Wade Hampton: Confederate Warrior, Conservative Statesman

Rating:
Summary: One of the few Non-West Point Generals
Review: Wade Hampton has never had the fame or attention of the Confederacy's other calvary leaders such ad J.E.B Stuart or Nathan Bedfore Forest. Unlike most of the other generals of the Civil War (on both sides) he did not attend West Point, he was trained in law but never practiced. When the war started, believing that the states who had voluntarily joined together could withdraw from the union if they wished, he formed the Hampton Legion. Wounded three times he was at many of the big battles of the war. These included: First Bull Run, the Peninsula Campaign, the Battle of Seven Pines, Antietam, the Chambersburg raid, and the Battle of Gettysburg. After the Battle of the Wilderness, he became commander of the cavalry corps, and took part in the Petersburg Campaign. He finished the war as a Lt. General.

This book completely covers his wartime campaigns, but then goes on to cover his extensive political career after the war. Governor of South Carolina and two terms in the U.S. Senate he was finally defeated by the political machine of Ben Tillman.

This book, by a fellow South Carolinian, is a welcome addition to Civil War literature. Well written, this is the definitive view of the General.