You will be hard-pressed to find a memoir of the American Civil War that is richer in wonderful anecdotes about Grant, Meade, Sheridan, Sherman, and a host of other prominent leaders of the war. Harvard graduate Theodore Lyman was a wealthy man from birth but in 1863, he joined the staff of General Gordon Meade in the service of the Union. It is incredibly fortunate for history that he did because he became the chronicler of the Army of the Potomac. Few men could have brought the intelligence, keen observation, wit, and engaging narrative to the task of recording what he saw around him. This collection of letters were written to his wife, Mimi and so provides a very personal, unique look at the war. You'll see a side of Meade, Grant, Sheridan, Sherman, and others that you've never seen before. "General Meade is in excellent spirits and cracks a great many jokes and tells stories." Ted Lyman was in the thick of every important action from the time he joined Meade. Lyman was a friend and cousin (by marriage) of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw, portrayed in the film, "Glory." In one letter he writes, "I saw Sherman, Grant, Meade, and Sheridan, all together. A thing to speak of in after years!" He also met and describes General George Custer among others. Lyman shook hands with Robert E. Lee at his surrender and inquired after Lee's son, with whom Lyman had attended Harvard. After the war, Lyman continued his education, worked with famed scientist, Louis Agassiz, and became a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. For the first time, this long-out-of-print book is available as an affordable, well-formatted book for e-readers and smartphones. Be sure to LOOK INSIDE or download a sample.

In this reexamination of the last two years of Lee's storied military career, Ethan S. Rafuse offers a clear, informative, and insightful account of Lee's ultimately unsuccessful struggle to defend the Confederacy against a relentless and determined foe. This book provides a comprehensive, yet concise and entertaining narrative of the battles and campaigns that highlighted this phase of the war and analyzes the battles and Lee's generalship in the context of the steady deterioration of the Confederacy's prospects for victory.

This modern study focuses solely on the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac and includes all major battles and commanders. Drawing heavily on primary sources, the author has consulted 50 manuscript collections pertaining to general officers of cavalry as well as the unpublished letters and diaries of 200 officers and enlisted men, representing almost every mounted unit in the Army of the Potomac.

While numerous accounts exist of President Abraham Lincoln's often-troubled dealings with either his cabinet or his generals, Chester G. Hearn's illuminating history provides the first broad synthesis of Lincoln's complex relationship with both groups. As such, it casts new light on much of the behind-the-scenes interplay, intrigue, and sparring between the president and his advisors and military commanders during the most precarious years of the Civil War. Turning first to Lincoln's cabinet, Hearn explains that Lincoln exercised a unique decision-making process: he reached a firm conclusion on an issue, but then he debated it endlessly with his cabinet or generals as if still undecided. To ensure the liveliest discourse, Lincoln appointed as his advisors men with widely differing political motivations. The Republican Lincoln spent four years attempting to bring together his cabinet of former Whigs and Democrats in the spirit of cooperation, but he never completely achieved his purpose. Hearn explores the president's relationship with this cabinet, the problems he encountered selecting it, and the difficulties he experienced attempting to maintain ideological balance while trying to maneuver around those who disagreed with him. Lincoln never broached a subject that did not create some level of dissent within the cabinet, and differences in political philosophy and personal rivalries led to great debate over the running of the administration, the selection of generals, foreign relations and military mobilization, emancipation, freedom of the press, civil rights, and other issues. Still, Hearn asserts, Lincoln's ability to navigate internal scuffles and external turmoil helped to define his presidency. Hearn next demonstrates convincingly that even with these difficulties, Lincoln manipulated his cabinet far more adroitly than he did his generals. Many of Lincoln's top military commanders had political aspirations or agendas of their own, while others were close friends of his intransigent cabinet members. Having assumed the role as de facto army chief, Lincoln took responsibility for the mishandling of battles fought by his generals, some of whom were incompetent and unmanageable politicians. Hearn examines the often-disastrous generalship and its impact on Lincoln and the cabinet, as well as the public, the press, and Congress. Based on over a decade of research, Lincoln, the Cabinet, and the Generals offers both a fresh perspective on and a new interpretation of Lincoln's presidency -- one that reveals the leadership genius as well as the imperfections of America's sixteenth president.