Shanks: The Life and Wars of General Nathan George Evans, C.S.A.

by Jason H. Silverman, Samuel N. Thomas Jr., Beverly D. Evans IV

Until now, little has been known about Nathan "Shanks" Evans, a prominent and highly controversial Confederate general who served throughout the Civil War in several theaters of operations. Thankfully, because of a recently discovered cache of his personal papers -- long rumored to exist but never before seen -- it is now possible to present his fascinating Civil War odyssey largely in his own words. Shanks covers Evans's entire amazing career, from his brave stand with a brigade at the famous stone bridge at First Manassas to his controversial months in North and South Carolina, where his erratic and harsh behavior earned the ire of much of his subordinate officer corps. Fighting in nearly every important campaign of the war, the famous brigade under his command was so well traveled it was known throughout the army as "The Tramp Brigade." Viewing the Civil War and the actions of his men through Evans's eyes is an engrossing new perspective and adds substantially to the literature of the Civil War.

Genres: Civil War

224 pages, Hardcover

First published July 1, 2002

Reviews

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

A much needed biography that fills a significant gap in Confederate history, this was quite a good book. The authors chronicle the life and times of Nathan Evans, a Confederate brigadier general with a reputation of a penchant for strong drink. The authors debunk this stigma and for that reason alone this book merits serious consideration by anyone interested in historical truth. Although he has been judged unfairly by posterity, this book tries to set the record straight.

[Sean Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not bad book, but I feel it promised more than it offered; I did not learn much more about Evans' personality. The work sweeps his alcoholism under the rug. The best thing is that the book will fill in some holes on Evans' career, but the authors never dig deep enough. I do give it an extra star for the clear prose, in spite of Martin Gary being called "Mart." throughout.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a bit disappointing partly due to the fact that Evans is quickly sent to serve in an area with little military activity.

The real disappointment is what little you learned of Evans and his command. I was interested in learning more about General Evans, but I didn't get all I had hoped for. If you are connected with the region of his command in North Carolina, you may find this book more interesting.