Edward Porter Alexander

[Rebelsoul]

Which book is considered the better of his,Military memoirs or Fighting for the Confederacy ? Is there much repetition in the two? Which is the better history as far as his descriptions of the personalities he dealt with the campaign's and the battles ?

 

[luinrina]

From what I've read in the introduction, Fighting for the Confederacy contains personal experiences during the war and open critique since he wrote that only for his family and friends. Alexander then took Fighting for the Confederacy as a base for Military Memoirs, but he edited out everything personal and harsh and then added information about battles and campaigns he didn't take part in. Military Memoirs was published in 1907, during his lifetime.

I've read Fighting for the Confederacy as far as May/June 1863 and liked his descriptions and assessments of events, both negative and positive. If he critiqued someone, he didn't spare them. His personal experiences are sometimes amusing, sometimes shocking. I haven't read Military Memoirs yet but intend to, but from the above I would hazzard a guess that there are some similarities but also many differences. According to the introduction for Fighting for the Confederacy,

President Theodore Roosevelt acquired one of the first copies and hastened to write Alexander that "I have so thoro[ugh]ly enjoyed your 'Military Memoirs' that I must write to tell you so."​

As for which is the better, it probably depends on what you like to read - more personal accounts or a more general view.

 

[nitrofd]

My choice is "Fighting for the Confederacy".

 

[redbob]

A book that is one of the better Confederate memoirs and in the same vein as Alexander's is Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer by G. Moxley Sorrel who was Longstreet's Chief of Staff.

 

[Malingerer]

From what I've read in the introduction, Fighting for the Confederacy contains personal experiences during the war and open critique since he wrote that only for his family and friends. Alexander then took Fighting for the Confederacy as a base for Military Memoirs, but he edited out everything personal and harsh and then added information about battles and campaigns he didn't take part in. Military Memoirs was published in 1907, during his lifetime.

I've read Fighting for the Confederacy as far as May/June 1863 and liked his descriptions and assessments of events, both negative and positive. If he critiqued someone, he didn't spare them. His personal experiences are sometimes amusing, sometimes shocking. I haven't read Military Memoirs yet but intend to, but from the above I would hazzard a guess that there are some similarities but also many differences. According to the introduction for Fighting for the Confederacy,

President Theodore Roosevelt acquired one of the first copies and hastened to write Alexander that "I have so thoro[ugh]ly enjoyed your 'Military Memoirs' that I must write to tell you so."​

As for which is the better, it probably depends on what you like to read - more personal accounts or a more general view.

That's my take too. I own and have read both and I think that Fighting for the Confederacy is a more interesting memoir and better book overall.

 

[War Horse]

From what I've read in the introduction, Fighting for the Confederacy contains personal experiences during the war and open critique since he wrote that only for his family and friends. Alexander then took Fighting for the Confederacy as a base for Military Memoirs, but he edited out everything personal and harsh and then added information about battles and campaigns he didn't take part in. Military Memoirs was published in 1907, during his lifetime.

I've read Fighting for the Confederacy as far as May/June 1863 and liked his descriptions and assessments of events, both negative and positive. If he critiqued someone, he didn't spare them. His personal experiences are sometimes amusing, sometimes shocking. I haven't read Military Memoirs yet but intend to, but from the above I would hazzard a guess that there are some similarities but also many differences. According to the introduction for Fighting for the Confederacy,

President Theodore Roosevelt acquired one of the first copies and hastened to write Alexander that "I have so thoro[ugh]ly enjoyed your 'Military Memoirs' that I must write to tell you so."​

As for which is the better, it probably depends on what you like to read - more personal accounts or a more general view.

Exactly correct! Fighting for the Confederacy hands down!

 

[Yankeedave]

Fighting for the Confederacy. Good read.

 

[jackt62]

I read "Fighting for the Confederacy" and definitely recommend it. I don't know about his other book.

 

[Rebelsoul]

A book that is one of the better Confederate memoirs and in the same vein as Alexander's is Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer by G. Moxley Sorrel who was Longstreet's Chief of Staff.

Thanks for the suggestion bud, but I'm more interested in E.P Alexander and his role in the artillery and people he dealt with in that role.

 

[Rebelsoul]

Thanks for the input everyone. Fighting for the Confederacy it is !

 

[War Horse]

A book that is one of the better Confederate memoirs and in the same vein as Alexander's is Recollections of a Confederate Staff Officer by G. Moxley Sorrel who was Longstreet's Chief of Staff.

I'd have to rate Sorrel's book a must read also. I loved every minute of it. Although I'd have to rate Fighting for the Confederacy a much more in-depth work. It would certainly be an excellent warm up to Alexander's book.

 

[FarawayFriend]

I'd have to rate Sorrel's book a must read also. I loved every minute of it. Although I'd have to rate Fighting for the Confederacy a much more in-depth work. It would certainly be an excellent warm up to Alexander's book.

Thanks for reminding me! Both books sit on my Kindle yet still have to be read. So I will start with Moxley Sorrel then!

 

[nitrofd]

Thanks for reminding me! Both books sit on my Kindle yet still have to be read. So I will start with Moxley Sorrel then!

You go girl.

 

[BlueandGrayl]

Even if it may not been a 100% noble at least you can appreciate Edward Porter Alexander. He also named two periods in which there could have been Confederate victory in 2 periods: Bull Run/Manassass I and Glendale the latter is much more believable and knew victory was certainly possible unlike some on this website.

 

[Yankeedave]

Glendale was real close.

 

[BlueandGrayl]

Glendale was real close.

Yes, even Civil War Trust notes it was Robert E. Lee's best chance of cutting off George B. McClellan.

 

[James N.]

From what I've read in the introduction, Fighting for the Confederacy contains personal experiences during the war and open critique since he wrote that only for his family and friends. Alexander then took Fighting for the Confederacy as a base for Military Memoirs, but he edited out everything personal and harsh and then added information about battles and campaigns he didn't take part in. Military Memoirs was published in 1907, during his lifetime...

According to the introduction in Fighting For the Confederacy, Alexander seriously began writing his memoirs during the period he was in South America and found a lot of spare time on his hands. He had been encouraged to write before, but had neglected to start before then, but was handicapped by the fact that his wartime notes and correspondence weren't available to him. When he returned from his trip he sent portions of it around to other veterans for their comments and corrections to the manuscript, a common practice and form of "fact checking". He got more than he bargained for, however, when some of them returned the manuscript advising him not to publish it because of his criticisms, especially of Lee. He shelved the original until he was able to completely revise it into what became his Military Memoirs... So that book - which I haven't read - is not only authoritative but also sanitized. The discovery of the original and its working into the new book added a lot more candor to the story; it's minor drawback is that it's in a somewhat raw and unfinished form and not really ready for publication, but the copious notes by the editor make up for any roughness in the manuscript.

 

[Legion Para]

https://civilwartalk.com/threads/edward-porter-alexander.149723/