Who is Lesley J. Gordon?
Lesley J. Gordon is an American military historian who specializes in the American Civil War. She holds the Charles G. Summersell Chair of Southern History at the University of Alabama.
Questions about Lesley J. Gordon
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What did Lesley J. Gordon argue in her book about George E. Pickett?
Lesley J. Gordon argued that George E. Pickett's reputation as a tragic hero of the Lost Cause was largely created by his wife, LaSalle Pickett, who spent more than fifty years giving talks about him. Gordon's 1998 book concluded that his actual military achievements were more modest than the legend suggested.
Where did Lesley J. Gordon study and teach before joining the University of Alabama?
Lesley J. Gordon studied history at the College of William & Mary and earned her PhD from the University of Georgia. Before Alabama, she taught at Murray State University and the University of Akron.
What books has Lesley J. Gordon written about the Civil War?
Lesley J. Gordon's books include her 1998 biography of George E. Pickett, This Terrible War (2003) co-authored with Daniel E. Sutherland and Michael Fellman, and A Broken Regiment (2014) on the 16th Connecticut Infantry Regiment. Her 2025 book, Dread Danger: Cowardice and Combat in the American Civil War, is published by Cambridge University Press.
Why did Lesley J. Gordon appear on Who Do You Think You Are??
Lesley J. Gordon appeared on the American version of Who Do You Think You Are? in 2017 as a Civil War historian. On the show, she told actor Noah Wyle that one of his ancestors had fought in the Confederate Army.
What roles has Lesley J. Gordon held at the University of Alabama?
Lesley J. Gordon has held the Charles G. Summersell Professor of Southern History since 2016, succeeding George C. Rable. In 2022, she also became chair of the editorial board of the University of Alabama Press.