No Place for Glory - Civil War Soldiers and Strategies by Robert J Wynstra Hardcover

About the Book

"Over the years, many top historians have cited Major General Robert E. Rodes as the best division commander in Robert E. Lee's vaunted army. Despite those accolades, Rodes faltered badly at Gettysburg, which stands as the only major blemish on his otherwise sterling record. Although his subordinates were guilty of significant blunders, Rodes shared the blame for the disjointed attack that led to the destruction of Alfred Iverson's brigade on the first day of the battle. His lack of initiative on the following day was regarded by some in the army as much worse. Whether justified or not, they directly faulted him for not supporting Jubal Early's division in a night attack on Cemetery Hill that nearly succeeded in decisively turning the enemy's flank. The reasons behind Rodes's flawed performance at Gettysburg have long proven difficult to decipher with any certainty. Because his personal papers were destroyed, primary sources on his role in battle remain sparse. Other than the official reports on the battle, the record of what occurred there is mostly limited to the letters and diaries of his subordinates. In this new study, however, Robert J. Wynstra draws on sources heretofore unexamined, including rare soldiers' letters published in local newspapers and other firsthand accounts located in small historical societies, to shed light on the reasons behind Rodes's missteps"--

From the Back Cover

A scrupulous analysis of Rodes's conduct during the Battle of Gettysburg

Over the years, many top historians have cited Major General Robert E. Rodes as the best division commander in Robert E. Lee's vaunted army. Despite those accolades, Rodes faltered badly at Gettysburg, which stands as the only major blemish on his otherwise sterling record. Although his subordinates were guilty of significant blunders, Rodes shared the blame for the disjointed attack that led to the destruction of Alfred Iverson's brigade on the first day of the battle. His lack of initiative on the following day was regarded by some in the army as much worse. Whether justified or not, they directly faulted him for not supporting Jubal Early's division in a night attack on Cemetery Hill that nearly succeeded in decisively turning the enemy's flank.

The reasons behind Rodes's flawed performance at Gettysburg have long proven difficult to decipher with any certainty. Because his personal papers were destroyed, primary sources on his role in battle remain sparse. Other than the official reports on the battle, the record of what occurred there is mostly limited to the letters and diaries of his subordinates. In this new study, however, Robert J. Wynstra draws on sources heretofore unexamined, including rare soldiers' letters published in local newspapers and other firsthand accounts located in small historical societies, to shed light on the reasons behind Rodes's missteps.

As a result of this new research and analysis, we are finally able to come to a more detailed understanding of Rodes's division's activities at Gettysburg, an enduring subject of study and interest.

Review Quotes

"Robert J. Wynstra has established himself as one of the Gettysburg Campaign's most capable modern scholars. ...No Place for Glory is a superb narrative with impeccable contextualization. Thanks to the breadth of his research, Wynstra captures the perspectives of both commanders and soldiers and excellent maps throughout enhance the author's compelling and detailed narrative. Anyone interested in unraveling the complexities of the Civil War's most storied campaign will find merit in Wynstra's work." -- The Civil War Monitor

"An engaging, readable narrative that flows easily through the fighting at Gettysburg and beyond. ... By highlighting the wavering balance of uneven leadership within Rodes's command, Wynstra demonstrates that leadership breakdowns ultimately undid the fighting determination and sacrifice of legions of the bravest men, contributing to the South's Gettysburg defeat as surely as did the actions of more popularly famous officers and units." -- Civil War Book Review

"No Place for Glory is the product of a rigorous primary source investigation in newspapers, archives, and published sources of all kinds. Supported by a handful of fine maps, the narrative created by that impressive body of research provides readers with a fresh appreciation of the role of Rodes's Division in the 1863 Gettysburg Campaign from beginning to end while at the same time conveying a nuanced analysis and understanding of its commander's controversial leadership actions during those critical first two days in July. While the degree to which Rodes's performance contributed to Confederate defeat remains an object of conflicting opinion, what isn't up for debate is that Gettysburg was clearly the general's career low point. Another very fine contribution to the Gettysburg historiography, this volume solidifies its multiple award-winning author's status as one of that campaign's best current historians." -- Civil War Books and Authors

"At the moment of Gettysburg's sesquicentennial, it was estimated that nearly half of the approximately 65,000 books published about the Civil War in some way focused on the war's bloodiest battle. Because such a vast literature already exists about the Gettysburg Campaign, one might easily surmise that it would be impossible for anyone to produce anything original about it. Robert J. Wynstra successfully challenges that assumption with his recent volume, one destined to become a staple for anyone seeking a deeper, more nuanced understanding of the campaign's opening weeks. There is little to criticize about Wynstra's exhaustively researched, skillfully written, and nuanced history. While this book is certainly a necessity for students of the Gettysburg Campaign, those who seek a deeper understanding of the interactions between Confederate soldiers and white civilians, Confederates and African Americans, or how soldiers justified bringing war to people's doorsteps will find Wynstra's volume inestimably valuable." -- The Civil War Monitor

About the Author

Robert J. Wynstra holds master's degrees in history and journalism from the University of Illinois, where he worked as a writer in its News and Public Affairs Office in the College of Agricultural, Environmental, and Consumer Sciences. His book At the Forefront of Lee's Invasion won the James I. Robertson Award, the Batchelder Coddington Award, and the Gettysburg Civil War Round Table Distinguished Book Award.