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FINALIST FOR BIOGRAPHY, 2008, ARMY HISTORICAL FOUNDATION DISTINGUISHED BOOK AWARD WINNER, 2009, THE DOUGLAS SOUTHALL FREEMAN AWARD FOR BEST BOOK ON SOUTHERN HISTORY Jedediah Hotchkiss, Stonewall Jackson’s renowned mapmaker, expressed the feelings of many contemporaries when he declared that Robert Rodes was the best division commander in the Army of Northern Virginia. This well-deserved accolade is all the more remarkable considering that Rodes, a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a prewar railroad engineer, was one of a very few officers in Lee’s army to rise so high without the benefit of a West Point education. Major General Robert E. Rodes of the Army of Northern Virginia: A Biography, is the first deeply researched scholarly biography on this remarkable Confederate officer. From First Manassas in 1861 to Third Winchester in 1864, Rodes served in all the great battles and campaigns of the legendary Army of Northern Virginia. He quickly earned a reputation as a courageous and inspiring leader who delivered hard-hitting attacks and rock steady defensive efforts. His greatest moment came at Chancellorsville in the spring of 1863, when he spearheaded Stonewall Jackson’s famous flank attack that crushed the left wing of General Hooker’s Army of the Potomac. Rodes began the conflict with a deep yearning for recognition and glory, coupled with an indifferent attitude toward religion and salvation. When he was killed at the height of his glorious career at Third Winchester on September 19, 1864, a trove of prayer books and testaments were found on his corpse. Based upon exhaustive new research, Darrell Collins’s new biography breathes life into a heretofore largely overlooked Southern soldier. Although Rodes’ widow consigned his personal papers to the flames after the war, Collins has uncovered a substantial amount of firsthand information to complete this compelling portrait of one of Robert E. Lee’s most dependable field generals. Darrell L. Collins is the author of several books on the Civil War, including General William Averell’s Salem Raid: Breaking the Knoxville Supply Line (1999) and Jackson’s Valley Campaign: The Battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic (The Virginia Civil War Battles and Leaders Series, 1993). A native of Ann Arbor, Michigan, Darrell and his wife Judith recently relocated to Conifer, Colorado.
From the Foreword: Leadership is of surpassing importance of arms. Judgment, competence, and courage often count for more than armed might alone in achieving success. Generalship is carefully studied by soldiers who will lead men in combat, whether or not they aspire to general-officer rank themselves. Over time our comparatively young army has developed an impressive list of senior officers who have ably demonstrated the importance of leadership in trying circumstances. This volume offers a unique glimpse of the commanding generals and chiefs of staff who have lead the United States Army in peace and war. Their rise through the levels of leadership to the pinnacle of their profession reveals both striking parallels and fascinating contrasts. As the author's introductory analysis makes clear, their responsibilities have evolved over more than two hundred and thirty years. Although the essential elements of leadership remain unchanged, the complexity of technology and staff organization has increased radically over time. The format of this volume combines biographical sketches with the officially designated portraits of the commanding generals and chiefs of staff, accompanied by brief accounts on the artists. As an aspect of the art history that has continued for more than three centuries, these official portraits add an interesting and revealing dimension to the biographer's words. This volume not only celebrates the legacy of dedication and patriotism left by these leaders but also enhances our understanding of military leadership at the highest levels. I commend it to the attention of all students of our profession.
When the Revolutionary War began, Congress established a national army and appointed George Washington its commander in chief. Congress then took it upon itself to choose numerous subordinate generals to lead the army’s various departments, divisions, and brigades. How this worked out in the end is well known. Less familiar, however, is how well Congress’s choices worked out along the way. Although historians have examined many of Washington’s subordinates, Washington’s Revolutionary War Generals is the first book to look at these men in a collective, integrated manner. A thoroughgoing study of the Revolutionary War careers of the Continental Army’s generals—their experience, performance, and relationships with Washington and the Continental Congress—this book provides an overview of the politics of command, both within and outside the army, and a unique perspective on how it affected Washington’s prosecution of the war. It is impossible to understand the outcome of the War for Independence without first examining America’s military leadership, author Stephen R. Taaffe contends. His description of Washington’s generals—who they were, how they received their commissions, and how they performed—goes a long way toward explaining how these American officers, who were short on experience and military genius, prevailed over their professional British counterparts. Following these men through the war’s most important battles and campaigns as well as its biggest controversies, such as the Conway Cabal and the Newburgh Conspiracy, Taaffe weaves a narrative in the grand tradition of military history. Against this backdrop, his depiction of the complexities and particulars of character and politics of military command provides a new understanding of George Washington, the War for Independence, and the U.S. military’s earliest beginnings. A unique combination of biography and institutional history shot through with political analysis, this book is a thoughtful, deeply researched, and an eminently readable contribution to the literature of the Revolution.
World War II U.S. Army corps commanders were the orchestrators of combat, the men responsible for coordinating the fighting power and tactical deployment of divisions. Twenty-two U.S. Army corps were actively engaged in combat operations during World War II. They were led by a total of thirty-four general officers. Dr. Robert H. Berlin identifies these leaders, assesses their military careers, and discusses why they were selected for corps command. This Combat Studies Institute Special Study traces the interwar asignments of these future generals, all of who served at least one tour as instructors in the army education system. The study also explores which corps commanders were promoted and which were relieved. Dr. Berlin's well-documented study reveals how World War II corps commanders were prepared for senior-level command. -- Abstract.