Jubal: The Life and Times of General Jubal A. Early, Csa, Defender of the Lost Cause

Rating:
Summary: Lee's Canterkerous General and father of the Lost Cause
Review: For those well familiar with the Civil war, this is a great biography of Early in that it concentrates on Early the person and the General while assuming that you have the basic facts down on the Civil War. The author does not spend too much time on minute detail on troop movements that has been covered many times before but provides in-depth insight to "Old Jube" and his actions. A tough and controversial fighter, until reading this book I didn't know that the former Commonwealth Attorney and life long bachelor from Franklin County sired four children refusing to marry his companion because she was beneath his station. Great historical highlights such as Early's controversial role on Lee's left at Gettysburg, his great assignment defending Fredericksburg against great odds while Lee takes the rest of the army to Chancellorsville, his zealous and dictatorial grip on the Lost cause syndrome, and his public branding of the ill equipped Longstreet (not a lawyer and politically naive) as the cause of Lee's defeat at Gettysburg. Wonderful that it highlights the second battle of Fredericksburg and how the Federals found out the heights were lightly defended. In addition, the author makes an excellent case that when defending the valley after Jackson, Ewell did as well as Jackson until Grant sent Sheridan and a 40,000 man army to defeat him. The author notes that aside from poor use of his calvary and his negative tongue-lashing, Lee's "bad, old man" was a tough fighter and a major player in the Army of Northern Virginia.

Rating:
Summary: Early after the war
Review: This book doesn't really seem to deal with Early the general as much as it does Early the leader of the Lee cult after the war. Skip ahead to the last few chapters.