Davis and Lee at War

Modern War Studies

by Steven E. Woodworth

Steven Woodworth's previous book, the critically acclaimed "Jefferson Davis and His Generals," won the prestigious Fletcher Pratt Award and was a main selection of the History Book Club. In that book he showed how the failures of Davis and his military leaders in the west paved the way for Confederate defeat. In Davis and Lee at War, he concludes his study of Davis as rebel commander-in-chief and shows how the lack of a unified purpose and strategy in the east sealed the Confederacy's fate.

Woodworth argues that Davis and Robert E. Lee, the South's greatest military leader, had sharply conflicting views over the proper conduct of the war. Davis was convinced that the South should fight a defensive war, to simply outlast the North's political and popular support for the war. By contrast, Lee and the other eastern generals-notably P.G.T. Beauregard, Gustavus Smith, and Stonewall Jackson-were eager for the offensive. They were convinced that only quick and decisive battlefield victories would prevent the North from eventually defeating them with its overwhelming advantage in men and materials.



Davis and Lee, Woodworth shows, shared a mutual respect for each other for most of the war. But it was respect mixed with a stubborn resistance to the other's influence. The result of this tense tug-of-war was Davis's misguided pursuit of a middle ground that gave neither strategy its best chance for success. The war finally ground to a bloody conclusion with Davis as indecisive as ever and virtually blind to how little confidence his generals had in his leadership.



Drawing extensively upon the papers of Jefferson Davis and the works of leading Civil War historians, Woodworth places the eastern military campaigns in an entirely new light and expands our understanding of Davis as leader of the Confederacy.

Genres: Civil War, Military History, American Civil War, Civil War Eastern Theater, History

424 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1995

About the author

Currently Professor of History at Texas Christian University, Steven E. Woodworth has written several books about the Western Theater of the American Civil War.

Reviews

[Sean Chick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is vintage Woodworth, right down to his penchant for finding nothing right with those he dislikes, in this case Johnston (deservedly in most regards), Beauregard (unfairly), and Longstreet (because he hated Saint Bragg of the Woodworth order of historians). In spite of this and the book's overwrought concentration upon detailed correspondence and meetings, a nuanced portrait of Davis and Lee emerges. This might have been the strangest command duo in American history. They thought differently on how to fight the war yet they had warm relations and a cast-iron mutual respect. This is where the book shines. Indeed, it is the best picture we have of Davis as commander in chief, since he is shown at his best and worst. Now it is up to another, more even-minded historian, to expand on that point. This one though is too bogged down in details and Woodworth's historical vendettas to suffice.

[Gerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Assemble a group of would-be Civil War “experts” around a water cooler or game table and you hear how bad a president ol’ Jeff Davis was, always interfering in operations and supporting his friends no matter how bad they were. Jeff doesn’t come off too badly in this book. He had his faults and author Woodworth covers them, but still he formulated as good a strategy as he could given his opponents’ superiority, and found an excellent subordinate in Robert E. Lee, although Lee could get a little too aggressive at times. Generals J.E. Johnston and P.G.T. Beauregard suffer here, and we learn just how and why they fell from grace. Bragg’s shortcomings in high office aren’t covered. Davis himself suffered from a variety of illnesses and conducted much of his business from his sick bed. Unlike in the western theater of war, Davis and Lee formed splendid partnership which often found success.

['Aussie Rick' · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be one of the best books about command decisions and relationships between Politicians and generals during the Civil War I have ever read. It covers the battles and the leaders of the Confederacy, both great and flawed. I found it hard to believe that some Southern leaders/generals fought harder against their own side in stupid little infights and disputes. The book goes a long way in explaining Lee's strategy and that of Davis and how they were different and the results of that difference. This book concentrates on the Eastern Theatre, the author's other book 'Jefferson Davis and his Generals' covers the Western Theatre of operations and is brillant in its examination of this area. Both books are well worth reading.

[Avis Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't often call a book intellectually dishonest, but this books deserves it.