Tom, thanks much for the reference to Cleburne. You are right on the money about him.

Patrick Cleburne was truly a "soldier's general." It's too bad that the Byzantine politics and power-plays of the Army of Tennessee and the Confederate War Department kept him from Corps, or even Army, command.

Cleburne had all the right qualities, including a somewhat modern grasp of leadership, tactics and strategy. When I first saw the "Follow Me!" statue at Fort Benning, I was immediately reminded of Pat Cleburne.

As I recall, it was on your recommendation several years ago that I got a copy of "A Meteor Shining Brightly: Essays on Maj. Gen. Patrick R. Cleburne" -- one of my most beloved books.

It was a truly sad day for the South when he was killed at Franklin. We lost one of our best.