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The Battlefields of the Civil War
Here is the perfect guidebook to the major battlesites of the Civil War, ideal for families looking to make a vacation educational as well as fun.
Each year thousands of visitors to the major battlesite areas make do with the brochures each battlesite offers on its own region. However, the tourist looking to set-up an itinerary that follows the actual progress of the total war from battlesite to battlesite has had no one book to turn to, until now.
The book combines practical information with a fascinating historical perspective. Each section opens with a brief scene-setter which states why the armies were there and what their objectives were. Next comes a description of the terrain, since this was crucial to the course of each battle. Lastly, an account of the actual battle is given. Easy-to-follow maps allow the visitor to see each hill and valley where key strategic conflicts were fought, and modern day photos - often juxtaposed with period shots - bring immediacy to the conflict.
To help visitors who are planning a journey through the battlefields, two itineraries are proposed. The Eastern itinerary begins at Gettysburg, then proceeds to Antietam, Harper's Ferry, Cedar Creek, Manassas, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Richmond and Petersburg. The Western itinerary is slightly different, consisting of three "legs", and includes Vicksburg, Shiloh, Forts Henry and Donelson, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Atlanta and Charleston.
The end result is a unique guidebook sure to delight all families on the go.
Each year thousands of visitors to the major battlesite areas make do with the brochures each battlesite offers on its own region. However, the tourist looking to set-up an itinerary that follows the actual progress of the total war from battlesite to battlesite has had no one book to turn to, until now.
The book combines practical information with a fascinating historical perspective. Each section opens with a brief scene-setter which states why the armies were there and what their objectives were. Next comes a description of the terrain, since this was crucial to the course of each battle. Lastly, an account of the actual battle is given. Easy-to-follow maps allow the visitor to see each hill and valley where key strategic conflicts were fought, and modern day photos - often juxtaposed with period shots - bring immediacy to the conflict.
To help visitors who are planning a journey through the battlefields, two itineraries are proposed. The Eastern itinerary begins at Gettysburg, then proceeds to Antietam, Harper's Ferry, Cedar Creek, Manassas, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Richmond and Petersburg. The Western itinerary is slightly different, consisting of three "legs", and includes Vicksburg, Shiloh, Forts Henry and Donelson, Nashville, Murfreesboro, Chattanooga, Chickamauga, Atlanta and Charleston.
The end result is a unique guidebook sure to delight all families on the go.
Hardcover
First published September 1, 1989
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 30, 2023
*I originally gave this book 3 stars before I finished the last chapter. In the last chapter, the author starts to wax poetic about the KKK and describes the "good" they did with driving out carpetbaggers in the South. I don't know if the author is simply a british idiot or scum of the Earth. Either way, you lost yourself all stars with that stance*
This was obviously written by two southern sympathizers, and I find some of their takes to be wildly inappropriate. They call Sherman's March to the Sea "Terrorism, Plain and Simple" but not the brutal tactics deployed by confederates or slavery itself. I think critiques of all military tactics are fair and important, but the authors seem wholly uninterested in critiquing the "brave rebels" and instead just want to pass criticism on the union. The authors also have romantic wonderings about what could have happened if the rebels had won this battle or that. There are also a few typos which I'll feel petty about given the demeanor. Furthermore, the book mentions bleeding Kansas as only a "PR stunt," revealing a huge gap of knowledge. I would only suggest this book to someone who knows enough about US history to not be influenced by their obvious sympathy with the confederacy and who is interested in specifics about the terrain of specific battlefields.
This was obviously written by two southern sympathizers, and I find some of their takes to be wildly inappropriate. They call Sherman's March to the Sea "Terrorism, Plain and Simple" but not the brutal tactics deployed by confederates or slavery itself. I think critiques of all military tactics are fair and important, but the authors seem wholly uninterested in critiquing the "brave rebels" and instead just want to pass criticism on the union. The authors also have romantic wonderings about what could have happened if the rebels had won this battle or that. There are also a few typos which I'll feel petty about given the demeanor. Furthermore, the book mentions bleeding Kansas as only a "PR stunt," revealing a huge gap of knowledge. I would only suggest this book to someone who knows enough about US history to not be influenced by their obvious sympathy with the confederacy and who is interested in specifics about the terrain of specific battlefields.
January 24, 2021
First time reading a civil war history written from Southern bias perspective. Although the content is carefully selected by the Authors and worded in an attempt to sway readers, it's still a great visual supplement to anyone that enjoys reading civil war history.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2023
On the one hand, this book has far less information than the hundreds of books on individual battles that I've read over the years. Since it was published in 1981, not only doesn't the book item in the "further information" box include the more recent works, it often includes only a single suggestion (at best) for most battles; for example, the Gettysburg chapter has only The U.S. Army War College Guide to the Battle of Gettysburg, and doesn't even mention the books by Edwin B. Coddington and Glen Tucker.
Another problem is that the book doesn't even include all of the Civil War battlefields, not even the ones in the NPS system. It leaves out Tupelo and Brice's Crossroads in the Western Theater and Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge in the Trans-Mississippi, nor does it cover any of the battlefields in the various state park systems, other than a small box in the Murfreesboro chapter.
While these things might make this book less useful for someone like me, it might be more helpful for those who are just getting interested in the war. The chapters on individual battles are fairly good, with smaller sections interspaced with these chapters on specific topics such as medicine and uniforms.
Another problem is that the book doesn't even include all of the Civil War battlefields, not even the ones in the NPS system. It leaves out Tupelo and Brice's Crossroads in the Western Theater and Wilson's Creek and Pea Ridge in the Trans-Mississippi, nor does it cover any of the battlefields in the various state park systems, other than a small box in the Murfreesboro chapter.
While these things might make this book less useful for someone like me, it might be more helpful for those who are just getting interested in the war. The chapters on individual battles are fairly good, with smaller sections interspaced with these chapters on specific topics such as medicine and uniforms.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews