The year prior to the battle of Gettysburg was the high-water mark for the Confederacy; single-minded, its superior officers were unified under the command of General Robert E. Lee. Gods And Generals: The Paintings Of Mort Kunstler focuses on the strategic collaboration between Lee and Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson in the battles leading up to July 1863: Second Ball Run (Manassas), Antietam, Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. The roots of a tradition of undying valour and constancy were found here, and they have been a vibrant heritage for subsequent generations. This story, based on the best-selling novel by Jeff Shaara (Gods And Generals), also involves Union Officer Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain and Winfield Scott Hancock, one a professor of religion from Bowdoin College, and the other a graduate of West Point. The dramatic text and pictures bring to life this crucial time as the Confederacy dominated the battlefields with their skilful speed and flexibility.