Thomas F. (hardtack) -
Wade Hampton was one of the richest men in the South before the Civil War, and was one of its best combat leaders during that war. The author makes the point that Hampton often didn't receive the honors he deserved. This was because, according to the author, while Hampton served with the Army of Northern Virginia, J.E.B. Stuart, its cavalry leader, could never forgive the South Carolinian Hampton for not being a Virginian. As such, this is an interesting biography to read. Hampton eventually rose to the rank of lieutenant general, a rank only a handful of Southerners attained.
However, like many books written from the Southern point of view, the author, while constantly describing Hampton's victories never seems to list Federal victories, plus he also neglects to list the casualties the Confederates' suffered, as if the Federal forces were the only ones doing the dying. Too many books written from the Southern point of view make it appear the Federals were incapable of winning battles and the South only surrendered because the Confederates felt sorry for the Federals' military incompetence. This book joins that group and is why I only give the book three stars.
Only in the case of General McClellan's attack on Richmond, does the author report the Confederates suffering 20,000 casualties in one week.
After the War, Hampton intelligently counseled his countrymen to cooperate with the Federal forces occupying the South. This was difficult, as even from my point of view, South Carolina was the worst example of corrupt Reconstruction of any state in the former "Confederacy."
The author correctly points out Hampton intelligently made efforts to include Afro-Americans in his seveal terms as governor of and senator for South Carolina and makes it appear that Hampton was pro-Negro. At the same time, the author quotes Hampton as describing Negroes as not having much intelligence and planning to use them to control the government. On page 187, he quotes Hampton as stating: "We can control and direct the negro if we act discretely..." Of course, this is what all politicians do, tell the voters what they want to hear and then, once in power, the politicians do what they want. Still you have to give Hampton credit for including Afro-Americans in governmental posts.
However, like many books written from the Southern point of view, the author, while constantly describing Hampton's victories never seems to list Federal victories, plus he also neglects to list the casualties the Confederates' suffered, as if the Federal forces were the only ones doing the dying. Too many books written from the Southern point of view make it appear the Federals were incapable of winning battles and the South only surrendered because the Confederates felt sorry for the Federals' military incompetence. This book joins that group and is why I only give the book three stars.
Only in the case of General McClellan's attack on Richmond, does the author report the Confederates suffering 20,000 casualties in one week.
After the War, Hampton intelligently counseled his countrymen to cooperate with the Federal forces occupying the South. This was difficult, as even from my point of view, South Carolina was the worst example of corrupt Reconstruction of any state in the former "Confederacy."
The author correctly points out Hampton intelligently made efforts to include Afro-Americans in his seveal terms as governor of and senator for South Carolina and makes it appear that Hampton was pro-Negro. At the same time, the author quotes Hampton as describing Negroes as not having much intelligence and planning to use them to control the government. On page 187, he quotes Hampton as stating: "We can control and direct the negro if we act discretely..." Of course, this is what all politicians do, tell the voters what they want to hear and then, once in power, the politicians do what they want. Still you have to give Hampton credit for including Afro-Americans in governmental posts.
