James Ramage was awarded the 2002 Jefferson Davis Historical Gold Medal for his research of Col. John Singleton Mosby in Gray Ghost and General John Hunt Morgan in Rebel Raider by the United Daughters of the Confederacy.
"Undoubtedly the best book to appear on this topic to date." —Arkansas Historical Quarterly
"A readable, comprehensive portrait of the 80-year life of a gifted, thoroughly combative man." —Booklist
"A thorough biography of the Virginian." —Charleston Post and Courier
"Likely to be the best biography of the Confederate partisan leader John S. Mosby for a long time to come." —Choice
"Ramage's comprehensive and convincing study could not be more timely or more welcome." —Chronicle
"Ramage has done fine work in clarifying the tangled story of Mosby's many fights, the complicated contexts of Yankee plans, and in assessing and refusing to overestimate Mosby's contribution to the Confederate war effort.... Comprehensive and convincing." —Chronicles
"A comprehensive account of the partisan leader, written with objectivity, suspense, humor, and insight." —Civil War Courier
"Seems destined to become a primer in Civil War biographical writing—and rightfully so." —Civil War History
"Will stand as an invaluable Mosby reference." —Civil War News
~Civil War News
"No biographer of Mosby has woven the various threads of Mosby's life together as deftly as Ramage does in this portrait of one of the Civil War's most compelling figures." —Civil War Times
"Ramage's work represents the very best on Mosby that can be done." —Emory M. Thomas
"The most thoroughly researched biography of Mosby to date." —Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
"Mosby achieved far greater fame during the Civil War than the vast majority of the military officers who outranked him. Ramage disentangles Mosby from a mass of myth and misinformation, reaching judicious conclusions that never exaggerate the Virginian's role in shaping the conflict." —Gary W. Gallagher
"Exhaustive and well researched." —Indiana Magazine of History
"A comprehensive and well-researched biography.... Should satisfy both a popular audience and historians interested in guerrilla operations." —Journal of Military History
"Well researched and clearly written, Ramage's book puts Mosby in balanced perspective." —Journal of Southern History
"Any history buff is sure to appreciate this account of a great military genius." —Kentucky Living
"A volume that will become the standard reference on Mosby." —Kirkus Reviews
"An engaging, expertly researched biography." —Lexington Herald-Leader
"The documented exploits of Mosby and his raiders read like the most exciting adventure fiction." —Library Booknotes
"Painstaking research, dramatic illustrations, and a useful bibliographic essay add to this absorbing biography. Highly recommended." —Library Journal
"Offers a lively, immensely detailed record of Mosby's wartime career and a vivid summary of his equally turbulent post-war life." —New York Times Book Review
"Emphasizes Mosby's psychological impact on Federal forces, particularly frustrated commanders such as Phil Sheridan, and stresses the guerrilla commander's contributions to Southern pride." —North & South
"Superbly researched and carefully argued.... The most comprehensive study of the cavalryman's career." —North Carolina Historical Review
"A rewarding read for Civil War buffs and those interested in an ambitious, but engaging, description of his exceptional story." —Ohio Valley History
"Strips away the veneer of myth that has enshrouded Mosby for generations and reveals a complex personality far more fascinating than the one celebrated in folklore." —Register of the Kentucky Historical Society
"The last word belongs to Lee, who always admired dash and daring. 'Hurrah for Mosby! I wish I had a hundred like him.' Ramage's Gray Ghost shows us why." —Southern Partisan
"A stirring story in its first half, like something out of Robin Hood or Camelot, and sad in the second half, as the South turns its back on Mosby after the War for supporting Grant for president and as the State Department tries to suppress his exposing of corruption among appointed officers serving in foreign embassies." —Southern Seen
"Diligently explores the hardships of Mosby's postwar career, a period too often neglected by those who seek to make Mosby an icon of unreconstructed southernism." —Virginia Magazine of History and Biography
"The first full biography of the renowned Confederate partisan ranger." —Appalachian Quarterly
"Gray Ghost is a comprehensive biography of the renowned Confederate partisan ranger, who possessed a genius for irregular warfare and became an expert at using fear as a weapon." —Kentucky Monthly
"According to Gray Ghost, Mosby was one of the war's most intriguing personalities." —Courier-Journal
"[An] entertaining and informative biography... reveals in vivid prose why Mosby became such an effective raider in the Virginia theater." —Bowling Green Daily News
"A small wisp of a man, always restless and absolutely fearless, Mosby raised guerrilla warfare to a sophisticated level.... Ramage's book is the best biography we have of Mosby... a deserved tribute to both the subject and author." —Roanoke Times
"[This book] is mainly about his Civil War period but includes his life before and after the war. He was a rare rebel who after the Civil War worked with and supported Republican national leaders. The book is a joy to read." —Benet Exton, newsok.com
"This book was a joy to read and it was hard to put it down. One can easily lose their self in the story and forget the outside world. This book is highly recommended to Civil War enthusiasts and anyone wanting to know more about unique personalities in American history." —Benet Exton, catholicnewsagency.com
~Benet Exton, catholicnewsagency.com
"[Gray Ghost] tells the fascinating story of the leader who not only revolutionized the art of the night raid during the Civil War, but who set the precedent for exploiting the psychology of fear to gain essential victories." —civilwar,com
"Down through the years, several books have been written about the life of Mosby. For the first time author James A. Ramage has gathered all of the loose threads of Mosby's life together and woven a complete portrait of the guerilla commander and his contributions to the Confederate cause. This thoroughly researched and documented biography will be the standard reference on John Mosby for years to come." —The Lone Star Book Review
"This is the first comprehensive biography of the renowned Confederate guerilla fighter from Viginia's eastern slopes of the Blue Ridge."—Appalachian Heritage
