The Tale Untwisted: General George B. McClellan, the Maryland Campaign, and the Discovery of Lee’s Lost Orders($18.95Value)

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The discovery of Robert E. Lee’s Special Orders No. 191 outside of Frederick, Maryland, on September 13, 1862, is one of the most important and hotly disputed events of the American Civil War. For more than 150 years, historians have debated if George McClellan, commander of the Union Army of the Potomac, dawdled after receiving a copy of the orders before warily advancing to challenge Lee’s forces atop South Mountain. In The Tale Untwisted , authors Gene Thorp and Alexander Rossino document in exhaustive fashion how “Little Mac” in fact moved with uncharacteristic energy to counter the Confederate threat and take advantage of Lee’s divided forces, seizing the initiative and striking a blow in the process that wrecked Lee’s plans and sent his army reeling back toward Virginia. This study is a beautifully woven tour de force of primary research that may well be the final word on the debate over the fate and impact of the Lost Orders on the history of the 1862 Maryland Campaign. “Thorp and Rossino make a very persuasive case for McClellan having received the Lost Orders in mid-afternoon and sending his dispatch to Lincoln at midnight on September 13, 1862. If I were writing my Antietam book today, I would follow their account.” James M. McPherson, author of Crossroads of Freedom “This well-documented and logical explanation of the controversial Lee’s ‘Lost Orders’ debate finally puts the actions of General George McClellan in a proper context. Before a single Union soldier took a step in response to any order based on finding S.O. 191, Lee remarked that he found the Union army ‘advancing more rapidly than convenient.’ Now we know why.” Thomas G. Clemens, ed., The Maryland Campaign of September 1862, Vols. 1–3 “A clear, extremely well-researched study exploring when Lee’s famous ‘Lost Orders,’ S.O. 191, came into McClellan’s possession and how he responded to them. It is good history and anyone with an interest in the 1862 Maryland Campaign will find it a fascinating and illuminating read.” D. Scott Hartwig, author of To Antietam Creek “Who Lost the Lost Orders? is the greatest single mystery of the Civil War. But chasing its answer has frequently distracted attention from the larger mystery of what George B. McClellan did with the discovery of the Lost Orders. For almost a century-and-a-half, opinion has followed McClellan’s legion of critics in blaming him for ‘dawdling,’ even with the greatest intelligence coup of the war in his hands. Gene Thorp and Alexander Rossino beg, very pointedly, to differ. In The Tale Untwisted, they offer an alternative view, with McClellan in heated pursuit of the Confederate army, managing a badly demoralized and hastily improvised Army of the Potomac and deploring a lackluster surrender of Harpers Ferry that ought never to have occurred.” Allen C. Guelzo, author of Robert E. Lee: A Life and Gettysburg: The Last Invasion “…Thorp and Rossino offer readers a masterful summary of the period September 7-15. Clarity abounds in the narrative, but the book's dynamic and highly detailed maps (many of which are two-page spreads) provide what amounts to a daily military chessboard. In research, argumentation, and overall presentation, Thorp and Rossino's study shows how going about the process of changing minds influenced by generations of printed misinformation is properly done. Theirs is a refreshing and essential new addition to the 1862 Maryland Campaign literature.” Civil War Books and Authors “Thorpe and Rossino tell the story in a clear, engaging style, with numerous primary references, supported by many splendid maps. Their analysis lends depth and texture to our understanding of the role of the " Lost Orders" in the campaign. The Tale Untwisted , which is likely to prove contentious, is highly recommended, a "must have" for anyone interested in the Eastern Theatre, Antietam, or George McClellan.” The NYMAS Review Gene M. Thorp is an award-winning cartographer and writer who worked at The Washington Post for 15 years. His freelance maps can be found in numerous books on the New York Times bestseller list and throughout major museums and parks. Gene currently works at the U.S. Department of State. Dr. Alexander Rossino is an independent historian and author. He earned Master’s and Doctoral degrees in History at Syracuse University before working for nine years as a historian at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. Dr. Rossino turned his attention to the American Civil War in 2011 and after several years of research, he produced Six Days in September: A Novel of Lee's Army in Maryland, September 1862. The book proved to be popular among historians and enthusiasts alike, leading to a sequel titled The Guns of September: A Novel of McClellan's Army in Maryland, September 1862, which appeared in 2024. Dr. Rossino also wrote Their Maryland: The Army of Northern Virginia from the Potomac Crossing to Sharpsburg in September 1862 (2021) and co-auth