[.ca] Gone for Soldiers: A Novel of the Mexican War (ISBN 0345427521)

From Amazon.com:
Having chronicled the Civil War in Gods and Generals and The Last Full Measure, Jeff Shaara casts his eye on the earlier proving ground of the Mexican War in his third novel, Gone for Soldiers. Although it secured the Southwest for a nation emboldened by Manifest Destiny, this two-year conflict has nearly faded into oblivion, eclipsed by the subsequent domestic dispute a dozen years later. Shaara's hallmarks--the deliberations of leaders and the brutal facts of battle--illuminate his engaging diversion into an oft-overlooked struggle in which men who would come to oppose one another fought under a single flag. The veteran major-general Winfield Scott and an upstart Robert E. Lee anchor Gone for Soldiers. Headstrong, brilliant, and generally distrustful of his less able subordinates, Scott leads the U.S. troops slowly and inevitably toward Mexico City, imparting martial lessons along the way. "The worst consequence of fighting a war is not if you lose, Mr. Lee," he sighs. "The worst thing you can do is win badly." Lee distinguishes himself throughout the campaign, his meticulous scouting and shrewd inferences winning both Scott's admiration and the jealousy of officers whose ambition surpasses their experience. Lee, too, frequently assesses his place in the hierarchy, but he--like Scott--remains more bemused than seduced by the glitter of fame. This sympathy between the two men grows as Lee observes Scott embroiled in the distracting politics of war: officers salivating for promotion, enemies more preoccupied with saving face than lives, distant legislators issuing directives. If Gone for Soldiers occasionally bogs down during its many lengthy battle scenes, unexpected and delightful small touches arise nearly as often--the "capture" of Mexican leader Santa Anna's wooden leg or the chance encounter between Lee and a young Ulysses S. Grant. Duty-bound and humble, Lee cultivates a perpetual stoicism. "Now we're out here in some place God may not want us to be. It's hard to believe He is happy watching us fight a war," he muses, a sobering coda to the grim calculations of victory. --Ben Guterson

I liked it:
Following the approach of the 3 Civil war books, we take a ride with Robert E. Lee and Winfield Scott through the landings at Vera Cruz with the march to Chapultepec and Mexico City. The chapter tags are mainly: Robert E. Lee the old new captain(40 years old) immediatly shows his talent for the battle field as a scout and engineer which is immediatly recognised by Winfield Scott. You watch him perform his functions with skill and daring and yet still have moments of doubt. You watch him grow into the postion and see the makings of the future commander of the South. Winfield Scott, ol Fuss and Feathers, comes to highly regard Lee and shows it by desiring his company more then his staff. Scott the commanding General deals with goverment politics, glory hunting divisional comanders as he tries to lead the army in a new way of combat versus the outdated principles of Napoleon. The author did a good job at trying to get his feeling for the man across. He a soldier to the core and dispises political people and the glory seekers. He can't stand his son-in-law, his adjunt, and he torments his Sargent to no end. You see him become a diplomat and is actually offered Dictatorship of Mexico. All in all you get a good introduction to one of America's best and probably most unknown generals. Much of his acomplishments were overshadowed by the Civil War. A tribute to the man is the fact that the West Point Uniforms are the uniforms Scott's troops wore in the War of 1812. Also, the Duke of Wellington called him the best soldier of his generation. Along the way you meet other personalities. The dark and brooding Thomas Jackson as Lee remarked "This man needs War" You get to a chapter of his famous duel with Mexican Cannons at Chapultepec. Ulysis S. Grant and his attack at the gates of Mexico City. Joseph E. Johnston - you see who the friendship was developed with Lee and later lost in the Civil War. Pete Longstreet George Picket. Commadore Mathew Perry. P.G.T Beuregard All in all it's a good read and will give you a taste of an ignored war.

Do you like American History? Shaara is the best.:
I've read all the Shaara books and this one did not disappoint me (although his two-volume series about the American Revolution is my favorite). It is an excellent account of the Mexican War and includes a lot of information about Capt. Robert E. Lee's maturation as a combat officer under Gen. Winfield Scott, as well as brief looks into the early evolvement of Stonewall Jackson and Ulysses S. Grant. If you enjoy American History, this book, as well as Shaara's others, is a must for you.

Another Shaara Classic:
When it comes to historical fiction, I place Jeffrey Shaara second to no one. That said, I must add, this is not Shaara's best work, but it is still a fabulous read for any lover of American history. Not only does Shaara successfully depict Americas "forgotten" war with accuracy and color that readers have come to expect from his work, but he also gives wonderful insight in one of our most underrated military leaders with his depiction of Gen. Winfield Scott, as well as a fabulous look at the earlier career of Robert E. Lee. The reader will also find glimpses of other future millitary greats in the formative stages of their careers such as Jackson and Beauregard. As with all Shaara novels, it is so well researched and presented, and so historically accurate, it is really a shame to have to classify this work as historical fiction. A must read for history lovers, and anyone wanting a good insight into the Mexican - American War.

An Incredible Read:
Like many readers, I was first introduced into the world of the Shaaras when my high school history teacher assigned us to read the 1974 classic The Killer Angels. Having recently followed son Jeff Shaara's prequel and sequel to the aforementioned novel, I have seen no less than a sincere attempt to bring people into the realm and mystique of 19th century American awakening. Gone for Soldiers is a masterful work that successfully continues the trend of excellence begun with Michael Shaara. Through a unique and wonderfully woven story, Jeff again mixes creative thought and dialogue with the historical events of the time, this time focusing his attentions on the long march with Winfield Scott in the Mexican-American War. Admittedly, i was somewhat cautious when beginning this book, never truly expecting it to measure up to the standards of its predecessors. In addition, I could not fathom how certain characters, most notably General Winfield Scott, could be made into interesting and sometimes awkwardly sympathetic figures. Shaara somehow found a way. Two points of interest are the way that Robert E. Lee and Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna are treated in the book. It was wonderful to see an American legend, so often revered as the most beloved commander in U.S. history, going through his formative time in the military, a young officer in his forties who couldn't possibly understand his future implications or impact on military and cultural existence. Following Lee through the book is akin to viewing the awakening, albeit a reluctant one, of a great military engineer evolving into a great military leader. A second notable surprise were the entries on Santa Anna, a figure whose very presence made his sections of the book true page-turners. In addition, there are the entries devoted to future Civil War generals including Longstreet, Beauregard, and of course Grant. Overall, I would highly recommend this book for its insight and its creativity - hallmarks of the Shaara tradition. I can truly state that Jeff Shaara has taken his father's masterpiece and turned it into a dynasty.

"Gone for Soldiers" is plausible:
Jeff Shaara has again triumphed with a novel in historical context. His structuring of what the main characters might have done and said within the backdrop of the Mexican War makes this forgotten war come alive. The best military novel I have read to date.