Rating: 
Summary: Excellent depiction of a little-known Confederate general
Review: Although my hometown is named after Cleburne (Cleburne, Texas), I knew very little of the military genius and accomplishments of this man until I read this fascinating book. In his short life, Cleburne would not have been considered a great man, except for his accomplishments and reputation on the Civil War battlefield. Cleburne was bold, daring and resourceful when matching his soldiers against overwhelming Union forces in a number of battles. His strategic ability and devotion to his men earned him the legacy outlined in this book. The well-researched information included in this book brings to life the passion and dedication that this man brought to the South during this struggle. Although not the most notorious commander of the Civil War, Cleburne has rightfully earned his place in history as the "Stonewall of the West".
Rating:
Summary: Long overdue!
Review: For many years the officers and men who made up the Army of Tennessee have played second fiddle to Lee's eastern army. The very title of this book clearly illustrates this point for one never hears a general in Lee's army referred to as the Cleburne of the east. Finally though, thanks in large part to the efforts of historians like Thomas L. Connelly and Shelby Foote and the diaries of Sam Watkins, the brave men of the Army of Tennessee are being given due credit. Craig Symonds has added his name to the above list with this excellent study of General Patrick Cleburne. No study of the Army of Tennessee would be complete without a study of one of its best generals, and therefore this biography is a very important addition to any Civil War library. Best of all, the author writes in a flowing style that helps make this book a joy to read. Unfortunately, much of Cleburne's personal correspondence has not survived but Symonds has done an excellent job of digging up what does exist. Fortunately, the Irish general was very precise with his battle reports and the correspondence of many of his close associates does still exist. Working with these sources the author weaves together a fascinating story. He doesn't dwell on the logistics of various battles, which tends to make for dry reading but instead describes very concisely the part Cleburne played in the battle Symonds also deals in some detail with Cleburne's personal life, from his early life in Ireland to his engagement. There is also a good deal of attention given to Cleburne's close friendships, both before and during the war, and his political beliefs and activities. Of course, Cleburne's proposal to arm and free the slaves is also dealt with in detail. From his own formulation of the plan, to the icy reception it received, to the possibility that his proposal may have been partially responsible for his lack of further promotion, the plan and its ramifications and insights into Cleburne's personality are closely examined. For any student of the war this would be a worthwhile read, but for anyone with a particular interest in the Army of Tennessee it is an indispensable read.
Rating:
Summary: Buy why the comparison to "Stonewall"?...
Review: Having completed Mr Robertson's epic Stonewall: Man, Soldier and Legend, and a few other Jackson accounts through the years, I looked with interest to read/learn more about this noble Irishman who attained the nickname the "Stonewall of the West". Mr Symonds' effort is a nicely paced, very reader-friendly account of Patrick Cleburne's sojourn from the gentry class of Ireland to the frontier-like land of Helena, Arkansas. Indeed, Genl Cleburne is another of the true self-less, brave souls who paid the ultimate price for their convictions... But why the comparison to Genl Jackson is beyond me!? I see few similarities in both characters -either in the social realm, or in military prowess. Nah, not like I needed to read about Genl Cleburne eating lemons(?) before a battle to reinforce any Jackson-ism, but I find Mr Symonds (and others)fails to support any mutual qualities these personalities had. Perhaps the term was used for the morale of the troops of the Western theatre ("we've got a Stonewall,too, see?") Aside from, in my opinion, a "forced" title, this is an excellent read!
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Biography of a Great Leader
Review: In my opinion, Symonds' is the best biography of a great Civil War general. From Cleburne's early childhood to his tragic death at Franklin, Symonds presents a well-rounded picture of what Patrick Cleburne the person was like. For example, while Cleburne was a strong disciplinarian and incessantly drilled his troops, he also let his hair down and participated in a snowball fight with his division while in winter encampment in Georgia. Twice he was captured" twice by his troops, endearing himself to his troops even more. Symonds also presents Cleburne's sensitive nature, as evidenced with his romance and engagement with Sue Tarlton and his proposal to offer slaves freedom if they fought for the South. Ironically, the very men who opposed his proposal eventually approved the opportunity of freedom for slaves who would fight. Unfortunately for the South, the action took place only after its situation was hopeless. Another interesting part of the book was Cleburne's early life (losing both parents at an early age, the potato famine that eventually resulted in him coming to America) and how his life's experiences shaped him into the kind of man he was. While Symonds' description of the battles were interesting, I would have liked to have seen more detailed maps (for example, Peter Cozzens' title on Chickamauga and Mark Bradley's title on Bentonville are filled with excellent and detailed maps). Personally, I like detailed maps because they make it easier for me to understand the text and specific troop manuevers an author is trying to describe. While Cleburne is easily one of my favorite generals, I did appreciate Symonds' apparently accurate portrayal of Cleburne being the consummate division commander while perhaps not belonging in the league of corps commanders (see his performance at Jonesboro GA, for example). Nevertheless, Cleburne was one of those rare generals with excellent leadership ability and able to hold the high esteem of superior and subordinate alike. All in all, an excellent read!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the South's finest generals
Review: Quite simply, one of the finest biographies it has ever been my pleasure to read. Craig Symonds does a magnificent job in re-telling a story that all Civil War followers, particualry those of a Southern persuasion, should read. After serving a short term in the British Infantry, Patrick Ronayne Cleburne travelled over from his native Ireland (to correct one earlier reviewer's mistake - Cleburne was an Irish Protestant, not Catholic!) to settle in Arkansas and make a successful life for himself. He became a high-ranking member of the local masonic institute and did extremely well in business. When his adopted state seceded and went to war he did the only thing his conscience would allow and volunteered to fight alongside his friends and neighbours. His talent was quickly recognised and he would eventually reach the rank of Major General. He would (and should ) have gone even higher but his call for the south to free and arm its slaves won him many enemies. In time even Robert E. Lee would come to agree with what Cleburne had earlier advocated but by then it was too late for the Confedracy. The one thing that comes shining through in this excellent book is Cleburne's practical battleground genius. He inspired confidence in his men and never failed them. His division performed consistently in fight after fight and must be considered to be one of the very best that saw conflict in the entire war. History does not treat bad commanders well and it is a measure of Cleburne's reputation and stature that so many have called him the "Stonewall of the West". I thoroughly enjoyed Symonds' style of writing. He covers all of the angles and gives all of the necessary information but he never allows the book to become bogged down in needless detail and that allows for a brisk pace to be set, which often leads to you not being able to put the book down for long periods of time. He should be very proud of what he has achieved here. I have four written volumes on the life and military career of Patrick Cleburne and this is, IMHO, the best of all. I shall be checking out other books written by Craig Symonds. For many years Cleburne was something of a forgotten hero, possibly because he fought for the hard luck Army of Tennessee, and partly because history tends to ignore the Western part of the Civil War and stick to the the better known Eastern theatre. In recent times though there does seem to have been a greater awareness of the fight in the west and therefore it is inevitable that Cleburne's name will come to the fore. He was a remarkable man and a remarkable soldier and this book does justice to his life and achievements. To conclude this review I will make a small confession. I was so moved by the final chapter, covering Cleburne's futile death in the terrible carnage at the Battle of Franklin, that I almost started to cry. It was a close run thing as the tears welled up in my eyes, but I just managed to keep them back. If we hadn't have had guests in the house at the time I wouldn't have even tried to stop the tears from falling!
Rating:
Summary: Good book and a worthwhile read
Review: Symonds' book is a fine biography of one of the better Confederate generals. It focuses on the life of Cleburne, from his early years to his wasteful death at the battle of Franklin. This is the strength of the book, but also its weakness. This would be a difficult read for someone who does not already have some background in the history of the Army of Tennessee. Symonds, in concentrating on Cleburne and the soldiers fighting under his command at times fails to give sufficient historical perspective in order to provide an understanding of why or how certain events occurred. At times the failure to give perspective limits the impact of Cleburne's accomplishments. One prime example is the siege at Chattanooga and Cleburne's defense of Missionary Ridge. Cleburne faced what was thought to be the cream of the Union's western forces in Sherman's Corp. While Cleburne was able to soundly defeat these forces while being outnumbered, the rest of the Confederate forces, fighting from what were thought to be impregnable positions, collapsed. Cleburne then acted as the rear guard, inflicted hard blows on the Union Army, and literally saved the Army of Tennessee from destruction. Cleburne is a fascinating historical character for numerous reasons and Symonds does a fine job of describing who he is. His early life in Ireland and Arkansas is particularly interesting. In describing Cleburne's roots, Symonds helps answer why so many non-slave owners gave their lives for the Confederacy. Given Cleburne's background, he believed that he owed his position in life to those in Arkansas who helped him get there. His loyalty was thus to his state rather than to a nation. It is a hard concept to understand in this century, but it was not unusual in Cleburne's. This is a good book and a worthwhile read. It is a fine complement to a general history of the Army of Tennessee.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent biography...
Review: This biography of Patrick Cleburne proves to be very readable and insightful. The book appears to be well researched and its obviously that the author favored his subject. Cleburne appears to be a very controversial even while he was alive. Perhaps because of his foreign birth, he was more sympathic about the conditions of the blacks and made proposals that didn't go well with his fellow southerners. The book revealed that he was a superb leader and intelligent commander. His superiors definitely didn't aid their cause by keeping him just as a divison commander when he could have been an excellent corps commander - in an army where corps commanders were not well regraded. The author painted a vivid and complete picture of this general whose reputation have grown considerably since the Civil War among all Civil War readers.
Rating:
Summary: The definitive book about one of the CSA'S best generals
Review: This is a fine work done about one of the best and unfortunately overlooked generals not only of the Confederacy but the Civil War. The author does a great job explaining Cleborne's background before the Civil War and his military experience with the British Army. The author does Cleborne justice and tells not only his strengths but flaws as well. Patrick Cleborne was tragically killed at the Battle Of Franklin because of the vanity of John Bell Hood and not only did the south lose a fine General who knew his stuff, but a fine and gallant gentleman as well. Kudos to the author.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Bio
Review: This is a terrific bio of Cleburne. It is well-written, informative, and a joy to read. It follows Cleburne from childhood to his death at Franklin. I was very happy to see that Symonds focused on what Cleburne and his troops were doing at each of the various battles they were at rather than writing on what the army as a whole was doing. Also there have been other bios of Civil War generals in which I thought the background info was kind of boring, but in this case that is very different. Symonds' description of Cleburne's days in Ireland, emigrating to the U.S., and his days living in Arkansas before the outbreak of the war were very interesting. To summarize I would just say this is a well-written, interesting, informative read. With this book and Symonds' bio of J.E. Johnston, I think Symonds has cemented himself as one of the best Civil War biography writers today.
Rating:
Summary: A Great Bio
Review: This is a terrific bio of Cleburne. It is well-written, informative, and a joy to read. It follows Cleburne from childhood to his death at Franklin. I was very happy to see that Symonds focused on what Cleburne and his troops were doing at each of the various battles they were at rather than writing on what the army as a whole was doing. Also there have been other bios of Civil War generals in which I thought the background info was kind of boring, but in this case that is very different. Symonds' description of Cleburne's days in Ireland, emigrating to the U.S., and his days living in Arkansas before the outbreak of the war were very interesting. To summarize I would just say this is a well-written, interesting, informative read. With this book and Symonds' bio of J.E. Johnston, I think Symonds has cemented himself as one of the best Civil War biography writers today.
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