From Publishers Weekly
Wert (
The Sword of Lincoln) adds to his status as a top-ranking Civil War scholar in this excellent biography of the Confederacy's best-known cavalry general. Jeb Stuart's reputation has faded somewhat in recent years, particularly for his alleged failures during the Gettysburg campaign. Wert integrates comprehensive archival and printed sources to describe a man shaped by a zest for life, religious faith and devotion to duty, who from his youth sought achievement and recognition. Soldiering promised both. The initial dominance of Confederate cavalry in the east during the Civil War was a product of Stuart's skills as leader and organizer, trainer and tactician. Above all he was a master at reconnaissance and screening. His decision at Gettysburg to ride around the Union army instead of rejoining Robert E. Lee was a mistake. But its serious consequences were in good part due to Lee's dependence on his now-absent source of reconnaissance, and the Union cavalry's ability to learn from repeated defeat at Stuart's hands. Wert's biography goes far in restoring Stuart's claim to be the greatest cavalry officer ever foaled in America. 8 pages of b&w photos; maps.
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Review
"One of those rare, too often overlooked figures in the Civil War pantheon, Jeb Stuart was as irresistible as he was colorful, as contentious as he was fascinating. In this endlessly absorbing biography, Jeffry Wert does him justice and then some. This richly detailed study belongs on the bookshelf of every Civil War buff, right next to the dog-eared volumes on Lincoln, Lee, Jackson, and Grant. Bravo!" -- Jay Winik, author of
April 1865: The Month That Saved America and
The Great Upheaval: America and the Birth of the Modern World, 1788-1800"Jeffry D. Wert adds to his considerable reputation as a military historian of the Civil War with this engaging biography of the Confederacy's best and most famous cavalry officer. Jeb Stuart figured prominently in most of the Army of Northern Virginia's storied operations, and Wert does full justice to his striking successes while also exploring with a critical eye his controversial conduct during the Gettysburg Campaign. This book is the obvious place to begin any exploration of Stuart's life and career." -- Gary W. Gallagher, Nau Professor of History, University of Virginia, and author of
Lee and His Army in Confederate History
"This fresh look at the Confederacy's premier cavalryman offers a fast-paced and sure-footed narrative of Stuart's campaigns combined with fascinating information about the man and his family.
Cavalryman of the Lost Cause is now
the Jeb Stuart biography." -- George C. Rable, Charles Summersell Chair in Southern History, University of Alabama, and author of
Fredericksburg! Fredericksburg!, winner of the Lincoln Prize
"One of the Civil War's most popular historians has tackled one of its most memorable figures. Scrupulously avoiding the pitfalls of either blind worship or reckless iconoclasm, Jeffry Wert recounts the successes and failures of this remarkable soldier in a masterful study that combines diligent research and fresh analysis with the prose of a gripping novel. A must for any bookshelf -- Blue or Gray." -- Joseph Pierro, editor of
The Maryland Campaign of September 1862: Ezra A. Carman's Definitive Study of the Union and Confederate Armies at Antietam