It's difficult to believe that one of this country's true military geniuses was once derided by his own men as "Granny" - partly due to his insistence on discipline and preparation (most Confederate soldiers were volunteers who believed that fighting spirit was enough to ensure a victory). By the time of the Appomattox Court House, however, he was both beloved by his men and admired by friend and foe alike. This book examines his increasingly effective leadership on the field, his interactions with his subordinate commanders and how those successes led to the overconfidence that resulted in his defeat at Gettysburg. (The book concludes with an overview of his generalship through the end of the war). An engrossing assessment of one of America's true military greats.

Recommended by Jan