Master of War: The Life of General George H. Thomas<\/strong><\/em><\/a> Product Details<\/strong><\/p>\n This is a very well written book about one of our more interesting Civil War generals.\u00a0 George Thomas has a large vocal fan club that is quick to defend his actions and attack those who do not share their adoration.\u00a0 Much about Thomas is admirable.\u00a0 He refused to join the Confederacy, even as his family broke with him.\u00a0 His two sisters are reputed to have turned his portrait to the wall.\u00a0 He was a faithful subordinate, refusing to replace Don Carlos Buell and supporting William S. Rosecrans.\u00a0 Thomas’ actions at Chickamauga may have allowed the broken army to reach the safety of Chattanooga, preventing the destruction of a principle Union army.\u00a0 That day, he earned the nickname “The Rock of Chickamauga”.\u00a0 He worked well with Sherman during the Atlanta Campaign.\u00a0 Returned to Tennessee, Thomas organized his forces and defeated the Army of Tennessee during the Battle of Nashville.\u00a0 However, he was not without problems.\u00a0 Thomas had a tendency to rub people the wrong way and displayed an astounding lack of understanding of politics.\u00a0 In addition, Thomas seems to have forgotten simple manners at critical times.\u00a0 This placed him in a series of unfortunate positions while damaging his chances for major commands.<\/p>\n This book is everything the adoring Thomas fan could want.\u00a0 George Thomas is always right.\u00a0 George Thomas always has the answer.\u00a0 George Thomas is never defeated.\u00a0 George Thomas can do no wrong.\u00a0 The other officer causes all of the problems Thomas has.\u00a0 For much of the book, the “other officer” is Grant and\/or Sherman.\u00a0 This is the biggest of many problems with this book.\u00a0 Simply put, the author decided Grant is a drunken butcher and Sherman is his crazy buddy.\u00a0 That this is not accurate, historical or even true seems never to have occurred to the author.\u00a0 It never occurs to the author either that the Joint Congressional Committee on the Conduct of the War is a questionable source.\u00a0 This committee dominated by Radical Republicans attacked anyone who would not bow to them and the author quotes them a number of times to support his attacks.<\/p>\n The book is full of inconsistencies stemming from the author’s adoration of Thomas.\u00a0 The author tells us Thomas did very well at West Point giving the impression Sherman needed his help.\u00a0 A few pages later, we are told Sherman graduated sixth and Thomas twelfth in the Class of 1840.\u00a0 In another place, Thomas’ promotion to Captain gives the impression that he beats a number of others to this rank.\u00a0 Later, we find he is brevetted to Captain and his promotions were very much at the standard pace for an outstanding officer.<\/p>\n The worst part of the book is the author’s acceptance of the anti West Point bias of the Radicals in Congress; the idea that Jefferson Davis planned secession while Secretary of War and stacked the 2nd<\/sup> Cavalry as a Southern training ground.\u00a0 In his attack on West Point for teaching secession, the author quotes Benjamin Wade, not the most reliable or uninterested of sources.<\/p>\n A word on footnotes and quotes, there are no footnotes in the text.\u00a0 In the 30 pages of notes at the end of the book, a chapter and page number links the note to a quote.\u00a0 The reader needs to count quotes on the page, to determine where a quote came from.\u00a0 Only quotes are noted.\u00a0 None of the author’s more startling conclusions or statements rates a source.\u00a0 Among these are:<\/p>\n “Joseph E. Johnston Outwitted Sherman for much of the Atlanta Campaign”.\u00a0 I have heard Richard M. McMurry contradict this statement.<\/p>\n Thomas is “The most successful general on either side of the Civil War”.\u00a0 In addition, “He arguably won the war for the North”.<\/p>\n William S. Rosecrans “was promoted over Thomas to succeed Buell”, ignores Thomas refusing to take command when told Buell was being relived.<\/p>\n Braxton Bragg “was decisively beaten by Thomas at Missionary Ridge”.\u00a0 This ignores Thomas stating that he did not order the men up the ridge, something which all historians agree on.\u00a0 Bragg was “decisively beaten” but Thomas & Grant had little to do with it.<\/p>\n This is not a balanced history and I cannot and will not recommend this book.\u00a0 While well written and very convincing, the book is full of misinformation that will require years of unlearning.<\/p>\n Read more Civil War Book Reviews<\/a><\/strong> here at TOCWOC – A Civil War Blog<\/a><\/strong>!<\/p>\n
\nby Benson Bobrick<\/p>\n\n