Other editions of book Reminiscences of the Civil War

John B. Gordon, by the end of the Civil War, had become one of Robert E. Lee’s most trusted generals.At the outbreak of the war, in 1861, he enlisted as a private soldier, and was elected captain of his company.His career was perhaps as brilliant as that of any officer in the Confederate army. In rapid succession he filled every grade — that of Major, Lieutenant-Colonel, Colonel, Brigadier-General, Major-General, and, near the end, was assigned to duty as Lieutenant-General (by authority of the Secretary of War), and while he never received the commission in regular form, he commanded, at the surrender at Appomattox, one half of the Army of Northern Virginia, under Robert E. Lee.He had the extraordinary talent of getting in front of his troops and, in a few magnetic appeals, inspiring them almost to madness, and being able to lead them into the jaws of death.Brown distinguished himself in many of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War, including at Seven Pines, Antietam, Gettysburg, and Spotsylvania Court House.John B. Gordon’s remarkable activities are all recorded in vivid detail in his Reminiscences of the Civil War which allows the reader to fully understand the thoughts and actions of this fascinating man.This book is essential reading for anyone interested in how one man rose from relative obscurity to become one of the most formidable leaders of the American Civil War.“The mass of intelligent readers … will find it one of the best obtainable pictures of life in the Confederate army.” The American Historical ReviewJohn B. Gordon was an attorney, a planter, general in the Confederate States Army, and politician in the postwar years. After the war, Gordon strongly opposed Reconstruction during the late 1860s. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected by the state legislature to serve as a U.S. Senator, from 1875 to 1881, and again from 1891 to 1897. He also was elected as the 53rd Governor of Georgia, serving from 1886 to 1890. Reminiscences of the Civil War was first published in 1903 and he passed away in 1904.

John Brown Gordon was one of the toughest Confederate generals in the Civil War. He was wounded multiple times during the Seven Days Battles and at Antietam, where he was hit 4 times and continued to fight until a bullet slammed him in the face, passing through his cheek and out his jaw. Robert E. Lee described Gordon to Jefferson Davis as "characterized by splendid audacity.” Although he was a tough fighter, Gordon was a good writer, and he had a story to tell. He'd fought in almost every major battle in the East, and he talked all about them in his memoir: Reminiscences of the Civil War. The memoir included fun anecdotes and analysis of the generalship.

John Gordon (1832-1904) was one of the Confederacy's most capable generals. A native of Georgia, he went on to serve as governor of the state after the war. His memoirs are one of the most famous accounts of the Civil War, and an example of the Lost Cause view of the war.".... Unconquerable energy, undying enthusiasm — above all, unselfish love — these were the traits which had borne him through the battles of war and the battles of peace, and through years of peerless civic service...."Francis Gordon Smith

This is one of the best first person accounts of the major battles in the War Between the States as seen by John Brown Gordon. Gordon started out as a captain and ended up a general. The book is vibrant, animated, and thorough. It has enchanted readers since 1903, its original publication date. This particular 2016 edition has been re-formatted specifically for the electronic reader and is annotated with battle summaries, clarifications, and additional illustrations.

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Few generals of the Confederate States Army had such a glittering career as John Brown Gordon, although without any formal military training he rose from captain of a company of Georgia mountineers to the rank of Major-General. He was described by the Robert E. Lee as one of his finest commanders and that his actions were “characterized by splendid audacity”. He was distinguished in many the early battles of the Army of North Viginia; First Bull Run, Malvern Hill; holding the vital “Bloody Lane” at Antietam he was shot five times as he encouraged his men. After a period of recuperation he plunged back into the fray and won further laurels at battles at Gettysburg, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania Court House and the final surrender at Appomattox. His memoirs are justly famous and are an acclaimed classic.“For many years I have been urged to place on record my reminiscences of the war between the States. In undertaking the task now, it is not my purpose to attempt a comprehensive description of that great struggle, nor an elaborate analysis of the momentous interests and issues involved. The time may not have arrived for a full and fair history of that most interesting period in the Republic’s life. The man capable of writing it with entire justice to both sides is perhaps yet unborn. ... I have also recorded in this volume a large number of those characteristic and thrilling incidents which illustrate a unique and hitherto unwritten phase of the war, the story of which should not be lost, because it is luminous with the noblest lessons. Many of these incidents came under my own observation”--Introduction.