Stuart's Tarheels

Book excerpt: When Confederate Major General J.E.B. Stuart said "North Carolina has done nobly in this army," he had one of his own men to thank: Brigadier General James Byron Gordon. A protege of Stuart, Gordon was the consummate nineteenth-century landowner, politician, and businessman. Despite a lack of military training, he rose rapidly through the ranks and, as the commander of all North Carolina cavalrymen in the Army of Northern Virginia, he helped bring unparalleled success to Stuart's famed Confederate cavalry. This updated biography, originally published in 1996, chronicles Gordon's early life and military career and, through his men, takes a fresh look at the vaunted Army of Northern Virginia--its battles, controversies, and troops. This second edition includes additional source material that has come to light and a roster of Gordon's 1st North Carolina Cavalry.