Prince John Magruder: His Life and Campaigns

by Paul D. Casdorph

Book Overview

He was one of the most intriguing characters of the Civil War era.As famous for his courage as for his ornate uniforms and flamboyantstyle, he won intrepid victories on the peninsula of Virginia andsuccessfully defended Texas during the long war's waning days. Now, in the first full-length biography of Major General John BankheadMagruder, acclaimed historian Paul D. Casdorph has created abrilliant portrait of the Confederate general dubbed "PrinceJohn."...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471159417
• ISBN13: 9780471159414
• Release Date: October 1996
• Publisher: Wiley
• Length: 400 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.2" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Prince John Is Given His Due

You certainly don't need to read this--his role in the war being minor enough to be mentioned offhand in great works like Shelby Foote's The Civil War--but you should. Magruder was a truely unique individual, and has long deserved a spot on history's shelf all his own. From his days at West Point and his subsequent service in the Mexican war, to his time on the penninsula, where his masterful mind tricks kept the Union at bay, and his banishment to Texas, which would be spared the horrors of Total War thanks to him and Kirby Smith, Magruder would earn a unique place in the grand of history, not only of Texas, but of the United States. The book itself is a short read, written in a clear, concise style--with plenty of maps (useful when covering the attack on Galveston). Paul Casdorph doesn't judge the man for his flaws, nor does he build him into something he's not; no, his retelling of Magruder's life is unbiased and, refreshingly, non-political.