From Library Journal
An excellent biography of a lesser-known Confederate general. Gist, nicknamed "States Rights" for his father's political beliefs, was one of the few non-West Point graduates to become a general in the Confederate Army. Trained as a lawyer, he gained a political appointment due to family connections and had worked his way up to Adjutant General of the state of South Carolina by the time of secession. Given the rank of brigadier general, he commanded small units in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia until his unit was transferred to the Army of Tennessee. He participated in the Battles of Chickamauga, Chattanooga, the Atlanta campaign, and the Battle of Franklin, where he was killed. The book gives us an interesting overview of how an untrained politician becomes an effective military leader. Recommended for specialized collections of Civil War military history and regional history collections. History Book Club selection.
- W. Walter Wick er, Louisiana Tech Univ., RustonCopyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Book Description
States Rights Gist was named in honor of his father's strong political beliefs. The Southern states, Gist's father believed, had the right to secede from the United States and become their own nation. Influenced by his father's passion, States Rights' career as a supporter of the Confederacy began.
Gist attended Harvard Law School and worked as a lawyer in South Carolina. Although he had no military training, he joined the state militia as tensions rose between the North and South. Gist was present as the first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter. He prepared new recruits for battle and commanded military forces, proving himself a skilled strategist and leader.
Gist became a general when he was only twenty-four years old, and he was placed in command of James Island and Dependencies, an area key to Charleston's defenses. It was after the Battle of Atlanta that Gist assumed command of a brigade under Major General John Brown. He was killed in the fateful charge at Franklin, Tennessee.
Despite his contributions to the Confederacy, States Rights faded from memory until States Rights Gist, his first biography. Finally, here is a thorough account of the Civil War through the perspective of a young, brave commander, who fought and died for his ideals and emerged as an important Southern hero.
