What a book! The lives of five Virginians during the Civil War are laid out, giving their insights and thoughts during this tumultuous time.

I honestly enjoyed this read, it was engaging, and allowed a glimpse into what their thoughts and feelings on the times were. John Wilkes Booth is an enigma, and I always wanted to read more about him, so I was very pleased to read a bit more on him in this book. I don't condone his actions, but I did enjoy seeing what was going on in his mind. I highly recommend this one! You won't regret it!

This is almost a day-by-day chronology of the Confederate Civil War Generals Lee, Jackson and Stuart. What is most interesting to me is the last two years (and epilogue) that relate to Lee. Brewer has used his own words (from his diary and those of his headquarters personnel) to explain his battle decisions and the lack of help from some of his most senior officers. Not only are we there for discussions of strategy but also the complaints of these generals about each other.

The coverage of Jackson and Stuart does a lot to explain why after all of these years, Jackson and Stuart's reputations have tarnished (especially Stuart). Most historians know the stories about Jeb Stuart and his determination to enjoy the adulation of the Southern people and the Confederate Troops. He twice left Lee without cavalry while he went off on raids that prevented Lee from knowing the dispositions of the Northern Troops. Jackson is presented as more of a religious zealot than any previous history I've read of him. Sometimes a man can be too humble.

Lee is presented warts and all, though Brewer makes it evident from the beginning that Lee would rather have stayed home and outside the war. Though he owned slaves he wasn't against the end of slavery, but felt he had to defend his home state of Virginia. All of his battles are in Virginia except for Antietam and Gettysberg. His strategy was to make the North give up trying to capture Richmond and sue for peace. At both battles, his orders were followed but delayed by one portion of his army or another, destroying his carefully developed plans.

At the end of the war (from the Siege of Petersburg to Appomattox) he was always fighting troops that were twice the size of his own, with his troopers going days on end without food and the horses without fodder. Having spent six months in the trenches, men who hadn't been paid in months were expected to march and fight. Desertions kept growing and even when the Rebels won a battle, with the North suffering double casualties, Lee couldn't replace ten men.

Brewer gives great kudos to the way the Grant handled the surrender at Appomattox Court House letting Lee and his officers be paroled and sent home. After returning home, all Lee wanted was to go back to his family and farm. He was recruited to be President of Washington College (now Washington and Lee) and spent the last five years of his life there living the life of an academic.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. Most history books tend not to delve deeply into the personalities and emotional make-up of the main actors. Brewer takes prominent individuals from Virginia and explore their actions and behaviors during the war. The narrative is presented in timeline format so each vignette is relative to others. I was most impressed with how Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson is explored. His death was an emotional event for all of the South and I found myself tearing up. To me there was no value to the addition of Edmund Ruffin and John Wilkes Booth in this volume. When I came to their stories I just skipped over it.

Princess Fuzzypants here: This is a weighty tome that covers five very different Virginians during the Civil War. Three are soldiers: Robert E. Lee, “Stonewall” Jackson and Jeb Stuart. Two are civilians- Edmond Ruffin and John Wilkes Booth. They all played roles in the events both by their presence and sometimes by their absence. One fired the first shot of the conflict and one fired the final one. All were so vastly different and yet united in the cause of the Confederacy.
The book begins with John Brown and how his failed attempt at insurrection lit the fuse that would erupt into full blown war. Ruffin in fact was the man who fired the first shot in the conflict setting everything in motion. Booth killed Lincoln after it was all over and probably caused more suffering for the South than might have occurred under his Administration.
It’s an interesting book, filled with anecdotes and stories that shows these men at their finest and at their worst. As a student of the time, there were conclusions and assessments that are open to discussion. Even 150 years since the events, there are still sides drawn up as to upon whom blame must be placed for failures. If you read more than a few books on the subject the reader realizes quickly that there are still “camps” of supporters and naysayers.
If you are looking for a book that is the definitive discourse on the minutiae of every event, this is not your book. But if your view of history is like mine, that these are stories of real people who lived during these times, and their stories are far more compelling than details of military movements, you will enjoy For Virginia. I am only sorry we were limited to five men.
Four purrs and two paws up.