Granbury's Texas Brigade

Diehard Western Confederates

By: John R. Lundberg

Narrated by: James McSorley

John R. Lundberg's compelling new military history chronicles the evolution of Granbury's Texas Brigade, perhaps the most distinguished combat unit in the Confederate Army of Tennessee. Named for its commanding officer, Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury, the brigade fought tenaciously in the western theater even after Confederate defeat seemed certain. Granbury's Texas Brigade explores the motivations behind the unit's decision to continue to fight, even as it faced demoralizing defeats and Confederate collapse. Using a vast array of letters, diaries, and regimental documents, Lundberg offers provocative insight into the minds of the unit's men and commanders. The caliber of that leadership, he concludes, led to the group's overall high morale.

Lundberg asserts that although mass desertion rocked Granbury's Brigade early in the war, that desertion did not necessarily indicate a lack of commitment to the Confederacy but merely a desire to fight the enemy closer to home. Those who remained in the ranks became the core of Granbury's Brigade and fought until the final surrender. Morale declined only after Union bullets cut down much of the unit's officer corps at the Battle of Franklin in 1864.

After the war, Lundberg shows, men from the unit did not abandon the ideals of the Confederacy--they simply continued their devotion in different ways. Granbury's Texas Brigade presents military history at its best, revealing a microcosm of the Confederate war effort and aiding our understanding of the reasons men felt compelled to fight in America's greatest tragedy.

The book is published by Louisiana State University Press.

©2012 Louisiana State University Press (P)2014 Redwood Audiobooks

Excellent and true portrayal of history

It is nice to hear the true history of our Texas confederates. The Texans showed true grit,guts and a hardcore mindset. Robert E. Lee said he wished the entire confederate army were Texans and Virginian troops. I commend the author,very well written....
Thank you

very compelling to listen to

as a descendant of a member of the 18th Texas Cavalry, I was quite interested in reading/ listening to this account of Granbury's Texas Brigade. I was not disappointed. I learned many things about the Brigade in relation to them and their commanders, especially General Cleburne and General Granbury. I highly recommend this book for anybody who is wanting to find more information about Granbury's Texas Brigade and Western Confederates.