KilledinactionatthebloodyBattleofShiloh,ConfederategeneralAlbertSidneyJohnstonstandsasthehighest-rankingAmericanmilitaryofficertodieincombat.HisunexpecteddemisehadcascadingnegativeconsequencesfortheSouth’swareffort,ashisabsencecreatedavoidinadequateleadershipintheyearsthatfollowed.InTheIronDiceofBattle,notedCivilWarhistorianTimothyB.SmithreexaminesJohnston’slifeanddeath,offeringremarkableinsightsintothisoften-contradictoryfigure.Asacommander,Johnstonfrequentlyfacedlargerandbetter-armedUnionforces,dramaticallyshapinghisbattlefielddecisionsandconvincinghimthatvictorycouldonlybeattainedbytakingstrategicriskswhilefighting.ThefinalwagercamewhileleadinghisarmyatShilohinApril1862.Duringadesperategambittoturnthetideofbattle,JohnstonchargedtothefrontoftheConfederatelinetodirecthistroopsandfellmortallywoundedaftersustainingenemyfire.Thefirstworktosurveythegeneral’scareerindetailinnearlysixtyyears,TheIronDiceofBattlebuildsonrecentscholarshiptoprovideanewandincisiveassessmentofJohnston’slife,hisConfederatecommand,andtheeffecthisdeathhadonthecourseoftheCivilWarintheWest.
