"To Confederate President Jefferson Davis, America had no finer soldier than Kentucky-born Texan Albert Sidney Johnston. Following the outbreak of the Civil War, Davis turned to Johnston to take control of the deteriorating situation in the Western Theater. But with a widely dispersed and undermanned army, Johnston was unable to hold the line in Kentucky or Tennessee.

After yielding Forts Henry and Donelson, and the city of Nashville, the Confederates fell back into Mississippi, where Johnston rallied his forces for a surprise attack against General U.S. Grant's Federal army in western Tennessee.".

"The stunning reversal of Confederate fortunes in the West prompted critics to call for Johnston's removal, but Davis stood by his general. Finally, in April 1862 Johnston unleashed his Rebel army in what came to be known as the Battle of Shiloh - the first great contest of the war and one of the bloodiest. Surprise was complete, but just as Confederate victory appeared imminent Johnston fell mortally wounded.

The attack faltered, and the following day Federal troops drove the Confederates from the field." "Questions about Johnston's generalship and the impact of his death have occupied students of the Civil War ever since. Whether or not Johnston would have confirmed his lofty reputation will never be known, but at Shiloh he showed great promise. As respected Civil War historian Charles P. Roland writes, "Jefferson Davis had reason to consider Johnston his greatest general.""--BOOK JACKET.