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The Memoirs of Henry Heth
318 pages, Hardcover
First published August 15, 1974
13 people want to read
About the author
James Morrison
163 books10 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Professor Morrison is a scholar of modern literature and film and the author, editor, or co-author of eleven books. He holds a Ph.D. from SUNY Buffalo and taught at North Carolina State University from 1990 to 2001. His recent works include Buffalo Trace and Auteur Theory and My Son John.
Professor Morrison is a scholar of modern literature and film and the author, editor, or co-author of eleven books. He holds a Ph.D. from SUNY Buffalo and taught at North Carolina State University from 1990 to 2001. His recent works include Buffalo Trace and Auteur Theory and My Son John.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 25, 2021
Henry (“Harry” to his buds) was a general in Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia. He commanded a division in A.P. Hill’s corps and perhaps his chief claim to fame was his inadvertent starting of the battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863.
Y’see, Lee was invading Pennsylvania and didn’t know the Union Army of the Potomac was that close on his heels. He was at least aware he was being tailed by cavalry, but cavalry has no business taking on infantry so, no worries there. Lee had spread his army up to as far north to the outskirts of Harrisburg; Hill’s corps was at Cashtown, nine miles northwest of Gettysburg. Gettysburg was supposed to have loads of shoes (factory, which proved to be untrue) and Hill’s lads needed them. So Heth asked if Hill (his boss) had no objections to his taking his division to Gettysburg to get ‘em. Hill said, “None in the world.” So Heth marched down the Chambersburg Pike expecting to brush aside cavalry and militia. What he got was a face full of Union infantry and so the story goes (not sure how true)...
“There’s them damned Black Hat fellers!”
“T’aint no milishy; it’s the Army of the Potomac!”
And it was on.
As did many other soldiers of the Civil War, General Heth wrote his memoirs after the war; but he was not able to get them published. James L. Morrison did so in 1974. The memoirs cover 235 pages of which just forty-seven are of the war. Much of the rest cover the pleasant times he had at West Point with his buddy Ambrose E. Burnside, and his life at Army posts throughout the western plains. He acquitted himself well. He entered service too late to participate in the war with Mexico, but he did accompany Johnston in the war with the Mormons. When, upon Virginia’s secession, he applied to President Jefferson Davis for service, Davis asked him, “How much rank can you stand?” Heth received a major generalship and served in both eastern and western theaters of the war. He did much good service in the Petersburg Campaign where Hill’s Corps was frequently tasked to repel Union advances in Dinwiddie Country.
The book is an easy read and little burdened with the sentimentality prevalent at the time. General Heth does not refight his battles here. It’s the autobiography of a gentleman recalling much of what was pleasant in his life.
Y’see, Lee was invading Pennsylvania and didn’t know the Union Army of the Potomac was that close on his heels. He was at least aware he was being tailed by cavalry, but cavalry has no business taking on infantry so, no worries there. Lee had spread his army up to as far north to the outskirts of Harrisburg; Hill’s corps was at Cashtown, nine miles northwest of Gettysburg. Gettysburg was supposed to have loads of shoes (factory, which proved to be untrue) and Hill’s lads needed them. So Heth asked if Hill (his boss) had no objections to his taking his division to Gettysburg to get ‘em. Hill said, “None in the world.” So Heth marched down the Chambersburg Pike expecting to brush aside cavalry and militia. What he got was a face full of Union infantry and so the story goes (not sure how true)...
“There’s them damned Black Hat fellers!”
“T’aint no milishy; it’s the Army of the Potomac!”
And it was on.
As did many other soldiers of the Civil War, General Heth wrote his memoirs after the war; but he was not able to get them published. James L. Morrison did so in 1974. The memoirs cover 235 pages of which just forty-seven are of the war. Much of the rest cover the pleasant times he had at West Point with his buddy Ambrose E. Burnside, and his life at Army posts throughout the western plains. He acquitted himself well. He entered service too late to participate in the war with Mexico, but he did accompany Johnston in the war with the Mormons. When, upon Virginia’s secession, he applied to President Jefferson Davis for service, Davis asked him, “How much rank can you stand?” Heth received a major generalship and served in both eastern and western theaters of the war. He did much good service in the Petersburg Campaign where Hill’s Corps was frequently tasked to repel Union advances in Dinwiddie Country.
The book is an easy read and little burdened with the sentimentality prevalent at the time. General Heth does not refight his battles here. It’s the autobiography of a gentleman recalling much of what was pleasant in his life.
June 15, 2024
I purchased this book initially for research on a relative who served as an aide & clerk for Heth. As it turned out his tales of West Point and the Mexican War were surprisingly funny. It was amazing that he was never kicked out of West Point after all of the shenanigans he pulled and many trips to the famous Benny Havens tavern. Many of his classmate and fellow officers in the War with Mexico reads like a who's who of Civil War military leadership. He was especially good friends with Grant.
Douglas Southall Freeman's noted that, "Lady luck smiled upon him in camp but abandoned him on the field."
It is a very entertaining read and I highly recommend it for the sake of his tales.
Douglas Southall Freeman's noted that, "Lady luck smiled upon him in camp but abandoned him on the field."
It is a very entertaining read and I highly recommend it for the sake of his tales.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews