life of the Brigade, Divisional and Corps commanders concerned, so the military history of the ANV is given prominence in strict chronology of its campaigns.
Apart from a good guide to who was where and when and a rolling summary of the actions fought, the most interesting aspect of the book is a continuing commentary of the promotions, demotions and dismissals that took place, on an ongoing basis. Particularly when set against the losses that caused them to happen.
We all know that general officers were killed and disabled in the Civil War at quite a rate but the book also highlights the ridiculous number of field officers who were killed in every action and how over time, this made promotion to Brigade command and above, more and more difficult to make, as the numbers of suitable candidates dropped off.
The other thing that really jumps out at you is what a disaster 1863 was.
The ANV starts the year facing off against the AoP across the Rappahannock, barely able to feed itself and at the end of an impossibly inadequate railway system that delivers totally inadequate supplies.
Hooker crosses the river, is defeated at Chancellorsville, where the ANV loses Jackson and a bunch of other commanders, not to mention a load Colonels. They drive the AoP back over the Rappahannock with only the total captured and MOA separating the casualty numbers in their favour on the combined butcher's bill and where are they? Facing off against the AoP across the Rappahannock, barely able to feed themselves and at the end of an impossibly inadequate railway system that delivers totally inadequate supplies!
Lee invades the North. Gettysburg is a failure, another 20,000 odd casualties, even worse losses in Generals and unspeakable losses in Colonels. He is forced to retreat and where does he end up? Facing off against the AoP across the Rappahannock barely able to feed the army and at the end of an impossibly inadequate railway system that delivers totally inadequate supplies!
From there on, as we know, it's all downhill and you are left watching the Confederacy die, one Brigade/Division/ Corps commander at a time!
Overall, taking into account the narrative of events in 1862 and 1864/5 as well, this is a great book at demonstrating the unrelenting grind of the war and the ever uphill struggle the Confederacy faced, even when they appeared to be "winning".
Of course in the process there is an inevitable "here we go again" feel to the seemingly endless round of death and disablement in the text but it really punches home the futility of it all and provides a lot of insight to the four years of struggle that I've not felt elsewhere.
A bit short on laughs but well worth getting a copy!
completes his initial Union force in 1:72nd scale.
