NF Fighting for the Confederacy: The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander

Non-Fiction

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Fighting for the Confederacy:
The Personal Recollections of General Edward Porter Alexander

Edited by Gary W. Gallagher


Originally published by UNC Press in 1989, Fighting for the Confederacy is one of the richest personal accounts in all of the vast literature on the Civil War. Alexander was involved in nearly all of the great battles of the East, from First Manassas through Appomattox, and his duties brought him into frequent contact with most of the high command of the Army of Northern Virginia, including Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and James Longstreet. No other Civil War veteran of his stature matched Alexander's ability to discuss operations in penetrating detail-- this is especially true of his description of Gettysburg. His narrative is also remarkable for its utterly candid appraisals of leaders on both sides.

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I have the book on a Nook reader, also have his more formal memoir, "Military Memoirs of a Confederate"
 
I read this book and it is great. Two things in Alexander's analysis seemed screwy though:

1. He said that Lee should have directed Pickett to attack the curve in the fish hook at Gettysburg. This would not have mattered.

2. He said that Lee and Beuregard could have destroyed Grant if Lee got to Petersburg earlier. No, basic math indicates that this would not have happened.
 
He said that Lee should have directed Pickett to attack the curve in the fish hook at Gettysburg. This would not have mattered.
I recall Alexander's reasoning had to do with the shorter distance to traverse, and the ability of his artillery to enfilade the Union position, measures which would have strengthened the attack. On the other hand, the curve in the fishhook was in the vicinity of Cemetery Hill, a strong defensive position.
 
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