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Title: The Finishing Stroke: Texans in the 1864 Tennessee Campaign (Military History of Texas, 1) by John R. Lundberg, T. Michael Parrish ISBN: 1-893114-34-1 Publisher: McWhiney Foundation Pr Pub. Date: April, 2003 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $16.95

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Average Customer Rating: 3.5 (2 reviews)

Rating: 5
Summary: An excellent book....
Comment: I really enjoyed this book. What the writer conveys in the little known contribution of the Texans to the fighting history of the Army of Tennessee. It highlights the courage and determination of these soldiers. They fought under, I believe , under the best Division on the Confederate side, Gen. Patrick Cleburne. The book also documents the needless sacrifice of the Battle of Franklin. I would encourage anyone to read this book...

Rating: 2
Summary: Light and Pleasing Despite Texas Bias
Comment: The introduction to this first in a series on Texas' military history, hints at the series' bias stating "Of all the fifty states, Texas has by far the most colorful and dynamic history." The forward laments that Hood's Texas Brigade had overshadowed the Texans who had fought in the Army of Tenn. but adds that "This book restores those Texans to their rightful place alongside Hood's brigade as the finest group of soldiers who wore Confederate gray."

Luckily for the North and the Union, there weren't more Texans or else the contest would have ended differently. Interestingly at no place in the book was Gen. John Bell Hood described as a Texan, though he had adopted the state as his own. The fact that Hood was the villain and scapegoat of the campaign probably was a factor in this oversight. Hood was so unpopular that the men changed the words of the song "The Yellow Rose of Texas" to end with, "But the Gallant Hood of Texas played Hell in Tennessee."

Overall the book is written with style and flows well. It is not intended to be a detailed study, but instead a narrative of the Texas troops in Hood's Tennessee Campaign of 1864. The primary focus is on Granbury's Texas Brigade. The bulk of this unit had not seen much action until the battle of Chickamauga, but they were excellent infantrymen. Were they the best? The argument could be made, but what would be the point? There were other outstanding brigades. Granbury's men were dependable and never lacked for courage.

Interestingly one of the most admired figures in this book is the Arkansan, Gen. Patrick Cleburne. Truly one of the great men of the Civil War his reputation continues to grow and grow. The fact that Granbury's men were led by this Arkansan did much to enhance their reputation. Several historians have lamented that it was the Texan, Hood, rather than the Arkansan, Cleburne who led the Army of Tennessee. The author rightfully treats Cleburne as a hero.

This work relies primarily on previously published works so no new material is provided, but the author makes good use of his sources. The author noted that a more thorough history of Granbury's Brigade by Dr. Danny Sessums will be published in the future. As an overview this is a decent effort, but the brave Texans who fought in the Army of Tennessee did not need any bias to prove their worth. Just the facts would have sufficed and honored them more.