Union commanders (bio request)

Enoch L. Cade

Enoch L. Cade

Corporal
Joined
Aug 11, 2022
Location
Mississippi
Hello all. I'm interested in reading some biographies of the not-as-well known Union generals, and I'm hoping I might trouble the wise and better read with a request for recommendations. FWIW, I tend to like older biographies -- Archive.org is my best friend.

Of particular interest:

George Thomas (I know he burned his papers)
William Rosecrans
Gouverneur Warren
Edward Ord
Joseph Hooker (okay, not exactly "not as well known" but Sears' account in Chancellorsville was eye-opening. And didn't his corps get a lot of the tough assignments during Atlanta?)
John Scofield
John Buford
John Gibbon

And please feel free to suggest anyone else that might be a good exemplar of the Army of the Potomac, Army of the Cumberland, etc. My reading's mostly been of the Confederate side. I know there's no shortage of brave and honorable men on the Union side; just looking to learn more about them. Thanks!
 
Here's something you may like.

IMG_6184.webp
 
Concerning Governeur Warren, here's two books I'm aware of:

"Happiness Is Not My Companion": The Life of General G. K. Warren by David Jordan

Union General Gouverneur Warren: Hero at Little Round Top, Disgrace at Five Forks by Donald Jermann

Dornbusch is definitive in locating sources if you're into Civil War research. There are four volumes (one of which is published in two volumes). Check it out via inter-library loan.
 
Enoch L. Cade said:
Hello all. I'm interested in reading some biographies of the not-as-well known Union generals, and I'm hoping I might trouble the wise and better read with a request for recommendations. FWIW, I tend to like older biographies -- Archive.org is my best friend.

Of particular interest:

George Thomas (I know he burned his papers)
William Rosecrans
Gouverneur Warren
Edward Ord
Joseph Hooker (okay, not exactly "not as well known" but Sears' account in Chancellorsville was eye-opening. And didn't his corps get a lot of the tough assignments during Atlanta?)
John Scofield
John Buford
John Gibbon

And please feel free to suggest anyone else that might be a good exemplar of the Army of the Potomac, Army of the Cumberland, etc. My reading's mostly been of the Confederate side. I know there's no shortage of brave and honorable men on the Union side; just looking to learn more about them. Thanks!
Click to expand...
That's an interesting list and there are some challenges. The best Buford biography so far as I know is Edward Longacre's book c. 30 or so years ago. Hooker badly needs an updated bio - the last I know of is Hebert's which was published more than 75 years ago. I have a recollection that somebody published a bio of Gibbon in the early '90's but have no idea whether it's any good. So far as I'm aware, there's never been a book about Ord, but IIRC there was a Master's Thesis or Ph.D Dissertation c. 75 years ago. If you're into artillery (caveat: I'm obsessed), Longacre's bio of Henry J. Hunt is about 50 years old but is pretty good.
 
Here are some other possibilities for you:
American Scoundrel (Daniel Sickles) by Thomas Keneally (author of Schindler's List), 2002.
Black Jack Logan: An Extraordinary Life in Peace and War by Gary Ecelbarger, 2005.
Hancock the Superb (Winfield Scott Hancock) by Glenn Tucker, 1980.
The Immortal Irishman (Thomas Francis Meagher) by Timothy Egan, 2016.
Winfield Scott Hancock: A Soldier's Life by David M. Jordan, 1988.
 
NFB22 said:
The Edge of Glory: A Biography of General William S. Rosecrans, U.S.A. by William Lamers wasn't a bad read.

Gibbon has a personal memoir that has been published.
Click to expand...
Gibbon's Recollections are a good source but they're limited to the Civil War.
 
For Ord you can read Appomattox Commander by Bernarr Cresap. It's good, but not great, though it does make extensive use of Ord's papers, which are at Stanford.
 
Enoch L. Cade said:
Hello all. I'm interested in reading some biographies of the not-as-well known Union generals, and I'm hoping I might trouble the wise and better read with a request for recommendations. FWIW, I tend to like older biographies -- Archive.org is my best friend.

Of particular interest:

George Thomas (I know he burned his papers)
Click to expand...

Donn Piatt's work is an argument that Thomas was the greatest General of the war...

James A. Garfield on G.H. Thomas...

Enoch L. Cade said:
William Rosecrans
Click to expand...

Memorial by G.C. Kniffin...



Enoch L. Cade said:
Gouverneur Warren
Click to expand...
Memorial for General Warren...

Enoch L. Cade said:
Edward Ord
Click to expand...

Enoch L. Cade said:
Joseph Hooker (okay, not exactly "not as well known" but Sears' account in Chancellorsville was eye-opening. And didn't his corps get a lot of the tough assignments during Atlanta?)
Click to expand...

Dan Butterfield on Joe Hooker at Wauhatchie...

Sherman's memoirs give some description of Hooker's service in the Atlanta campaign.

Enoch L. Cade said:
John Scofield
Click to expand...

A memorial to General Schofield...

His memoir...


Enoch L. Cade said:
John Buford
Click to expand...

Enoch L. Cade said:
John Gibbon
Click to expand...

A memorial reminiscence of General Gibbon by Henry P. Goddard...

Enoch L. Cade said:
And please feel free to suggest anyone else that might be a good exemplar of the Army of the Potomac, Army of the Cumberland, etc. My reading's mostly been of the Confederate side. I know there's no shortage of brave and honorable men on the Union side; just looking to learn more about them. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Personal memoirs of Major General David S. Stanley...
1769821524679.webp


Personal Memoirs of General Phil Sheridan... (a 1902 edition with expanded notes on his later life)...
1769821483998.webp

vol. 1:
Vol. 2:

General John A. Logan's memoir and appreciation for the Volunteer Soldiers of America...
1769821445287.webp


Personal memoirs of General Grant. Originally printed in two volumes. This edition in one volume...
1769821407536.webp


Besides Grant's personal memoirs, General Badeau of his staff produced a specifically "military history" of Grant's wartime operations:
Vol. 1.
Vol. 2.
Vol. 3.


General Sherman's memoirs, in two volumes. The 4th Edition, revised and complete...
1769821362701.webp

Vol. 1:
Vol. 2:

General George B. McClellan's "Own story..."
1769821324941.webp



Life and letters of General George Gordon Meade...
1769821286737.webp

Vol. 1.
Vol. 2:

Life and Letters of General Emory Upton...
1769821236040.webp


Recollections of General James H. Wilson...
1769821180368.webp

Vol. 1:
Vol. 2:

Life and services of General William F. "Baldy" Smith...
1769821138079.webp


General William B. Hazen's Narrative of Military Service...
1769821975652.webp


General Joseph W. Keifer's memoir of the times, and his campaigns...
Vol. 1.
Vol. 2.

General Oliver O. Howard's autobiography...
Vol. 1.
Vol. 2.

1769822488917.webp
 
RyanQ1864 said:
For Ord you can read Appomattox Commander by Bernarr Cresap. It's good, but not great, though it does make extensive use of Ord's papers, which are at Stanford.
Click to expand...
Thanks for posting this. I was unaware of Cresap's book. I'm not big on biographies by descendants/relatives but his use of the papers would remove some of that. Eugene Tidball's biography of his ancestor John C. Tidball, No Disgrace to My Country, makes use of the subject's papers and is excellent.
 
Belfoured said:
Thanks for posting this. I was unaware of Cresap's book. I'm not big on biographies by descendants/relatives but his use of the papers would remove some of that. Eugene Tidball's biography of his ancestor John C. Tidball, No Disgrace to My Country, makes use of the subject's papers and is excellent.
Click to expand...
One example of a book written by a descendant which I found quite readable is A DiSPOSITION TO BE RICH, by Geoffrey C. Ward. He is a descendant of Ferdinand Ward, the crook who infamously defrauded Ulysses Grant (and, of course, many others). Ward, a professional author, tells the story of his ancestor dispassionately, but depicting him with honesty as the lying, cheating scoundrel that he was. Usually though, people write these books about their ancestors as an apologia or as hagiography, making them of rather limited value.
 
Ossian said:
One example of a book written by a descendant which I found quite readable is A DiSPOSITION TO BE RICH, by Geoffrey C. Ward. He is a descendant of Ferdinand Ward, the crook who infamously defrauded Ulysses Grant (and, of course, many others). Ward, a professional author, tells the story of his ancestor dispassionately, but depicting him with honesty as the lying, cheating scoundrel that he was. Usually though, people write these books about their ancestors as an apologia or as hagiography, making them of rather limited value.
Click to expand...
I agree. I use a "trust but verify" approach. Obviously, it helps when the subject has left a lot of papers, including correspondence. John Tidball wrote quite a bit before and after the war so the author was able to keep things objective. It also helps when the ancestor isn't a scoundrel ... :D
 
RyanQ1864 said:
For Ord you can read Appomattox Commander by Bernarr Cresap. It's good, but not great, though it does make extensive use of Ord's papers, which are at Stanford.
Click to expand...
For my taste, Cresap is too complimentary toward his protagonist. I recommend William B. Feis' critical assessment of Ord in Woodworth's Grant's Lieutenants, Volume 2.
 
Enoch L. Cade said:
Hello all. I'm interested in reading some biographies of the not-as-well known Union generals, and I'm hoping I might trouble the wise and better read with a request for recommendations. FWIW, I tend to like older biographies -- Archive.org is my best friend.

Of particular interest:

George Thomas (I know he burned his papers)
William Rosecrans
Gouverneur Warren
Edward Ord
Joseph Hooker (okay, not exactly "not as well known" but Sears' account in Chancellorsville was eye-opening. And didn't his corps get a lot of the tough assignments during Atlanta?)
John Scofield
John Buford
John Gibbon

And please feel free to suggest anyone else that might be a good exemplar of the Army of the Potomac, Army of the Cumberland, etc. My reading's mostly been of the Confederate side. I know there's no shortage of brave and honorable men on the Union side; just looking to learn more about them. Thanks!
Click to expand...
There is one published biography on John Gibbon: Dennis S. Lavery & Mark H. Jordan, Iron Brigade General: John Gibbon, A Rebel in Blue (1993)... A slim volume of just 200 pages...
 
Thanks for the clarification @35thMassachusettsInfRegt. Full disclosure, I lean towards the scholarly side when it comes to biographies.

Below are the results of two Google searches (assisted by AI):

Search 1 (Initial Results) -

George H. Thomas
  • Wills, Brian Steel. George Henry Thomas: As True as Steel (University Press of Kansas, 2012). Considered the modern definitive biography, this work provides a comprehensive, scholarly, and balanced look at the "Rock of Chickamauga," covering his life from his Virginia roots to his key command positions in the Western Theater.
  • Einolf, Christopher J. George Thomas: Virginian for the Union (University of Oklahoma Press, 2007). A balanced, well-researched biography that focuses on Thomas's decision-making and his transition from a slaveholder to a defender of civil rights.
  • Bobrick, Benson. Master of War: The Life of General George H. Thomas (Simon & Schuster, 2009). A highly detailed and engaging biography that argues for Thomas as the greatest Union general, though sometimes noted for being sympathetic to its subject. [1, 2, 3, 4]
William Rosecrans
  • Lamers, William M. The Edge of Glory: A Biography of General William S. Rosecrans, U.S.A. (Louisiana State University Press, 1961/1999). Long considered the standard, definitive biography of "Old Rosy," it explores his brilliant tactical abilities and the difficult personality that led to his downfall.
  • Moore, David G. William S. Rosecrans and the Union Victory: A Civil War Biography (McFarland, 2014). A more recent scholarly examination of his successes in West Virginia, Mississippi, and Tennessee, and an analysis of why he was ultimately removed from command despite these victories. [1, 5, 6, 7, 8]
Gouverneur K. Warren
  • Jordan, David M. The Life of General G. K. Warren (Indiana University Press, 1995). A well-regarded scholarly biography that examines the "enigmatic" Warren, including his role at Little Round Top and his contentious relationship with superiors.
  • Jermann, Donald R. Union General Gouverneur Warren: Hero at Little Round Top, Disgrace at Five Forks (McFarland, 2015). A study focusing on his brilliant service in the Army of the Potomac and his controversial, swift removal by Philip Sheridan. [10, 11, 12]
Edward O. C. Ord
  • Cresap, Bernarr. Appomattox Commander: The Story of General E.O.C. Ord (A.S. Barnes & Co., 1981). The primary, comprehensive biography of this key Army of the James commander, detailing his extensive service from the Seminole Wars to the final surrender at Appomattox. [13, 14]
Joseph Hooker
  • Sears, Stephen W. Controversy and Command: Joseph Hooker and the Army of the Potomac (Journal of Military History/Academic articles). While Sears has not written a single-volume biography, his extensive research in Chancellorsville and other works provides the definitive modern scholarly analysis of "Fighting Joe".
  • Hebert, Walter H. Fighting Joe Hooker (Bobbs-Merrill, 1944). A classic, detailed biography of Hooker's life, including his time as commander of the Army of the Potomac. [15, 16, 17]
John M. Schofield
  • Connelly, Donald B. John M. Schofield and the Politics of Generalship (University of North Carolina Press, 2006). An excellent, comprehensive scholarly biography that explores how Schofield, as a top command officer, navigated the complex relationship between the military and civilian politics. [18, 19]
John Buford
  • Longacre, Edward G. General John Buford: A Military Biography (Combined Books, 1995). The first full-length, authoritative, and scholarly biography of the crucial Union cavalry commander, covering his career from the frontier to Gettysburg.
  • Wittenberg, Eric J. "The Devil's to Pay": John Buford at Gettysburg. A History and Walking Tour (Savas Beatie, 2014). A detailed study of Buford's most critical performance at Gettysburg. [20, 21, 22, 23, 24]
John Gibbon
  • Jordan, David M. Iron Brigade General: John Gibbon, A Rebel in Blue (Greenwood Press, 1992). A long-overdue, scholarly, and full-length biography of one of the Union's best combat leaders, covering his service in the Eastern Theater and later on the western frontier. [1, 20, 25]

[1] https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/george-h.-thomas.html
[2] https://www.oupress.com/9780806141213/george-thomas/
[3] https://www.amazon.com/Master-War-General-George-Thomas/dp/0743290267?tag=civilwartalkc-20
[4] https://kansaspress.ku.edu/9780700628995/
[5] https://www.essentialcivilwarcurriculum.com/william-starke-rosecrans.html
[6] https://www.amazon.com/William-Rosecrans-Union-Victor-Biography/dp/0786476249?tag=civilwartalkc-20
[7] https://www.amazon.com/Edge-Glory-Biography-Rosecrans-U-S/dp/080712396X?tag=civilwartalkc-20
[8] https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/william-s-rosecrans-and-the-union-victory-david-g-moore/1115721673
[9] https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/gouverneur-k-warren
[10] https://muse.jhu.edu/article/42758/summary
[11] https://www.nps.gov/pete/learn/historyculture/gouverneur-warren.htm
[12] https://books.google.com/books/about/Union_General_Gouverneur_Warren.html?id=iA9eCgAAQBAJ
[13] https://findingaids.library.georgetown.edu/repositories/15/resources/10173
[14] https://muse.jhu.edu/article/434701/summary
[15] https://www.mrlincolnswhitehouse.or...s-admirals-joseph-hooker-1814-1879/index.html
[16] https://www.history.com/articles/joseph-hooker
[17] https://www.amazon.com/FIGHTING-JOE-HOOKER-Walter-Hebert/dp/B000KNGRVS?tag=civilwartalkc-20
[18] https://uncpress.org/9781469614601/john-m-schofield-and-the-politics-of-generalship/
[19] https://academic.oup.com/jah/article-abstract/93/4/1243/702636
[20] https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780938289463
[21] https://www.savasbeatie.com/the-devils-to-pay-john-buford-at-gettysburg-a-history-and-walking-tour/
[22] https://www.amazon.com/Devils-Pay-Gettysburg-History-Walking/dp/1611214440
[23] https://www.acwrt.org.uk/post/general-john-buford-a-military-biography-by-edward-longacre
[24] https://www.amazon.com/General-John-Buford-Edward-Longacre/dp/0938289462?tag=civilwartalkc-20
[25] https://www.amazon.com/Iron-Brigade...s-Military/dp/0313285764?tag=civilwartalkc-20


Search 2 (AI Mode Search) -

Army Commanders: Thomas & Rosecrans
  • George H. Thomas: George Henry Thomas: As True As Steel (2019) by Brian Steel Wills is considered a definitive, deeply researched biography utilizing previously untapped contemporary correspondence. Other significant scholarly works include Master of War: The Life of General George H. Thomas (2009) by Benson Bobrick and Christopher J. Einolf's George Thomas: Virginian for the Union (2007).
  • William Rosecrans: William S. Rosecrans and the Union Victory (2014) by David G. Moore offers a modern reassessment of his military successes and political removal. The long-standing standard scholarly biography is The Edge of Glory: A Biography of General William S. Rosecrans (1961) by William M. Lamers. [1]
Corps Commanders: Warren & Ord
"Fighting Joe" & The Politician: Hooker & Schofield
Divisional & Specialty Leaders: Buford & Gibbon
  • John Buford: General John Buford: A Military Biography (1995) by Edward G. Longacre is the first full-length scholarly biography of the cavalryman famous for his first-day stand at Gettysburg.
  • John Gibbon: Iron Brigade General: John Gibbon, A Rebel in Blue (1994) by Dennis S. Lavery and Mark H. Jordan is a primary scholarly biography covering his transition from a Southerner to a famed Union commander. Researchers also frequently consult his own posthumously published scholarly editions, such as Adventures on the Western Frontier (1994), edited by Alan and Maureen Gaff. [6]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org
[2] https://millercenter.org
[3] https://armyhistory.org
[4] https://loc.gov
[5] https://smithsonianassociates.org
[6] https://apps.dtic.mil

As you can several of the generals only have one bio, and the multiple Thomas bios available were all published in the last 20 years (I find it impressive that all the Thomas bios were published in 10 years). I wonder why there isn't more in Buford, Gibbon & Ord. I guess maybe they didn't leave enough personal correspondence behind for researchers to ascertain their personality. I apologize for the length of this reply.
 
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