The Tarnished Cavalier: Major General Earl Van Dorn, C.S.A.

About this book

Arthur Carter brings new perspective to Confederate knight-errant Earl Van Dorn who might have been famous rather than infamous had he lived. . . . Carter suggests how Van Dorn the cavalryman could have joined mounted leaders Forrest Morgan and Wheeler as raiders-superb and mainstay of Confederate success in the West. Except for one costly peccadillo Van Dorn would have been one of the Souths rising rather than falling stars.Benjamin Franklin Cooling Author of Fort Donelsons Legacy Dashing bold and fearless in command Major General Earl Van Dorn was a soldier whose star shone brightly during the early days of the Confederacy. A veteran of the Mexican War and Indian campaigns he is remembered for suffering devastating defeats while leading armies at Pea Ridge and Corinth and then redeeming himself as a cavalry commander at Holly Springs and Thompson Station. Yet he was perhaps best known for his reputation as a womanizer killed by an irate husband at the height of his career. Arthur B. Carters biography of Van Dorn the first in three decades draws on previously unpublished sources regarding the generals affair with Martha Goodbreadwhich resulted in three childrenand his liaison with Jessica Peters which resulted in his death. This new material unknown to previous biographers includes the revelation that the true circumstances of Van Dorns death were kept secret by friends and comrades in order to protect his family. Carter reveals that the general was probably mortally wounded on the Peters plantation but was carried back to his Spring Hill headquarters. He reconstructs the details of Van Dorns murder in a brisk narrative that draws on accounts of Van Dorns confidantes capturing both the danger and passion of those events. The Tarnished Cavalier is more than a story of scandal. Carter sheds new light on Confederate conduct of the war in the western theater during 1861 and 1862 revisits the pivotal battles of Pea Ridge and Corinthboth of which are important to understanding the loss of the upper Southand introduces new perspectives on the defense of Vicksburg and the Middle Tennessee operations of early 1863. Carters narrative juxtaposes Van Dorns flamboyance with his failings as a commander: although he was a soldier with heroic aspirations he was also impulsive reckless and unable to delegate authority. Perhaps more telling it shows how Van Dorns character flaws extended to his personal life cutting short a promising career. The Author: Arthur B. Carter a retired U.S. Army officer and educator lives in Mobile Alabama.