Ethan S. Rafuse Livres

The first major battle of Manassas, also known as Bull Run, was pivotal in the Civil War, resulting in over 800 fatalities and 2,700 injuries. It was here that Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson earned his iconic nickname "Stonewall," as General Barnard Bee famously remarked on his steadfastness. Both sides viewed this battle as potentially decisive for the war's outcome, yet it remains less recognized than other significant confrontations, highlighting its crucial yet overlooked role in shaping the conflict.

A guide to the sites in Maryland and West Virginia associated with the Antietam campaign, including excursions to Harpers Ferry and South Mountain. Thorough descriptions and analyses, augmented with vignettes and numerous maps, it conveys the mechanics as well as the human experience of the campaign.

In this reexamination of the last two years of Lee's storied military career, Ethan S. Rafuse offers a clear, informative, and insightful account of Lee's ultimately unsuccessful struggle to defend the Confederacy against a relentless and determined foe. This book provides a comprehensive, yet concise and entertaining narrative of the battles and campaigns that highlighted this phase of the war and analyzes the battles and Lee's generalship in the context of the steady deterioration of the Confederacy's prospects for victory.

Challenging the conventional view of George Gordon Meade as merely a lucky commander, this book presents a thorough reevaluation of his life and military career. It delves into the complexities of the Civil War's Eastern Theater, examining the political and military dynamics that influenced operations in Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. By addressing the tensions between Washington and the Army of the Potomac, the author encourages readers to rethink traditional narratives about Union leadership and the war's outcomes. This study is essential for those interested in Civil War history and command politics.