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Rating: 
Summary: Not Just Another Civil War book
Review: I am a late comer to review John Waugh's excellent study of the West Point Class of 1846. I find it incredible that any student of military history could find it boring. Mr. waugh is a Journalist who had a story to tell. He did so with a sense of history and excellent research. Yes, I found it anything but boring. Its real value is connecting the almost forgotten war with Mexico with the much longer and more deadly war of fifteen years later. I have long maintained that one cannot truly understand the Civil war without a working knowledge of the Mexican War. John Waugh has provided that basic working knowledge.
Rating: 
Summary: The Operative Word Is Boring
Review: I expected more. It was boring and I couldn't wait to finish this book.
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Summary: The Class of 1846: From West Point to Appomattox
Review: I found Waugh's book to be an interesting read, delightfully written and well researched. It is a must read for any person interested in the civil war as it illuminates the early lives of many key players. This book gave me a clearer understanding of how men like Thomas Jackson developed. The future Stonewall is evident in the young Tom, who fought his way up the rankings at West Point and stood bravely under fire in Mexico. Anyone who likes to read history or who wishes to understand more about the men who led the armies of both the north and south should read this book. I couldn't put it down.
Rating:
Summary: A real gem!
Review: I've been immersed in my Civil War studies for about 2 years, and Waugh/Mc Pherson's effort is an absolute joy. The life and times of key (and minor) personalities of this particular graduating class are spotlighted through their studies at West Point, Mexican/Indian War exploits and sorrowfully, to the final conflict of America's Civil War. One of the true instances where one "cannot put the book down". Highly recommended, indeed.
Rating: 
Summary: History in human incidents and anecdotes.
Review: The author of this book is a Civil War buff who had worked on some prestigious publications, the most important for this field was CIVIL WAR TIMES ILLUSTRATED. He has written others on this subject, including ON THE BRINK OF CIVIL WAR and SURVIVING THE CONFEDERACY.
In the Foreword by James McPherson, author of many Civil War books, he describes it as a war of brothers. When asked ten years ago by a new friend from Belize to tell him about our Civil War, that was all I knew of it -- brother against brother. Since then, I've purchased a varied selection of books on the War Between the States. He states: "The war did divide families, especially in the border states." Senator Crittenden of Kentucky, whose illfated compromise proposal of 1861 failed to avert the War, had one son who became a Confederate general and another who was on the Union side.
Seven brothers and brothers-in-law of Mary Todd Lincoln fought against the army whose commander-in-chief was her husband. In numerous cases brother and brother, uncle and nephew, even father and son chose different sides and faced each other on the battlefield.
This book follows the military careers of some of the fifty-nine members of the Class of 1846 at West Point who considered themselves as "brothers." Ten members became Confederate generals while twelve became Union generals. A few of them became immortal. At a recent talk about Nathan Bedford Forrest, a UT professor called him white trash, which I refuted most vociferously as he not only hadn't done his homework; he had Forrest as being from Memphis, and he was born in Chapel Hill, TN, (not too far from Shelbyville, home of the Tennessee Walking Horses), who proved to be one of the most brilliant officers and calvary tacticians of that war. He was the most remarkable man our Civil War produced on either side. General Lee called him the greatest soldier under his command.
Charles S. Stewart was #1 in this class but was never a star on the battlefield. He became a colonel for the Union side. James Stuart was killed in the Indian Wars in 1858. Stonewall Jackson was the hero of this Class.
George McClellan, #2 in the class, was a Major General for the Union and fought against Lee at Antietam in Western Maryland. On September 17, 1862, the bloodiest battle of the War was fought there in which 23,000 died. One summer on the way to Union Bridge, my sons and I stopped off to look at this beautiful landscape where so many perished, as we traveled to visit my sister. It was a memorable experience. Also these two fought at Shiloh in Tennessee where I took my Maryland nephews and my sons and a friend to observe that vast area where Geoffrey and his Scout troop would camp out on occasion. A local Scoutmaster from Knoxville took his group there, also.
George Pickett became a Major General for the Confederates! Sam Davis Sturgis, Major General for the Union, was defeated by Nathan Bedford Forrest in Mississippi. A young Confederate by the name of Sam Davis from Smyrna, TN, 'Boy Hero of the Confederacy' was hanged as a spy by the Union in Giles County, TN. His last words, "I'd die a thousand deaths before I would betray my friend." I was told that the person who gave him the information was in the cell next to him but was spared through Sam's valiantry.
Birk Davenport Fry, dismissed from this class for some reason, became a Brigadier General for the Confederates and went on to become a cotton manufacturer in Richmond, VA. He was a fierce fighter at Gettysburg, where I took my sons on many summer excursions. Gettysburg, PA was the place to be.
Rating:
Summary: History in human incidents and anecdotes.
Review: The author of this book is a Civil War buff who had worked on some prestigious publications, the most important for this field was CIVIL WAR TIMES ILLUSTRATED. He has written others on this subject, including ON THE BRINK OF CIVIL WAR and SURVIVING THE CONFEDERACY.In the Foreword by James McPherson, author of many Civil War books, he describes it as a war of brothers. When asked ten years ago by a new friend from Belize to tell him about our Civil War, that was all I knew of it -- brother against brother. Since then, I've purchased a varied selection of books on the War Between the States. He states: "The war did divide families, especially in the border states." Senator Crittenden of Kentucky, whose illfated compromise proposal of 1861 failed to avert the War, had one son who became a Confederate general and another who was on the Union side. Seven brothers and brothers-in-law of Mary Todd Lincoln fought against the army whose commander-in-chief was her husband. In numerous cases brother and brother, uncle and nephew, even father and son chose different sides and faced each other on the battlefield. This book follows the military careers of some of the fifty-nine members of the Class of 1846 at West Point who considered themselves as "brothers." Ten members became Confederate generals while twelve became Union generals. A few of them became immortal. Charles S. Stewart was #1 in this class but was never a star on the battlefield. He became a colonel for the Union side. James Stuart was killed in the Indian Wars in 1858. Stonewall Jackson was the hero of this Class. George McClellan, #2 in the class, was a Major General for the Union and fought against Lee at Antietam in Western Maryland. On September 17, 1862, the bloodiest battle of the War was fought there in which 23,000 died. One summer on the way to Union Bridge, my sons and I stopped off to look at this beautiful landscape where so many perished, as we traveled to visit my sister. It was a memorable experience. Also these two fought at Shiloh in Tennessee where I took my Maryland nephews and my sons and a friend to observe that vast area where Geoffrey and his Scout troop would camp out on occasion. A local Scoutmaster from Knoxville took his group there, also. George Pickett became a Major General for the Confederates! Sam Davis Sturgis, Major General for the Union, was defeated by Nathan Bedford Forrest in Mississippi. A young Confederate by the name of Sam Davis from Smyrna, TN, was hanged as a spy by the Union in Giles County, TN. His last words, "I'd die a thousand deaths before I would betray my friend." Birk Davenport Fry, dismissed from this class for some reason, became a Brigadier General for the Confederates and went on to become a cotton manufacturer in Richmond, VA. He was a fierce fighter at Gettysburg, where I took my sons on many summer excursions. Gettysburg, PA was the place to be.
Rating:
Summary: student
Review: This book is a MUST READ for any serious student of the Civil War. It lets us see how the West Pointers were trained and how they bonded. It gives us the insight To the meaning "an Officer and Gentleman". You find many times over the gallantry and foolishness of men. You also find the depth of friendships that led to the healing of wounds so a young nation could move forward.
It is hard to see these young men's dreams fall to battle. Without their leadership it would have been so much worse on the average citizen. Read it, then cry for all our nation lost.
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Summary: It made me laugh, and made me cry.
Review: This is one of the best Civil War books, I've ever read. John Waugh brings so many of our Civil war Generals, both North and South, back to life. We learn so many interesting details about their lives at West Point. This book had me laughing, with their antics at West Point, it rather reminded me of my own "boot Camp" life in the military 25 years ago. I can still see Thomas J. "StoneWall" Jackson, sweating at the blackboard, to try and solve problems,walking at the same pace, even when the others hurry to get out of the rain. The Fight that almost broke out, in the Church at West Point, between two future leaders. One of the things, John Waugh does, is very emotionally grab you by the throat, as he describes StoneWall Jacksons dying, his wifes and Lee's reaction, and the funeral. I literally, had to put the book down and wipe the tears from my eyes. I've read about this incident, many times before, but Waughs version, really got to me.
McClellan, A.P.Hill, Pickett, Wilcox, Stoneman, Darius Couch, Sturgis and many others are brought to life. I have so many Civil War books to read, but I certainly want to read this book again, in the future. If you're a real Civil War Buff, you owe it to yourself to read this. To me, it was as good as Shelby Foote.
Rating:
Summary: Good book for understanding the Civil War Generals
Review: To understand the Civil War one needs to understand the generals and their relationships between each other. I can think of no other war in history where the leaders on both sides knew each other so well and the focal point of all this is West Point. Class of 1846 is perhaps the most legendary class in West Point history. 20 members from it's class went on to become generals in the Civil war. Names like McClellan, Couch, Reno and Stoneman for the Union while men like Jackson, Pickett, Fry and Wilcox for the Confederacy. What makes this book such a good read is we see and read about these men before the Civil War. We see how they did at West Point and in the Mexican American War and see members of the class interact with other men who will in time be important figures. We read about West Point Cadet U S Grant and what he thought of underclassman Thomas Jackson. In the Mexican War McClellan works with Army Captain Robert E Lee. George Pickett shows extreme bravery in Mexico where he becomes friends with another officer named James Longstreet. The only complaint I have about this book is it's a bit narrow focused. The book spends a bit to much time on McClellan and Jackson. Still it's a fine book and a unique view of these Civil War generals.
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Summary: New Lens on Civil War
Review: Waugh takes a unique approach to Civil War story telling. He focuses on graduates of West Point's Class of 1846. Those school boys would face the normal rigors and competition of a quality institution unaware that glory, ignominy, death and mortal competition with their class mates would be their fate. That class produced a score of Civil War generals, among them McClellan, Jackson, Stoneman, A.P. Hill and Pickett. This book is fascinating in tracing their backgrounds, school experiences, Mexican-American War service and subsequent Civil War triumphs and tragedies. Of particular interest in Thomas (Stonewall) Jackson's story -- the odd general was also an odd young man who followed his own inner light. Interesting, perceptive and covers background information not usually found in even the most thorough histories of the war's battles.
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