Robert E. Lee: Lessons in Leadership

Great Generals

by Noah Andre Trudeau, Wesley K. Clark (Foreword)

General Robert E. Lee was a complicated man and military figure.  From his birth as the son of a celebrated and tragic Revolutionary War hero, to his career after the Civil War when he led by example to heal the terrible wounds of the conflict, there is much to learn from this celebrated general. In just three years of service, he directed the Confederacy’s most renowned fighting force, the famed Army of Northern Virginia, through a series of battles, including Second Manassas, Antietam, and Gettysburg, which have since come to define combat in the Civil War.

Here, for the first time, Noah Andre Trudeau follows the general's Civil War path with a special emphasis on Lee's changing set of personal values as the conflict wended through four bloody years and explores his famous skills as a crafty and daring tactician. An insightful new account, Robert E. Lee delivers a fresh perspective that leads to a greater understanding of one of the most studied and yet enigmatic military figures in American history.

Genres: Civil War, History, Biography, American Civil War

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

American Civil War historian. He has won the Civil War Round Table of New York's Fletcher Pratt Award and the Jerry Coffey Memorial Book Prize. A former executive producer at National Public Radio, he lives in Washington, DC.

Reviews

[Tim]

Trudeau is an expert on the Civil War and this time he focuses on the greatest general of the conflict: Lee. Unlike his other books this is a series of snapshots about how Lee covered with his challenges throughout the War. I appreciated the approach and though it was not heavily detailed like Trudeau's other books it really presented a lot of insights into Lee.
Very well written, love reading Trudeau.

[Aaron Meyer]

I would give this 3 1/2 stars if I could. It was a nice, very quick read. Naturally it focusses mainly on the civil war but it does give a few chapters on his life before and after it. I would of liked to have seen more detail in those chapters myself. This being the first biography I have read about Robert E Lee i can't truly say how it stacks up to the more widely known ones, but I would say it is good for a brief overview of his life and is worth having on the bookshelf.

[Brian Noe]

I recently finished reading "Robert E. Lee: The Great Generals Series" by Ralph Peters, and I was struck by the complexity and nuance of the man. As a general who is often revered as a hero of the Confederacy, Lee's legacy can be difficult to separate from the mythology that has grown up around him. But Peters' book provides a thoughtful and balanced examination of Lee's life and career, revealing a man who was deeply conflicted about his role in the Civil War.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the book is Peters' exploration of Lee's personal struggles with secession and his decision to fight for the Confederacy. As a West Point graduate and a career military officer, Lee was deeply committed to the idea of duty and honor. But he was also a product of his time and place, and his loyalty to his home state of Virginia ultimately led him to take up arms against the Union.

What I found particularly interesting was the fact that Lee had to fight against many of his former classmates and comrades from West Point. This personal dimension of the Civil War is often overlooked, but it adds a layer of poignancy and tragedy to the conflict. Peters does an excellent job of conveying the sense of sorrow and regret that Lee felt as he faced off against men he had known and respected for years.

Peters also provides a detailed and insightful analysis of Lee's military strategy and tactics, highlighting both his strengths and weaknesses as a commander. The book is full of vivid descriptions of battles and campaigns, and Peters does an excellent job of conveying the chaos and confusion of war.

If I have any criticisms, it's that the book sometimes feels a bit too focused on Lee's personal life and character, at the expense of a more detailed examination of his military campaigns. Additionally, some of the supporting characters feel a bit one-dimensional, and could be fleshed out more fully.

Overall, however, I found "Robert E. Lee" to be a compelling and thought-provoking read. Peters' nuanced portrait of Lee is a reminder that history is rarely black and white, and that even the most iconic figures can be complex and multifaceted. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in the Civil War, military history, or the life and legacy of Robert E. Lee.

[Belinda Earl Turner]

Robert E. Lee was born and died in Virginia. He was the fifth of his mother’s six children, and he was his mother’s caregiver during periods of sickness which she endured. His father was Henry “Light horse Harry” Lee III, scion of one of Virginia’s First Families, Revolutionary war hero,and governor of Virginia. His mother was Ann Hill Carter whose family controlled 25,000 acres of rich bottom land along the James River below Richmond. Harry Lee had brought three children with him when he married Ann, and they added six more together.
Robert didn’t know his dashing father well. He was only six when Harry left to recoup his fortune and never returned. Robert was just eleven when his father died in Georgia on his way home to Virginia.
When Robert was sixteen, he applied to West Point and was accepted, entering in 1825 after a year of waiting.
He graduated from West Point in 1829, second in his class and having received no demerits. In his senior year he took an engineering course which he evidently liked When he chose his first assignment after graduation it was in the Engineer Corps.
This book gives a balanced and realistic picture of Robert E. Lee as a soldier, General, and as a man. I recommend reading it with your mind open.
❤️✝️✡️❤️

[Jimbo]

This biography was what I consider text book history from high school. The narration is just stating events and quotes and not building or adding a narrative. it was too boring to enjoy or really learn anything from. I left with book with what I now consider a false perspective about Robert E. Lee.

If you want to learn about Lee, read Clouds of Glory: The Life and Legend of Robert E. Lee by Michael Korda. I gave it 4 stars.

[Nick]

Quite a bold assessment of Lee, particularly in giving more credit to luck than is common in assessments of his career. But again, as I find in this series, well-written and succinctly argued.

[Michael Golightly]

Short book, tried to not give this traitor to America too much adoration for his many failures.

[Timothy]

Revisiting Lee's battlefield exploits. A useful intro to Civil War studies.

[Budd]

It was pretty good, but I am not sure that the subtitle really fits. It doesn't really paint the overall picture of the war that is needed to fully grasp what Lee was doing. I am not an expert on the war and thought that it needed just a bit more explanation.

[M]

A behind the scenes narrative of REL's in his commander's role during key battles of the Civil War. I found the authors writing style very disjointed and difficult to follow. I never found a flow, and reading the book was onerous.

[Gary]

Very much enjoyed this book. Lee was a class act, imaginative leader and an amazing general.