The Rock of Chickamauga: The Life and Career of General George H. Thomas

By: Charles River Editors

Narrated by: Philip Andrew Hodges

Length: 1 hr and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

"[Ulysses S. Grant and George H. Thomas deserve] monuments like those of Nelson and Wellington in London, well worthy to stand side by side with the one which now graces our capitol city of 'George Washington.'" - William Tecumseh Sherman

One of the most unique and effective generals of the Civil War also happens to be one of the most overlooked. While there is a never ending stream of acclaim going to generals like Grant, Lee, and Sherman, General George H. Thomas has managed to fly under the radar, despite having an unusual background as a Southerner fighting for the Union and scoring almost inconceivable successes at Missionary Ridge, Franklin, and Nashville. Thomas also skillfully fought at Perryville, Stones River, and in Sherman's Atlanta Campaign.

Despite all of those successes, however, Thomas is best remembered as "The Rock of Chickamauga". Thomas had one of the most stellar records of any officer in the war, was instrumental in the Union's ultimate victory in the Western theater, and scored the kinds of decisive victories that eluded more celebrated generals like Lee. So why does Thomas fly under the radar? A stern military man, Thomas eschewed self-promotion and aggrandizement, and though his methodical generalship was almost always successful, it sometimes annoyed General Ulysses S. Grant. With Grant's star rising as his relationship with Thomas was cooling, Thomas was on the wrong end of history. And when he died in 1870, Thomas had burned his papers and had not written memoirs or an account of his participation in the war, missing his final opportunity to directly leave his mark instead of having others write it for him.

©2012 Charles River Editors (P)2015 Charles River Editors

Mispronunciations and lack of analysis

Honestly, I wish readers would fire review how to pronounce proper names before they enter the recording studio. Too badHodges constantly says “Rosencrantz” instead of “Rosecrans.” The firmer is a tepidly sad figure in Hamlet; the latter is a controversial but major Union general. Tullahoma, Buell, and other mispronunciations hurt enjoyment of the book.

I’d come to this book in hope if finding the definitive biography of George H. Thomas; I need to keep looking. Sparse and choppy in its detail, the book reads like a monograph, not a detailed biography.

Short sweet and to the point

With little to draw in the written word from the man himself this biography does Howard right!

Get what you pay for...

Primarily a superficial overview of the war with very little about George Thomas until the last few chapters. Those however are somewhat informative. I was dismayed by the narrator's pronunciation of General Rosecrans as Rosencrantz? Must have had a Shakespearean background?