Calamity at Frederick: Robert E. Lee, Special Orders No. 191, and Confederate Misfortune on the Road to Antietam

“Stimulating and provocative. This is a fine piece of work.” — James M. McPherson, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning Battle Cry of Freedom

The loss of Robert E. Lee’s Special Orders No. 191 is one of the Civil War’s enduring mysteries. In this meticulous study, Alexander Rossino presents a bold new interpretation of the evidence surrounding the orders’ creation, distribution, and loss outside Frederick, Maryland, in September 1862.

Rossino makes extensive use of primary sources to explore ...