Publisher's Synopsis
Richard Taylor was the youngest son of President Zachary Taylor. His sister was the first wife of Jefferson Davis, later President of the Confederacy. It was the later who named Taylor a General in the Confederate Army, despite his lack of military experience. Taylor would prove Davis' confidence correct. Steeped in his broad reading of history, he made himself a very good General. The combination of his position and his historical readings make this book a very interesting read. In many ways, this may be one of the first claims on the Lost Cause view of the war. It is also much more valuable than that. Taylor gives us his views of the war, its leaders and its conclusion. Descriptions of battles give insights from his perspective. We get his view from the edges of the Johnson and Grant administrations. He doesn't hide his views on the important questions of the day, allowing the reader to understand his place in the story and the subjectivity of that place. Includes annotations to explain whom is whom, and the sources of his literary and historical allusions. This edition does not contain an index.
