Central Delaware Civil War Round Table

“Retreat From Gettysburg: Lee, Logistics, & the Pennsylvania Campaign” by Kent Masterson Brown. University of North Carolina Press. 534 pages. $34.95

Brown’s narrative of the days following the Battle of Gettysburg captures the emotions of the soldiers and leaders through extensive use of personal papers, diaries and memoirs. While Brown is strong in details concerning logistics, he is less sure-footed in his conclusions on Robert E. Lee’s strategy. Brown also fails to recognize the role of the Union’s Bureau of Military Information..— T.J.R.

“The Union Generals Speak: The Meade Hearings on the Battle of Gettysburg,” edited by Bill Hyde. Louisiana State University Press, 427 pages, $45 ($29.70 Amazon)

This is an annotated version of the 1864 congressional investigation into Gen. George G. Meade's conduct during the Gettysburg campaign. Testimony is given to the Joint Committee for the Conduct of the War by Meade's fellow generals during battle. Some are favorable toward and some are not. Makes for very interesting reading about loyalties and animosities among Union generals. — T.J.R.

“The Cavalry at Gettysburg: A Tactical Study of Mounted Operations during the Civil War's Pivotal Campaign, 9 June-14July 1863” by Edward G. Longacre. University of Nebraska Press, 338 pages (paperback), $19.95

A detailed study of Union and Confederate cavalry operations including battles at Brandy Station, in the Loudoun Valley, at Hanover and Gettysburg. The most comprehensive book available about cavalry operations during the Gettysburg campaign. — T.J.R.

“American Brutus: John Wilkes Booth and the Lincoln Conspiracies” by Michael W. Kauffman. Random House, 508 pages. $29.95

In his highly readable book, Kauffman dispels long-held beliefs and provides a fresh analysis of the event that shocked the nation 140 years ago. He structures his interpretation on a solid foundation of more than 30 years of research, personal immersion and an original computer program that allowed him to sort data in a number of ways. By doing so he detected new patterns in Booth’s actions that reveal a cunning man who was neither mad nor a pawn.— K.I.W.

“America Will Always Stand” by various artists. Time Life Music. $13.98

Another uneven effort by producer Ron Maxwell of “Gettysburg” and “Gods and Generals” fame best describes this mostly country-flavored CD. The 14 songs range from awful (Olivia [a little nepotism?] Maxwell’s “All the Daddies”) to so-so (“Oh, Virginia” by Collin Raye) to good (the title track by Randy Travis). However, two superb tracks more than compensate for the weak ones: Darryl Worley’s spine-tingling “Shiloh (Presence of the Past)” and the evocative “Tears of God” by rising newcomer Josh Turner.” — K.I.W.

“Cross Over the River: Lives of Stonewall Jackson” by Bruce Weir Benidt. iUniverse Inc., $31.95, 371 pages.

The author takes a novel approach, literally, in which a mix of fictional and historical people reveal what they know about Jackson. Mr. Benidt does an excellent job peeling through layers of the stereotypical austere Jackson to reveal the spiritual core of a multifaceted man. — K.I.W.

“Stonewall Jackson: The Spiritual Side” by David T. Myers. Sprinkle Publications, $9, 93 pages. (www.graceandtruthbooks.com)

This “Sunday School quarterly” offers terrific insight into Jackson’s religious beliefs, how he lived his faith and the Presbyterian doctrine. More importantly to author Myers, it can be used to introduce the reader to the “God and Savior of Thomas Jackson.” — K.I.W.

“Rebels at the Gate: Lee and McClellan on the Front Line of a Nation Divided” by W. Hunter Lesser. Sourcebooks Inc., $24.95, 375 pages.

Bloodier and larger campaigns quickly overshadowed the Civil War’s first campaign, but what happened in Western Virginia had far-reaching ramifications. Virginia lost a third of its territory, the Confederacy blew the possibility of making Ohio instead of Virginia the war’s battleground and Union victory bolstered efforts to form a new state. George McClellan used his success to leapfrog to the top of the command chain even while exhibiting some troubling traits but Robert E. Lee’s failure surprised many who expected him to work miracles with feuding generals and horrendous weather. A lively style makes this blend of military and political campaigns an insightful and entertaining read. — K.I.W.

“Grant Comes East” by Newt Gingrich and William R. Forstchen. Thomas Dunne Books, $24.95. 404 pages.

Gingrich and Forstchen follow up last year’s “Gettysburg” with the second part to their planned trilogy of alternative history novels. Unfortunately, the same type of errors and mischaracterizations that plagued “Gettysburg” also infect the sequel, undermining their proposed what-if scenario. And only a politician could portray Dan Sickles as misunderstood hero. — K.I.W.

“Beloved Bride: The Letters of Stonewall Jackson to His Wife” by William Potter. The Vision Forum Inc., $14, 160 pages.

The soldier as romantic hero might be a surprise to some but not those familiar with Mary Anna Jackson’s “The Life and Letters of General Thomas Jackson. While Potter’s “Beloved Bride” does not add new scholarship on Jackson, it does make those letters more accessible to the average reader. — K.I.W.

“Bloody Angle: Hancock’s Assault on the Mule Shoe Salient, May 12, 1864” by John Cannan. Da Capo Press. $17.50, 176 pages.

One of the Battleground America Guides, this little book does just what its title suggests, break down this aspect of the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse. — K.I.W.

“Jeb Stuart” by John Thomason. Out-of-print but used copies can be found at amazon.com and other places.

Originally published in 1930, Thomason’s portrait may not be a critical evaluation of the dashing cavalryman, but it’s well worth reading because he captures the spirit of Stuart as no other biographer. Thomason talked to people who knew Stuart and his work reveals a multi-layered man whose gay exterior masked depths rarely explored by modern writers. — K.I.W.

“Winfield Scott Hancock: Gettysburg Hero” by Perry D. Jamieson. McWhiney Foundation Press, $29.95. 199 pages.

This slim effort offers no new information, little insight and not much to recommend it to the serious student of the underappreciated Union general. Perhaps Jamieson wrote it with young readers in mind; the jacket does use the phrase a “new generation of readers.” — K.I.W.