R. E. Lee: Volume Two

By: Douglas Southall Freeman

Narrated by: Charlton Griffin

Volume Two opens in March, 1862 with Lee back in Richmond after a lengthy absence. He was shocked by the chaos and panic evident in the Confederate capital. McClellan had assembled a superbly equipped army of over 100,000 soldiers which Virginians feared might invade at any time. In May, McClellan began to move his huge Army of the Potomac up the peninsula and so close to Richmond that church steeples were within his view. The situation seemed hopeless, especially with another large Union army under General Banks to the north in the Shenandoah Valley.

But in late May, after a few weeks of desultory fighting and maneuvering, General Joseph E. Johnston, commander of the Army of Northern Virginia, fell wounded. Lee assumed command. By the end of June, Lee had miraculously driven all Federal forces from the state. With consummate skill, Lee reorganized the Confederate forces and during the following year, with armies half the size of the Union's, defeated one Federal invasion after the other. But time was running out for the South, and omens of coming disaster loomed. Missed opportunities and dwindling manpower were menacing signs.

Then, in May, 1863, a triumphant Confederate victory at Chancellorsville was marred by dreadful news: the death of the one man Lee could not afford to lose.

Listeners are urged to follow battles using the maps which Freeman himself drew, and which are included in the accompanying downloadable PDF document.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2017 Audio Connoisseur

Critic reviews

"Lee complete for all time." ( The New York Times)

Still the Best General Lee biographer

The author makes you feel as though he was present at the events he describes. He is not timid about giving his opinion and that was a plus in my mind. This work is one of the best that I have read on the Civil War. (I own over 1,000 books on the Civil War). Freeman knows all the supporting characters in Lee’s life in depth. I found that fascinating and enjoyed how he seamlessly worked them into the narrative. So many authors take a timeout from the story to introduce a new character. Freeman doesn’t do that and that is refreshing. Of course Freeman’s biography is a defense of Lee, but not in any way that is unwarranted. I’m glad I finally got around to tackling this 4 volume work. If you’re serious about learning about Lee and the Civil War you need to read this.

Great in depth view of a life

Lee is a man that should be remembered, but for the bias of the victor.

Extraordinary.

Dr. Freeman has hit his stride and Mr. Griffin is the perfect narrator for his words.

Just get this series and the George Washington volumes. You’ll thank me later.

Could have gone either way

The continuation of a story, that many probably didn’t think should be read about. Robert E Lee story is important it’s a continuation of the American experience.

It’s especially interesting learning the confederate side of the Civil War story