39 Biographies (U.S. Civil War Reading List)
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This article is from the U.S. Civil War FAQ, by Justin M. Sanders jsanders@jaguar1.usouthal.edu with numerous contributions by others.
39 Biographies (U.S. Civil War Reading List)
Stephen Oates, To Purge This Land With Blood. 1970.
Biography of John Brown.
William C. Davis, Jefferson Davis: The Man and His Hour. 1990.
Evenhanded account of Davis that examines primary sources critically.
Well written. Humanizes Davis. Illustrates his strengths and weaknesses.
Definitive work on Davis and why and how he ran the Confederacy.
Jack Hurst. Nathan Bedford Forrest: Alfred A. Knopf 1993.
A very balanced look at a soldier who was brilliant and ruthless.
Focuses on both his days before the war as a wealthy slave trader and
after the war as a railroad investor and founder of the KKK.
Richard M. McMurry, John Bell Hood and the War for Southern Independence.
1982.
A short (less than 200 pp), accessible work about an important
commander who advanced too fast for his (and his country's) own good.
Good material about the pre-war Army.
GFR Henderson, Stonewall Jackson and the American Civil War. 2 volumes.
1898.
Biography of Stonewall Jackson, who never wrote his own memoirs,
because dead people don't.
Douglas S. Freeman, Robert E. Lee: A Biography. 4 volumes. 1935.
The most thorough biography of Lee, who never wrote his own memoirs.
It presents an extremely positive view of Lee, which has come into
question in recent years; it is nonetheless the best work available on
General Lee.
Thomas L. Connelly, The Marble Man: Robert E. Lee and His Image in
American Society. 1977.
Often cited, frequently criticized, and rarely read, this book
provides a convincing psychological portrait of Lee which is sadly lacking
from Freeman or any of the other hero-worshiping texts. If you want to
get a feeling for the man, read this book.
Stephen Oates, With Malice Towards None. 1977.
Biography of Abraham Lincoln.
William Piston, Lee's Tarnished Lieutenant. 1988.
Reviews Longstreet's military record, the attacks against him by the
Virginia clique, and Longstreet's replies. The best and most accurate
review of Longstreet's controversial career, it largely though not
completely supports the pro-Longstreet camp. An interesting book, not only
in its coverage of Longstreet, but as a reflection on how history is made,
and how it can become inaccurate when personal vendettas and political
pressure come into play.
Ezra Warner, Generals in Blue. 1964.
Quick biographies of all the men ranked brigadier general or higher in
the Union army. Good for a quick background or for looking up particular
biographic details.
Ezra Warner, Generals in Gray. 1964.
Same as above for the Confederates.
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